My mom, terminal with cancer, sat in a wheelchair with an oxygen tank, having endured a grueling twenty-hour Greyhound bus ride just to be at my wedding to Ethan. But when it was his time to walk down the aisle, I called his name until I was hoarse, but he was nowhere in sight. Turns out, his childhood sweetheart, Sophia, was having a depressive episode, threatening suicide again: “Ethan, I can’t live without you.” My usually stoic fiancé was holding Sophia tightly, desperately begging me to stop the wedding, to let them leave. Relatives and friends tried to stifle their laughter, watching the absolute train wreck unfold. Right at that moment, as she crossed the hotel threshold, my mom took her last breath. My wedding became her funeral. Seeing my mom dead, Ethan’s eyes reddened slightly as he looked at me, a hint of guilt surfacing. “I promise, as soon as I get her checked into the ER, I’ll rush right back to marry you. I promise we’ll fulfill Mom’s last wish.” But he forgot, this was the 96th time he’d hurt me. And I wasn’t going to marry him anymore. Calmly, I texted him, breaking things off. Ethan, however, just brought his childhood sweetheart back to our home. 1. “The groom ran off with another woman, right at the altar! Any normal person would lose it, but she actually let him go?” “Tsk tsk, mother and daughter both have bad luck with men, can’t even hold onto one. So embarrassing!” Below the stage, guests pointed and whispered about me. My mom, overwhelmed by Ethan’s cruelty, collapsed, unconscious. “Mom!” I screamed, catching her, starting chest compressions, trying desperately to perform CPR. Everyone was startled, but no one stepped forward to help. Panicked, I begged Ethan, “Ethan! Please, can we get my mom to the hospital first?” Ethan, still holding Sophia, saw everything. He shot a cold glance at my mom, his voice dripping with impatience. “You say your mom’s dying every other day. How long are you going to keep up this act?” “Sophia’s depression is life-threatening. Having another person in the car could trigger her even more. Are you trying to kill her?” His entire world revolved around Sophia. He didn’t even care that my mom had collapsed. He’d completely forgotten that his entire successful business was built on the life savings my mom scraped together for him to start it. How could someone be so cold-blooded? I kept doing compressions, but Mom didn’t wake up. Seeing this, the crowd finally panicked, chaos erupted, and someone finally called 911. Amidst the commotion, Ethan tried to leave, but Sophia, fidgeting, stopped him. After Ethan coaxed her gently several times, Sophia spoke, her voice sickeningly sweet and manipulative: “Ethan, I feel really awful. Since Auntie isn’t using her wheelchair right now, could I maybe use it?” Instantly, complex gazes fell upon me. And I just stared, hard, at Ethan. The wedding was ruined. My mother and I were already beyond humiliated. Now he wanted to push it even further, take my dying mother’s wheelchair for Sophia? Feeling the woman in his arms tremble, Ethan’s eyes filled with guilt as he looked at me: “Chloe, your mom isn’t using the wheelchair right now anyway. Letting Sophia use it for a bit… you wouldn’t refuse, right?” A bitter taste filled my mouth. I almost forgot. Sophia was his childhood sweetheart. The one who made Ethan ditch my birthdays, ignore me when I was sick, even when my mom was critically ill. The reason he’d sabotaged our wedding eight times before this. How could I possibly win against that? But I didn’t want to agree. Probably sensing my answer, Ethan spoke again after a moment: “Years ago, you promised you’d grant me ninety-nine requests, unconditionally. Let this be one of those requests, okay?” “You still have dozens left, right?” Hearing Ethan say this, my eyes instantly welled up. Back when my mom first got seriously ill, it was Ethan who knelt by her bedside, begging her to let him marry me. He sold everything he owned to scrape together money for her treatment. Mom was deeply grateful and agreed to the marriage. I asked him then how I could ever repay such kindness. He scratched his head, casually saying: “Your mom already agreed to let us get married.” But I insisted: “My mom is my mom. I am me.” Sensing my sincerity, he said: “Then… just unconditionally grant me 99 requests, or let me hurt you 99 times, and we’d call it even.” In the four years after we got engaged, Ethan never made a single request. Until Sophia reappeared a year ago. Since then, he’d used up 96. But this time, he was wrong. First, there weren’t “dozens” left. Second, this involved my mother’s life. I could never agree. What I didn’t expect was that before I could even answer, Ethan grabbed the wheelchair and put Sophia in it. “Remember, you owe me one less now.” Seeing him act like this, and not wanting to waste time arguing, I had no choice but to lift my mother onto my back myself. But as I passed Sophia, I caught a fleeting, malicious smirk on her face. The next second, she stuck her foot out, tripping me. I crashed hard onto the floor, my chin hitting the tile. Pain shot through my entire body. Mom was thrown from my back. Gasps erupted from the crowd. I scrambled to protect my mom. Beside me, Sophia spat out venomously: “Sister, even if you’re trying to fake a fall to get Ethan’s sympathy, you can’t be heartless enough to use your own mom, can you? Auntie’s still just pretending to be unconscious.” Someone in the crowd chimed in: “Ungrateful daughter! Your mom’s collapsed, and you’re still here fighting over a man? Shameless!” Unable to watch my humiliation, Ethan started to reach out to help me, but hearing the accusation, his hand dropped. “Chloe, get your mom up! Haven’t you embarrassed yourself enough?” Sophia tugged at Ethan’s sleeve. “Okay, Ethan, don’t be mad about this little thing. Quick, let’s go to the hospital pharmacy.” Seeing that I didn’t argue, just staggered to my feet and struggled to lift Mom onto my back again, limping. Ethan started pushing the wheelchair, following me, a hint of concern in his voice: “Maybe find someone to help you carry her?” Beside him, Sophia chuckled lightly: “Sister, you’re the woman who can carry a fridge up six flights of stairs. Why suddenly can’t you carry a person today?” “You’re not… deliberately blocking my way, are you?” Hearing this, Ethan instantly distanced himself from me, disgust flashing in his eyes: “Chloe, why have you become so petty? You know Sophia’s having an episode, yet you’re deliberately walking so slow. If you can’t walk, get out of the way! Don’t block the path!” Me, petty? He used to praise me for being understanding, saying he appreciated that I never questioned his need to care for Sophia, and he treated me well because of it. But later, after he ditched me countless times for Sophia, the moment I asked even a mild question, he called me small-minded, accusing me of picking on a sick person. And now, because of Sophia, we had become unrecognizable versions of ourselves. His heart had completely tilted away from me. After a long wait, the ambulance finally arrived. I placed Mom on the stretcher. Just as I was about to get in, Sophia grabbed my arm again: “Sister, I’m a patient too, I need to go to the hospital. Give me your spot.” I clenched my teeth so hard they ground together, looking at Ethan. Ethan looked awkward, and for once, he actually stopped her: “They don’t need to take you. I’ll drive you to the hospital. Be good.” Only then did the ambulance doors close. An hour later, I sat outside the emergency room, tears streaming down my face. Mom didn’t make it. She died in the ER. The doctor said the ambulance arrived too late. If it had been just ten minutes earlier, the outcome might have been different. As I stood numbly outside the ER, Ethan finally showed up. The thought that Mom would still be alive if not for him and Sophia consumed me. Overcome with grief, I wanted to slap him across the face. But unexpectedly, the moment I raised my hand, he caught it excitedly. His face lit up with happiness: “Chloe, thank god you were understanding enough to stop the wedding and let us go! Sophia’s episode was really serious. You were so considerate, you saved her life again.” He glanced at the extinguished light above the ER door and said casually: “Looks like Mom’s okay too. Great. You take care of Mom first, I’ll come visit her when I have time.” “Next time, I promise the wedding will go smoothly. Mom will definitely get to see us get married, my beautiful bride…” He finished speaking and ran off. He had no idea. Once the debt was repaid, I was leaving. And my mom would never see me get married. 2 While I arranged for Mom’s cremation, he was still with Sophia. I brought her ashes home, packed up her belongings. The housekeeper watched my strange behavior, looking confused. Just then, Ethan sent a gift via the bridal shop staff: two more wedding dresses. He specifically included a message: one was an apology for the interrupted wedding, the other compensation for taking Mom’s wheelchair. As the dresses were fully displayed, the young employee gushed, practically seeing pink bubbles around me: “Mrs. Jiang— Oh, I mean, soon-to-be Mrs. Evans— your fiancé bought out our entire new collection for you! You are so lucky.” My face was blank. Inside, I just wanted to break down and sob. They didn’t know. This was just Ethan’s routine compensation after hurting me. My eyes were empty as I watched them hang the dresses on hangers number 96 and 97. An entire room filled with wedding dresses, with only the last two hangers in the corner remaining empty. I looked away. I knew I’d be leaving soon. I placed the urn and Mom’s belongings on the table in the sunroom. I quickly packed a suitcase. Just as I put the suitcase by the wall, Ethan returned with Sophia. He was carrying lots of supplements he’d bought for Mom. He was always so thoughtful, so considerate. For a hazy moment, it almost felt like the man who had coldly watched my mother die wasn’t him at all. But the next second, conflict erupted. Sophia’s sharp eyes spotted the urn. She let out a sudden, piercing scream as if terrified. Her “depressive episode” flared up. She reached out and swatted the urn off the table. The ceramic box shattered, scattering ashes all over the floor. My vision turned red. I lunged forward, shoving Sophia away, screaming uncontrollably: “Get away! Don’t touch my mom!” Sophia shrank back into Ethan’s arms, sobbing. “I’m sorry, sister, my depression acted up again… But do you hate me that much? Did you deliberately buy a fake dead person prop and put it here just to scare me?” Ethan, instantly furious and protective of Sophia, unleashed a torrent of accusations at me: “Chloe, you know Sophia has depression! Did you buy this disgusting prop to scare her to death? You’re truly malicious! Apologize right now!” “If you know what’s good for you, I might still agree to reschedule the wedding. Otherwise, forget about your mom ever seeing you get married!” Scrambling on the floor, trying to gather the ashes back into the broken container, I screamed back at him, my voice raw with anguish: “Ethan, these are my mother’s ashes!” Ethan grew up in a single-parent household; he never had a mother. Ever since we got together, my mom treated him like her own son. He used to help out at her little dumpling stand every day. When she was bedridden for long periods, he patiently cared for her. He treated my mom like his own mother. Hearing this, surely he’d react somehow, right? But after a brief pause, a mocking smile twisted his lips: “Sophia said your mom isn’t dead. What are you pretending for? Besides, she’s your mom, not mine. Even if she did die, what’s it got to do with me?” Sophia suddenly clutched her head and started crying dramatically, her words utterly vile: “Sister, why are you lying to frame me? Auntie just called me last night, calling me a bitch and a whore, telling me to stay away from Ethan.” “It’s true, I’m sick, I’m shameless, I’m pathetic for clinging to Ethan. I should just listen to Auntie and go die…” My mom died two days ago. She was blatantly lying, slandering my dead mother! Yet, Ethan believed this outrageous lie. “You’re lying—” I shot back, but my fury was cut short as Ethan kicked me, sending me sprawling. “Chloe, how can you and your mother be so disgusting? If you don’t apologize to Sophia today, don’t even think about getting up!” My head hit the wall. Blood trickled down. I stared at him, my gaze filled with deathly stillness. Seeing the blood, he faltered for a second, then changed his tone slightly: “Forget it. Look at you, bleeding all over. Don’t be an eyesore here, you’ll just upset Sophia.” Sophia, Sophia, his mind was filled with Sophia. Fine. Let him spend the rest of his life with Sophia! Gritting my teeth, I gathered the broken urn and ashes, went upstairs, and back to my room. Behind me, a soft voice drifted up: “Ethan, will sister be upset now that she’s been exposed?” “She brought it on herself. What right does she have to be upset!” I slammed the door shut, finally blocking out the mockery from outside. My dad died young. Mom raised me alone, working tirelessly at her street stall. And I couldn’t even protect her ashes. They were thrown on the ground by someone else. Maybe this was Mom’s way of telling me from heaven that it was time to let go of all this entanglement, that I couldn’t stay here any longer. After crying silently for a long time, I picked up the calendar from the desk. I circled today’s date and marked it with the number 98. The door opened quietly sometime later. Ethan tiptoed over to my side. Before I could close the calendar, he snatched it away. Ethan frowned, looking at the red circle that had nearly torn through the paper. Annoyance flickered in his eyes. “What’s this circle around 98 supposed to mean?” 3 I quickly grabbed the calendar back and closed it. “Nothing, just spacing out.” He seemed surprised by my calmness, then suddenly remembered something: “You should really try to break that spacing-out habit. Last time, you almost got hit by a car.” He was talking about that time in college. I was agonizing over a clothing design, lost in thought, and wandered off the sidewalk into traffic. In that terrifying moment, he was the one who pulled me back. I treated him to dinner to thank him, and one thing led to another, sparking our relationship. Knowing he’d misinterpreted my current state, I didn’t explain, just gave a noncommittal nod. Lost in the memory of our college romance, a rare smile appeared on Ethan’s usually stern face: “Alright, don’t sulk alone. Come see this, I know you’ll love it.” He led me downstairs and snapped his fingers. Several housekeepers wheeled out an exquisite, luxurious wedding dress. “Chloe, you will be my most beautiful bride.” “About what happened with Sophia earlier… I’m sorry I lost my temper with you. This dress is my apology. I promise I’ll give you the grandest wedding ever.” Ethan declared this publicly, professing his feelings in front of everyone. The housekeepers beside us practically swooned with envy. My expression remained flat. “Put it in the closet.” Seeing my lack of enthusiasm, his face darkened slightly: “You don’t have to keep picking fights with Sophia. You were partly wrong in this too.” “Mom obviously isn’t dead. You lied to us, saying that urn was hers. If Mom heard you, she’d definitely scold you too.” I almost laughed out loud in bitterness. He still didn’t believe my mom was dead? If he had even an ounce of trust in my words, a simple call to the hospital would confirm it. But he treated Sophia’s words like gospel. I was truly talking to a brick wall. I scoffed coldly, “I did nothing wrong.” Ethan’s face contorted, finding me utterly unreasonable: “So you think Sophia and I are deliberately trying to make trouble for you?” “What else?” I replied flatly. “You’re unbelievable!” Ethan slammed the door with a deafening crack and stormed out, furious. I knew where he was going. Back to Sophia. Sure enough, Sophia immediately started bombarding me with photos and videos, flaunting their time together. I simply blocked her number and went to sleep. The next day, having few relatives or friends left, I arranged a simple funeral service for Mom. I notified Ethan, wanting some closure, a final conversation before cutting ties completely. His reply was simple: “Okay.” But the service was almost over, and he never showed up. Instead, Sophia arrived, followed by a group of rough-looking thugs. Sophia saw the surprise in my eyes and smirked. “What, surprised to see me?” Seeing their aggressive stance, I sensed trouble. “Why did you bring these people here?” “To trash the place, of course! Go on, smash it all!” At her command, the thugs stormed into Mom’s memorial setup, smashing everything in sight. Countless flowers were scattered, wreaths trampled, even Mom’s portrait was shattered. Chaos reigned. “Stop! Don’t touch anything! One more move and I’m calling the cops!” I shielded the urn with my body, shoving them away furiously, screaming until my voice was raw. Their fists and makeshift clubs rained down on me. My head bleeding, pain overwhelming me, I collapsed. Sophia grabbed my hair, yanking my head back, forcing me to look at her. “That old bitch mother of yours. If she didn’t die, was she just going to keep leeching off Ethan?” “Ethan says you’re just a boring housewife. He’s tired of you, can’t get rid of you, so I had to help him out.” A housewife? Is that how Ethan described me to her? Before we were engaged, I was a well-known fashion designer. It was only after his business took off that he begged me to quit my demanding job, saying he didn’t want me running back and forth, exhausted, that he would take care of me. But now, my mother and I were just burdens in his eyes. Fine. I really was leaving. But I wasn’t going to let her get away with this. Seeing me dazed, Sophia sneered dismissively, then turned to the thugs: “Throw her in the coffin, nail it shut with her mom—” Before she could finish, I grabbed a sharp piece of broken wood from the floor and stabbed it hard into her shoulder. Then, I lunged, wrapping my hands fiercely around her neck. A desperate counterattack! Sophia let out a bloodcurdling scream, cut short as my grip tightened. The thugs froze, startled, about to move. I snarled viciously, “Get lost! All of you! Or I snap her neck right now, and you won’t get paid a dime!” Sophia shook her head frantically, pleading with them for help, but the thugs scattered and ran. Relief washed over me. I released my grip, shoving Sophia to the ground. Before I could react, a stinging slap landed hard across my face. My head snapped sideways, ears ringing, as I heard Ethan’s furious roar: “Chloe, how dare you provoke Sophia again? Did you think my warnings were just hot air?” My eyes, blazing red, fixed on Ethan. “She was going to bury me alive!” Ethan seemed momentarily flustered by my shout, turning to look at Sophia. Sophia clung to him like a lifeline, sobbing pitifully: “Ethan, I was just joking! But sister took it seriously, she tried to kill me!” He pulled Sophia protectively into his arms, then turned on me, his voice harsh, as if I’d committed some heinous crime. “She’s sick, Chloe! She was just joking with you! How could you take it seriously and attack her?” This same transparent act had played out countless times. And yet, Ethan still blindly believed Sophia every single time. Tired of his lectures, I stated numbly, “Ethan. This is the last time.” Seeing the utter coldness in my expression, Ethan felt a jolt of fear, a sense that he was losing something vital. Noticing the injuries covering my head, he loosened his hold on Sophia. “Forget it. Let me take you to the hospital first.” He reached for me, but Sophia suddenly clutched her back, crying out: “It hurts, it hurts so bad! Ethan, my shoulder! Sister stabbed me right through! I’m going to die from the pain!” Seeing the blood soaking through Sophia’s clothes, Ethan panicked. Any concern for me instantly evaporated. He scooped Sophia up and ran towards the door, tossing back one sentence: “I’m taking her to the hospital first. Call yourself an ambulance. Text me when you get there, I’ll come meet you.” I watched his figure disappear through the main entrance. Then I called 911 myself and was eventually loaded onto the ambulance. Just as the ambulance pulled up to the hospital entrance. My phone buzzed with an anonymous text: “I won’t let him come get you.” Immediately after, Ethan’s call came through: “Sophia’s injury is too serious, she needs someone with her. I can’t pick you up right now. Later, I’ll definitely find time to check on you later, I promise!” I could hear Sophia’s coquettish voice in the background before Ethan abruptly hung up. He never asked about me again. So I was alone. Surgery, paying bills, recovering, staring blankly. During that time, Ethan never visited me once. But I’d occasionally catch glimpses of the two of them, acting lovey-dovey, in various corners of the hospital. What a perfect couple. I contacted a real estate agent and put the house up for sale. This was the house Ethan bought with the first big profit he made after starting his business with Mom’s money. That was when Ethan loved me the most. The deed was solely in my name. I thought we would build a happy home there. I never imagined I’d be the one selling it off in the end. I signed the contracts quickly, finalizing the transfer. The agent assured me they would handle the moving arrangements completely. Only then did I leave. Back home, the housekeeper presented me with the 99th wedding dress Ethan had sent. I hung it on the last empty hanger in the closet. After paying the staff their final wages and letting them go, I circled the date on the calendar, marking the final number: 99. In the blank space on the calendar page, I wrote my farewell letter to Ethan. “Family gone, debt repaid. Ethan, we’re done.” I placed Mom’s death certificate and the calendar page together on the coffee table. Then, I picked up my suitcase, went to the airport, chose a random flight, checked in, and boarded. As the plane soared into the sky, an exhausted Ethan finally returned home. The villa was eerily silent. Confused, he tried calling me. His eyes fell on the note on the coffee table. Just as he reached for it, the cold, robotic voice came through his phone: “Sorry, the number you have dialed is not reachable…” And the next second, he saw my mother’s death certificate. As if realizing something, his hand trembled as he snatched up the calendar page. When he saw the large, stark words written there… Ethan’s pupils constricted instantly.

