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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “299318”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #狼人Werewolf #玄幻Fantasy #魔幻Magic #重生Reborn

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

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

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

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

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The Imposter, My Wife, And A Deadly Secret On our fifth wedding anniversary, my beloved wife was hit by a car right in front of me. All our friends and family, who had gathered to celebrate, rushed towards my wife, lying in a pool of blood. But I, a doctor, immediately gave mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to the female driver who had only fainted from shock. Mr. Hayes, my father-in-law, was enraged. He grabbed my collar, pointing at his brutally injured daughter. “Look closely! That’s the woman who worked so hard for you all these years! Why aren’t you saving her first?” Our relatives surged forward, ready to teach the driver a lesson. Yet, I, the guy everyone jokingly called a ‘devoted husband,’ pulled the female driver into my arms, shielding her tightly. “I’m not saving her, because she doesn’t deserve it!” Mrs. Hayes, my mother-in-law, cradled Elara Hayes, who was covered in blood, and screamed at me, her voice raw. “If you hadn’t mentioned those artisanal croissants from that little French bakery on the corner, Elara wouldn’t have gone out to get them and ended up like this! Do you have any conscience at all?” Seeing the takeout bag still clutched tightly in Elara’s hand in her final moments, my heart clenched. The party hadn’t even started, and I’d just casually mentioned it. It was close to the bakery we loved most after we got married, and I’d said I really missed the taste. Without a word, she’d left our friends and family and hurried out to buy them. “We’ve been apart for so long, and you finally came home and wanted these. Of course, I had to get them for you!” Just a second ago, her gentle smile had been floating before my eyes. Now, only a terrifying mask of blood remained. The croissants lay scattered on the ground, still steaming, many stained with blood, a truly horrifying sight. But my face regained its usual cold indifference. I turned to the driver in my arms, gently brushing a strand of hair from her forehead. “Just because she was getting me croissants, does that mean this driver deserves to be scared unconscious for hitting her? She just bled a little; look at this girl, her face is ghost-white!” Everyone gasped, unable to believe these words came from me, the man always seen as deeply in love with Elara. My brother-in-law, Cameron Hayes, charged forward like a madman, landing a punch square on my face. “Is that even a human thing to say?! My sister was in the crosswalk, she wasn’t breaking any rules! This woman ran a red light and plowed right into her! You won’t save your critically injured wife, but you’re publicly kissing this guilty bitch? You’re an animal!” Liam Miller, my assistant, who had always respected me, quickly stepped in front of me, trying to explain. “Everyone, calm down! I’ve already called an ambulance from our hospital! Boss must have seen that this person’s injuries were lighter, and he could manage them, so he prioritized CPR. And Mrs. Hayes’s injuries are too severe, requiring specialized equipment, so he made this choice. Please, everyone, stay rational!” Hearing the medical student speak, everyone froze, unsure whether to believe him. Liam looked at me, his face full of expectation. “Boss, please, explain it to them! You’re about to be promoted to Chief next month, this is no time for jokes!” I gave him a grateful look, but still shook my head. “Liam, thank you, but I’m not saving her because of a judgment about the severity of her condition. I simply don’t want to save her.” This time, even the strangers watching were furious. “Damn it, are you even a man?! Not saving your own wife but holding another woman? Did you fall for her because she drives a fancy car?” “Your wife was in that accident *for you*! How can you be so cold-blooded?” “How can you just stand there watching your wife’s breathing get weaker, doesn’t your conscience bother you?” The light in Liam’s eyes instantly shattered. “But… why? Don’t you remember when I first joined the clinic, you told me yourself that saving lives and healing the sick isn’t just a job, it’s how we build up good karma, so that one day, when our loved ones are in peril, someone will be there to save them! But today, you had the chance to personally save her, how can you just watch Mrs. Hayes die?” My heart ached, but I forced a faint smile, pointing at Elara. “Who said she’s the one I love most? I made a casual remark, and she rushed out to buy something without a thought for the consequences, even showing off by crossing the street recklessly. Isn’t it her own fault she got hit?” Our relatives erupted in fury. If the ambulance hadn’t arrived, they probably would have torn me limb from limb. Watching them frantically guide the paramedics toward Elara, I, however, rushed ahead, carrying the female driver directly into the ambulance. “Don’t mind them, let’s go!”

Because I was a well-known figure at the hospital, the ambulance driver recognized me and assumed the woman in my arms was a critical patient. He immediately floored the accelerator and sped off, completely oblivious to the frantic shouts and curses of our relatives behind us. When they arrived later in another ambulance, they saw me standing outside the ICU and rushed over, full of righteous indignation. Mrs. Hayes grabbed my collar and pounded my chest. “Alex Sterling, are you even human?! You came from nothing, but we never looked down on you. Elara went with you on that three-year assignment to that godforsaken desert town, just to help you build your career, enduring all the hardships! You developed kidney failure there, and it was Elara who donated a kidney to save your life! You’d barely returned to enjoy some peace when you were assigned away for another year for a promotion, leaving her to manage everything at home alone! We finally welcomed you back to celebrate your wedding anniversary, How could you steal her ambulance and leave her critically injured, all for the enemy who harmed her?” Watching the battered and bruised Elara being wheeled into the emergency room, I merely shrugged. “Well, you brought her here, didn’t you? That female driver has no family. If I don’t take care of her, am I supposed to just watch her die?” Cameron shoved me hard. “You’re full of it! That bitch doesn’t even have a scratch, she just fainted from a guilty conscience! How can she compare to my sister?” Mr. Hayes swung an old man’s punch, and my lip split and started to bleed. “Are you blind or heartless? How could my daughter have fallen for such an ungrateful jerk?!” The commotion alarmed Dr. Ben Carter, a good friend of mine who was on duty. He frowned and walked out. Seeing a group of people angrily surrounding me, he quickly spoke up for me. “What are you all doing? This is a hospital, what kind of behavior is this, yelling and screaming? Dr. Sterling is known throughout our hospital as a devoted husband; I was on assignment with him. He always said he felt sorry for his wife, wanting to FaceTime her every day, and sending her anything good he ate. How can you all gang up on him like this?!” He then pulled me away from the punches, his face worried. “Dr. Sterling, Mrs. Hayes is indeed seriously…” But I waved my hand. “Don’t talk about her. How’s that female driver?” A flicker of surprise crossed Dr. Carter’s eyes, then his brow relaxed. “You’re worried the perpetrator might be in trouble and you won’t be able to hold her accountable, right? Don’t worry, she just fainted from shock, and she probably didn’t sleep well last night, which is why she hasn’t woken up. After all, Mrs. Hayes is the difficult case…” I waved my hand again, interrupting him. “Forget about her. You must ensure that driver receives the best care!” Mr. Hayes clutched his chest, his beard trembling with rage. “See?! What ‘good husband,’ what ‘devoted wife’! He’s just an ungrateful monster!” Dr. Carter’s eyes instantly filled with disappointment. He shook his head and handed me a phone. “Mrs. Hayes loved you so much, even setting your picture as her lock screen, and this is how you treat her! Don’t you get tired of acting so loving in front of me every day?” Other colleagues, having heard the commotion, rushed over. Because I had always been an admired role model at the hospital, they quickly restrained the agitated Dr. Carter. “You and Dr. Sterling have always been close, and he’s always kind to people. Now that something’s happened in his family, don’t make things worse!” I took the opportunity to unlock the phone. Sure enough, the lock screen displayed a picture of me looking dashing during my assignment. Everyone’s eyes fell on the phone. Our relatives couldn’t help but look distraught, bursting into tears. “Elara has been through so much! She must have made it through this past year relying on this photo! Who would have thought that the man she yearned for was a complete jerk?!” Mrs. Hayes, tears streaming down her face, snatched the phone, but then suddenly clutched her mouth and let out a shriek. “No, this isn’t my daughter’s phone!”