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Seven years with Liam Miller, and he finally agreed to get married. But there was one condition: the wedding planner had to be his old college friend, Sophia Bell. I agreed. And just like that, my wedding became all about Sophia. The venue was decorated according to her taste. Liam held her hand during the rehearsal. Even the house I’d spent ages preparing, our dream home, Liam just gave it to her. I bought his excuse that they were “just friends,” biting my tongue again and again. But on the wedding day itself… Liam, wearing the designer suit I’d picked out, holding the custom ring I’d had made, got down on one knee in front of Sophia. “Sophia, this wedding… I planned it all for you.” “I know now, it’s always been you I loved.” “So, before I marry Claire, I have to marry you first!” “Just wait for me. Wait until I’ve secured my position with the Ashfords. I swear I’ll make it right, have you standing by my side properly.” I watched them, clinging together tearfully, my eyes cold. Instantly, I snapped a picture and sent it to my assistant. “Get this photo out everywhere. By tomorrow, I want him out of the Ashford family, penniless.” 1 After Liam and I got the marriage license, he was suddenly desperate to have the wedding ceremony. A complete turnaround from his usual dismissive, reluctant attitude. I thought he was finally changing for me. I quickly agreed. I was so happy, I barely registered him saying he wanted Sophia to plan the wedding. Liam was in a rush. The same day we got the license, he dragged me to the wedding planning agency. The second we walked in, Liam, who’d just been complaining about me getting lipstick on his shirt, completely changed his demeanor. His expression softened, his voice became gentle. “Sophia.” My heart dropped. I looked up quickly. And there she was, Sophia, pouting playfully. She practically launched herself into Liam’s arms, deliberately shouldering me aside. “Liam, you bad boy!” “How long has it been? Aren’t I still your favorite girl from college?!” Caught off guard, I stumbled back, hitting the corner of a table before steadying myself. Instinctively, like always, I reached out my hand. Before, whenever I stumbled or got bumped, Liam’s hand would instantly be there to catch me. It was almost a reflex. But this time, I waited. Nothing. Confused, I looked up. Liam hadn’t even glanced my way. His arms were wrapped around a bouncing Sophia, his gaze fixed on her, eyes overflowing with an affection he didn’t even try to hide. Seeing that look on his face, oblivious, my heart sank. I wanted to pull Liam away, but thinking about him… Pushing down the complicated feelings, I cut in first. “Hi, we’d like to book a wedding.” My voice was quiet, but Sophia reacted as if startled, her eyes instantly turning red-rimmed. “Wh-what?” “You… you two are getting married?” Her gaze darted between Liam and me. Finally, it locked onto Liam. Liam just cleared his throat, unable to meet her eyes. I stared at him, lips pressed tightly together, my nails digging into my palms without realizing it. I thought planning a wedding would take time, but surprisingly, they had a setup ready to go. Sophia quickly composed herself, professionally leading us to a mock setup. She explained everything detail by detail. Though her eyes were on Liam the entire time. I gave the setup a quick scan. Flooded with deep red roses, draped in gaudy, extravagant gold. It screamed expensive, but had zero aesthetic appeal to me. “No roses, I don’t like them.” “And I don’t like this style either. It’s too flashy.” “Do you have any other options?” Before Sophia could say anything, Liam jumped in. “No, we can’t change it!” “If you don’t know anything about design, don’t make random demands. Sophia worked hard on this. I trust her taste.” “Claire, stop acting like a spoiled princess. Just go with it.” I didn’t understand how expressing my opinion made me a spoiled princess. I opened my mouth to argue, but he pushed me towards the dressing room. “Don’t embarrass yourself. Hurry up and try on the dress.” “We’ll talk when you get back.” Before I could finish a sentence, Liam shoved me into the adjacent dressing room. He even closed the door behind him before leaving. Liam left quickly, his back view radiating an excitement he couldn’t quite hide. Staring at the firmly shut door, I put down the dress he’d forced into my hands and tried the knob. It was locked from the outside. My eyes instantly dimmed. The ache in my lower back where I’d hit the table flared up. I didn’t make a sound. I didn’t call Liam. I just dialed the number posted on the wall inside the room. Ten minutes later, the door opened. Without pausing, I walked straight back to the wedding venue area. As I stepped through the entrance, my body froze. My gaze locked onto the center of the display stage. Up there stood Liam and Sophia. Under the bright white lights, they slowly moved closer. Shy smiles on their faces, a charged look in their eyes. Holding hands, confessing feelings, leaning in for a kiss… Just as their lips were about to touch, I grabbed a glass from a nearby table and smashed it down. CRASH! The sound jolted Liam back to reality. A flicker of regret crossed his eyes as he reluctantly pushed Sophia away. No guilt, just irritation. “Claire, what took you so long?” “Because you were taking forever, I had Sophia help me run through the rehearsal.” “We’ve pretty much got it down. Let’s go home.” I looked at Liam’s calm face, then at his hand still unconsciously tangled with Sophia’s. His eyes never once settled on me. I searched his face for any sign of deception, any hint he was faking it. But he was good. Too good. As if locking the door was really an accident. As if nearly kissing Sophia was truly just a rehearsal. As if there was no history, no lingering feelings for his old college crush. 2 Sophia was Liam’s old college crush, the “one that got away.” I only knew she existed because he’d occasionally let her name slip out. Sophia likes peaches. Sophia loves rose-scented things. Sophia is allergic to eggs. He remembered every detail of her life, her habits, her preferences. When we first started dating, Liam swore they were just friends. He said he was just grateful for how she’d looked out for him back then. I believed him. And I was confident that, eventually, I would mean more to him than she did. But seven years passed, and Liam remained lukewarm towards me. The moment Sophia appeared, it was like he had blinders on. He couldn’t see me at all. His eyes and heart were only for Sophia. I didn’t even have the right to choose the flowers I liked for my own wedding. He even locked me in a room so he could rehearse the ceremony with her. In that moment, doubt crept in. This relationship I’d held onto for seven years… was it really worth it? If seven years couldn’t change his feelings, would marriage make any difference? On the way back, a gloomy rain started to fall. As we stepped outside, Liam, normally obsessed with cleanliness, instinctively took off his jacket and draped it over Sophia. “Sophia’s always been delicate. Getting wet could make her sick for ages.” “I’ll get her to the car first. You wait here.” Before I could react, he snatched the umbrella from my hand, put his arm around Sophia, and hurried her towards the car. Leaving me standing alone, getting soaked by the downpour. I stared in shock at his retreating back. My already unsteady heart felt like it was being drenched in ice water. “Liam…” He didn’t look back. He carefully settled Sophia in the car, meticulously arranging her clothes. The man so fussy about cleanliness didn’t seem to mind Sophia getting his car wet now. A bitter taste spread through my mouth. I stood frozen. Letting the heavy rain soak me until I was chilled to the bone. After a long while, Liam came back. He shoved the umbrella into my hand, gesturing for me to walk. “You’re already wet anyway. Why didn’t you just walk over instead of making me come back?” “Claire, your clothes are soaked. Get in the back seat later, and put something down first.” The cold made my voice tremble, but I forced the words out through gritted teeth. “Liam, abandoning your fiancée to take care of another woman… do you think that’s appropriate?” “You chose this wedding company for Sophia, didn’t you?” Liam’s face went blank for a second, then annoyance took over. “Claire, stop inventing things and jumping to conclusions about me.” “I was just being a gentleman, taking care of the guest first.” “Besides, we’re basically married now. What on earth are you so worried about?!” Liam was furious. His face dark, he once again took the umbrella, leaving me in the rain. “Claire, as punishment for doubting me, you can find your own way back.” “I’ve never done anything to wrong you, yet you refuse to trust me.” “Claire, this time, I’m truly disappointed.” My eyes stung as I watched Liam walk away again. Suddenly, everything felt so absurd, so laughable. Was it really me who didn’t trust him, or had his heart already strayed? 3 Liam showed zero concern for me. Ten o’clock at night, pitch black with pouring rain, and he left me to get home alone. From the moment he turned his back, I called his name countless times. After he left, I dialed his number over and over. Every single call went unanswered. The early winter air made me shiver uncontrollably. Feeling my body temperature rise, I finally called my assistant. Half an hour later, I was picked up. By the time I got home, my skin was flushed hot with fever. Meanwhile, Liam, who had left before me, still wasn’t home. I randomly swallowed a couple of pills and tried calling Liam again. This time, he answered. “Liam, I have a fever. Can you please come home and stay with me?” Maybe it was the sickness, but I suddenly felt incredibly vulnerable. I didn’t care that he’d ditched me for Sophia, didn’t care that he was unreachable. I just wanted him here with me, now. I thought he wouldn’t refuse. But after a long pause, all I got was a sigh. “Claire, I’m not a doctor. Me coming back won’t help.” “I’ll call the family doctor for you. Get some rest.” “I’m really busy lately, working late. I won’t be back tonight.” And then, he just hung up. Listening to the cold dial tone, the emotional dam I’d been holding back finally broke. Hot tears streamed down my face, hitting the duvet and spreading into dark patches. Liam… he really didn’t care about me… That night, I drifted in and out of a restless sleep. Waking up countless times, my hand habitually reached for the empty space beside me, only to find cold sheets. I checked my phone repeatedly. Not a single message. Not one missed call. The family doctor he promised to call? Forgotten the moment he hung up. The next morning, just as I was finally falling into a heavy sleep, my phone rang. It was my mom. Her call vaguely reminded me that today was the day I was supposed to show them the new house via video call. Their flight had issues, so they couldn’t come in person yet. I couldn’t let them see I was sick. Pretending everything was fine, I took them on a virtual tour of the nearby house we were supposed to live in. Through the screen, I kept making excuses for Liam. “Liam’s great, he’s just incredibly busy.” “Once things calm down, we’ll have the wedding.” “Don’t worry, Mom, he wouldn’t mistreat me…” Just as the words left my mouth, a familiar, coy voice interrupted. “Liam, you little devil, your cooking is still the best.” “I told you to be gentle! Now I need you to feed me.” “You’re terrible!” Following the sound, I stared blankly. The voice was coming from inside our house. Suddenly, my already pounding head felt heavier. A thousand suspicions exploded in my mind. Biting my lip, I walked towards the house, step by step. The front door was wide open, revealing everything inside without obstruction. The house I had meticulously planned, poured my heart into preparing… was now filled with the signs of someone else’s life. Matching clothes drying on the balcony, cozy, lived-in decor, two pairs of slippers by the door. Everything screamed that someone was living here. And Liam, who I’d been telling my parents was so busy, was right there, wearing an apron, carefully feeding soup to Sophia, who was lounging in bed. They were close together, faces flushed. It was only in that moment I realized Liam could cook. That he could be caring. All those times I’d had stomach pains, hoping he’d make me a simple bowl of porridge… What was his response then? He said he didn’t know how. Told me to call the housekeeper. In an instant, I felt my blood run cold. My legs buckled, and I almost collapsed. That slight noise caught the attention of the intimately close pair inside. When Liam’s eyes met mine, the tenderness in them hadn’t faded yet before freezing on his face. “Claire? What are you doing here?” I fumbled to hang up the video call before looking up numbly to meet his gaze. It took a long moment to find my voice. “Weren’t you working late?” “Weren’t you too busy? Why are you here?” “Why is Sophia living in my house?” The fever made my voice hoarse, but it didn’t dull the sharp edge. Liam frowned, a flicker of unease in his eyes. “Sophia got sick. She got sick because of our wedding planning stress, so I had to take care of her.” “As for the house, I already signed it over to her.” “Sophia’s trying to make it on her own here, working so hard planning our wedding. The Ashfords are loaded, what’s giving her one house?” “Claire, you’re not usually this petty. We can just find another house.”