Everyone was startled. Dr. Carter quickly explained. “That shouldn’t be right, the paramedics brought it over, and the lock screen photo is still Dr. Sterling…” He suddenly looked at me, shocked. “This is… that female driver’s phone?” My other colleagues, who had been hesitant about my behavior, unconsciously took a step back, distancing themselves from me. “Dr. Sterling, you’ve always said you felt guilty about Mrs. Hayes, that she suffered a lot for you. How could you stoop to such despicable acts?” “No wonder he didn’t care about Mrs. Hayes, only about that driver. How can a man like this still be a role model for us to learn from?!” “He even sent his mistress back first to monopolize rescue resources, almost causing Mrs. Hayes to miss the critical window for rescue. It’s disgusting!” But I didn’t care. I pulled out my special personnel identification. “Enough with the chatter, saving lives is paramount. With this ID, I have priority treatment privileges. All the best equipment and rooms are to be allocated to that female driver. If she’s not comfortable, I’ll hold you all accountable!” Everyone stared at me in disbelief. Even the onlookers couldn’t stand it, raising their phones to record me. “Are you insane? That bitch is just tired, but your wife is dying!” “Doctors should treat all patients equally! How dare you use privileges to hog medical resources for your mistress?! We’re exposing you, you scumbag!” “He’s even stealing life-saving resources from his own wife! He’s an animal!” The commotion was so great it alerted the hospital administrators. They came down, heard the full story, and slammed their hands on a table, furious. “Dr. Sterling, we all believed you possessed a noble spirit, and your wife was gracious and devoted. Your promotion wasn’t just due to our regard for you, but also an affirmation of your wife’s sacrifices. But with your current misconduct, how can you face the hospital and your family who have supported you?!” I remained calm, raising an eyebrow. “You yourselves said that as doctors, we should treat all patients equally. Now, if I choose not to save her and prioritize a stranger, why is that wrong? Who is truly hypocritical here, me or you?” The administrators were left utterly speechless, shaking their heads with disappointment. “We truly misjudged you! You don’t deserve the Chief’s position!” Suddenly, Liam, who had rushed into the emergency room to save Mrs. Hayes the moment we arrived, walked out, his eyes red. He handed me a blood-stained ultrasound report, his face filled with sorrow. “Boss, open your eyes and look at this carefully. It was just found in Mrs. Hayes’s clothes. She’s been pregnant for over a month, and she probably wanted to tell you today! But after suffering such severe injuries today, the baby can’t be saved! I’ve followed you for so long, I don’t believe you’re such a heartless person! I’ll never forget the deep affection on your face when you invited me to your and Mrs. Hayes’s wedding anniversary! You’ve been a doctor for so many years, but yesterday afternoon you swapped your shift for the first time just to buy Mrs. Hayes an anniversary gift. That’s when I knew you truly loved her, how could you betray her?! Just tell the truth, do you really know this driver? Or is someone trying to frame you out of jealousy, knowing you’re about to become Chief?” My nose stung. I knew I hadn’t misjudged him; my devoted apprentice’s kindness would indeed make him a good doctor. But at this moment, I could only take a deep breath, smile, and shake my head. “No one is framing me, I just really want to save this female driver. As for the baby, if it couldn’t be born, it just proves it had a short life; no one else is to blame!” Liam froze, shaking his head in disbelief. Just then, the ICU nurse wheeled out the still-sleeping female driver.

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My boyfriend’s childhood friend’s work error cost the company $100 million. Her first move was to fabricate evidence, trying to frame the new intern to take the fall for her. I desperately held back my boyfriend, who was about to commit perjury for her. “Don’t go! A hundred million dollars is no small matter. The police will eventually trace it back to you, and then it won’t just be your career, your entire life will be over!” Under my pressure, my boyfriend told the truth about what happened. For this, he earned the appreciation of the company executives and rose quickly through the ranks. Meanwhile, his childhood friend was convicted of corporate misconduct and sentenced. Unable to cope, she took her own life by cutting her wrists. My boyfriend calmly, almost unnervingly so, handled her funeral arrangements and proposed to me as planned. But on the one-year anniversary of her death, he took me to her grave. He pulled out a dagger and started slicing into my body, one cut after another. 365 cuts, each one targeting the most sensitive nerves. He looked at me, a bloody mess, and gave a sinister grin. “If I had committed perjury for Chloe back then, she would still be alive. If you hadn’t meddled, Chloe wouldn’t have died! Die! Bitch! Go join Chloe in her grave!” I died, consumed by hatred. When I opened my eyes again, I saw my boyfriend, looking anxious and ready to commit perjury for Chloe. I smiled. He didn’t know that the new intern was the chairman’s only daughter. And the chairman? He was a notoriously doting father…

“Ryan, you personally reviewed the Summit Tech contract. Tell me, whose signature is at the bottom of that contract, mine or Ava’s?!” Chloe’s pleading, almost childish tone snapped me back to reality. I glanced at Ava, the company’s new intern, standing beside us, looking lost and overwhelmed. It hit me then: I’d really been reborn. In my previous life, it was at this exact moment that I stopped Ryan, forcing him to tell the truth when the executives questioned him. I later found out that Ava was actually the chairman’s daughter. Because of this, Ryan gained favor with the company’s upper management and was promoted to Vice President that very year. Chloe, however, was prosecuted by the company for corporate misconduct. It was her mistake from the start. If she’d just had a better attitude, there might have been room for leniency, but she chose to be stubborn until the very end. Eventually, due to cyberbullying and immense pressure from the company, she took her own life by cutting her wrists. Ryan calmly handled her funeral and married me as planned. But on the one-year anniversary of Chloe’s death, he took me to her grave. 365 cuts, each one targeting the most sensitive parts of my body. He held the dripping knife, his eyes filled with ruthless cruelty and hatred. “If you hadn’t meddled, Chloe wouldn’t have died! Today is Chloe’s anniversary, and your corpse is the best gift I can give her!” I watched my own blood drain away, dying, consumed by hatred in excruciating pain. “Eleanor, what’s wrong with you? Why are you holding onto me?” Ryan’s impatient voice pulled my thoughts back. I looked down, then snatched my hand away from Ryan as if I’d been electrocuted. Ryan smoothed out his shirt, which I’d clutched and wrinkled, his voice laced with a threat. “Eleanor, don’t you dare meddle! Chloe’s in trouble, and I can’t just abandon her. Don’t be petty and jealous, I’m telling you…” “I don’t care.” I cut Ryan off before he could finish. A flicker of confusion crossed his eyes, but Chloe’s sobs didn’t give him time to think any further. He pulled Chloe along and headed for the door. “Don’t worry, Chloe. That contract was definitely signed by Ava. Come on, let’s go to Legal and clear this up. I’ll testify for you!” Ava, tears welling in her eyes, rushed after them. As she left, her helpless gaze swept over me, making my heart clench. But I didn’t have time to dwell on it. Reborn, I had to seize control. With that thought, I bolted towards the surveillance room. It seemed Ryan had been prepared; the surveillance footage of Chloe signing the contract had been deleted. Luckily, I’d learned some tech skills on my own for work. After thirty frantic minutes, I finally managed to recover the footage and back it up to my phone. Just as I let out a sigh of relief, the surveillance room door was violently pushed open. “Eleanor, there’s trouble in the main conference room! The new intern is threatening to jump!” I rushed over with my colleague. As I entered, I saw Ava, her face streaked with tears, standing by the open window, trembling and sobbing. “That contract really wasn’t signed by me! I need to see the surveillance footage! Otherwise, I’ll jump!” Everyone was at a loss for what to do, when Chloe suddenly stepped forward. She pointed at the shaking Ava and blurted out, “Go on, jump! If you really jump, then everyone will believe you!” Ava’s eyes were filled with despair. She looked at Ryan, her voice hoarse. “I need to see the footage…” “See what?! That exact segment of the footage was deleted! Ava, I bet you deleted it yourself, didn’t you? Didn’t think you’d be such a schemer for someone so young!” As soon as Chloe finished speaking, she and Ryan exchanged a quick, knowing glance, their eyes filled with a triumphant smirk that their plan was about to succeed. Accusations from colleagues echoed in my ears. “Young lady, you can’t behave like this. If you made a mistake, admit it. What’s with this suicide threat?” “Yeah! If it wasn’t you, why was that footage deleted?” “Just admit it! Otherwise, we’ll all have to share the blame for this loss!” The crowd was quick to turn, indeed. I was frantically trying to figure out what to do, when a furious roar suddenly came from outside the door. “What’s all this commotion?!”

The person who arrived was Mr. Henderson, the General Manager of the Legal Department. Seeing the executive, Chloe immediately stepped forward and pointed at Ava. “Mr. Henderson, this new intern messed up the contract, causing the company a $100 million loss! Now she’s making a scene, threatening to jump!” Mr. Henderson looked at Ryan, who stood nearby. “Ryan, you’re always in charge of contract approvals. Is what she’s saying true?” Ryan nodded repeatedly. “Yes, it’s true! The contract submitted definitely has Ava’s signature!” “Mr. Henderson, it really wasn’t me! I need to see the contract! Otherwise, I’ll jump right now!” Ava sobbed as she looked at Mr. Henderson, a flicker of determination visible in her helpless eyes. As a high-ranking executive, Mr. Henderson was skilled at reading people. Even though Ava was just an intern, this was a human life at stake. He frowned and looked at the colleague responsible for surveillance. “Go, pull up the footage…” Before Mr. Henderson could finish, Ryan interrupted him and quickly stepped forward. “Mr. Henderson, that segment of the footage was deleted by Ava herself…” “I didn’t delete it! It wasn’t me!” Ava’s emotions grew more frantic. The tension and exhaustion made her shake like a leaf. Suddenly, her foot slipped, and she stumbled backward, tilting towards the open window! A collective scream erupted from the crowd, while a gleam of delight flashed in Chloe and Ryan’s eyes. Eight years ago, the memory of being bullied by senior employees when I was an intern at this company flashed before my eyes. There was no time for hesitation. I sprang forward and grabbed Ava’s wrist. Then, I looked at Mr. Henderson, gritting my teeth. “I have the footage!” I followed Mr. Henderson to his office, walking past Ryan and Chloe, whose eyes were filled with threats and unease. As I passed Ryan, he grabbed my wrist. “Eleanor, I’m telling you, don’t meddle!” I yanked my hand free, and once in the office, I placed the surveillance footage directly in front of Mr. Henderson. “Mr. Henderson, I just recovered this footage from the surveillance room. The person who originally signed that contract wasn’t Ava at all, it was Chloe!” As the footage played, Mr. Henderson’s face grew paler and paler. He slammed his fist on the table. “Those two have some nerve! Not admitting their own mistakes! And almost causing someone’s death!” “Mr. Henderson, I believe this matter must be severely punished, otherwise wouldn’t it encourage such a culture of cronyism? And that’s a $100 million loss!” Seizing on Mr. Henderson’s rising anger, I quickly offered my two cents. “More importantly…” I leaned closer and whispered in his ear, “that new intern’s last name is Sterling…” Mr. Henderson’s hesitant gaze froze instantly after hearing my last words. He swallowed nervously, repeatedly. After a long moment, he grabbed my hand. “Eleanor, you truly saved my life!” I knew very well that without using Ava as leverage, the company would be reluctant to impose severe penalties. Just like in my previous life, the company had initially given Chloe a chance to settle. But now, once Mr. Henderson knew Ava’s identity, it meant that Ryan’s career was completely over… Watching Mr. Henderson storm out, I felt a sudden wave of relief. Without the status and power he had in my previous life, this time, no matter how unwilling Ryan was, he wouldn’t be able to cause any serious trouble. I took a deep breath and stepped out. As I pushed open the office door, I bumped into Ava, her face still streaked with tears. Seeing me, she kept nodding profusely in thanks. Finally, she placed a faded, yellowed hair clip in my hand. “Eleanor, I’m leaving the company today. You keep working hard here. If you ever run into trouble, just take this to the highest executive with the last name Sterling. He’ll definitely help you!” With that, she turned and ran off. I sighed, carefully placing the hair clip in my pocket. Though it was just a faded, yellowed clip, I knew that in this life, this might be the turning point of my destiny… A cool breeze swept by, sending a shiver down my spine. The scene of Ryan’s insane retaliation from my previous life suddenly flashed in my mind. Thinking about the life I was still entangled in with Ryan, I immediately called a car and headed towards our shared apartment. But as soon as I stepped out of the company building, I was surrounded by a group of security guards. Ryan and Chloe strode towards me, following closely behind Mr. Henderson. Mr. Henderson, who had been so profoundly grateful to me moments ago, now looked at me with a grim expression.

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The morning after my one-night stand with Damian Thorne, my private photos were plastered all over the internet. Everyone scorned me, mocking how a seemingly poised and elegant dancer could be so wild and reckless behind closed doors. I cried as I confronted Damian, demanding an explanation, but he humiliated me in public. “I just wanted to see what a prima ballerina was like in bed. Thought it would be amazing, but it was nothing special.” “Scarlett Hayes is the only one for me. What we had? Just a game.” He wrapped his arm around Scarlett Hayes, the very dancer who’d lost to me in every international competition we’d ever faced off in. His expression was smug and utterly contemptuous. It was then I realized: his three years of passionate pursuit of me had been nothing more than an elaborate plot to get back at me for Scarlett! Overnight, I plummeted from grace, branded a whore everyone could mock. Meanwhile, Damian openly paraded Scarlett everywhere, spoiling her rotten, treating her like a goddess. Three months later, he seemed to remember me, asking almost casually, “By the way, is Aurora Reed still begging for me to come back?” “Mr. Thorne, Ms. Reed is married. To your most hated rival.”

As I stumbled out of the Thorne mansion, my assistant, Chloe, called. “Aurora, the ballet company informed me that my reputation made me unsuitable for the lead role in Swan Lake. They even sent a termination letter…” “All my endorsements are bailing, and they’re suing me for damages!” “Please, Aurora, go beg Mr. Thorne! Everyone saw how desperately he loved you for three years. He’d never let you endure such humiliation!” Hearing Chloe’s choked voice, my heart felt like it was being torn apart. But even if I opened my mouth, I couldn’t bring myself to say it. The man who orchestrated my ruin, who sent me spiraling to rock bottom, was Damian himself. The sweeter our past moments, the crueler my reality now. His so-called love at first sight? A lie. His undying love? A lie too. His three years of passionate pursuit, his countless extravagant gestures, his endless nights by my side – it was all just an elaborate trap meant for me. Once he’d taken my virginity and helped his beloved deal me the ultimate blow, I became useless trash, tossed aside without a second thought. Only last night, he’d held me so tenderly, his whispers of love echoing in my ears, kissing my forehead again and again. “Aurora, you are the woman I, Damian Thorne, love most in this life. I want you to stay by my side forever.” “After tonight, I’ll go back and reject the arranged marriage my family had planned for me. I’ll tell them you’re the woman I’m going to marry.” “I’ll throw you a lavish wedding of the century that everyone will envy, and make you my cherished Mrs. Thorne, okay?” I was so moved, I almost told him that I was the sole heiress of the powerful Reed Corporation, whom his family had desperately tried to arrange a marriage with. I’d only kept it a secret to pursue my dream of becoming a dancer. I truly believed that when he returned to his family and discovered this, he’d be even more thrilled, convinced we were a match made in heaven. But instead, it became the most exquisite irony against myself. Fated love? Just a cruel performance. From the very beginning, it was a complete sham. Damian never loved me, so how could he ever betray me? I hung up the phone, lost in thought, and tripped in a puddle, falling hard. Seeing me sprawled on the pavement, covered in mud, everyone around me burst into scornful laughter. “Isn’t that the high and mighty Aurora Reed, the prima ballerina? Looks like Mr. Thorne was done with her, and now she can’t even walk straight!” One of the rich guys I’d turned down, Blake Morrison, leered at me, his eyes slithering over my body like a snake. “Since Mr. Thorne doesn’t want you, why not consider me?” “My fortune isn’t as grand as his, but I can certainly afford a few cheap thrills like you!” As they humiliated me, Damian stood behind them, arm wrapped around Scarlett, whispering intimately to her, not lifting a finger to defend me. Seeing that, any last shred of affection I had for him evaporated. But just as I struggled to my feet, preparing to leave, a saccharine voice suddenly chimed in from behind me. “Damian, I lost one of the diamond earrings you gave me. Aurora was the only one near us earlier…”

Scarlett Hayes pouted, her brow furrowed in a pitiful display, touching her half-bare earlobe. “If it were any other jewelry, it wouldn’t matter, but it’s the special gift you gave me for my eighteenth birthday. I’ve always treasured it like my life. If it’s lost, I’ll cry for ages…” Damian gently rubbed her shoulder, comforting her, then shot me a cold glare. “Aurora Reed, be smart, hand it over now.” “Otherwise, if my men find it, things will get messy.” Through gritted teeth, I spat, “Damian, I’m not as despicable as you think!” “When I said I was breaking up with you, I didn’t even take a single thing you ever gave me. Why would I take her earring?!” The onlookers snickered, whispering that I was just a struggling dancer, living off my performances, with no right to act so high and mighty. They claimed I must have hidden away plenty of Thorne family jewels. Damian scoffed, looking too impatient to deal with me. He casually waved over two bodyguards. “Go. Search her thoroughly. Don’t hold back.” In that moment, my heart was pierced by a thousand arrows, I couldn’t breathe from the pain. After three years together, I refused to believe Damian didn’t know my character. But just to get back at me for Scarlett, he was willing to let me be branded a thief, all to humiliate me further! When the bodyguards’ hands reached for me, I slapped them away. “Don’t touch me!” In front of everyone, I emptied my bag, throwing it on the ground. “You want to search? Go ahead! If you find anything that isn’t mine, I’ll pay you back a hundredfold!” My belongings spilled onto the ground: only a few simple makeup items and some ointment and bandages for dance bruises. Amidst the mocking jeers about my meager possessions, the bodyguards meticulously searched everything, flipping my bag inside and out three or four times. Finally, they shook their heads at Damian. Damian frowned slightly, then lowered his head, gently coaxing Scarlett. “It’s okay if we can’t find it. I’ll buy you another set, no, a hundred sets of couture jewelry, how about that?” Scarlett pouted and shook her head. “No, Damian, that was your first gift to me, it has so much meaning. No other jewelry can replace it!” “Besides, Ms. Reed hasn’t been searched completely yet, has she? She’s still wearing so many layers of clothes…” Looking at her venomous smile, I could hardly believe these words were coming from another woman, let alone a dancer. “Scarlett Hayes, don’t push it!” “No matter how low I’ve fallen, Scarlett, you can’t use a cheap earring to humiliate me!” “Since you’re accusing me of stealing, fine! I’ll call the police. Let them figure out who’s right and who’s wrong!” Just as I reached for my phone, Damian motioned for his bodyguards to snatch it directly from me. “Aurora Reed, this is the Thorne estate. You play by my rules.” “Every piece of clothing on your body was given to you by me. Since you insist on a clean break, you’ll return it all.” “Men, strip her, piece by piece!”