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The day of Annie’s accident, Ethan was with his old flame getting her nails done. I called him, begging him to come to the hospital, to see our daughter one last time. But Ethan just accused me of being cruel, of cursing our own daughter. I pleaded again and again, but he wouldn’t budge. Meanwhile, his old flame was posting on her Instagram story, showing off her new manicure. “This goofball sat here like a statue waiting for me for three hours. He said he likes pink nails on me, what do you guys think? Cute?” I stared at my phone for a long time, suddenly exhausted. “Real cute. Tell him to come home and sign the divorce papers.” 1. My daughter was rushed into the operating room, covered in blood. I stood outside, my legs trembling. Because I’d held her, I was drenched in her blood, my mind replaying the image of her lying in a pool of it. My knees gave out, and I collapsed onto the floor. Today was Annie’s birthday. I’d only stepped out for a moment to buy a cake, and she was hit by a car. The driver yelled “serves her right” and sped off – a hit-and-run. There were no cameras on that stretch of road. The police arrived quickly. I somehow managed to call 911. On the way here, I tried calling my husband, Ethan, but his phone went straight to voicemail. A doctor came out, his expression grim. He handed me the critical condition forms. “The surgery is extremely high-risk. You need to prepare yourself.” Hearing those words felt like a giant, invisible hand squeezing my heart, making it hard to breathe. “Doctor, please, you have to save my daughter! Please! She’s only five! She’s just five years old!” He hesitated, then urged me to sign the consent forms quickly. I forced myself to stay calm, to hold back the tears, and signed my name with a shaking hand. I tried calling Ethan again. Even though we were fighting, this was about Annie. He couldn’t be that cold. After several tries, he finally picked up. Like finding a lifeline, I burst into tears. “Ethan… get to the hospital! Now! Annie… Annie was in an accident!” There was silence on the other end for a moment, then his voice, cold. “Sarah, that’s enough. How could you be so twisted? What kind of stunt are you pulling now? Cursing Annie like that.” He didn’t believe me? I choked back tears, trying to sound calm. “Ethan, I’m not kidding. Annie was hit by a car. She’s at City General right now. Please, I’m begging you, just come!” “The doctor… the doctor already said it’s critical…” I stammered out. He was clearly annoyed. “Last time it was a fever, now it’s a car accident. Stop the drama, Sarah. I have a company party tonight. I’ll bring her a cake later. Gotta go!” Before I could say another word, the line went dead. I stared at my phone in despair. He just hung up? Even if we were fighting, this was our child! My hand clutching the phone felt ice-cold. Tears dripped onto the screen. The light above the operating room door was still on. I stared at it, my mind drifting back. Ethan was a model. He had this arrogant air about him, fiercely driven in everything he did. That’s what drew me in. He was struggling at first, barely getting any gigs. I was his biggest fan. After relentlessly pursuing him, he finally gave me a chance. He said, “I’m not very good at loving someone.” Tears streamed down my face, but I smiled and nodded. It’s okay, I told him, I’ll love you enough for both of us. I hustled for him, sending out his resume everywhere, networking, getting him gigs, always asking them to keep my involvement a secret. He was ambitious; he seized every opportunity. After we got together, he took care of everything for me, treated me well. He knew I wanted to pursue photography, so he used his savings to send me to school. As life got better and his career took off, he got busier, but he was still good to me. But I always sensed a distance in his kindness. It wasn’t that he couldn’t love; it was like someone else already lived permanently in his heart. The day Annie had a dangerously high fever, I panicked. I called him countless times. He didn’t come home until the middle of the night, after her fever had already broken. He accused me of lying to get his attention. Later, I found out that Chloe, his old flame, had returned to the country that day. I secretly followed him to the airport when he went to pick her up. Chloe was crying hysterically. Without a second thought, Ethan pulled her into his arms. I clearly heard him promise to protect her from now on. Later, they went to an amusement park. Just as they were about to get on the Ferris wheel, I called him, demanding he come home. Back when we were dating, I’d playfully asked him to ride a Ferris wheel with me. I’d heard that if a couple kissed at the top, they’d stay together forever. He’d called me childish, saying he hated places like that. Trembling, I asked him why he was going now. The irritation in his eyes was the last straw. We argued. He shut down, coldly throwing these words at me before starting the silent treatment: “Sarah, I thought you were different from other women. Turns out you’re just as unreasonable.” “Chloe saved my life. I owe her.” The sound of another family crying nearby snapped me back to the present. I frantically stared at the operating room door. Annie was still in surgery. My heart ached so much I couldn’t breathe. It’s okay, it’s okay, as long as he still loves our daughter. But now… My hand trembled uncontrollably. My heart clenched. My Annie. I sank to my knees, praying desperately for her safety. But my hands wouldn’t stop shaking. I pulled out my phone, intending to record a video, to prove I wasn’t joking. But then I saw a post from one of his colleagues. They were at a company event, but he wasn’t in the photos. The next second, his old flame, Chloe, posted on her Instagram. A picture of her freshly manicured nails. “This goofball sat here like a statue waiting for me for three hours. He said he likes pink nails on me, what do you guys think? Cute? 😉” He had liked the post. I zoomed in on the photo, my hand shaking slightly. In the reflection of the nail salon window, I saw Ethan’s hand. He was still wearing the watch I gave him last year. A chill spread through my body. My hand fell limply to my side. Our daughter was fighting for her life in surgery, and he was sitting with this woman while she got her nails done? Just then, a text from him finally arrived. “Sarah, have you had enough of your games?” “Don’t think sending me random hospital pictures you found online will make me believe you.” “Stop teaching Annie to lie with you. I’m really sick of this.” “I told you I’m at a company party. Why are you always so suspicious? Where do you think the money you spend comes from? Think about that.” Before, I would have blown up his phone, demanding why he lied to me. But now, reading his self-righteous excuses, I just felt tired. 2. My gaze drifted, landing on his hand in the photo’s reflection. Right after Annie was born, I was sitting on the couch holding her when I saw a picture of pink nails I really liked. I wanted him to go with me to get them done. He glanced at it dismissively, his voice flat. “Sarah, you’re a mother now. Pink is so… delicate. Is that really appropriate? Besides, I don’t like flashy nails on you.” His words deflated me. I looked down at the baby in my arms and quietly let it go. I thought he just genuinely disliked nail polish. Now it seemed he just disliked it on me. The doctor came out of the OR. I stumbled to my feet, my voice trembling. “Doctor, how is my daughter?” I fought back tears. The doctor shook his head sadly. “I’m so sorry. We did everything we could. Your daughter has something she wants to say. You should go in.” My lips trembled. I barely managed to stay upright. Annie lay on the hospital bed, her face pale. I held her hand, struggling to keep myself together. Annie’s lips moved. I read her lips. She wanted to see Daddy. I wiped away a tear, forcing a smile. I told her I’d bring Daddy right over. I frantically tried calling Ethan, only to discover he’d blocked my number. All the blood rushed to my head. Annie was fading fast. She wasn’t crying or fussing, just looking at me. The pain in my chest was suffocating. I thought of the only other way to reach Ethan. I dialed Chloe’s number. Her loud, cheerful laugh came through the phone. “Sarah? What’s up?” I fought to control my voice, telling her Annie was dying, that Ethan needed to come to the hospital to see her one last time. Please. He had to come. But I never expected Ethan to grab the phone, his voice laced with impatience. “Sarah, you’ve really lost it! You call yourself a mother? How can you curse your own child like that!” “You sound like a lunatic right now!” I sobbed quietly. Through the phone, I heard Chloe’s coy voice. “Ethan, she sounds really upset. Maybe you should go? I can manage dinner myself.” “Don’t worry about it,” Ethan replied. “It’s probably nothing serious. She’s just putting on a show for me, she pulled this stunt last time too, and Annie was fine. I’m staying with you tonight.” Panic seized me. What if he didn’t come? I raised my voice. “Ethan, if you don’t come right now, we’re getting a divorce.” It was the only leverage I had left. Silence on the other end. Finally, he relented, though his voice was cold. “Wait for me.” I hung up immediately and sent him the hospital address. Annie was in so much pain, but she didn’t cry. She opened her mouth slightly. “Mommy… don’t cry… An… nie… loves Mommy.” Tears streamed down my face, my chest feeling crushed by a heavy weight. Looking at her little face, so much like Ethan’s, brought a fresh wave of bitterness. After we got together, I realized I was just Chloe’s replacement. Chloe had gotten married. He’d only agreed to be with me out of spite. Now Chloe was divorced and back, and that light was back in his eyes. Clutching my daughter’s blood-stained hand, I felt utterly broken. 3. No matter what, I would endure it for Annie. But I never imagined… Annie didn’t make it long enough to see Ethan. I paced the hospital corridor, checking the time over and over. When the devastating news finally reached me, my body went rigid, as if the world had fallen away. I couldn’t hold back anymore. I collapsed, sobbing uncontrollably. How… how could this happen… Whether he was coming from his office or Chloe’s place, it was only a ten-minute drive. He couldn’t even spare ten minutes? My heart clenched painfully, making it impossible to breathe. Just then, Chloe’s Instagram updated again. Her caption: “The silly goose made me a four-course meal! Told him I couldn’t possibly eat it all, but he insisted I’m too thin. Cleaned my plate! ” Ethan’s comment below: “Happy if you eat more.” My thumb slipped and liked the post. She immediately sent me a private message. “Sarah, Ethan was worried I wouldn’t eat, so he insisted on staying with me Sorry! He’ll make it up to Annie tomorrow, okay?” I could practically picture her smug expression. In that instant, my heart felt like it had plunged into ice water. I raised my hand, wiped my tears, and deleted her contact information. My fingernails dug into my palms, the pain spreading through my core. Overnight, I had lost everything. I accompanied Annie’s body to the funeral home. It was crowded, too many people needing arrangements. Annie had to lie alone in a refrigerated drawer, waiting. I didn’t cry. I didn’t make a scene. I just sat quietly outside the funeral home all night. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Annie’s face contorted in pain. I felt nothing, just numb. Only one thought remained. Divorce. I want a divorce. I handled everything and went home as the sky began to lighten at the crack of dawn. He was back. I hadn’t turned on the lights. He jumped when he saw me. He froze for a second, his expression slightly awkward. “It got really late last night. I didn’t want to wake you and Annie, so I didn’t come home.” “I have to leave for a business trip soon, can you pack a couple of outfits for me?” Always ordering me around, just like usual. When I didn’t move, he walked towards me. My face must have looked awful. He clearly didn’t understand, stepping closer, trying to placate me. “I’m sorry I kept you waiting. Last night, she was really upset—” I lifted my hand and slapped him across the face with all my strength. His expression turned ugly. He raised his voice. “Sarah! Are you crazy? You hit me?” “And you sent Annie back to your parents’, didn’t you? Can you stop being so unreasonable? Stop being jealous all the time! Chloe just got back, she has no family here but me.” I didn’t say anything. He lost his patience, dragging me onto the sofa, fumbling with his belt, kissing me roughly. I bit him. “Get off me!” The taste of blood filled my mouth. Just then, I saw the hickey on his neck. The blatant mark sent a sharp pain through my heart, stealing my breath. But his face was cold. “Sarah, what’s the act? You used Annie to lure me back, isn’t this what you wanted all along? Fine. I’ll give it to you.” He roughly tore at my dress, as if sex was some kind of compensation. Seeing I’d stopped resisting, his movements became gentler. “Sarah, stop being unreasonable, okay? Or I’ll really lose my patience.” “Sarah, can’t you just yield a little? Why do you have to be so stubborn?” My body flinched slightly. I didn’t fight back anymore. My voice was flat. “Annie’s gone.” He didn’t seem to hear me, still tearing at my clothes. Tears streamed silently down my face. Just then, Chloe pushed the door open and walked in. She wore a victor’s smile, covering her mouth coyly. “Ethan, what’s taking you so long? It’s cold downstairs, so I came on up.” She saw us, her expression faltering for a split second, then she strutted over in her heels. “Oh… Sarah’s here too? Weren’t you supposed to be at the hospital? See, Ethan? You know her so well. She really was lying to you.” Ethan seemed to tacitly agree with her. Her casual words cut me like knives. My head snapped towards her. I saw a matching, glaring hickey on her neck too. Out all night, hickeys on both of them. No explanation needed. I snapped, biting down hard on his arm. He cried out in pain, releasing me. I forced back tears. “Ethan, why would you humiliate me like this?” He looked bewildered but moved to stand beside Chloe, rubbing her hand, his tone reproachful towards her. “Chloe, I told you to wear more, didn’t I? Your hands are freezing, just like a little girl’s.” She pouted playfully. “Ethan, as long as you’re here, I’ll never be cold.” “You promised you’d always protect me. When our baby is born, you’ll protect them too, right?” Ethan’s expression softened incredibly. I heard him reply, “Okay.” He said okay? He… how could he? Baby? What baby? I looked at Chloe, who was shyly cradling her stomach. In that instant, my world collapsed. He tucked her hair behind her ear, not even looking at me. I straightened my clothes and stood up, my expression numb, my hands hanging limply at my sides. Tears fell, fat and heavy. “Ethan, you’re sick. You’re seriously sick. You didn’t deserve such a wonderful daughter.” Mentioning Annie finally made him look at me. He crossed his arms, leaning back slightly, his eyes cold, his tone impatient. “Go get Annie from your parents’ house.” “Sarah, if you keep acting this paranoid, maybe Chloe should take care of her for a while. Chloe likes kids more than you do.” He called me paranoid. Before, he would have said, It’s okay, Sarah, I’ll reassure you, I only love you. Memories sliced through me like razors, leaving me bleeding pain. Tears streamed down my face. “Ethan, you don’t get another chance. You’ll never get the chance. Annie’s dead.” Chloe tugged at his sleeve, still fanning the flames. “Ethan, listen to her! How can she curse her own child like that? I would never.” His expression remained cold, still convinced I was lying. Until I pulled the death certificate from my bag. Ethan’s face began to change. He took the report, his body staggering back a step.

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In my last life, my sister Ashley, jealous of my brains and good grades, deliberately introduced me to a bad boy, Jake. She pushed me into dating him young, skipping class, sneaking out to meet him. Anytime I hesitated, she’d hype me up, saying high school was the time for a passionate, unforgettable romance. She claimed Jake was secretly loaded, a rich kid in disguise, and sticking with him meant living the high life. Meanwhile, she was secretly burning the midnight oil, studying, forming study groups with the top students. Then, I got pregnant unexpectedly. Terrified, I wanted to tell Mom and Dad, get an abortion. But Ashley found me first. She said the baby was innocent, convinced me to hide the pregnancy and have the baby in secret. She promised that once the baby was born, I could marry into Jake’s supposedly wealthy family. With a baby involved, Mom and Dad wouldn’t be able to stop it anyway. So, I started wearing baggy school clothes to hide my growing belly. During final exams, Ashley aced everything and got into an Ivy League school. Me? I ended up giving birth in a public restroom stall. Ashley went off to college, bright future ahead, landing a great career and relationship after graduation. My reputation was ruined. Jake wasn’t rich at all; he was just some poor kid from the sticks. My parents were devastated and utterly disappointed in me. They just let Jake drag me and the baby back to his remote, impoverished hometown where we suffered until we died. After my death, at my funeral, Ashley told everyone I was rebellious, wouldn’t listen to reason. She claimed she’d tried so hard to warn me off dating Jake, but I brought it all on myself. Then, I opened my eyes. I was back. Reborn. This time, I was flipping the script. 1 The agonizing memory of being beaten, my scalp bleeding, in my past life was still fresh. I blinked, finding myself standing on the school’s track field. Ashley stood nearby, looking crisp and clean in her neat school uniform, her hair pulled back in a high ponytail. The picture of youthful innocence. Me? My hair was bleached a brassy yellow – the principal had just ordered me to dye it back to a normal color. My uniform, originally tailored, was deliberately ripped and altered. Underneath my uniform pants, I was wearing fishnet stockings. A total mess. Ashley looked at me, holding out a pink envelope. She gave me a conspiratorial wink. “Chloe, Jake asked me to give this to you. It’s a love letter. He wants you to meet him at the pool hall this afternoon. Says he wants to introduce you to his crew.” Looking at her face, I silently clenched my fists, nearly grinding my back teeth to dust. Last time, she’d handed me the letter just like this, convincing me to skip class and go find Jake at the pool hall. I remembered him there, decked out in too-tight jeans, flashy fake designer shoes, leaning against his obnoxiously loud motorcycle. His posse of wannabe tough guys stood behind him, all respectfully calling me “Jake’s girl.” It had fed my stupid teenage vanity, making me fall even harder for him, officially becoming his girlfriend. After that, I started dating him seriously, my focus completely shifting away from school. Ashley covered for me late at night, helping me sneak out to meet Jake, sometimes not getting home until morning. Thanks to her covering my tracks, Mom and Dad never suspected I wasn’t sleeping in my own bed. It all came crashing down when I stared at a positive pregnancy test, two pink lines mocking me. Panicked, I told Ashley my period was two months late. I was pregnant. I cried hysterically, clutching the test, wanting to confess everything to our parents. But Ashley grabbed my arm, her voice full of false wisdom. “Chloe, Jake’s family is rich. Being pregnant now just means you can drop out and marry into wealth. If you get rid of the baby, he’ll definitely break up with you. Then your reputation is ruined, and if you bomb your finals, you’ll end up working some dead-end job.” “Oh, my naive sister,” she’d said, “do you really want to be flipping burgers for the rest of your life? Besides, this is a life. Can you really live with yourself if you kill your own child?” So, I listened to her. I hid the pregnancy. And that led to the tragedy. This time, I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction. Seeing me hesitate to take the letter, Ashley shoved it into my hand. “Chloe, I put a pair of heels in your backpack. You should wear them later. You’re so pretty, just dress up a little. Jake will be so proud to show you off.” She even gave me his number again, telling me not to be late. I mumbled, “But… I have class this afternoon. I’ve already skipped so many times this month.” “Chloe, don’t waste your time on studying! Don’t you want that epic romance?” She patted my shoulder, acting like she only had my best interests at heart. Just as the bell rang for class, Ashley literally pushed me towards the school exit. “Go on, hurry! I’ll cover for you.” She waved, then quickly turned and ran back towards the classrooms. Clutching the letter, I turned and followed her back inside. When Ashley saw me walk into the classroom instead of heading out to meet Jake, her eyes widened in disbelief. I ignored her and focused on the lesson. I’d let her convince me to skip so much class last time. We were already halfway through the material, and college entrance exams were only three months away. I had to catch up. Looking at the problems in the textbook, a thought sparked. Having lived twice, and remembering all those nights I spent secretly studying textbooks after being dragged away in my past life… I knew this stuff inside and out. Getting into an Ivy League school? This time, it was practically guaranteed. Seeing me actually studying, Ashley leaned over. “Chloe, what are you looking at?” “Studying. I’m going to get into the Ivy League,” I stated plainly. Ashley covered her mouth in mock surprise, raising her voice deliberately. “Wow, Chloe! You’re aiming for the Ivy League?” Heads turned. Smirks appeared on my classmates’ faces. Even the teacher looked over, a small, disbelieving smile on her face. “Chloe Miller, you skip class constantly, show no interest in learning… We’re halfway through the year. Do you really think cramming at the last minute will even get you into any college?” “Yeah, Chloe, seriously,” Ashley chimed in, a smug look on her face. “Stop dreaming. Mom and Dad would be thrilled if you just barely scraped into a state school.” The other students started murmuring, mocking my ambition, calling me delusional. I ignored their ridicule and buried my head in my book. My scores would speak for themselves eventually. No need to argue now. 2 After school, I started cleaning out my backpack and desk, tossing all the cheap nail polish, drugstore makeup, and other junk into the trash. Ashley noticed and came over, feigning curiosity. “Throwing all this out? Done with it? And… are you breaking up with Jake? He must be waiting for you. Standing him up is really rude, you know.” “I need to study hard. Try to be a good student, like you, Ashley,” I said calmly, not stopping my tidying. Ashley scoffed. “Chloe, you hit the jackpot. A rich guy likes you! Marry him, and you’re set for life. I don’t have that option; I have to study my butt off.” She even managed to look envious. I slung my backpack over my shoulder and looked her straight in the eye. “Well then, Ashley, since you feel that way, why don’t you take this ‘life-changing opportunity’ to marry into wealth? You’re not as smart as me anyway, so maybe you shouldn’t waste your time studying.” “He likes you, Chloe, not me! I already set it up for you! What am I supposed to do if you don’t go?” Ashley sputtered, looking genuinely panicked for a second. I walked around her towards the door. “Not my problem. If you like him so much, go yourself.” I went straight home and locked myself in my room to study. After quickly reviewing the standard high school curriculum, I realized it was way too easy. No challenge at all. So, I started tackling advanced Math Olympiad problems, pushing myself to the next level. Ashley came into my room later and saw me studying. She leaned against the doorframe, smirking. “Chloe, college exams are just a few months away. It’s way too late for you to catch up now. You’d be better off spending this time sucking up to Jake.” She then sat down at her own desk nearby and pulled out her textbooks. Watching her chew on her pen, struggling with a problem, I glanced over at her work. I couldn’t help but chuckle. “That one’s not so hard,” I commented, pointing to the last big problem on her page. “Honestly, most of this stuff is kid’s stuff for me. Only that last one requires a little thought.” Ashley’s eyes went wide. “What are you talking about? Stop pretending! This is Olympiad-level math! There’s no way you understand this! Stop scribbling nonsense and distracting me!” She yelled loud enough for our parents in the living room to hear. They came rushing in. “We come from a family of academics! Your mother and I have been professors our whole lives! How did we end up with a delinquent daughter like you?” Dad snapped as soon as he walked in, poking my forehead angrily. “Look at that yellow hair! You look ridiculous!” “Mom, Dad, Chloe was deliberately messing up my notebook, trying to stop me from studying!” Ashley whined, playing the victim. Dad picked up Ashley’s notebook and looked at the problem I’d pointed out. “This… this solution here… Chloe, did you write this?” “Yes, she did! Dad, punish her!” Ashley tilted her head up, looking at me with a flash of triumph in her eyes. Dad stared at the notebook for a moment longer, then passed it to Mom. They both grabbed scratch paper and pens and started scribbling, working through the problem. Ashley got impatient. “Mom! Dad! Aren’t you going to yell at her? She’s ruining my study time! How am I supposed to get into a good school?” “Quiet,” Dad waved her off dismissively. He looked at me, his expression shifting. “Chloe… did you really solve this?” “Yes,” I nodded. A huge grin spread across Dad’s face. He gently patted my head. “Genius! An absolute genius! You got it right! And this method… they haven’t even taught you this yet! How did you figure it out?” “Dad, I’ve actually finished all the high school material already,” I explained with a smile. “I found the regular stuff too easy, so I started exploring Olympiad math on my own for a challenge. I’ve decided. My goal is the Ivy League.” Ashley stood frozen, watching us, her jealousy practically radiating off her. Mom and Dad burst out laughing, their eyes now filled with warmth and pride as they looked at me. “Turning over a new leaf is priceless, Chloe! We believe in you! Absolutely!” Dad exclaimed. “Right, let’s go make your favorite dinner to celebrate!” Mom added, and they headed out of the room together. Ashley clenched her fists, her voice tight with disbelief. “How did you do that? It’s impossible!” “Because I’m a genius, dear sister,” I replied with a sweet smile. “Aren’t you?” 3 Ashley glared at me, pure jealousy burning in her eyes. Then, as if remembering something, she scoffed. “So what if you’re a genius? You’ve skipped so many classes. I bet you still can’t score high enough.” I just raised an eyebrow and went back to my studying. At the dinner table, Mom and Dad couldn’t stop praising me, calling me a natural talent, a true genius. Dad even gave me some challenging problems he’d collected over the years, and I solved them one by one. Watching Dad and me engrossed in academic discussion, Ashley got so upset she barely touched her food. With Dad’s guidance, I felt like my understanding deepened even further. That night, I even dreamed about solving equations. The next morning, I got up early and headed to school. But Jake was waiting for me at the entrance, straddling his loud, flashy motorcycle, his crew flanking him. Their bizarre outfits and the obnoxious techno blasting from the bike’s speakers made other students stare and whisper. Ashley nudged me, grinning maliciously. “Look, Chloe! You and Jake both have bleached hair! Matching couple hair, how cute! Go say hi to your boyfriend.” “Alright guys, say hi to my girl!” Jake yelled. His buddies shuffled forward and awkwardly mumbled, “Hey,” or “Yo, boss’s girl.” The surrounding students burst into laughter. I shot Jake a glare and tried to walk around him, but he grabbed my sleeve. “What do you think you’re doing? Causing trouble right at the school gate?” The sharp voice of the Dean of Students cut through the noise. She marched over, eyes narrowed at me. “Are you bringing your dating drama to school now? Ashley, get to class immediately. Don’t let your sister drag you down.” “Yes, ma’am,” Ashley replied sweetly, shooting me a triumphant smirk over her shoulder. “Ma’am, I’m not dating him,” I protested. “My sister invited him here. I barely know him.” “Don’t try to blame your sister, Chloe,” the Dean snapped, her face hardening. “I know your track record. It’s bad enough you’re throwing your own future away, but don’t corrupt Ashley. Any more of this, and I’m calling your parents.” Jake visibly flinched at the mention of parents and quickly signaled his crew. They scrambled onto their bikes and sped off. When I finally got to my classroom, I found Ashley standing in front of the class, holding the pink love letter Jake had sent, reading it aloud in a dramatic voice. The other students were howling with laughter. When they saw me enter, they started repeating lines from the letter, making kissy noises and teasing me relentlessly. “Seriously, Chloe? Your taste is trash! Dating that wannabe? Hahahaha! And he actually came to the school? So embarrassing for our class!” “Hey, don’t be mean to my sister,” Ashley interjected, pretending to defend me. “She and Jake really like each other.” Just as I was about to speak, the teacher walked in. Ashley immediately rushed up to the teacher, handing her the letter. “Teacher, my sister received this love letter.” The teacher took it and scanned the contents. The explicit, cheesy lines made her face flush with anger. She slammed the letter down on her desk. “Chloe Miller!” she roared. “You are incorrigible! I can’t handle you anymore! Get your phone out and call your parents right now! If you don’t want to be in school, you can just go home!” As the teacher fumed, Ashley leaned close and whispered, just loud enough for me to hear, “So what if you’re a genius? You can’t go to college if you get expelled.” With a sigh, I pulled out my phone and dialed my dad’s number. “Sweetie!” Dad’s excited voice came through the line. “I was just looking over those Olympiad problems you solved yesterday! Your approach is so innovative! Come home early after school today, okay? I have a few more I want to test you with! You’re truly a once-in-a-lifetime talent!” Before he could continue gushing, I cut in quietly. “Dad, the school wants to expel me. Can you come here now?”