The late autumn night in Blackwood City was cold and desolate. I was held down in front of the Thorne mansion gates, and in front of the entire city’s elite and the flashing cameras of the media, my clothes were stripped off piece by piece. With each garment removed, shrill whistles and mocking laughter erupted. Before long, I was bare except for my underwear and a sheer silk slip. Even my stockings and shoes were gone. The biting wind whipped my hair, sticking it to my tear-streaked face. I felt utterly humiliated. Anyone with half a brain could see there was nowhere left on my body to hide any jewelry. I hugged myself, tears streaming down my face, and looked at Damian. “It’s come to this, can you stop now, Damian?” “All this time we were together, I never asked you for anything.” “Just this once, please, I’m begging you, leave me some shred of dignity. Can you?” The bodyguards hesitated, their gazes turning to Damian for instruction. Damian sat regally at the center of the courtyard banquet, his handsome face was cast in stark relief by the lights, half in shadow, half illuminated. His expression was unreadable. “Since that’s the case, then…” He hadn’t even finished his sentence when Scarlett giggled, cutting him off. “Since she’s already stripped this far, why not strip completely? That way, Ms. Reed’s innocence can be fully proven, don’t you agree, everyone?” If this were before, everyone in Blackwood City knew how utterly obsessed Damian was with me, and no one would have dared disrespect me. But now, they all knew I was just a discarded woman, and Scarlett Hayes was the apple of Damian’s eye. They all nodded in agreement with her. “Exactly! I bet that slip of hers could hide plenty more!”

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My mother-in-law, Brenda, loved to prank me with AI-generated videos of a homeless man breaking into our house. The first two times, panicked by Brenda’s pleas for help, I sped home, running several red lights. Only to find the front door wide open, Brenda and her friends laughing on the sofa. “See? I told you my daughter-in-law does whatever I say. Even if I call her at midnight, she’ll rush right back.” It wasn’t until the third time that she was truly stabbed by a homeless man and rushed to the emergency room. The doctors told us the knife had pierced her heart, and the surgery was too complex for them. The only cardiac surgeon in the entire hospital who could do it was my husband, Ryan Miller. I called him like a madwoman. He finally picked up on the 99th call. “Ashley, are you out of your mind? I’m delivering Chloe’s dog’s puppies right now. If anything happens, can you take responsibility for that?” He hung up, blocking me on every platform imaginable. Ultimately, Brenda passed away on the operating table from excessive blood loss. On the day of Brenda’s funeral, Ryan Miller and Chloe Davis knelt at her grave, crying until they fainted. Once that jerk and his conniving witch had cried enough, I tossed my phone at their faces. “Now, Ms. Davis, can you explain why you hired someone to commit murder?”

I was deep in spring cleaning when Brenda called. I chuckled. “Mom, stop messing with me. I’ve seen those AI-generated homeless intruder videos on TikTok a dozen times.” My mother-in-law had always loved to torment me. The first time, she claimed a homeless man had broken in. I ran several red lights, losing a bunch of points on my license, just to get home. I pushed open the door and found Brenda and her girlfriends chatting away as usual. The second time, she claimed the homeless man was back. I dropped everything, got chewed out by my boss, and lost my bonus for the month. When I got home, she just laughed at me, recording my reaction on her phone. This time, there was no way I was falling for it again. Brenda sensed my disbelief and her voice instantly took on a panicked edge. “Ashley, I’m really not lying this time! He has a knife! You need to come home, I’m scared!” Just as I hesitated, wondering if I should take time off to check, Brenda suddenly let out a piercing scream, and the line went dead. My heart dropped. Her scream sent a shiver down my spine. Could someone actually have broken in? Thinking of Brenda alone at home, I didn’t care about anything else. I grabbed my car keys and rushed out the door. All the way there, I prayed it was just another one of Brenda’s elaborate pranks. But when I got home, I realized I’d been far too naive. Our front door was surrounded by people: property management, security guards, and paramedics. Seeing that scene, my legs went soft with fear. I nearly collapsed to the ground. Without another thought, I helped Brenda into the ambulance, rushing to St. Jude’s Hospital in the city center. This was the hospital where my husband, Ryan Miller, worked. With him there, Brenda would surely be fine. Once I collected myself slightly, I called Arthur, my father-in-law, and Ryan. Arthur said he’d be right there, but Ryan just kept not picking up. Just then, the emergency room doors burst open. The doctor, drenched in sweat, walked out. “The patient’s heart was punctured. Her condition is extremely critical. Dr. Miller is the only one in the entire hospital who can perform this surgery!” I didn’t hesitate. “Then where is he? Tell him to hurry up and operate on his mother!” The nurse stammered, “But… but Dr. Miller is on vacation. We just called him, and he didn’t answer.”

I froze. Ryan was on vacation? He never mentioned it to me. I didn’t think twice, pulling out my phone and calling Ryan again. Once, twice, ten times… All I got was the cold, automated voice: “Hello, the number you have dialed is temporarily unavailable. Please try again later…” Refusing to give up, I opened SnapChat and suddenly noticed Ryan’s profile picture had changed to a white puppy. I recognized that puppy. It was Chloe Davis’, his junior colleague. As if by an unseen force, I clicked on Chloe’s SnapChat. Her story had just updated. The caption was for that little white dog, Buddy: “Don’t be scared, Daddy and Mommy are with you.” At that moment, I didn’t have time to question their relationship. I just wanted Ryan to come back and save Brenda. Taking a deep breath, I called Chloe. It rang twice before she picked up. Before she could speak, I quickly said, “Hello, is this Chloe Davis? I wanted to ask if Ryan Miller is with you? Please tell him my mother-in-law was stabbed, and her condition is very serious. He’s urgently needed for surgery.” My voice was practically begging, but then Ryan’s annoyed voice came through the phone. “Ashley, are you ever going to quit? What kind of timing is this to cause trouble?” “I can’t believe how cold-hearted you are! Buddy is having a difficult labor, her life is critical. What’s wrong with me, a doctor, helping her deliver her puppies?” “At a crucial moment like this, why are you still making up stories about my mom getting stabbed? You need to know where to draw the line with your crazy schemes.” Tears welled up in my eyes, but I pushed them back, trying to persuade him gently. “Mom really is at the hospital, your hospital right now. Your chief of staff said no one else can do this surgery. Her condition is critical. If you don’t come back soon, she might…” She might really be gone forever. I couldn’t bring myself to finish the sentence. “Might what? Might what?!” A sneer came through the phone.

“Ashley, I swear you’re so stupid and malicious. You’re actually wishing death upon my mom just to trick me into coming home.” I tried to explain, but then I heard Chloe’s sickeningly sweet voice in the background. “Ryan, honey, come quickly! Buddy isn’t doing well…” Chloe’s voice was so sugary-sweet and overly gentle, just hearing it made you want to pity her. “I’m coming right now.” Ryan said, about to hang up. I panicked, shouting, “Ryan Miller, I’m not lying! Please, just come back and see, okay?” Ryan’s voice came through the receiver again, each word dripping with venom, as if he was gritting his teeth. “Ashley, if anything happens to Buddy, I swear I will never forgive you.” Then he hung up. Listening to the dial tone, my tears finally broke free, streaming down my face. When I tried to call again, Ryan had blocked me everywhere. Arthur, my father-in-law, rushed in. Seeing me collapsed on the floor, he quickly helped me up. Like a drowning person grabbing a lifeline, I clutched his arm. “Dad, quickly, call Ryan! Please, before it’s too late!” Arthur didn’t hesitate, immediately pulling out his phone to call Ryan. It rang twice before he picked up.