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The day I got my cancer diagnosis, Ethan Cole secretly emptied my bank account. He took all that money to Maya Vance’s wedding as a gift. I went to the reception hall, desperate to get that money back for my surgery deposit. Maya, tipsy and bold, pointed at me and slurred, “Ava, you look so pale… anyone who didn’t know better would think you were dying!” Laughter erupted around us; they all thought it was just a drunken joke. I lowered my voice, telling her I was dying and needed the gift money back. But Ethan flared up first. “Maya just had a little too much to drink! It’s her big day, why are you making a scene?” He then dragged me out of the reception hall. He even took the last five hundred dollars I had on me. “You crashed Maya’s big day like that, you definitely owe her another gift.” “Look at yourself, Ava. All you do now is stir up drama and act jealous. You don’t even bother to take care of yourself anymore. You look frighteningly pale!” He was so sure I couldn’t live without him. But this time, I saw him clearly. So I turned around, went home, and called a real estate agent. “Ms. Thorne, if you’re not in a rush, we could probably get a better price for this place,” the agent suggested. I shook my head. “I am in a rush. Please find a buyer as soon as possible.” The young agent was diligent, calling several potential buyers right then and there. We scheduled meetings with buyers for the following week. On the way home, maybe I was lost in thought, spacing out. I didn’t notice the yellow light flashing at the crosswalk. A car, rushing God knows where, startled me, and I stumbled, cracking my arm hard on the curb. It was bleeding badly. Thankfully, a passerby called 911 for me. “Ma’am, I need to contact your emergency contact,” the paramedic said. I nodded, pointing to my phone. Ethan was saved in my contacts as “My Love.” Easy enough to find. The nurse kindly put the call on speaker. “Hello, are you Ms. Thorne’s husband? This is County General Hospital. Ms. Thorne was in an accident, we need you to come down as soon as possible.” “An accident? She’s really committed, isn’t she? Now she’s stooping to faking accidents out of jealousy? Fine, just call me when she’s actually dead so I can sign whatever papers!” Then, through the phone, came a sickeningly familiar voice. “Ethan…” The nurse instinctively hung up. But I’d heard it. It was Maya’s voice. 2 Today wasn’t the first time I’d encountered Maya. It just seemed like every time I did, Ethan and I ended up fighting. Like the last time, when Ethan got a call from Maya late at night. Without a second thought, he got dressed and rushed out to find her. “It’s late, she just broke up with her boyfriend, it’s not safe for a girl to be out alone. I’ll just check on her and be right back.” But that day, I waited until the early hours of the next morning, and Ethan never came home. Meanwhile, Maya’s social media feed was filled with pictures of her eating and drinking lavishly. And in one photo, showing someone peeling a crab for her… I recognized Ethan’s hand immediately. Because the wedding ring on that hand was the custom one I had specially made for him. Ethan had once told me that crabs were expensive and a pain to peel, and feeding them to me would be a waste. When he finally came home that day, I showed him the picture. He actually turned it around on me, accusing me of not trusting him. “Ava Thorne, I swear, you have too much time on your hands! All you do is pick fights and act jealous. Don’t you have anything better to do?” But I used to be a key player at a tech company. He was the one who said he couldn’t bear seeing me overworked, practically forcing me to quit my job. “Ms. Thorne?” I snapped back to reality, looked at the nurse, and forced a smile. “Wrong number. That was just an old nickname from a game I forgot to change.” “I… I don’t have a husband. And my family lives out of state. Can I just handle this myself?” That day, thankfully, the kind young nurse stayed with me and helped get my arm treated. But the gash was deep. The doctor warned me not to put too much strain on my arm for a while. After thanking the nurse profusely, I took a cab home. Before I even opened the door, I heard Maya’s voice. “Ethan, do you think maybe it’s my fault? Otherwise… otherwise, why would something like this happen to me? Being left at the altar…” No wonder I hadn’t seen the groom at the wedding hall. Turns out, he’d run off. “How could it be your fault? It’s definitely because Ava showed up today and made such a scene. When she gets back, I’ll make sure she apologizes to you!” Ethan’s words were meant to be comforting. If only I wasn’t the one being blamed. I unlocked the door and walked in, my eyes immediately falling on the two of them snuggled together on the sofa. So that was the proper posture for comforting someone. 3 “You finally decided to come back? Get over here and apologize to Maya. Do you have any idea that because of your stunt today, Maya’s wedding was called off?” “So you have to hold her like that? Is that how you’re apologizing for me?” Ethan looked startled for a second, released Maya, and stood up. “Ava, look, this whole thing is mostly your fault. You should at least apologize to Maya. And if you hadn’t stormed into the wedding demanding money, tonight would have been Maya’s wedding night.” I nodded with a humorless smile. “Since you think it’s my fault, why don’t you help her make up for the lost wedding night? Don’t worry, I won’t disturb you.” No anger, no shouting. I calmly walked into the master bedroom. Surprisingly, Ethan actually followed me this time. Standing in the bathroom, I looked at my bandaged arm, wondering how I’d manage. “Ava, don’t be mad. Maya’s going through a tough time, you know.” Ethan hugged me from behind, his hand brushing against my injured arm. “You… you really got hurt? Just your arm? That nurse was overreacting, saying you were in a car crash!” I didn’t say anything, just pushed him away. But he tightened his grip, pulling me under the showerhead. “Since you’re hurt, let me help you wash your hair. I know how clean you like to be; you probably can’t stand going a night without washing it.” Ethan turned on the shower, full blast, water soaking the bandage on my arm. He didn’t seem to care at all. “Ava, your clothes are soaked too. Might as well just take them off.” He tugged at my shirt without any hesitation. “Ethan, I’m injured.” My voice was flat, devoid of emotion as I refused him. He let go of my shirt. Only to slide his hand onto my waist. I let out a bitter laugh, took his hand, and placed it on my back. Because of the cancer, I hadn’t been able to eat much lately. I hadn’t paid much attention to it at the time. It wasn’t until the diagnosis day that I realized how frighteningly thin I’d become. Ethan’s hand touched my bony back. The next second, he snatched it away. As fast as if he’d touched something monstrous, something that could devour him. “Ava, I…” Just as Ethan started to explain, a crash came from the guest room where Maya was staying. Ethan immediately ran out. But moments later, he stormed back in like a madman, roughly dragging me from the bed to the guest room. On the guest room bed, Maya lay still, as if asleep. Sleeping pills were scattered on the floor. “Ava Thorne, you knew Maya was vulnerable right now, and you still put sleeping pills in the guest room drawer! You did this on purpose, didn’t you!” “Do you realize I could call the cops right now and report you for attempted murder!” I looked at my arm, where his grip had reopened the wound slightly, then at the pills on the floor. They were indeed my sleeping pills. 4 It was just from that period when the constant stomach pain kept me awake all night. Afraid of disturbing Ethan’s sleep, I had moved into the guest room. But the pain still wouldn’t let me sleep, so I bought a bottle of sleeping pills. And now… “Ava Thorne! What time is it to be throwing a tantrum! Hurry up, grab the car keys, and take Maya to the hospital!” I held up my bleeding arm for him to see. He just impatiently swatted it away. “Ava Thorne! This is a person’s life! Don’t you have a conscience?” Ethan roughly shoved me aside. Then he carefully lifted Maya and rushed towards the door. Ethan basically forced me all the way down to the underground parking garage. “Get in! Unlock the car!” He yelled so loud that several neighbors cursed at us. Thinking about selling the house in a few days, I didn’t want things to get too ugly. So I got in the car. The entire ride, Ethan sat in the back, holding Maya. He kept talking about their shared memories, trying to rouse her. And I was just the invisible driver. A free driver, at that! The moment we reached the hospital, Ethan rushed Maya into the emergency room. He didn’t even glance at the bandage on my arm, now soaked bright red with blood. “It’s you again! Your arm…” Thankfully, I ran into that same kind young nurse. “Get off your feet! Didn’t the doctor tell you not to strain that arm?” She asked a hospital valet to park my car and quickly pulled me inside. “Dr. Evans, quick, take a look at her! I think her wound reopened.” She anxiously found a doctor for me. “You need to be careful with this wound! If this keeps up, forget about avoiding a scar, you’ll probably get an infection!” Dr. Evans carefully re-bandaged my arm. “Ava Thorne! What are you doing here!” Ethan barged in, roughly pushing the young nurse aside. “I just heard him call your name, I thought he was your friend…” the nurse explained timidly, afraid she’d caused trouble for me. I shook my head. “Maya is still in the ER getting her stomach pumped, and you’re here fooling around with this guy!” I was truly amazed by Ethan’s audacity. “Thank you. Uh, could I talk to him alone for a minute?” I watched Dr. Evans lead the nurse out, then turned to face Ethan. “Ava Thorne, why did you make them leave? Feeling guilty?” “Let me tell you, I am definitely calling the police! You better go wait outside the ER right now, and when Maya wakes up, you apologize and beg her forgiveness. Otherwise, you really will end up at the police station!” 5 I looked at him, amused, and pointed to the trash can containing my freshly removed bloody bandage. “Ethan! Do you see that? That’s the bandage I just changed.” “If you insist I tried to poison Maya, then call the police! I’ll wait right here!” Ethan froze, about to argue. Just then, a voice came from the direction of the ER. “Maya Vance’s family? Where is Maya Vance’s family?” As usual, Ethan dashed off immediately. But this time, as if afraid I’d run away, he grabbed me and took me with him. He actually remembered to grab my uninjured arm. “You wait here until Maya wakes up. After all, if it weren’t for you, Maya wouldn’t be lying here.” He locked me in the hospital room, forcing me to watch over Maya. Until Maya finally woke up. “Ethan, what are you doing? My… my situation has nothing to do with Ava.” “It’s just my bad luck, being jilted at my own wedding. I couldn’t bear to live anymore, and then I just happened to see those sleeping pills in the nightstand drawer…” “I thought… it must be a sign from heaven… It has nothing to do with Ava, she just happened to leave a bottle of sleeping pills there.” Tears streamed down Maya’s face as she spoke. Those tears were like fuel for Ethan’s anger. He spun around, grabbed my wrist, demanding I apologize to Maya. “Ava Thorne! Did you see that? Maya is lying here in a hospital bed, and she’s still trying to cover for you!” “Ava Thorne, it’s just one apology, is it really that hard for you?” “And even if tonight’s suicide attempt had nothing to do with you, it was still your tantrum at her wedding that caused her groom to leave her! So either way, isn’t it still your fault?” I looked at him, forcing a laugh as my stomach started cramping violently again. “Since she’s awake, can I go now? As for the apology you mentioned, sorry, I did nothing wrong, so I won’t apologize. If you think that’s unfair to her, then call the police and have me arrested.” Clutching my stomach, I quickly walked out of the room. But the pain was too intense. I collapsed just as I reached the corner of the hallway. When I woke up again, I was in a room in the oncology department. “You’re awake?” It was Dr. Evans, the one who had bandaged my arm earlier. The young nurse was behind him. “Ma’am, this is the third time we’ve met, and each time you look so pitiful…” A sharp look from Dr. Evans silenced the nurse. “Thank you, you saved me again.” “It’s okay, ma’am. Oh, here’s your phone.” Dr. Evans repeatedly warned me not to get too emotional. If the cancer cells spread before the surgery, the success rate would drop significantly. I nodded, understanding. Bored, I scrolled through videos on my phone. Suddenly, a recommendation for a local live stream popped up. I tapped on it instinctively. “Thank you all for your concern, babies. I’m okay. I’m feeling much better now. Thankfully, I have him here with me.” It was Maya. And the “him” she was referring to was Ethan. 6 Maya was sitting up in bed, live streaming. Ethan was beside her, handing her water, peeling an apple for her. After a short while, Ethan disappeared from the camera’s view. The comment section flooded with people asking where he went. Maya, while saying they were “just friends,” picked up her phone and got out of bed. The next second, Ethan appeared in the frame. He was crouched over a small basin, washing Maya’s underwear. “Oh! Ethan, I told you I could do this myself!” “The water’s cold here, don’t touch it.” The comment section erupted with blessings and praise. 【OMG, marry a guy like that!】 【Wow, why can’t I ever meet a good man like him!】 I looked at the comments and exited the live stream. Cold water. I’d heard that excuse before. Only the original words were, “This water is so cold, how could I touch it?” Ethan and I dated for three years, married for four. I hadn’t ignored little things like this. It’s just that Ethan always seemed uninterested. I just figured he wasn’t the romantic type. When we were dating, he pursued me. But every time we ate out, I paid the bill. When we traveled and needed a hotel, I paid. Even his daily expenses were often covered by me helping him out occasionally. Because his family was struggling financially, and he had to support his parents. I always thought we would definitely get married, so there was no need to split hairs over money. Even the roses he gave me the day he proposed were ones he’d picked out of a trash can. But I never called him out on it. After we got married, he took my support for granted even more. Never mind simple chores like putting clothes in the washing machine – he found even that too troublesome. Even taking out the trash on his way downstairs to work, something perfectly convenient, he’d say wasn’t his job. So usually, the cooking and cleaning at home fell entirely on me. I laughed bitterly at myself. What a ridiculous fool I used to be. Completely manipulated by a guy who married up. I took a deep breath and decisively blocked Ethan’s contact information. Then I put my phone aside and, for once, slept soundly. 7 “Honey, sweetie, your phone’s ringing.” The older lady in the next bed woke me up. Seeing an unknown number on my phone, I answered. “Ahem… It’s Ethan.” “Where have you been the past few days? Why haven’t you even come home?” “We’re out of cooking oil at home. How are we supposed to cook if you’re not back?” “Uh… I was just going out to buy oil anyway. Where are you? I can swing by and pick you up.” I listened to Ethan’s self-absorbed rambling and ridiculous excuse, shaking my head. But remembering I had the meeting with the buyer in a couple of days, and I needed him to move out before that… I agreed anyway. “I’ll send you my location in a bit.” After hanging up, I sent him the hospital’s location. He arrived shortly after. But his first words were: “I know you’re angry, Ava, but you don’t need to waste hospital resources just to make me worry!” Lying in the hospital bed, I looked at him, amused. He knew nothing. His first reaction was to assume I was just throwing a tantrum. “Alright, get up, get dressed, and go handle the discharge paperwork. I’ll come pick you up later.” Ethan turned and walked out. When I finished the discharge process, I ran into Ethan. He was holding a bouquet of red roses. “Turns out Maya is being discharged today too. She doesn’t have anywhere to stay right now, so she’s coming back with us to stay for a little while longer.” I nodded. This time was about laying everything bare anyway. Whatever happened after wouldn’t concern me. Back home, he kept harping on about my hospital stay. “Ava, stop throwing these tantrums. Maya was really sick when she was hospitalized, you saw it that day. There’s nothing wrong with you, staying in the hospital not only wastes medical resources, but it’s also kind of morbid, don’t you think?” I constantly reminded myself of the doctor’s warning: don’t get too emotional. But Ethan was just too disgusting. I threw the diagnostic report right at him. “I am sick! Read it carefully!” Ethan stared blankly at the report in his hands. After seeing the diagnosis, Ethan quieted down considerably for a few days. Maya, however, found out I was sick. She actually started cooking soup. “Ava, this is beef soup I simmered for hours. Try some.” I looked at her, amused. “You should save this soup to suck up to Ethan.” “Ava, you… you still mind me living here, don’t you? I can leave. But I really made this soup for you with good intentions.” Ethan heard the commotion and rushed out. “Ava, Maya is just trying to be nice, what’s wrong with you?” “I saw the soup too. Maya got up early this morning to make it, spent hours on it. You… you can’t keep being so prejudiced against Maya!” I took the bowl of soup and poured it directly into the kitchen sink right in front of them. “Ava…” “Ava Thorne! What is wrong with you!” “Stomach cancer patients can’t eat tough, greasy things like beef! Things like this only irritate the stomach and offer no benefits to someone with stomach cancer!” I retorted sharply, intending to turn and go back to my room. “Forget it, Maya. Don’t stoop to her level. She’s just being difficult because she’s sick.” “If she doesn’t want to drink it, fine. I’ll drink the soup.” Ethan’s voice wasn’t loud, but I heard him clearly. Back in my room, I confirmed the meeting with the realtor and a buyer for two days later. Then, just as I was about to message Ethan to schedule a time to talk… A message from Ethan popped up first. 