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When I heard that Marcus had broken my legs, my daughter, Chloe, didn’t call the police. Instead, she rushed to his house and stabbed him eighteen times. As the police led her away, a reporter interviewed her: “You graduated from a prestigious university, working for a big company, with a brilliant future ahead. Now you’re a murderer. Do you regret it?” Chloe smiled at the camera, “Why should I regret it?” “My mom is the most important person in my life. If I had to do it again, I’d still do the exact same thing.” Chloe’s devotion touched the entire internet, and countless people voluntarily pleaded for her. Even a top lawyer offered to defend her pro bono. Considering Marcus’s long criminal record and the serious injuries he inflicted on me, coupled with the huge public outcry over Chloe’s filial piety, the court ultimately ruled it self-defense and acquitted her. Everyone rejoiced at the verdict. Only I disagreed. I appealed multiple times, demanding a death sentence for Chloe, arguing for a life for a life. But eight appeals, eight losses. Everyone called me a heartless, ungrateful mother. A reporter approached me: “Your daughter has been filial since childhood, excellent in both character and academics. This impulsive act of murder was all for you. Why are you so determined to get the judge to sentence her to death?” I looked at the reporter and said calmly: “If you secretly follow my daughter for two days, you’ll understand why.”

On the first day of filming, the reporter staked out Chloe’s company entrance for a secret live stream. Lying in my hospital bed, I quietly opened the live stream. Under the watchful eyes of numerous netizens, Chloe left work, looking utterly exhausted. But she didn’t go home. Instead, she drove to meet her best friend, Jessica. As soon as they met, Jessica got straight to the point: “Chloe, are you sure you want to sell your car to pay for your mom’s leg treatment?” “You know perfectly well that her leg bones are completely shattered. No matter how much money you pour into it, she won’t fully recover!” Chloe replied without hesitation, “The doctor said there’s still a tiny chance of recovery. Even if it’s one in ten thousand, I don’t want to give up.” “You know how much my mom used to love sports. She’d go hiking and running whenever she had time. To confine her to a wheelchair for the rest of her life—that would be too cruel for her.” Jessica looked at Chloe with a pang in her heart: “What about you?” “Isn’t your current life cruel for you?” “To treat your mom’s legs, you’re selling your car, working odd jobs, and even mortgaged the house you live in.” “You’re thinking so much about her, have you considered yourself?” Chloe’s eyes lowered slightly, but her voice was incredibly firm: “She’s my mom. She’s the most important person in my life.” Seeing Chloe’s sincere and earnest words, the live stream comments exploded: “OMG, I didn’t know until I saw the live stream, this daughter has sacrificed so much for her mom?” “Yeah, she’s truly quietly emptying herself for her mom!” “She’s really the filial daughter who would kill for her mother, she’s making me cry!” Jessica sympathetically gripped Chloe’s hand, saying deeply: “Chloe, I can buy your car, but I genuinely feel it’s not worth it for you!” “You’ve given your all for your mom, but what about her? She’s appealing again and again, wanting you to be sentenced to death!” Chloe’s expression was grave, and she said, word for word: “What she does is her business.” “I’m her only daughter, I have to be good to her.” Seeing this, the comments section boiled over even more: “Damn, I’m crying, what kind of perfect daughter is this?!” “Exactly, someone who’s this filial to her mother, how bad could she be? Why would a mother try to get her executed?!” “I think Elara’s just being difficult on purpose. She doesn’t appreciate such a good daughter, she deserved to have her legs broken!” After completing the transfer paperwork with Jessica, Chloe quickly took the money from the car sale and went home. As soon as she arrived, she immediately started cooking. After preparing the meal, she carefully portioned it into insulated containers, then rushed with the food to the hospital where I was staying.

When I saw Chloe arrive at the hospital downstairs, I turned off the live stream. An invisible camera, installed beforehand in my room, recorded Chloe walking towards me with the food. “Mom, today I made your favorite steamed fish and pork rib soup. Please, try some.” She laid out the steaming hot dishes in front of me. But I didn’t even glance at them, saying faintly: “I don’t feel like eating.” A flicker of disappointment crossed Chloe’s eyes, but she still patiently coaxed: “Mom, the doctor said you need to replenish your nutrition. If you don’t eat, your body won’t be able to handle it.” I looked at her, then suddenly spoke: “I want a freshly baked pastry.” Chloe paused. Her gaze shifted to the window, a hint of difficulty appearing in her expression: “Mom, it’s too late now, and it’s raining heavily outside. The pastry shops are probably all closed.” I said coldly, “But I really want a freshly baked pastry.” “I can’t eat anything else.” Seeing my stubbornness, Chloe was silent for a few seconds. Finally, she nodded, without a trace of resentment on her face: “Okay, I’ll go buy one now.” With that, Chloe quickly turned and left. I picked up my phone and watched as the drone recorded her wandering through the pouring rain, searching shop by shop for a pastry. And the comments section was frantically scrolling: “Damn, this old hag is doing it on purpose, right? Where would you find pastries late at night? And it’s raining so heavily outside, isn’t she intentionally tormenting her?” “Exactly! She doesn’t eat the nutritious meals someone painstakingly cooked for her, but she specifically wants a pastry? Isn’t she completely out of her mind?!” “So disgusting, she must be taking her anger out on her daughter because her appeals failed!” “I’m so mad! Why doesn’t this kind of person just drop dead?!” Two hours later. Chloe returned to the hospital room, breathless. She was soaked to the bone, but the pastry was clutched protectively in her arms, not a drop of water touching it, as if it were a treasure. “Mom, I bought the pastry. It’s still warm, please eat it while it’s hot.” She offered it with a placating smile, carefully pulling the pastry from her embrace and holding it out to me. But my tone was cold: “After all that trouble, I’ve lost my appetite.” “I don’t want to eat anymore.” Chloe’s outstretched hand froze in mid-air. That placating smile instantly filled with sorrow. Seeing this scene, the comments section completely exploded: “Damn, I’m shaking with anger! Is this old hag out of her mind? She had all those nutritious meals prepared for her, but she insisted on pastries, and now that someone braved the rain to get them, she won’t eat them! Is this even a human being?!” “She’s deliberately tormenting her daughter, it makes me want to rush through the screen and slap her twice!” “So disgusting, if someone played games with me like this, I’d teach her a harsh lesson!” “I’m really crying with anger. Her daughter is so good, why is she tormenting her like this?!”

Chloe opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but ultimately just quietly took the pastry back and gently placed it on the bedside table. “I’ll leave it here for you, Mom. Call me if you want to eat it, and I’ll warm it up.” After saying that, Chloe took a shower, then, as usual, quietly sat by my bed and watched over me all night. The first day of the live stream ended. The comments section was filled with curses directed at me. The moment I woke up on the second day, Chloe immediately brought warm water for me to brush my teeth and wash my face. Her movements were gentle, as if she were tending to her most precious treasure. “Mom, I cooked porridge early this morning and even went to get you fresh-baked pastries.” “I didn’t do well yesterday, and you went hungry. I’m sorry.” With that, she ladled out a bowl of porridge, carefully scooped a spoonful, and gently blew on it to cool it. Just as she brought the spoon to my mouth, I suddenly raised my hand and fiercely knocked over the bowl of porridge. “I never said I wanted porridge this morning!” The hot porridge splattered all over Chloe. Her hands turned bright red from the scalding liquid, but she didn’t get angry or upset. Instead, she anxiously moved closer to check on me. Seeing that I hadn’t been splattered with porridge, she immediately let out a sigh of relief: “Thank goodness it didn’t burn you.” With that, she quickly grabbed a towel, but instead of wiping herself first, she meticulously cleaned the porridge stains from my bed rail. Blisters rapidly rose on her scalded hand, yet she didn’t even flinch. Seeing this scene, the comments section of the live stream boiled over again: “Damn, this old hag woke up early just to be disgusting, didn’t she?!” “Just looking at her makes me angry! How can she bully her own daughter like this? Why doesn’t she just die?!” “Sigh, the more I watch, the more I pity this daughter. She’s burned like this and still cares about her mom first.” After wiping the porridge from the bed rail, Chloe crouched down to clean the floor. But as she squatted, her body went limp, and she fainted directly onto the floor. A nurse rushed in at the sound. After helping Chloe onto the bed and examining her, her expression was grave: “How did her fever get so severe? It’s 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius)!” Seeing Chloe ill, the live stream audience became utterly furious: “Damn, she must have gotten a high fever from being soaked in the rain last night!” “And I saw during the live stream that Chloe herself didn’t eat anything. Besides working to earn money, she was just taking care of her mom. That much exhaustion, even a saint couldn’t handle it!” “She has such a severe fever and still silently takes care of her mom. How could such a good daughter end up with a monstrous mother?!” “I’m so mad, I really hope this old hag explodes on the spot!” After the nurse took Chloe out of the room for treatment, the reporter called me: “This is the two-day follow-up live stream you wanted? Do you know how much the internet has been cursing you these past two days?” “I’ve followed your daughter for two days; she’s absolutely perfect, and her devotion to you is beyond reproach. Why are you treating her like this?!” I said softly, “Are you sure you captured everything in these two days of live streaming?” The reporter paused for a second: “Of course, I filmed 24/7, missing no details or corners.” “No.” My voice was soft, yet utterly certain: “There’s one crucial place you definitely haven’t seen.” The reporter’s voice immediately became curious: “What place?” I paused for a moment, then said seriously, “Her study.” Hearing me say that, the reporter immediately realized: “Your daughter always closes the door when she goes into her study, and the windows and curtains are tightly drawn. I indeed haven’t filmed inside.” “But it’s just a study. Even if she goes in, she’s probably just working or reading, what’s there to film?” I said deeply, “You’re wrong.” The reporter quickly asked, “Is there something fishy in the study?” I said slowly and deliberately: “Aren’t you curious why I’ve been treating her this way?” “As long as you go into her study, you’ll know everything.” “The house key is under the doormat outside the door.” With that, I hung up the phone. My call with the reporter was broadcast live, real-time, through the hospital room’s surveillance. Suddenly, the comments section of the live stream erupted again:

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Just five minutes ago, I opened my eyes and welcomed my fourth life. In my first life, when I was five, my mom claimed I stole money and accidentally pushed me off the balcony. In my second life, when I was fifteen, she locked me in the attic to force me to give my prestigious early admission spot to my cousin. I starved to death. In my third life, when I was seventeen, she cut my car’s brake lines the night before my driving test. Now, I’m back, two months before my seventeenth birthday. “Autumn, why aren’t you eating?” Mom sat beside me, glancing sideways at my dazed expression. Her eyes, brimming with what looked like care, were actually dissecting me. “Is Mom’s cooking not good? Or has my Autumn grown tired of it?” On the table before me was the same lunch I’d had for seventeen years. I looked up at the woman everyone called “the perfect mother.” I knew that in two months, I would face my fourth “perfect death.” But this time, the creator of this perfect plan would be different.

“Autumn, eat more. You’re still growing.” A piece of fish, meticulously deboned, was gently placed into my bowl. My mother, Eleanor Vance, watched me, her eyes overflowing with an affection that felt like it could drown me. I lowered my head, using the act of shoveling rice to hide the surge of terror and coldness in my gaze. Yes, terror. Even though I had experienced this scene three times before. This time, I was thoroughly prepared, but the pain from the previous three lives was an inescapable memory. Watching my blood drain, my bones shatter during that first fall… Gnawing at my own hands, blood everywhere, my stomach burning with hunger during the second… The car spinning out of control and crashing into the barrier, the searing pain of metal piercing my lungs during the third… My fingertips trembled uncontrollably, and my whole body felt icy. The chilling realization crept over me, a stark reminder. Beneath that facade of gentle affection lay a soul so twisted and malicious. “Thank you, Mom.” I looked up, forcing a smile of loving dependence, the kind a doted-on girl should have. I couldn’t let her see any cracks. In front of her, I had to be the most perfect, most harmless, most obedient daughter. “Silly child, why be formal with Mom?” She reached out, gently smoothing the stray hairs from my forehead. Her fingertips brushing my skin sent a shiver down my spine. Eleanor Vance projected the image of a perfect single mother to the outside world – a renowned professor, a widow whose husband had passed away young. She single-handedly raised her daughter with strength and optimism. All the neighbors, teachers, and relatives were moved by her “greatness.” Only I knew that this “love” was a poison wrapped in honey. After dinner, I voluntarily cleared the table and went to the kitchen to wash the dishes. This was one of my displays of “learning my lesson” in this life. Amidst the rushing water, I mentally sorted through the death points of my previous three lives. At five, it was because I refused her third extracurricular class, wanting to go downstairs and play with other kids. At fifteen, it was because I, through my own efforts, earned the prestigious early admission spot to a top-tier university that she had always wanted for my cousin. At seventeen, it was because I secretly saved money for driving lessons, planning a spontaneous trip to escape her control after getting into college. And each death began when she discovered her puppet was developing its own independent will, attempting to break free from her grasp. “Autumn, the dishes are clean. Come eat some fruit.” Her gentle voice drifted from the living room. “Coming, Mom.” I dried my hands and walked into the living room. She was holding out a plate of sliced apple pieces, each speared with a toothpick, offering them to my mouth. Even though I’d disliked apples since childhood and would instinctively feel nauseous, I still obediently ate them. The cloying sweetness spread in my mouth, yet it made me feel a wave of sickness. I forced myself to swallow. She watched me with satisfaction, as if appraising her own masterpiece. After a moment, Eleanor suddenly said softly: “Autumn, promise Mom you’ll always be Mom’s good little girl, okay?” Her smile remained gentle, but deep within those beautiful eyes, a chilling flicker of possessiveness and contentment shone. “We’ll never be apart.” My heart lurched violently, almost stopping. This sentence, in my previous three lives, she had uttered every single time before she killed me. In that moment, I realized with absolute clarity. No matter how obedient I appeared, the countdown to my fourth death had already begun the moment she saw my driving test practice questions. The plan to kill me had quietly started in her mind. 2. To survive, I had to be proactive. I began to mimic and study the rules of a “perfect daughter” like the most devout apprentice. She liked me in light-colored clothes. Even though she never asked, my wardrobe no longer contained any dark colors. I would even proactively acknowledge her success after putting on light clothes, “Mom really has good taste. The clothes she picked suit me perfectly.” She wanted me to excel academically. I consistently ranked first in my class. When relatives and friends praised me, I would just smile modestly, “Mom trained me so well. My success comes from my mom’s efforts.” She detested me having any secrets. So I would “share” every trivial school matter, playing the role of a naive, completely transparent child. At the same time, I became a ghost. I began searching this prison called “home” for any clues related to my previous deaths. But in my first life, I was too young to fully grasp the patterns until it was too late. So, I thought of the attic where I starved to death in my second life. In this life, as in the second before my mother locked me in it, she used it for storage. It was almost never opened, and I was never allowed to step foot inside. “It’s too dirty in there.” Mom would always look upstairs, muttering cryptically, “My Autumn is a clean and tidy princess, not meant to get even a speck of dust.” “If a little princess gets dirty, she won’t be loved anymore.” So, one afternoon when she went out shopping, I found my chance. She must not have expected me to defy her and enter her forbidden zone. The brass key was still hidden in its familiar spot above the doorframe. “Click.” The sealed door creaked open, and dust billowed out. I seemed to see myself in my second life, huddled in a filthy corner. My hands were covered in blood from gnawing at them, inflamed and festering, swollen and ugly. No longer a trace of a princess, I was murmuring, “Mom, I’m sorry…” before finally closing my eyes. The attic was filled with old junk, emitting a musty smell. My gaze honed in on an inconspicuous old wooden box in the corner. In my previous life, when I was dying of hunger, I had frantically rummaged through here. My nails had left deep scratches on the lid, but I hadn’t found anything to eat. I walked over, brushed away the dust, and those scratches were still faintly visible. The box wasn’t locked. I took a deep breath and yanked it open. There were no terrifying objects inside, nor any food. Only a few of my baby clothes and some old toys I no longer played with. Had I guessed wrong? Unwilling to give up, I reached into the bottom of the box, feeling around. My fingertips brushed against something cold and hard. I pulled out a palm-sized, intricately crafted diamond jewelry box. It was hidden at the very bottom, beneath the old clothes. I took it out, my heart pounding. I had never seen this box before. Even after searching this place so many times in my last life, meticulously going through every corner, I had never found this box. It was secured with a small, old-looking lock, seemingly simple. It was as if the owner hadn’t even thought about me finding it. I found a thin wire. Driven by a fierce desire to live, I carefully fiddled with it. “Snap.” The lock clicked open. 3. I held my breath and slowly opened the lid. No jewels, no ornaments. The box was lined with soft red velvet, and on it lay three things: A small, brittle strand of hair tied with a red string. A rusty, old-fashioned key. A plastic card fragment, clipped to only show the words “Driv” and “Lic.” My blood seemed to freeze instantly. These three items were horrifyingly familiar to me! That hair was torn from the broken balcony railing when I “fell” in my first life! That rusty key was identical to the one in my hand that had opened this door. It looked like the key that locked the attic door in my second life! It should have been thrown away! And that driver’s license fragment? It was my newly acquired license, clutched in my hand when my third “accident” happened! Eleanor Vance didn’t just kill me three times; she was a twisted collector. Keeping “souvenirs” from each of my deaths! My hands trembling, I picked up the strand of hair. At the bottom of the box, there was a yellowed piece of paper, appearing quite old. On it was Eleanor Vance’s handwriting, pressed so hard it almost pierced through the paper. [The most perfect love is eternal possession.] The discovery in the box was like a key, unlocking more overlooked details in my memory. Before each “accident,” Eleanor Vance seemed to take me on a short “mother-daughter getaway.” When I questioned it, she said it was to strengthen our bond. “Autumn, you are the most important person to Mom, but you’re growing up, and Mom’s time with you is getting shorter.” Her gaze was mournful, as if she imagined me leaving her and spreading my wings in the future. She wiped away a tear, “Mom just wants to keep you by her side, to be with you forever.” My heart softened for a moment. I thought she was just a single mother afraid of losing me. So she became frantic, never imagining that her fear of loss would lead her to the most “perfect” way: killing me. The first life, it was a picnic in the countryside. The second, a trip back to the old family homestead to “reminisce.” The third, watching the sunrise from a mountaintop. And each destination was cleverly chosen to be far from crowds, facilitating the “accident.” I could almost certainly say she was selecting the location for the fourth “ceremony.” The unbearable pain, the promising future ahead – I couldn’t just sit back and wait anymore. That weekend, she indeed suggested taking me to the newly opened Grand City Mall, which had a huge indoor glass observation deck. “Autumn, I heard the view there is especially good. Mom wants to see the city skyline with you.” She was loving and gentle. My internal alarm bells shrieked. This day, it was coming even sooner than in my past lives. 4. “But Mom…” The refusal was on my tongue, but I remembered she never allowed me to have my own thoughts. I subtly redirected, “Aren’t you supposed to take me for tutoring this weekend?” With college applications approaching, she wanted me to be a perfect daughter with excellent grades. She paused for only a second before looking at me with genuine sincerity: “Mom doesn’t want you to be too tired. You’ve been working so hard, Mom sees it all. So I thought we could go relax a bit.” Seeing I hadn’t replied, she reached out and took my hand. “Sweetheart, you don’t want to go?” No matter how much I resisted internally, meeting the icy glint in her eyes, I could only nod in agreement. The words “I don’t want to” were like kindling, only fueling the fire she had to kill me. On the observation deck, crowds swirled. Beneath the transparent glass floor was a dizzying drop, like a hundred-story abyss. I looked down, feeling panicked and dizzy, my palms sweating. My mother pulled my hand, leading me to a slightly less crowded area near the edge. “Autumn, look, isn’t it beautiful?” She pointed into the distance, her body subtly shifting to stand slightly behind and to my side. The déjà vu of falling and the blood-red haze before my eyes warned me: this moment might be the end of this life. Through the reflective glass curtain wall, shining like a mirror. I clearly saw her hand, hanging at her side, fingers slightly curled, as if preparing something. Just as her shoulder twitched, and her arm was about to lift – in that split second of critical danger – I suddenly squatted down, exclaiming loudly: “Mom, my shoelace is untied!” I moved out of her path, out of the trajectory where she could push me, and bent my head as if truly focused on tying my shoelace. Her poised arm missed its target. Her body stumbled forward a step from inertia, her hand awkwardly bracing against the glass wall. In that moment, reflected in the glass floor beneath my feet. I clearly caught the cold malice that hadn’t quite faded from her face, and a fleeting look of surprise, annoyance. And a hint of being exposed, a momentary flicker of guilt. Though it vanished instantly, in that single moment, my perfect mother dropped her disguise. “You clumsy child, always so careless.” She quickly recomposed her expression, her tone chiding. She reached out and smilingly gripped my arm tightly. But the chill in her eyes hadn’t receded, and her nails pressed so hard they almost dug into my flesh. In that moment, I felt like I was plunging into an abyss. I had dodged her plan, and she, it seemed, now knew this was no accident. That night, I pretended to be asleep. After she quietly closed my bedroom door, I heard voices from the living room, cold and agitated. “She found out. She knows! The plan must be moved up; it has to be done before her eighteenth birthday.”