【Let’s talk tomorrow night after I get off work.】 【Okay.】 Looking at the divorce papers I had already printed out, I felt a rare sense of relief. 8 The next day, Ethan left for work early. Only Maya and I remained at home. Maya, still smarting from yesterday’s rejection, was stubbornly making soup again. This time it was lamb soup. Gamey and pungent. Just the smell made my stomach churn. “Oh, Ava, you’re up?” “I told you yesterday, I can’t drink this kind of soup.” “I never said I made this soup for you. But if you want some, I don’t mind sharing a bowl. After all, more than anyone, I hope you kick the bucket soon.” Maya suddenly dropped the pretense, no more fake sweetness or manipulative words. It actually surprised me. “What? Done with the act?” “Acting? Of course, I have to act! But you only perform for people who matter. Someone like you, who won’t live long anyway, isn’t worth my time.” I didn’t want to get tangled up with her any further and turned to go back to my room. “What’s wrong, Ava Thorne? Does it sting realizing the man you defied everyone to marry isn’t all that great?” “Suddenly wish you’d listened to your parents back then, so you wouldn’t have ended up like this?” “Too bad, your parents are six feet under now. They can’t hear your regrets.” “But hey, you could beg me. Maybe after you die, I’ll do you a favor and put your ashes next to theirs.” It was true I had fought with my family about marrying Ethan back then. But besides Ethan, hardly anyone knew about it. Rage surged through me. I spun around and slapped Maya across the face. “Don’t you dare talk about my parents!” Maya crumpled to the floor, deliberately pulling the bowl of soup off the table as she fell. The hot soup splashed onto the floor, splattering upwards. Maya’s wrist got scalded slightly. But most of the soup splashed onto my leg. “Maya!” Ethan was back. Ethan rushed over and scooped Maya up. He carried her to the kitchen sink, running cold water over her scalded wrist. “Ethan, it’s not Ava’s fault! It was my fault, I said the wrong thing. That’s why Ava accidentally hit me.” Ethan shot me a look filled with blame. “Ava Thorne, when are you going to stop this drama! You’re constantly overthinking things and making trouble, no wonder you got sick!” My emotions were haywire. My stomach cramped fiercely. The burn on my leg started to throb with pain. “Ava Thorne, you better pray Maya doesn’t get a scar here, or you deserve to die! Maya’s a streamer, a scar like that is for life!” Ethan said, about to take Maya to the hospital. I curled up on the floor, clutching my stomach in agony, my voice trembling. “Ethan, call… call 911 for me…” Ethan saw me, his steps faltering for a moment. But Maya just whimpered “it hurts” in his arms, and he continued towards the door. “Ava Thorne! Stop acting! Your condition has been stable lately, you just need to wait for the surgery!” “And seriously, Ava, your acting is terrible! Stop it! I’m taking Maya to the hospital first.” Without a shred of hesitation, Ethan turned and carried Maya out the door. He was in such a hurry he didn’t even close the door behind him. Clutching my violently aching stomach, tears dried on my cheeks. “Help… someone… help me…”

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At the wedding everyone was talking about, two grooms showed up. Me, the actual groom-to-be, was forgotten. My bride, Ava, face flushed and shy, reached out her hand to Caleb, her supposed savior, who was down on one knee proposing. He was wearing the expensive custom suit Ava had commissioned for me, holding the ring that was meant for me. When I questioned her, her face filled with disgust, her tone dripping with impatience. “A wedding is just some meaningless ceremony. The person I legally marry will still be you.” Well, if they were so madly in love, I should naturally step aside and let them be happy. Turning my back on the wedding scene, I made an overseas call. I said softly, “Pull the funding. I’ll be leaving the country as soon as possible.” 1. At the incredibly lavish wedding venue, I, the groom-to-be, was left standing alone. An endless firestorm of rage burned through my chest. My eyes were bloodshot, fists clenched tight. My fiancée, Ava, wearing her wedding dress, looked down with a surprised smile at Caleb, who was on one knee, proposing to her. The sight stabbed at my eyes, turning them red. The tightly wound thread in my mind finally snapped. This wedding was the last chance I was giving her. Before the wedding, she had sworn to me, promising to cut ties with Caleb completely and focus on being my bride. The agony flooding my eyes met Caleb’s blatant smugness and provocation. All my sincere feelings became a joke in that moment. I laughed bitterly to myself. It felt like someone had ripped a gaping hole in my chest, letting an icy wind howl through it. “Ethan, buddy, I’m sorry. I accidentally put on your suit. How could you be late on such an important day like the wedding?” Caleb’s attempts to smear me were still so pathetic. But the willfully blind Ava couldn’t see through him. Seeing my cold expression, Caleb feigned fear and hid behind Ava. She shielded him, looking at me defensively. Her voice laced with anger, the eyes that once looked at me with tenderness now held no trace of love, only irritation. “Have you caused enough trouble?” “You show up late to your own wedding and have the nerve to question Caleb? Thank God he got here in time to save the day.” I let out a cold laugh and turned around, revealing the back of my shirt, stained dark and damp with blood. Ava froze, her eyes widening slightly, a touch of red creeping into them. She stared incredulously at my back, her voice filled with confusion, “What happened?” Seeing my gaze fixed directly on Caleb, who was desperately trying to look calm, Ava’s brow furrowed slightly. She blurted out, “Impossible.” Caleb, full of dirty tricks, seized the opportunity, putting on an innocent face to defend himself. “Maybe he was just late and splashed some fake blood on himself on purpose.” “Oh really? I get mysteriously knocked out from behind, making me late. You think the real culprit might get scared if I called the cops?” Caleb’s face instantly paled, his eyes darting around, unable to meet mine. “Enough! I already agreed Caleb could handle this mess for you. I believe he’s innocent.” As soon as she finished speaking, Ava publicly took Caleb’s hand. She signaled for the ceremony to continue. And I, the real groom, became a mere spectator at my own wedding. Because Caleb had supposedly saved her life once, she was always at his beck and call, acting like his devoted wife. Fine. I’d let them have each other. 2. This time, I couldn’t even be bothered to question her. My heart had gone completely cold. Since she didn’t cherish this seven-year relationship, why should I cling to it? The back of my head throbbed where I’d been hit. I had risked my life to get to this wedding. And she agreed to let another man marry her in my place, not worried at all about my disappearance. It was always just me being foolishly devoted. Just as I was about to leave, rows of bodyguards blocked my path. “Hold him down. Make him watch and see what happens when he defies me.” Struggling was useless. The bodyguards forced me to my knees at the feet of Ava and Caleb. Forming a grotesque human triangle. The guests below, enjoying the spectacle, erupted into mocking laughter. “Hilarious! Even a kept man has a temper?” “If Ava hadn’t been supporting him all these years, he’d probably be begging on the streets. Maybe some rich old lady would pick him up as a pet she could beat whenever she wanted.” “Ava gave him plenty of respect, and he still dared to ditch the wedding? He needs to be taught a harsh lesson.” Hearing this, Ava flashed a satisfied smile. She bent down slightly, grabbing my chin, her tone dripping with contempt. “Behave yourself. You should be thanking Caleb for saving the day for you.” How could she humiliate me like this? Tears streamed down my face, but then I started to laugh, my whole body shaking. Seeing me like this, seemingly losing my mind, Ava casually looked away. She deliberately made me watch as she and Caleb exchanged wedding rings, then embraced and kissed deeply amidst waves of applause. Accompanied by my own enraged screams. The kiss ended, their lips slightly red and glistening. Caleb’s eyes were full of lust. Seeing the anguish in my eyes, he pulled Ava even tighter. His gaze towards me was pure provocation. Ava waved her hand, signaling the bodyguards to release me. She ordered me coldly, “Behave yourself later. Run interference with the drinks for us. I won’t hold being late against you anymore.” I suppressed the fury inside me, just wanting to get out of there quickly. My heart, already riddled with holes, felt so tired. I tried to walk away, but Ava blocked my path again. “Are you deaf?” My ice-cold gaze fell on their intertwined hands. A sarcastic sneer appeared on my lips. “The illegitimate daughter and the homewrecker – a perfect match. You two deserve each other. Just stay locked down and don’t ruin anyone else’s life.” The mockery in my words made both their faces change instantly. Ava, furious, pointed her finger at my nose, scolding, “Can’t you stop being so petty? The wedding is just a meaningless ceremony! The man who will legally marry me, my lawful husband, will only be you, Ethan.” Seeing me flustered, Caleb’s triumphant gaze filled his eyes. He eagerly added fuel to the fire, “Ava’s right. The wedding is just for show, for outsiders.” “If you’re still mad, you can hit me to blow off steam.” Saying this, Caleb leaned his handsome, pretty-boy face closer. I smirked slightly and rewarded him with a loud, sharp slap across the face. Caleb looked up, stunned, his cheek already swelling where I’d hit him. A flash of malice crossed his eyes. His face gradually turned red. Clenching his teeth, he managed to force a smile. Seeing him get hit, Ava flew into a rage and swung a slap at me. After this, I finally saw through her cold, heartless nature. With no lingering affection left, why would I just stand there and take a slap? I dodged it, meeting her surprised gaze. I tugged at the corner of my mouth and turned to leave the wedding venue. Threatening words followed me from behind. “If you dare take one step out of here, we’re breaking up, effective immediately!” She used to always use breaking up to control me, banking on my love for her. But now I was planning to leave her world. The leverage built on love was useless against me now. 3. I had given up my family, staying alone in this city, willingly devoted to Ava for seven years. Only to be mocked by her friends and family as a kept man, a loser, leeching off a woman to survive. This time, I was really leaving. I dialed that familiar number. Forcing down the surging, bitter emotions, I pretended to be casual, saying lightly, “Cut the funding. I’ll be leaving the country ASAP.” In three days, I would completely disappear from Ava’s world, never to meet again for the rest of our lives. After getting my head wound treated at the hospital, I returned to the home I had personally decorated for us. Forcing myself to stay awake, I threw away everything that belonged to me, just like myself – alone. From now on, there would be no trace of me left in Ava’s world. Late at night, I curled up on the sofa, burning with fever, feeling miserable. I was about to get up and turn on the lights, planning to go to the hospital. In the darkness, the firmly shut front door opened. Two voices, panting with arousal, intertwined. Even though I had warned myself internally, seeing the scene unfold before me still sent a shameful pang of pain through my heart. Ava and Caleb were tangled together, their kissing sounds like claps of thunder striking deep into my soul. I silently watched the passionate scene playing out. “Baby, I can’t wait anymore. Give yourself to me, please? I’ll be good to you.” Caleb chuckled lewdly, eagerly trying to pull off Ava’s clothes. Ava made a show of protesting playfully, hitting him lightly a few times. Clearly playing hard to get. We dated for seven years, lived together for five. I had always cherished her too much to touch her. I wanted to save that respect and value for our wedding night. But her? She couldn’t wait to bring someone back to our home, fooling around right there in the entryway. How pathetic. Just as they were about to cross the line, I abruptly flipped on the lights. It startled Caleb so much he almost went limp from fright. I chuckled nonchalantly, clapping my hands in front of them. “Quite the show tonight. Caught you red-handed, cheating.” My words stung Ava, her face paling slightly. Being caught in such a private act, even her thick skin couldn’t handle it. Her lips trembled, her face turning from white to red. Caleb pulled her into his arms, comforting her softly, then looked up at me, his eyes filled with hatred. “Ava already broke up with you. This is her house. Get the hell out.” I had seen everything just now. My stomach churned violently. Ava’s nose was red from crying, but the words she spoke sent a chill down my spine. “You’ve loved me for so many years. Can’t you even tolerate this little thing?” “Where else can you go if you leave me?” “Just be good and listen. We’ll go get legally married in a while.” ‘Be good and listen’ again. She always wanted to control my thoughts, my soul, make me live like a puppet on a string. I wasn’t her pet. I clenched my fists in anger, my body trembling uncontrollably. A coldness escaped my lips. I stared intently at the face I had loved day and night. Hating myself for being so blind, for falling in love with such a faithless woman. Sorrow wrapped around my heart like dense wires, suffocating me. I felt sick. My voice turned icy, “I agree to the breakup. From now on, we are strangers.” As soon as I said it, Ava’s expression darkened instantly. Caleb, however, looked thrilled, thinking he could finally latch onto the wealthy CEO. Endless riches would soon be his. “Ethan, I’m not discussing this with you. I’m informing you.” My head felt increasingly heavy and sick. I couldn’t be bothered wasting my breath on her. Ignoring her words, I turned to leave. But they blocked the door. Ava’s face darkened as she snapped at me. “Listen to me! Go back to your room and stay there. What’s the big deal? Everyone plays around sometimes. Just turn a blind eye.” Her brows furrowed, her eyes glaring at me with hostility. Knowing I was weak, running a high fever in the middle of the night. She ordered Caleb to drag me into the room and lock the door, only letting me out when I was ready to admit I was wrong. Even my phone, my only connection to the outside world, was confiscated. My forehead was covered in cold sweat. I curled up, feeling incredibly sick. From the next room came sounds of moaning, like relentless raindrops, washing over my already shattered heart again and again. 4. I drifted in and out of consciousness. I don’t know how much time passed before the door finally opened. Caleb kicked my head aggressively, his voice unable to hide his excitement. “Well, look who’s still alive. Be smart and get out of the way. Ava can only be mine. Even her first time was with me.” “You protected her for seven years, didn’t even dare touch her, yet she willingly let me. As another man, I even feel sorry for you.” Finished speaking, Caleb leaned close to my ear, his laughter seeming to seep in from everywhere, constantly reminding me of this humiliation. Not long after, Ava, clearly exhausted from her night’s activities, walked awkwardly out of the room. Burning with fever all night, plus the wound on the back of my head splitting open again… I opened my mouth, my voice hoarse, calling to her, “Give me my phone. I need to go to the hospital.” Hearing my voice, Ava raised an eyebrow in surprise, looking down at me. A satisfied smile appeared on her face again as she asked, “Learned your lesson?” “I’m tired of this faking-sickness act. Get up and make us breakfast.” A wave of desolation washed over me. My cheeks were flushed red from the fever; anyone who wasn’t blind could see it. Consciousness faded again. The last thing I saw was Ava’s enraged face as her hand came flying towards me in a slap. It wasn’t until the next day that I slowly regained consciousness. I was lying on the cold floor. There was a patch of white dampness on my chest, smelling faintly of bitter medicine. She hadn’t even bothered to take me to the hospital, just poured some medicine down my throat and left me lying on the floor, not caring if I lived or died. When I moved my jaw, a sharp pain shot through my face. I pushed myself up from the floor and walked to the mirror. My face was swollen like a balloon. Clear finger marks were imprinted on it. I instinctively clenched my fists. Seven long years, I gave everything, yet I didn’t even deserve basic respect. My phone, tossed on the floor, vibrated a few times. I picked it up. Caleb had sent several pictures and videos of him and Ava kissing, every message dripping with bragging. They had gone on their honeymoon. The honeymoon I had looked forward to for seven years, she casually gave it to another man. The three days were up. This reunion, seven years overdue, had finally arrived. I threw away the SIM card. The last moment before deleting my messaging app, my blurred vision focused on the pinned chat. Seven years of love. Let it have a proper end. [Goodbye!] After sending the farewell message, I boarded the plane without looking back. From now on, I was free as a bird. I would no longer be her caged pet. 5. During the time I was unreachable, Ava received the farewell message and panicked, as if she had lost the most important person in her life. She became obsessed, dropping everything to search for any trace of me. Tears of regret streamed down her face. Completely unaware of this, after a flight of over ten hours, I landed in a completely unfamiliar country.

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Megan Vance’s sloppy mistake on the price quote cost the company a fortune, and now they were demanding huge compensation. To win back the contract, I had to go to this awful dinner meeting to apologize, forced to drink until I was practically sick, a gut-wrenching, humiliating apology. After smoothing things over, Megan cooed promises of a huge, lavish wedding. But the day before we were supposed to get married, I saw her, already in a wedding dress, throwing herself into Kevin Sloan’s arms. When I confronted her, she just shrugged it off. “You’re just a small-town guy trying to play in the big leagues. What makes you think I’d actually marry you?” “Besides, Kevin’s father is a Director. He’s in a totally different league than you.” “But… if you’re still really into me, I guess I could let you stick around.” Was Megan actually asking me to be her side piece? That slap wasn’t just loud; it shattered whatever was left between us. I turned my back on her and agreed to marry my childhood sweetheart, Evelyn Reed, heiress to the Reed fortune. Unbelievably, our weddings ended up scheduled for the same day, at the very same hotel. As I approached the hotel entrance, Megan, flanked by a crowd of our former colleagues, blocked my path. “Liam Miller, are you seriously trying to crash my wedding? Let me tell you, I won’t let anyone ruin my perfect day with Kevin.” “Since you’re so desperate for attention, why don’t you get on your knees right here and apologize to Kevin in front of everyone?” The crowd around us started jeering and egging her on. Megan kicked the back of my knee, forcing me down, and even started trying to rip my clothes off to humiliate me further. It wasn’t until Ms. Reed herself arrived that Megan stopped, plastering on a fake, fawning smile. “Ms. Reed! My ex is having some kind of breakdown, claiming he’s your husband. Don’t worry, I’m handling it. So… about that Northgate contract, do you think we could sign off on it?” … A crane accident near the subway had shut down traffic, so Evelyn and I had to take separate routes to the venue. When I finally got to the hotel, I was about to get out of the car. Just as I opened the door, I saw Megan, beaming, arm-in-arm with Kevin Sloan, walking into the hotel. My hand froze. I didn’t get out immediately. I couldn’t believe we were getting married on the same day. Ever since I’d cut ties with Megan, I’d wanted nothing more to do with her. Especially not today, on my own wedding day. I didn’t need that kind of bad luck. “Liam! Big brother! Over here!” A cute little girl darted towards me from nearby, yanking open my car door. “Brother, you’re here! Why aren’t you getting out?” Annie’s voice was loud, instantly catching Megan’s attention. She’d opened the door so fast I had no time to react. Suddenly, I was making eye contact with Megan across the short distance. Megan’s initially bright expression twisted into rage. She stormed over, pushed Annie aside, and yanked me out of the Lincoln sedan. “Liam Miller, how long are you going to keep harassing me?” Then her eyes landed on the groom’s ribbon pinned to my suit. Her pupils dilated, then she let out a contemptuous laugh. “Wow, you really are pathetic. It’s my wedding day, and you show up trying to crash it.” I forcefully pushed Megan’s hand off me and pulled Annie up from the ground, shielding her. Before I could even explain, Megan glared at me, spitting venom. “Liam, today is the most important day of Kevin’s and my life. If you dare cause trouble, don’t blame me for what happens!” Guests nearby started whispering: “How shameless can Liam be, trying to crash the wedding?” “If it weren’t for his screw-up with that quote, we wouldn’t have lost our year-end bonuses!” “Yeah, but you still have a job thanks to him, right? He’s the one who had to sleep with those execs from the client’s side to save the deal.” “Men and women, I heard. Can his skinny frame even handle that?” “Ugh, Liam’s so dirty. Just breathing the same air as him makes me sick. And he dares to crash her wedding.” Listening to their degrading comments, I trembled with fury. Megan had pinned everything on me. Just then, Kevin Sloan emerged from the crowd. His disdainful gaze shifted when he saw the bouquet in my hands, and his eyes lit up. “Megan, honey, how about I give you this bouquet from him?” 2 The bouquet I held was custom-made, ordered specially by Evelyn from France. It was incredibly expensive, interwoven with delicate, pure gold filigree roses. The unique craftsmanship and costly flowers made it sparkle in the sunlight. Megan had looked slightly guilty when she heard people blaming me for the quote error. But the next second, seeing I even had a bouquet prepared, her expression turned back to scorn. “Liam, there’s no way I’m marrying you. Just give me the bouquet; consider it your contribution to our wedding.” “After all, you love me so much, you wouldn’t want to embarrass me, right?” I stared at Megan, stunned. How could the girl I once knew, who was always kind and helpful, turn into this? I sighed, about to speak, when Annie darted out from behind me and gave Kevin a shove. “You big bully! Why are you trying to steal my sister’s bouquet?” “My sister had this specially made by a master artist in France!” Annie was small, so Kevin just stumbled slightly before regaining his balance. He looked down at her with disgust. “Where did this grimy little kid come from? Careful you don’t dirty my custom-made suit. It cost thousands.” Annie, Evelyn’s little sister, probably spent thousands on pocket money daily. She tilted her head, genuinely curious, and asked me, “Brother, his suit is so cheap, is he really worried about getting it dirty?” Kevin flushed crimson with rage, his finger practically poking Annie’s eye. I immediately pulled Annie behind me, my voice sharp. “Megan, I’m not here to crash your wedding.” Megan’s eyes narrowed slightly, a cold smile playing on her lips. “Liam, still putting on an act even now?” “If you’re not here to crash the wedding, why are you here, dressed like a groom?” “Don’t tell me you’re also getting married here, at the Grand Excelsior Hotel?” I nodded. A wave of laughter erupted from the crowd. “Seriously? What a low-class move. He probably doesn’t even know how exclusive the Grand Excelsior is. How dare he try to associate himself with it?” “If it weren’t for Kevin Sloan being the Director’s son, none of us would probably ever get to see the inside of this place.” “Exactly. Thank God Kevin went and begged Ms. Reed. Otherwise, Liam probably thinks taking off his clothes a few times is enough to land a contract.” Many of those talking were my former colleagues, people I had helped numerous times. Now, they were twisting the truth, slinging mud at me without a second thought. Megan watched me with a smirk, waiting until the ridicule died down before speaking. “You come from nothing, dirtied yourself with God knows who, men and women… Who else would want you besides me?” “Alright, stop pretending. Give the bouquet to Kevin, and I’ll allow you to stay for the reception.” She reached out to snatch the bouquet. Annie, who had been pampered her whole life and never treated this way, reacted instantly, rushing forward to protect me. She pulled the half-finished juice box from her little backpack and splashed it all over Megan. Caught off guard, Megan’s suit was soaked. Her face turned terrifyingly dark. But Annie, oblivious to the danger, clapped her hands excitedly. “I got the bad guy! I got the bad guy!” “Such a naughty little brat. Needs to be taught a lesson,” Megan hissed, her voice dripping ice. She waved her hand, and several large, burly men suddenly surrounded us, grabbing Annie in seconds. I tried to stop them but Megan slapped me hard, sending me stumbling to the ground. Seeing Annie about to be dragged away, I forgot everything else and yelled, “She’s Evelyn Reed’s sister!” 3 Everyone froze for a second. Just when I thought Megan would let Annie go, she burst out laughing. “Evelyn Reed’s sister? Don’t tell me you’re going to claim you’re dressed like this today to marry Evelyn Reed?” I nodded grimly. “Now that you know, let Annie go… Ahh—” Before I could finish, Megan slapped me again, hard, her teeth clenched. “Still playing games at a time like this? Looks like you won’t learn your lesson until you’re taught one.” She raised her hand again, ready to strike. This time, Kevin stopped her. “Alright, Megan. It’s our wedding day. Let’s not waste time on this lowlife.” Then his tone shifted. “Why don’t we take this opportunity to make Liam write a resignation letter? Saves me the trouble of seeing his face at the office later.” Although Megan had publicly claimed she saved the Southbridge project contract, upper management knew perfectly well it was signed only after I met with the client. The commission was rightfully mine. But if I resigned, it would all go to Megan and Kevin. Megan’s eyes lit up at the suggestion. She immediately started forcing me to write the resignation letter. When I refused, Megan pinched Annie’s chubby cheek hard, threatening, “Such a young child. What if she got a little scar on her face, or maybe lost an arm or a leg? Who knows if she’d even survive after that…” I couldn’t believe it. Megan was using a child to threaten me, just for some commission money. Annie started crying, terrified, calling my name. Megan snatched the bouquet from my hand and presented it to Kevin like a trophy. Ignoring that, I looked straight at Megan, my voice flat. “If I write the resignation letter, will you let Annie go?” Megan nodded, a mocking smile on her face. “Believe it or not. It’s not like you have any other choice, do you?” “I warned you, Annie is Evelyn Reed’s sister. And I am marrying Evelyn Reed today. You’re humiliating her fiancé and her sister like this. Aren’t you afraid of her retaliation?” The crowd roared with laughter again. “Has Liam lost his mind? He came to crash the wedding, realized Megan didn’t want him, saw Ms. Reed was also getting married here, and suddenly decided he’s marrying her?” “I bet he doesn’t even know who Ms. Reed really is. She’s the Evelyn Reed, the most powerful heiress in the city. Ruthless. Nobody dares to cross her. Liam pretending to be her fiancé? He must have a death wish.” “That Southbridge project was with her company’s subsidiary. That’s why the commission was so high.” Understanding dawned on the onlookers, and their gazes turned even more contemptuous. The pen trembled in my hand. Humiliation and fury washed over me. The moment I finished the last word, Megan snatched the paper away, glanced at it with satisfaction, and handed it to Kevin. “Now, can you let Annie go?” But Megan’s lips curved into a cruel smile. “Let her go? She threw juice on my suit. Doesn’t she need to apologize?” Annie and I were alone, cornered. I didn’t want to prolong this. I apologized immediately. Megan snorted. “Just a quick ‘sorry’ is enough?” I clenched my jaw, staring hard at her. “What else do you want?” Megan sneered, kicked the back of my knee again, and laughed coldly. “An apology requires the right attitude. I want you kneeling when you apologize to me.” I was forced onto one knee, but I refused to bow my head completely. I was about to become Mr. Reed. My humiliation was Evelyn’s humiliation. Megan clearly didn’t expect me to be so stubborn, refusing to fully kneel even after being kicked. She reached out again, trying to force my head down. In the struggle, the sleeve of my jacket rode up, revealing a collection of expensive watches on my wrist. Kevin’s eyes widened, instantly shouting: “Well, well, Megan! So you spent money buying Liam all these fancy watches? I want you to take every single one of them off him right now!” 4 Megan froze. She knew perfectly well she hadn’t bought me these watches. Suddenly, she flew into a rage, kicking me hard in the chest. Sharp pain exploded, nearly making me black out. All I could hear was Megan’s furious voice. “So you didn’t just whore yourself out to other women, you took their gifts too?” “Liam Miller, you are utterly shameless! You make me sick.” Even as she spat the words, her eyes greedily scanned my arm. Impatiently, she ripped up my other sleeve. Seeing more limited-edition watches there, her eyes practically glowed. Kevin sneered. “Megan, those watches look exactly like the ones that were stolen from me.” I looked up in disbelief. What was he talking about? These were all limited-edition pieces Evelyn had tracked down for me through various channels after learning I collected watches. Most people couldn’t even get their hands on them. But Megan instantly understood Kevin’s ploy. She yelled loudly: “Liam Miller, I never thought you were this kind of person! You actually snuck into my place and stole the watches I bought for Kevin!” She lunged, trying to rip the watches off my wrists. I fought back desperately, but Annie was still her hostage, and I was no match for several large bodyguards. Soon, I was pinned to the ground, my pristine suit stained and dirty, my entire appearance utterly wretched. To prove her point to Kevin, Megan personally started yanking the watches off. Most of them had been custom-fitted by Evelyn to my size. They fit perfectly, and their clasps were intricate. Megan had no idea how to remove them properly. But she didn’t care about hurting me. She just ripped them off with brute force. My sharp cries of pain accompanied each watch she triumphantly handed to Kevin. Annie screamed from the side, “I’m gonna tell my sister! She’ll make you pay!” But no one paid any attention to a little girl’s threats. Soon, both my wrists were raw and bleeding, scraped horribly by the forced removal. I gasped in pain but refused to beg for mercy. “Can you let Annie go now?” I struggled to sit up, wanting only to get Annie away from them. But Kevin suddenly blocked me, eyeing me maliciously. He drawled, “Megan, you think maybe Liam stole the other things I’m missing too?” “Why don’t we strip him down and see if he’s hiding anything else under his clothes? We wouldn’t want them turning up in his possession later, making things awkward, right?” Megan nodded readily. Ignoring my struggles, she reached out and ripped my dress shirt open down the front. A cold draft hit my chest, exposing large patches of skin marked with intimate-looking bruises or hickeys. Instinctively, I tried to cover myself, but my bleeding hands wouldn’t cooperate, I couldn’t lift them properly. The crowd leered, making crude jokes. My former colleagues were the loudest. “I always knew Liam was trash. He used to hit on me all the time back at the office.” “He probably got those marks from all the men and women he’s been with, right?” “…” The vile comments rained down, filling me with shame and agony. But apparently, this wasn’t enough for Kevin. He wanted me to suffer more. He pulled out his phone, grinning wickedly. “Liam, don’t say I never did anything for you. I’m about to make you famous. Going live right now!” Kevin’s eyes glinted with malice, fixed on me. I covered my face, trembling with helpless rage. If looks could kill, Kevin would be dead a hundred times over. But I was alone, surrounded by people enjoying my humiliation. Just as despair washed over me, a cool, commanding female voice cut through the air: “Who dares cause trouble at my wedding?”