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Late that night, my wife stumbled home, disheveled. Her stockings were shredded, her skirt barely clung to her waist, and her skin was a canvas of angry red marks. The moment she walked through the door, she rushed into the bathroom, desperate to scrub away the marks on her body. She scrubbed herself raw. I wanted to take her to the police. But after countless washes, there was no bodily fluid evidence left on her. The police ultimately refused to open a case, citing insufficient evidence. Rage consumed me. I stormed into her office and beat that bastard boss within an inch of his life. That landed me seven days in a holding cell. Not only that, but after the incident, my wife developed severe psychological issues, refusing my touch for two whole months. Finally, I couldn’t take it anymore. I dropped the bombshell: I wanted a divorce, right there in front of her entire family. Seraphina stared at me, disbelief etched on her face. “Was it my fault I was assaulted? You’re divorcing me because of this?” I looked at her coldly, my voice devoid of emotion. “Yes. Precisely because you were assaulted, I’m divorcing you.”

Seraphina’s face was drenched in tears, her eyes wide with a mix of shock and utter betrayal. “Liam, have you wanted to say these things for a long time?” “Did you want to divorce me two months ago? Have you always thought I was… dirty?” I watched Seraphina, who was practically sobbing, and felt absolutely nothing inside. “I don’t care what you think. This divorce is happening, today.” A flicker of dismay crossed Seraphina’s eyes, as if she hadn’t expected my attitude to be so firm. Brenda’s face instantly morphed into a thundercloud. She was about to say something, but Arthur, my father-in-law, grabbed her wrist. “Liam, I know this is hard for you to get over, but Seraphina is a victim here.” “She didn’t want this to happen. She’s suffering enough. You two are married. This is where your commitment to each other truly gets tested.” Brenda quickly chimed in. “That’s right, Liam! Seraphina has been a good wife, hasn’t she? Look at her! She’s so beautiful, so successful at her job. You were lucky to marry her!” “Alright, stop being ridiculous! You’re a man, aren’t you? Running out on your wife now? Think about what people will say! Come on, apologize to Seraphina!” Seraphina had composed herself by then. Following her parents’ lead, she gently took my hand. “It’s okay, Liam, this isn’t your fault. I know you’ve been hurting too these past few months.” “I don’t need your apology. Let’s just put this behind us and start fresh, okay?” The other relatives from Seraphina’s side, seated in the living room, also began to speak up. “Liam, this is really not like you. No one wanted this to happen to Seraphina. You’re a man; you should be more understanding.” “Actually, you’re partly to blame. Tell me, Seraphina was working so late, why didn’t you go pick her up? If you had, this wouldn’t have happened, would it?” “Alright, don’t say things you’ll regret. Divorce? You two are still young. This is nothing. You have your whole lives ahead of you.” Hope flickered back into Seraphina’s eyes. “Liam, I know you’ve had a tough two months too.” “I’ll adjust, I promise. Let’s just pretend this never happened, okay?” As Seraphina spoke, her voice caught, and she started to choke up again. Anyone listening would think she was making some grand sacrifice. I took a step back, ignoring the murmurs of the relatives, and spoke in a cold voice. “Seraphina.” “This divorce, I’m going through with it.”