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It was the New Year’s Eve party. Someone swapped my pineapple juice for a beer. The problem? I had just taken antibiotics that day. I barely made it after they rushed me to the hospital. When I came to, my wife, Chloe, was shielding the guy who did it. “Let this go, Ethan. Be the bigger person. He didn’t mean it.” I wasn’t about to let this guy—the one who’d been way too close to my wife for comfort—off the hook. Chloe cut me off, frowning. “Enough! He just graduated, he’s just a kid who doesn’t know any better. Why are you picking on him?” “Do you have to ruin his life to be happy?” Seeing her defend him like that, my heart turned to ash. “Then maybe you two should be together.” … “What do you mean, we should be together?! Ethan, can you stop being so petty? What’s wrong with a boss caring about her employee? And you twist it into this? You ruined a perfectly good New Year’s party!” My words hit a nerve. Flustered, Chloe lashed out, trying to sound tough. I let out a cold laugh. “Oh really? Some ‘caring’. Seems like you care more about him than your own husband. When I collapsed at the party, you were the one who stepped back, weren’t you?” Chloe froze for a second, then visibly tried to calm herself down, forcing her anger back. “Ethan, I know you’re upset. I promise I’ll discipline Sam. I’ll give you an outcome you’re satisfied with. But calling the cops? That’s completely unnecessary. He just graduated college…” “How are you planning to discipline him?” Having just stared death in the face, everything suddenly felt crystal clear. A dull ache throbbed in my temples. I cut through her rambling. Chloe blinked, then mumbled, “Dock his pay for three days.” “…I almost died, and you want to dock three days’ pay?!” I couldn’t believe it. I almost laughed out of sheer anger. “Enough! He didn’t do it on purpose! He’s just a kid fresh out of college, how much money do you think he has? He has rent, bills… this is already serious! How is he supposed to live next month?!” Chloe’s face turned ugly. She clearly wanted me to drop it. But I had lost all interest in talking to her. I pulled out my phone to call 911. Just graduated? Sorry, old enough means old enough to take responsibility for your actions. I’d barely dialed a few numbers when Chloe snatched the phone from my hand, hanging up and yelling. “Do you really have to destroy his future?! He’s so young! What does he know?!” “I just want to tell the police the facts. He knows exactly what he did.” My brow furrowed. I reached to grab my phone back. The tension in the hospital room was thick. Neither of us would back down. Knock, knock, knock. The door opened. It was Sam, holding a fruit basket. He had a couple of perfectly placed tears on his cheeks. He entered the room looking timid and scared, bowing his head in apology the moment he met my gaze. “I’m so sorry, Ethan. This is all my fault. I’m really, truly sorry.” “Sam, quick, sit down.” Chloe immediately rushed to welcome him, taking the fruit basket and patting his shoulder. “Look at you, spending money like this. Ethan’s fine, really. What are you crying for? Don’t be scared.” “Sorry, Chloe. I caused you so much trouble.” That only made it worse. Sam’s eyes reddened further as if he really was terrified. His choked sob made Chloe’s heart ache even more. As tears welled up, he glanced up at me, a flicker of triumph in his eyes. I frowned, about to tell him to cut the act, but the next second, he dropped to his knees in front of my hospital bed with a thud. He bowed his head and spoke through tears. “I’m sorry, Ethan, I’m really sorry. I didn’t know you’d taken medication. Switching the drinks… it was just… for the atmosphere. I honestly didn’t mean anything else by it.” “Sam! What are you doing?! Get up!” Chloe was stunned. She moved to pull him up, then turned to me, furious when she saw my expressionless face. “He’s like this! And you still don’t believe him?! Ethan, I never realized you could be so cold-hearted! Forgive him right now! Stop making things difficult for this kid! Sam… get up, please. I don’t want to see you like this either…” “I’m not getting up! Not until Ethan forgives me!” Tears streamed down Sam’s face as he knelt there, stubbornly demanding my forgiveness. My head throbbed. I couldn’t be bothered watching his performance. Seeing me still unmoved, Chloe marched over and slapped me hard across the face. “Ethan! You son of a bitch!” Smack! It happened so fast. My right cheek burned. That slap completely extinguished the last spark of feeling I had left for her. 2 Chloe and I met in college. We were classmates in the finance program. Our university’s finance department was one of the best in the country. Most students there had family with “connections” and “backgrounds,” but Chloe was different. She got in purely through her own hard work and planned to build her future from scratch. That determination drew me in almost instantly. Getting together with her felt inevitable. I pursued her. I learned a lot from her too. My family never thought much of Chloe. When we graduated, they’d already picked out a suitable bride for an arranged marriage, figuring Chloe was just a phase I’d get over before coming home. But youth is rebellious. That fire I had back then is long gone now. I fought with my family and chose Chloe. Looking back, we’ve been married for three years, together for five. In those three years, Chloe’s career took off, thanks in part to my help. There was a time she stood up for me just like she was standing up for Sam today. She once yelled at a condescending business partner who was trying to force drinks on me. She used to cook for me late at night. I truly believed Chloe and I would spend our lives together. Our life got better, but the feelings faded. Ever since Sam joined the company as an intern assistant, Chloe’s attitude towards me took a nosedive. I heard she specifically requested to have Sam transferred to work directly under her. After that, she was constantly traveling for work or working late, and Sam was always with her. The official reason was “developing his skills.” I wondered just what “skills” were being developed. It got to the point where rumors started flying around the office these past few months, suggesting Sam wasn’t just getting mentored, but that Chloe was involved with him. I was lost in thought when another slap hit me, just as hard. I slowly looked up at Chloe. She gritted her teeth, spitting out each word. “Ethan, accept Sam’s apology. Right now. Or I’ll make your life hell.” “Chloe, don’t hit him! Please don’t fight because of me!” Sam waited until after she hit me to intervene. Then, he decisively stood up, a look of resolve flashing across his face. “Ethan, since you still won’t forgive me, maybe I should just turn myself in. I’m willing to spend the rest of my life making amends for this!” With that, before we could react, he bolted out of the hospital room. “Sam! Where are you going?! Don’t do anything stupid!” Chloe frantically chased after him. Before leaving, she shot me a parting threat. “Ethan, if anything happens to him, I’ll never forgive you!” The door slammed shut, finally leaving the room quiet. I let out a long breath, feeling utterly exhausted. Of course, Sam wasn’t going to turn himself in. Everything he did today was calculated to drive a wedge between Chloe and me. It was such an obvious ploy, only Chloe would fall for it. Sure enough, a little while later, Chloe posted on social media. The picture was a scenic view not far from the hospital. Her caption read: “I’ll protect you forever.” She didn’t hide it from anyone. Just put it out there for the world to see. After chasing him out, she never came back to see me. I guess it made sense. I was out of danger, so there was no need. I laughed coldly, indifferent to her passive-aggressive provocation. My stomach had just been pumped the night before. I couldn’t eat anything, but I didn’t want to stay in the hospital either. I talked to the doctor about being discharged the next day. I packed my things and went home. Chloe was there. 3 “You’re back?” Chloe was sitting on the sofa. The moment she saw me, her smile vanished. Her tone was lukewarm, and she didn’t even ask how I was feeling. She clearly hadn’t expected me back so soon. She seemed to have been in a good mood before I opened the door, but my arrival instantly soured it. For a married couple to reach this point… we were truly just putting on a show. “Yeah, I’m back.” I replied casually, my tone equally flat. That’s when I noticed her posture seemed unconsciously tense. I frowned. The next moment, I heard the sound of the shower running in the bathroom. Someone else was home. “Who’s taking a shower?” Even though a suspicion had already formed in my mind, I still held onto a sliver of hope as I asked. But as soon as Chloe heard the question, her expression turned guarded, and she quickly forced an explanation. “It’s Sam. His water’s been shut off for a week, so I let him come over to shower after work. Don’t get the wrong idea, his water really is off.” “Got it. I wasn’t thinking anything.” My calm response actually seemed to throw her off. She studied my face, searching for any sign of anger. When she found none, she visibly relaxed. “Wow, you finally figured it out. Nice to see you’re not making a scene for once.” Making a scene? Is that how she saw my reactions all along? I didn’t reply. I walked straight into the bedroom, dragged a suitcase out of the closet, and started packing without a word. During this time, Chloe didn’t even peek in to check on me. As I packed, I realized how few things I actually owned after years of marriage. I’m not a particularly materialistic person. I left behind everything Chloe had given me and anything we owned jointly. I didn’t want them. I didn’t want the memories. When I finished packing and came out, Chloe was already drying Sam’s hair. She was kneeling on the sofa, laughing and chatting with him. Looking at them, they seemed like a genuinely loving couple. I felt completely out of place in my own home. Chloe’s back was to me, and the hairdryer was too loud for her to hear me approach. But Sam saw me the instant I stepped out of the room. He slowly looked up, a smug expression spreading across his face, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly. It was as if he was saying, See? You can’t win against me. My face remained blank. I didn’t want to win, nor did I feel like I had lost. I just quietly watched Chloe patiently and gently drying Sam’s hair, her expression soft. I couldn’t remember the last time she’d looked at me like that. So, it wasn’t work stress making her lash out at me at home. It was just that her tenderness was reserved for someone else. The hairdryer switched off. Chloe turned, saw me, and her expression tightened. She quickly explained. “Just drying his hair. Didn’t want him to catch a cold with wet hair and miss work tomorrow.” “I know. You don’t have to tell me everything.” My casual, indifferent reply gave Sam another opening. He adopted a timid look. “Ethan, I guess I’m not welcome here… I should probably go.” He made a show of getting ready to leave, and Chloe immediately stopped him. “You just showered. Going out now, you’ll catch a cold!” “I didn’t say you weren’t welcome. I’m the one who’s extra here. You can stay. I’m leaving.” I grabbed my suitcase from the bedroom and headed straight for the door. Seeing this, Chloe’s face darkened, and she stepped in front of me to block my way. “Ethan, what are you doing? I knew something was up when you came home acting so calm. What kind of scheme is this?!” A faint, ironic smile touched my lips. I really couldn’t be bothered to guess what kind of image Sam’s manipulations had painted of me in Chloe’s eyes. I looked at her calmly, my voice devoid of emotion. “No scheme, Chloe. Check your email soon. I’ll be sending you the divorce papers.” 4 “You want to divorce me?!” Unexpectedly, hearing those words didn’t make Chloe explode with rage. Instead, she frowned, a hint of confusion in her expression. “Ethan, you have no reason to divorce me. All I did was look out for Sam, practically like a little brother. If you want a divorce over this, I can only assume you don’t love me anymore, that you never really cared.” “Think whatever you want. The divorce is happening.” I didn’t even glance at her. Arguing at this point was meaningless. My unwavering attitude seemed to finally make something click for Chloe. She initially thought I was just “making a scene” like before, but now she realized I was serious. She instinctively reached out and grabbed my arm. “Ethan, stop messing around. Let’s just talk…” I yanked my arm away, a deep look of disgust flashing across my face. “Don’t touch me!” With that, I turned to leave. Thrown off balance, Chloe stumbled back, her anger finally igniting. She yelled after me. “Ethan! Where are you going to go without me?! Back to your family? Don’t forget, you cut ties with your family years ago!” “Get back here! Did I say I agreed to this divorce?!” I acted as if I hadn’t heard a word. I got in my car and drove straight to the office. After packing up my desk, I went to HR and submitted my resignation. “Uh… Ethan, are you sure about resigning?” The HR person saw my blank expression and probably guessed what was happening. She held the form, asking tentatively. “Yes.” I understood her hesitation. Everyone in the company knew I was the husband of the CEO, Chloe. Although she always claimed to keep business and personal life separate, there was inevitably office gossip. Sure enough, a troubled look crossed the HR person’s face. “Well… I can’t really approve this myself. Maybe we should wait for Ms. Hayes to get back?” (Assuming Hayes as Chloe’s Americanized surname). “No need. My position doesn’t require her sign-off. Just process it through the usual channels.” Chloe founded this company five years ago. I was one of the first employees back when there were only about ten of us. I wore multiple hats – tech guy, running errands, handling sales. I worked incredibly hard for a long time. But in the last couple of years, as the company started doing well, Chloe kept me in this low-level position, earning a basic salary. It was even less than what Sam made as her personal assistant. The HR person sighed helplessly. Technically, my position didn’t require CEO approval. She signed the form, probably just hoping Chloe’s eventual wrath wouldn’t land on her. I went back to my desk, picked up the cardboard box with my belongings, and walked out. As I left, I saw the pitying looks from my colleagues and heard their hushed whispers. “He’s really… leaving?” “I actually liked Ethan… When I first started, he was the one who taught me everything about sales.” “It’s because of Ms. Hayes’s new assistant, isn’t it… She really has been a bit too…” Hearing their words didn’t change my expression one bit. Just as I stepped out of the building, I saw Chloe arriving with Sam. When she saw me holding the box, she immediately flew into a rage. “Ethan, how long are you going to keep this up?! You want to leave me that badly?! You’re even quitting the company?!” “Ethan, calm down. I heard you’ve been with this company for years… Don’t be impulsive.” I completely ignored Sam’s attempts to stir the pot, not even giving him a glance. Seeing my indifference, Chloe took several deep breaths, struggling to contain her fury. “Fine! Fine! You’re dead set on divorcing me, aren’t you? Then let’s do it! I’ll sign the papers right away! Ethan, just don’t you regret this!” Hearing this, I stopped walking, finally showing a reaction. “Since you’re signing, let’s go to the courthouse this afternoon.” That same afternoon, Chloe and I finalized the divorce. She was clearly still furious and left immediately with Sam. I didn’t bother trying to talk to her further. I was just relieved it was over so quickly. Standing outside the courthouse, I took a deep breath, pulled out my phone, and dialed a number I hadn’t called more than a few times in three years. It rang twice before a somewhat stern voice answered, sounding surprised. “Hello? Ethan?” I pressed my lips together, then spoke, my voice hoarse. “…Dad? Mom? I want to come home.”

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Christmas Day. My daughter lay in the hospital, burned by fireworks, desperately needing money for surgery, while my CEO wife was busy celebrating with her childhood friend and his daughter. She tossed a hundred-dollar bill at me dismissively. “It’s just a little burn, not a big deal. Slap some ointment on it. I’m busy!” Later, because we missed the optimal treatment window, my daughter died. My wife, however, lost her mind. She sold her company, ready to spend her entire fortune to buy the lives of her childhood friend and his family. 1 I manage a trendy restaurant, and on Christmas Day, business was absolutely insane. Just as I was completely swamped, my mom called me frantically. “Son, get to the hospital, now! Lily got burned by fireworks down by the riverbank! She needs help! Mom doesn’t know how to wire money online, you have to come save Lily!” My mind went blank. I bolted out of the restaurant, flagged down a cab, and raced towards the hospital. I anxiously watched the map on my phone while frantically calling my wife, Vivian Sterling. Over a dozen calls, every single one went straight to voicemail or said unavailable. It wasn’t until I reached the door of the emergency room that Vivian finally picked up, immediately launching into a tirade. “I’m busy! What’s with the dozen calls? Are you trying to kill me? Trying to jinx someone?” “Vivian…” I was shaking uncontrollably, struggling to speak. “Wire me some money… Li-Lily got burned… she needs emergency surgery…” “Every time you call, it’s about money! Leo, are you obsessed? I’m a person, not your personal ATM! Aren’t you ashamed of freeloading all the time, you loser!” My daughter, lying on the hospital bed, had already lost consciousness. Her feet were bare, her small body covered in black and red burns. The fireworks had burned through her pajamas, the fibers melted into every wound. Each time the doctor cleaned away a piece of charred cloth, the raw flesh beneath would ooze blood and yellow fluid. I collapsed to my knees, curling into a ball, pleading desperately. “I’m a loser, I’m worthless… Say whatever you want about me, Vivian, I’m begging you. All my money is with you. Please, just wire the money. Lily really can’t hold on much longer…” Vivian always said men turn bad if they have money. Even though she, as a corporate CEO, was loaded, she demanded I hand over my entire paycheck every month, leaving me just two hundred bucks for gas and cigarettes. But my words only seemed to infuriate her more. She shrieked, “I knew you had a problem with giving me your paycheck! Fine! So you’re using our daughter to try and scam money out of me, is that it? How bad can a burn be? Just put some cream on it. I’m in a good mood today, I’ll send you a hundred bucks. Be grateful for that!” Vivian regularly donated thousands to animal shelters. I was about to beg her for more, but she quickly hung up. Then, my number was blocked. I couldn’t reach her anymore. A doctor rushed out. “Family member! The child’s condition isn’t good. Her heart rate and blood pressure are dropping steadily. We need to operate immediately. Aren’t you going to pay the deposit?” Looking at the $100 notification from Vivian and the ten thousand dollars – my mom’s entire savings – in her account, I completely broke down. “Yes! Doctor, just give me three minutes! I’ll borrow the money! Save my daughter!” 2 After getting a three-month advance on my salary from the restaurant owner, Lily was finally wheeled into the operating room. I helped my mom to the waiting area for a sip of water. Just then, Vivian’s assistant, Jason, strolled over casually. “Mr. Evans, you seem quite relaxed,” he drawled. “Isn’t Lily burned? How come I don’t see her responsible father taking care of her? Good thing Ms. Sterling is smart and saw through your little trick. Otherwise, you would have ruined a perfectly lovely Christmas for her, Mark, and little Chloe!” Hearing this, I froze. Chloe. That was the name of the daughter of Vivian’s childhood friend, Mark Chandler. So, while our daughter was fighting for her life, desperately needing money she controlled, Vivian was busy celebrating Christmas with another man and his daughter. My fists clenched as I fought down the rage boiling inside me. “Where is Vivian? Why isn’t she here?” “Hah.” Jason scoffed, tossing a plastic bag at my chest. “It’s just a minor burn. Why bother Ms. Sterling herself? She was kind enough to buy you guys some food and had me deliver it. She also told me to tell you: your daughter isn’t an excuse to ask for money. If something like this happens again, she’ll divorce you!” I sank weakly onto the chair. This wasn’t the first time. In Vivian’s heart, anything involving Mark Chandler always came first. Lily and I were always second priority. The year before last, when Lily started elementary school, I had pulled every string imaginable to get her into a good school. But then Chloe mentioned wanting to go to a prestigious private school, and Vivian gave Lily’s spot away without a second thought. Last year on Lily’s birthday, we had planned a family trip to the amusement park. But a call from Mark saying, “Chloe has a fever, need to go to the hospital,” was enough for Vivian to abandon us at the subway entrance. And today… our daughter’s life, in her eyes, wasn’t even as important as a holiday celebration! My mom sensed my turmoil and patted my shoulder. “Son, don’t let things fester between husband and wife. Lily’s in surgery now. Let’s just pretend today didn’t happen. She did think of you, sending food for you and Lily. Have a bite. Mom knows you’ve been running around and haven’t eaten.” I nodded, trying to suppress all the emotions churning inside me. But the moment I opened the plastic bag, my hands started shaking violently. My blood felt like it was boiling, crashing wildly through my veins, desperate for an outlet. Inside the container: extra spicy Cajun crab claws and a portion of blistered shishito peppers. Lily and I prefer mild food. We never eat anything spicy. More importantly, I recognized those blistered peppers instantly. They were a signature dish at the trendy restaurant I managed. Our restaurant wasn’t offering takeout or delivery today due to the Christmas rush. This food… it was their leftovers. Quickly, I pulled up the restaurant’s security camera feed on my phone. There, from earlier in the evening, while I was frantically coordinating orders in the kitchen, sat Vivian, Mark, and Chloe at the most secluded table. At home, Vivian always pushed Lily towards independence, making her sleep in her own room since she was four. But in the footage, she was patiently feeding Chloe spoonful by spoonful. When Chloe got restless, Vivian held her, making silly faces, playing games, her patience seemingly endless. Grinding my teeth, I was about to call and confront Vivian when the surgeon walked out of the OR, shaking his head. “I’m sorry. The child missed the critical window for treatment. We did everything we could…” 3 My mom couldn’t bear it and fainted on the spot. I bit my lip so hard it nearly bled, forcing myself to stay upright. I got my mom settled on an IV drip, completed Lily’s death certificate, kissed her cold little face one last time, and watched her being taken away by the funeral home van. Countless thoughts screamed in my head. I need to get back the money that’s rightfully mine from all these years, to give my daughter a proper funeral! I need to divorce the bitch who let my daughter die! I need to find out how my daughter, safe at home, ended up burned by fireworks. I need to make whoever is responsible pay! The cab back to the restaurant got stuck halfway. The driver sighed, lighting a cigarette. “Hey driver,” I asked, staring at the endless sea of red taillights ahead. “Why’s traffic so bad?” The driver sighed again. “You haven’t heard? Ms. Sterling, the CEO of Sterling Corp? For her daughter’s Christmas, she set up a row of thirty-foot-tall Christmas trees along both sides of this road! Word is, this is the route her daughter takes home. The lights just came on, tons of people are stopping to take pictures. We’ll probably be stuck here a while.” Too bad Lily was already dead. She would never see the surprise her mother prepared. My eyes stung fiercely. I quickly looked down to hide it. Suddenly, the sound of a microphone pierced through the traffic noise. “All 88 cash envelopes have been given out! Each one contains $888!” “To everyone who got an envelope, please join me in shouting loud and clear – Merry Christmas to little Chloe!” A deafening roar erupted from the crowd. The driver rolled down his window, watching with interest. I recognized the voice. It was Vivian. Quickly paying the driver through an app, I threw open the car door and started running frantically through the gridlocked traffic towards the crowd. The cold wind whipped tears and snot across my face. The image of my daughter, covered in wounds on the hospital bed, flashed in my mind. Her sweet, baby voice asking for hugs echoed in my ears… Just a few days ago, she had told me she wanted to prepare a Christmas surprise for Mommy. To save money for a small Christmas tree, she had smashed her little piggy bank, carefully picking up every quarter and dime, looking up at me with a bright smile. But she was dead! My sweet, well-behaved daughter was dead! My living, breathing daughter was gone! Amidst the bustling, festive Christmas crowd, she lay alone in a cold funeral home, while her own mother was showering someone else’s daughter with extravagant gifts! I don’t know how long I ran, but I finally saw Vivian. She, Mark, and Chloe stood on a makeshift stage, looking like a picture-perfect happy family. Chloe, in a princess dress, accepted a gift from Vivian. Mark, touched, took off his glasses and gave Vivian a big hug. The crowd below cheered and applauded wildly. Panting heavily, I walked towards them and yelled, “Vivian Sterling, get down here!” 4 Seeing me didn’t faze Vivian. She arrogantly flicked her hair back, crossed her arms, and approached me, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Is Lily’s little burn all better? Done pretending, you liar?” I took a deep breath, fighting back the urge to sob. “I never lied. Lily’s injuries were too severe… She didn’t make it…” “Hahahahaha!” Vivian burst out laughing as if she’d heard the funniest joke ever. She pointed at me, doubled over with laughter. “Look everyone! Can you believe this guy? Making up stories about his own daughter dying from a simple burn, just for money? Leo, have you gone completely broke and desperate? This is pathetic!” Whispers started rippling through the crowd. “That does sound kind of crazy… How can a burn be fatal? Never heard of that.” “So his daughter died, but what’s that got to do with Ms. Sterling? I’m a bit confused…” Scanning the onlookers, I forced a cold smile. “The ‘Ms. Sterling’ you’re talking about is my wife of ten years. It’s because she was too busy celebrating Christmas with someone else’s daughter that our daughter missed the critical treatment window and just died at the hospital!” “I want a divorce from Vivian Sterling, and it’s not about the money! After ten years of marriage, all I want is the salary I earned back. When my daughter died, she didn’t even have shoes on her feet. I want to use everything I have to give her a decent funeral, so she can rest in peace!” A sudden commotion erupted in the crowd. “Whoa! So the little girl in the dress isn’t even her daughter? I thought they were a happy family! Turns out this guy’s the other man!” “Man, taking this cash feels dirty now. I can’t believe Ms. Sterling is that kind of person!” Vivian, being a CEO and used to constant praise, couldn’t stand being criticized. She lunged forward. “If you think the free cash I gave you is dirty, you can give it right back! Don’t talk nonsense if you don’t know the whole story!” “Chloe’s father is my childhood friend! He’s divorced! As a friend of over twenty years, what’s wrong with me showing concern for a child from a single-parent home?” “Yes, legally, Leo and I are married. But I earn millions a year, while he’s just a manager at some small restaurant! He’s a total freeloader! The house, the cars – didn’t I buy everything? All I did was ask him to hand over his paycheck, and now he’s trying every trick in the book to get money out of me!” “Ladies here, don’t your husbands give you their paychecks? Don’t your husbands make up excuses to get cash from you to go out drinking with their buddies? But my husband uses the absurd lie that our daughter died from a burn to trick me! Who would believe such a ridiculous excuse?” “If anyone else has a problem, feel free to return the envelope you received! My conscience is clear, say whatever you want!” Perhaps because they had accepted her money, or perhaps because the wives in the crowd lumped me in with their own deadbeat husbands, their gazes turned scornful. A middle-aged woman in the front row pointed at me. “Pah! Ms. Sterling is right! Shame on you, a father using his daughter’s life like that! Tell us, how exactly did your daughter die from a burn?” I closed my eyes in pain. “It was fireworks… This evening, there was a firework display down by the riverbank. Lily was standing too close… she was burned by the burning fuel…” Loud jeers rose from the crowd. “Bullshit! No way fireworks can burn someone that badly!” Vivian rolled her eyes at me and started to turn away with the crowd. A young voice cut through the noise, sounding out of place. “He’s right, though. There were fireworks at the riverbank today! Didn’t you guys see them? And they were those super rare rainbow fireworks, really powerful. If you were standing right next to them, getting hit could definitely be fatal!” Hearing this, the crowd stopped and turned back to look at me. Vivian froze mid-step. She turned back slowly, disbelief etched on her face, her whole body starting to tremble with fear. Her lips moved silently, then she looked towards her assistant, Jason, behind her. “Rainbow fireworks? I’m the only one in the city who bought those… Tested them this afternoon at the riverbank… Could it be…?”

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After I got pregnant, I made up an excuse to break up with Ethan, successfully pulling off my “keep the baby, ditch the dad” plan. Two years later, pushing my kid out for some sun, I bumped into Ethan right at the entrance of my complex. We stared at each other, horrified, and blurted out at the same time: “You already had a kid with someone else?!” “Are you here to take my baby?!” 1 “Ava, honey, remember to take little Leo out for some sunshine every day. Don’t just stay cooped up inside, okay?” “Got it, Mom. We’ll head out in a bit.” Hanging up, I looked at the little guy who had just made a huge mess on the bed and was now giggling at me. I was torn between exasperation and adoration. Even though he’s my own flesh and blood, it doesn’t stop me from being grossed out by his… output. Mask on, I struggled to clean up the disaster zone. It took two exhausting hours. Usually, my mom and the nanny handle most of his care. But the nanny’s off for a few days, and Mom went on a trip with her friends, leaving me solely responsible for the little rascal. It’s genuinely exhausting and soul-crushing. If he wasn’t so darn cute, I’d seriously consider stuffing him back where he came from. Just before sunset, I pushed Leo in his stroller, planning a walk in the nearby park, but I spotted a familiar figure at the complex gate. His profile… looked an awful lot like Leo’s biological father… As if sensing my gaze, the man turned. Our eyes met, and simultaneous panic flashed across both our faces. We spoke at the exact same moment— “You already had a kid with someone else?!” “Are you here to take my baby?!” After the outburst, we both stood there, momentarily bewildered. Ethan tilted his head, confused. “Take… the baby?” Okay, looks like he still doesn’t know Leo is his. My mind raced. Playing it cool, I said, “Sorry, I guess motherhood’s made me a bit paranoid. Uh, fancy seeing you here. What brings you around?” Disappointment washed over Ethan’s face, but he quickly schooled his features. “It’s not fancy,” he said gravely. “I came looking for you specifically.” “Looking for me? What’s up?” Ethan’s gaze dropped to Leo in the stroller. He stared for a long moment before speaking, his voice tinged with resentment, “Ava, this kid… looks like he’s about a year old, lengthwise.” …Who judges age by length?! I thought he was starting to suspect the truth. My heart hammered again. I gave a vague answer, “Uh, yeah, around that.” Ethan looked even more hurt, clenching his fists, his eyes filled with accusation and sadness. “So, you mean right after we broke up, you immediately turned around, married someone else, and had a baby?!” Whew, scared me to death. He hadn’t figured it out. Good thing Leo takes after me more. I had no idea why Ethan suddenly showed up. I figured after two years, he would have moved on. But judging by his reaction, maybe not… In this situation, I should probably be ruthless to cut ties cleanly. But remembering I technically “stole” his genetic material made me feel a pang of guilt. I couldn’t bring myself to twist the knife further. I assumed his pain and anger stemmed from me moving on so quickly. So, I offered a white lie, “Well, not exactly… it was a little while after we split.” Ethan’s eyes reddened. He shook his head in disappointment, murmuring as if to himself, “I thought… I thought you wouldn’t get married easily. Turns out, you just didn’t want to marry me.” No, I genuinely don’t plan on marrying anyone, I answered silently in my head. Ethan looked at me, wanting to say more, his eyes swirling with unspoken emotions. Two years apart had matured the shy, boyish college kid considerably. His thoughts were no longer so easy to read. My pulse quickened under his silent scrutiny. But in the end, he said nothing, just turned and walked away, looking utterly dejected. 2 I watched his retreating back with mixed feelings. Just then, Leo started crying, almost as if sensing his biological dad leaving. I quickly knelt to soothe him. At the same time, my work phone rang. An emergency at the office required me back immediately. Patiently, I explained to my employee that I couldn’t just leave, that I needed at least a day or half a day to arrange childcare for Leo. But they kept urging me frantically, acting like the sky would fall if I didn’t rush back that second. Coupled with Leo’s wailing, my temper flared. “Doesn’t the company have anyone else who can handle an emergency?! Is the whole place going to collapse if I don’t show up today?!” My outburst silenced the employee. Leo, however, cried even harder. Taking a deep breath, I softened my tone. “Give me some time to sort out childcare. I’ll get there as soon as I can.” While comforting Leo, I started calling friends, trying to find someone trustworthy to watch him for a bit. But it seemed like bad luck was following me today. Everyone I trusted was either out of town or had important commitments. My anxiety spiked. “Where’s your husband?” A voice suddenly spoke from behind me, making me jump. Turning around, I saw Ethan. He’d somehow reappeared. “Still need something?” I countered, avoiding his question. Ethan glanced at Leo, frowning. “Why are you dealing with this alone? Why isn’t his dad helping?” I shot him a silent look, speechless. Ethan, bless his high-quality genes, was incredibly decent. Even after being hurt by me, the “heartless woman,” he couldn’t stand seeing me struggle. Assuming my non-existent husband was slacking off, he reached for my phone, intending to call him. Panic seized me. I quickly clamped down on his hand, blurting out a lie, “My husband’s on a business trip overseas. He can’t help right now.” Ethan eyed me skeptically. “So what are you going to do? Don’t you have to get to the office?” It was definitely tricky, but… Suddenly, I realized Leo had stopped crying. I looked down. The little guy was sucking his thumb, eyes wide and round, staring intently at Ethan. My gaze flickered between the two of them. Then, swallowing my pride, I asked Ethan, “Hey, um, if you’re not busy, could you maybe watch him for me? Just for half a day? I’ll be back tonight!” Ethan looked genuinely stunned by my audacity. “You want me to watch your kid with another man?! Ava, how could you humiliate me like this?!” “Fine, if you don’t want to—” Ethan suddenly held out his hand. I tilted my head, confused. “What?” “Your keys. You expect me to watch him on the street? Or take him back to my place?” Ethan scoffed. “I’m not letting you and some other guy’s kid into my apartment.” 3 “Building 9, Unit 2806. Door code is 0927.” I gave him the info without hesitation, pushing the stroller towards him. “Formula and bottles are on the dining table, use warm water. Diapers are in the living room cabinet. If you don’t know something, ask me or Google it. Also, if you don’t mind, maybe push him around the complex for a bit longer, get some more sun.” Ethan: … With Leo sorted, I frantically prepared to drive to the office. After a few steps, I turned back, uncertain. “You’ll take good care of him, right?” Ethan let out a cold, angry laugh. “No,” he said icily. “I’m going to torture this kid you had with someone else.” Despite his words, I felt strangely reassured. When I first got together with Ethan, he was still in college. My company needed part-time male models, and Ethan had tagged along with a friend to the audition. I don’t remember his friend’s face, but Ethan, waiting by the door, caught my eye immediately. The boy was stunningly handsome; even I, generally uninterested in men, felt a flicker of attraction. Initially, I just wanted to recruit him as a model. Later, lust took over, and he became my younger boyfriend. Getting to know him better revealed that Ethan wasn’t just gorgeous; he was smart, kind-hearted, and possessed excellent qualities all around. Unfortunately, the age gap was significant, and I’m fundamentally not the marrying type. We were doomed from the start, destined only for a fleeting affair. But his arrival did accelerate another plan I had. I’d spent years focused on my career, planning to achieve financial independence by 35 and then have a child to raise alone. When I met Ethan, I was already financially independent, but at 29, I wasn’t quite ready for motherhood. Besides, acquiring high-quality sperm wasn’t exactly easy. After dating Ethan for a year, he was facing choices about studying abroad or starting work. Logically, he should have pursued further education to enhance his prospects. But the silly boy, desperate not to do long-distance and eager to be on my level quickly, was actually considering giving up studying abroad. He seriously shared his future plans with me, every step revolving around me. His earnestness changed the dynamic of our relationship. I couldn’t handle the intensity of his affection, couldn’t take responsibility for it. Though reluctant, I knew I had to break up with him. But before ending things, I made one last use of his high-quality genetic material. After successfully conceiving, I first persuaded him to go study abroad – I couldn’t bear to let his promising future be ruined by a temporary lapse in judgment fueled by romance. Once he left, I used that as the excuse to break up, employing every soft and hard tactic imaginable. All in all, it wasn’t an amicable split. Mainly because Ethan was far more invested emotionally than I was. I definitely caused him some pain. Normally, I wouldn’t feel bad about a breakup – it’s a normal part of life, better to be amicable and move on, right? But… I had used his contribution without permission… That first instant seeing Ethan today, my heart leaped into my throat. I thought he was here to settle scores, to fight me for the child. Thank god he wasn’t— Wait. He hasn’t figured out Leo is his yet. But if they spend more time together, what if he does realize?! I’d only thought of him as trustworthy in the moment, completely forgetting that crucial detail! Regret washed over me for my impulsive decision. But I was already stuck at the office, unable to leave. All I could do was pray that when I got back, Leo would still be solely my child… 4 At eleven PM, after finishing up overtime, I rushed home, not even bothering to change my shoes, heading straight into the apartment to find Leo. Leo was sleeping soundly in his crib. Ethan was sitting on the floor, head resting on the crib railing, apparently asleep too. The scene looked surprisingly peaceful. Relief washed over me. I tiptoed out to change my shoes and pour myself a glass of water. I debated whether to wake Ethan and send him home. “You’re back?” His low, slightly raspy voice startled me from behind. “Did I wake you?” Ethan shook his head, sitting down across from me, casually picking up my water glass and taking a sip. “Didn’t fall asleep, just dozed off.” He looked up, his gaze slightly mocking. “Seeing you rush in like that, were you afraid I’d done something to him?” My eyes darted away. I didn’t answer. I had been a little worried. Ethan chuckled coldly. “If you were so scared, why leave him with me? Ava, you’re not usually this reckless.” He was right. I’m generally rational and cautious. Today’s decision was indeed impulsive. Maybe subconsciously, knowing he was Leo’s biological father automatically added a layer of safety filter. “Anyway, thank you for today. He’s usually quite a handful, did he give you a hard time?” I asked. “He was fine. Pretty well-behaved.” Ethan said this as if implying: I hate to admit it, but your kid with another guy is actually quite good. I found that surprising. These past few days, the little guy had worn me out completely. Except when asleep, “well-behaved” wasn’t a word I’d associate with him. And his sleep schedule was maddening – you could never predict when he’d get tired, and he’d always wake up crying after short naps. But then Ethan added, “He’s just a bit ugly. His father must not be good-looking.” I glanced at Ethan’s own practically flawless face and smiled. You said it. Ethan tapped his finger on the rim of the glass, studying me intently. Suddenly, he said, “There’s not a trace of a man living here, Ava. Are you—” My heart leaped again. Had he figured it out?! “—separated from your husband?” I discreetly wiped a bead of sweat from my forehead and forced a smile. “Ah, he’s abroad long-term, so yeah, not much of his stuff is here.” “Really? Perhaps… you’re actually divorced?” “Of course not,” I denied quickly. Ethan’s expression fell, clearly disappointed. I genuinely couldn’t understand what he was thinking. It’s the 21st century; shouldn’t two years be enough time to get over a relationship? Besides, I was now a supposedly married woman with a child. Could he possibly still have feelings for me? It seemed highly unlikely. So maybe… he was still resentful about me “dumping” him? Considering this, I tried reasoning with him gently, “Ethan, I know you’re probably upset about the breakup, but you must have known we were unlikely to work out long-term. Ending it sooner was better for you. Look at you, you’re such a great catch, came back from studying abroad still young, bright future ahead, plenty of wonderful girls would love to be with you.” “I’m not upset with you.” I paused. “What?” Ethan’s fingers tightened on the glass. He looked down. “I know I was young in your eyes, immature, couldn’t give you the security and sense of belonging you needed. It’s normal that you gave up on me.” “So after the breakup, even though I missed you terribly, I forced myself to hold back. I thought I needed to grow up fast, that maybe if you saw how I’d changed, you might give me another chance.” “I finished my studies early, threw myself into work, desperately tried to achieve something. I think I’m finally on a path where we could be equals, but… it’s still too late.” I’ve always been pessimistic about romantic relationships. To me, love is just a hormonal drive for physical intimacy. Once that state fades, so does the so-called love. Two years apart, whatever love existed between us should have vanished. So, I couldn’t empathize with Ethan’s current emotions. After a moment of silence, I tried again, “It’s getting really late. Maybe… you should head home and rest?”

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