Seraphina’s expression froze, and her body went rigid. Arthur finally lost his temper. “Liam! You’re a beast!” “Divorcing your wife over something like this? You’re not a man!” I shot Arthur a cold, contemptuous glance, a bitter laugh escaping my lips. “You’re a man, are you? If your wife cheated on you, could you stay with her?” Brenda’s finger trembled as she pointed at my nose, her voice cracking with rage. “How is that the same thing?! Did Seraphina *want* this to happen?!” I didn’t answer Brenda, instead looking down at Seraphina, who stood before me. Two months ago, in the early hours of the morning, Seraphina had stumbled home. She looked utterly distraught, her stockings torn to shreds. Her skirt hung crookedly around her waist, as if it might fall off at any moment. I frantically asked her what had happened. But she seemed not to see me, walking straight into the bathroom and locking the door, scrubbing her body repeatedly. It wasn’t until the next day, when her emotions had somewhat stabilized, that I learned she had been forced by her boss during overtime. She had fought desperately but to no avail. I was furious, pulling Seraphina along to report it to the police. But after countless washes, there was no bodily fluid evidence left on her. The incident itself had occurred in the boss’s office late that night. And conveniently, the company’s surveillance cameras were ‘under maintenance’ that night. Not a single piece of video evidence. Ultimately, the police closed the case, saying there wasn’t enough evidence. Watching Seraphina, utterly distraught and drowning in tears every single day, broke my heart. I stormed into her office and beat that bastard boss within an inch of his life. That landed me seven days in a holding cell. Now, two months have passed. Only Seraphina and that boss truly know the whole truth of what happened. A bitter, self-deprecating smile twisted my lips at the thought. “Seraphina, why am I divorcing you?” “Don’t you know?” Seraphina froze, a flicker of guilt in her eyes. I took a step back, putting more distance between us. “After it happened, I told you to stop working and rest at home. I told you I could support you and our family. But you refused, insisting on going to work every day, to face the very boss you called ‘disgusting’.” I could practically *see* Seraphina exhale in relief. Then, as if on cue, she started crying pitifully again. “We’ve only been married two years. The mortgage, the car payments, we need money for everything. How could I let you bear all that burden alone?” “Liam, do you think I’m a disgrace? Do you think I’m bringing shame to our name by still going out and working?” “But I’m doing it for you, for our family!” I scoffed. “What it’s *really* for, you know deep down yourself.” Hearing the conversation between Seraphina and me, the relatives’ outrage hit a boiling point. “Liam! You can’t even tell right from wrong! Seraphina has gone through such a terrible ordeal, and not only do you not care about her, you actually think she’s shameful for working outside the home!” “Isn’t she doing it for you? She’s going through all this agony, still dragging herself to work, facing that monster every day! Don’t you think *she’s* suffering more than you?!” “I think *you’re* the monster! You have no humanity!” Arthur couldn’t listen anymore. He grabbed Seraphina’s hand, intending to lead her out. “Come on! Let’s go home with Dad and Mom! We have nothing to say to this animal!” But Seraphina pulled her hand free from Arthur’s grasp, her eyes brimming with tears, a picture of determined strength. “It’s okay, Dad. Liam and I are husband and wife. No matter what happens, I’ll face it with him.” “Liam just hasn’t thought things through yet. You two go home first; I’ll talk to him. Don’t worry about me.” Arthur’s face was etched with anger and heartache for his daughter. He seemed to want to say more, but faced with Seraphina’s tear-streaked face, he ultimately couldn’t bring himself to scold her. Instead, he turned to me. “Liam, let me tell you! You’d better think this through!” “You’re all alone in this world! If you divorce my daughter, what are you going to do? Who’s going to stand by you then?” With that, Arthur and Brenda, along with the other relatives, turned and left, not sparing me another glance. Silence descended upon the living room. I took a long look at Seraphina, then turned and went upstairs into the master bedroom. The moment I entered the room, I locked the door and dialed my lawyer cousin Rachel. “Rachel, any progress on what I asked you to investigate?” Hearing Rachel’s answer, a huge weight lifted off my chest. “Good. The trial might be in a few days. I’m going to need your help.”

The next day, I walked in after working late, and the scene before me stopped me in my tracks. The dining table was set with a beautifully arranged meal, candles flickering romantically on either side. Seraphina, dressed in a sexy nightgown, sat at the table. Seeing me return, Seraphina smiled brightly. “Honey, come sit! Look what I’ve prepared for you.” When I didn’t move, Seraphina got up and took my hand, leading me to the table. “I didn’t sleep a wink last night, thinking so much. These past two months, it hasn’t just been me suffering; you have too.” “I was so lost in my own pain, I didn’t consider your feelings. I won’t do that again. Let’s start a new life together.” “Honey, let’s stop this fighting, okay?” As Seraphina spoke, she subtly pushed out her chest. After two years of marriage, I knew exactly what Seraphina’s little gesture was supposed to mean. Ever since what happened two months ago, Seraphina had vehemently resisted my touch. Forget intimacy; sometimes, if I just moved a little closer to her, she would shriek in terror. It seemed she thought I wanted a divorce because she wouldn’t let me touch her, and this elaborate display was her attempt to fix that. Hah, she really underestimated me. I pulled my hand free and turned on the living room lights. “Seraphina, stop with these pointless theatrics.” “I told you, no matter what, this divorce is happening.” Seraphina froze, seemingly shocked that even after all this, I still wouldn’t agree. But before she could speak, two figures burst out of the guest room. Brenda and Arthur stood before me, faces contorted with fury. Arthur pointed a finger at my nose, but his words were directed at Seraphina. “How could I have given birth to such a useless daughter! How could you fall for a man like this? Look at you, you’ve gone to such lengths and he *still* wants a divorce! He’s just playing with you!” Brenda’s face was also furious, but mixed with a mother’s pain for her daughter. She pulled Seraphina behind her. “I’ve lived long enough to know what’s what! This animal must be cheating!” “What kind of society do we live in where someone would insist on divorce over *this*? Besides, if you wanted a divorce, why didn’t you do it two months ago? Why *now*?” “Liam, I’m asking you, do you have someone else?!” Seraphina looked utterly bewildered, even her crying stopped. “Liam, is what Mom saying true?” Without waiting for my answer, she mumbled on. “Yes, it must be. These past two months, you’ve been coming home late every night. I asked you what you were doing, and you wouldn’t say.” “So you really *do* have someone else! Liam! How could you do this to me?!” Seraphina’s nerve, trying to twist this around on me, was almost comical. “Who’s cheating here? Who has someone else?” “Seraphina, your parents are right here. Do you dare tell them—” Before I could finish, Brenda, overcome with rage, lunged at me, all teeth and claws. “I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you, you animal! You’re not even human!” “My daughter went through such a terrible thing, and you’re out there seeing other people?! You’re a monster!” I hadn’t expected Brenda to suddenly lash out. Her nails raked across my face before I could even react, leaving several stinging, bloody scratches. But she was an elder. No matter how bad things were between Seraphina and me, I couldn’t lay a hand on her. I quickly stepped back, putting distance between Brenda and me. Seraphina was also startled and quickly pulled her mother back. I looked at Arthur, who still had a few shreds of reason left. “Take her home.” “I’ll say it again: if you don’t want me to make this ugly, then let’s get this divorce done quickly.”

Arthur glared at me, his expression pure venom, like he wanted to rip me to shreds. A moment later, he managed to control his emotions and turned to Brenda and Seraphina. “What are you waiting for! Let’s go!” Three days later, Seraphina came home again. The moment she saw me, her eyes immediately welled up. “I called you, you didn’t answer. I texted you, you didn’t reply.” “Liam, what are you doing? Why are you treating me like this?” I didn’t even look up, busy packing Seraphina’s belongings. “We’re getting a divorce. There’s no need to stay in touch.” Seraphina’s face changed. She furiously wiped away her tears, took a shaky breath, and then, through gritted teeth, she spoke each word like a dagger. “Liam, I’m asking you one last time. Are you absolutely sure you want to divorce me?” I didn’t answer, didn’t even lift my head. Seeing my prolonged silence, Arthur, furious, slammed a stack of documents at my feet. “Then divorce!” “But Seraphina did nothing wrong in this. Since you insist on divorce, then you walk away with nothing!” I put down what I was holding, picked up the divorce papers from the floor, and sneered. “Whether she did anything wrong in this marriage, you should ask your ‘good’ daughter.” “You want me to walk away with nothing? You people are truly disgusting.” The instant my words fell, Brenda sprang out from behind Arthur, raising her purse, intending to smash it on my head. “I knew I shouldn’t have let my daughter marry you! You good-for-nothing cheat! A rotten scumbag! You little animal, are you actually trying to say my daughter is the one at fault?” “Let me tell you, either you walk away with nothing, or we’ll see you in court! I won’t let you take a single penny from our family!” I grabbed Brenda’s purse, and her words brought a sense of relief to my heart. Going to court was exactly what I wanted. Brenda, thinking I was scared of her because I hadn’t replied, yanked her purse back and continued her tirade. “You ungrateful wretch! You’re all alone in this world! If our family hadn’t been so understanding about your… origins, you think you would’ve ever landed my daughter?” “Now you’ve got someone else on the side, and you’re using some flimsy excuse to divorce my daughter, trying to pin all the blame on her?” “Let me tell you, you think you can just get away with that? Not a chance!” I couldn’t be bothered to argue with them anymore. “If we can’t agree, then we’ll see each other in court.” “Talking more is pointless. Let’s let the judge decide.” A week later, Seraphina’s and my divorce case finally opened in court. Many of Seraphina’s relatives came, packing the observer’s gallery to the brim. They were all there to support Seraphina, looking at me with undisguised disdain and anger. Before the hearing, Seraphina stood before me, her eyes red, and spoke. “Liam, do we really have to go this far?” “Just say no, and we’ll go home. We’ll live a good life together, and we’ll never mention the past, okay?” I couldn’t be bothered to say more to her. I walked into the courtroom without looking back. After the trial began, the judge reviewed the documents submitted by Seraphina’s side, then looked up at me. “Ms. Seraphina’s ordeal was an accident. You can file for divorce, but your additional demands are unreasonable.” “In this situation, Mr. Liam, you cannot demand Ms. Seraphina walk away with nothing.” I stood up, looking directly at the judge. “I have other evidence.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “299310”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #狼人Werewolf #玄幻Fantasy #魔幻Magic #重生Reborn