After spending a fortune to get the social media contacts of the Head Cheerleader and the Campus Queen Bee, others might dream of dating them. I was different. I wanted to set them up. Through my relentless efforts… The Campus Queen Bee and the Head Cheerleader started dating. I was there, popcorn in hand, ready for the big reveal. But it turned out to be a disaster, and they both turned on me, dragging me into the spotlight. The Head Cheerleader screamed, “Is this the adorable campus sweetheart you found for me?!” The Campus Queen Bee burst into tears, “You owe me a six-foot-tall, aloof boyfriend!” 01 Beside the club recruitment booth, a guy was mysteriously hawking… “Get the Campus Queen Bee and Head Cheerleader’s contacts! Fifty bucks for both!” No one believed him. Only I stepped forward and asked, “For real?” The guy pulled out his phone and scanned the QR codes for me on the spot. “Guaranteed, bro!” Without thinking twice, I added both accounts. “Added!” “Sweet, bro!” The guy grabbed the money and sprinted off. I stared at the two new contacts on my phone. Had I just been scammed? Head Cheerleader Blair Thompson’s profile picture was an abstract smiley face, and Campus Queen Bee Riley Vance’s was a goofy husky. Was this… legit? 02 Back in my dorm, I told my roommates about it. They didn’t believe me. “You totally got scammed.” “I’ve got Blair’s contact on my phone, and her profile picture is clearly an ice-queen goddess.” “Exactly! Riley’s profile picture is an anime character, no way she’d use some funny dog pic!” “Feeling sorry for you for a second there, how could you fall for that and lose fifty bucks!” I sighed, staring at the two profile pictures. “Seriously, I’m done.” My allowance was already tight, and now I’d been fleeced for fifty bucks. What a total chump! Just as I spiraled into endless regret, the husky profile picture sent me a message: Who’s this? I hesitated for a few moments before replying. Classmate. Well, I’d added them. I might as well just imagine this person as the Campus Queen Bee and picture her beautiful face. Husky: Oh. So aloof? I fidgeted, racking my brain until I finally squeezed out a question: Are you from Alistair University too? Husky: Yeah, you too? Yep. After that, another silence. I really sucked at chatting. If only there was an AI auto-reply. 03 The day after I added them, those two contacts lay dormant in my chat list, as silent as the grave. During a boring lecture, I clicked into Blair’s chatbox and poked her. Smiley: ? Hello. Smiley: Something up? So direct? How was I supposed to respond to that? Are you Blair Thompson? Smiley: Yeah, something up? Quite bold, actually. She admitted it. Alright, I’ll tease her. Looking for a relationship? Smiley: Not considering it at the moment. Got someone you like? Smiley: A little interested, but not exactly “like.” Oh, she has someone she’s interested in. I immediately typed: Who? There was a moment of hesitation. Smiley: Who are you? “…” Why did everyone ask who I was? What should I say? Got it! I typed a string of words and, closing my eyes, hit send: I’m setting people up. Interested? Smiley: Setting up what? You know, a boyfriend. No reply for a long time. What was it with her and the husky profile pic? Did they just love disappearing acts? I just sent over the Campus Queen Bee’s contact. With a caption: A cute campus sweetheart, great at gaming, super handsome, and a killer voice! These two were meant to be. I turned off my phone and focused on the lecture. 04 Smiley: ? To ensure Smiley didn’t sit around, I sent the Head Cheerleader’s contact to the Campus Queen Bee. With a caption: A six-foot-tall, aloof hunk, great at gaming, and a straight-A student! Husky: ? What did those question marks mean? Not interested? I messaged Husky: The guy I set you up with. If he’s not good, return him to me. Husky: Guaranteed? Watching Husky gradually fall into the trap, I couldn’t hide my excitement any longer. Absolutely guaranteed! Turns out, people never get tired when they’re up to no good. I then messaged Smiley: A cute campus sweetheart, return if not pure. Smiley: What kind of scheme is this? A path that leads you to both a successful career and a flourishing love life! … Ah, this should seal the deal. 05 Two days later, rumors spread across campus: the Head Cheerleader was in love. She’d spend lectures staring at her phone, giggling like an idiot. In my dorm, everyone except me was crying their eyes out. “I’m heartbroken!” “Who did the Head Cheerleader fall for?” “No news on the forums at all! I’m dying to know! Are they actually dating or not?” “Her roommates said she is, so she must be!” They chattered on, completely absorbed. I listened quietly from the side until someone noticed me. “Alex, why aren’t you sad?” “Yeah, weren’t you Blair’s biggest fan?” Turns out, one lie requires a thousand more to cover it. When I first moved into this dorm, to get along with them, I’d claimed to be a fan of Blair. That’s how I found common ground with them. I forced out two fake tears. “I’m heartbroken inside. I’m going to lie down.” “We know you’re hit the hardest. Go rest.” Only after I got into bed did I let out a sigh of relief. My phone suddenly exploded with notifications. Smiley: Thanks for setting me up. Here’s a little token of my appreciation. Followed by a digital red envelope. Husky: This aloof hunk is truly amazing! Here’s a little token of my appreciation! Followed by a digital red envelope. I shot up, wide-eyed. Holy smokes! This actually worked! I was a matchmaker now? 06 “Alex, are you okay?” My sudden movement was too loud, and my roommate asked with concern. I coughed, feigning composure. “I’m fine.” Then I quietly accepted both red envelopes. Smiley sent a generous $388, and Husky sent $1000. I’d made back the fifty bucks I’d been scammed out of and then some! This was awesome! I truly had the potential to be a matchmaker! I sent both of them a message: Wishing you two the best! When I logged into my game, I saw both their accounts were online. Just as I was about to start a match, they simultaneously pulled me into a private room. Smiley: You join too. We need a support. Wait. What was happening? Before I could decline, the game instantly started. A social media message popped up. Husky: He’s too good! I’m playing a bit poorly, and it’s awkward with him around! Was I just part of their game? What do you mean? Husky: You’re worse than me. Distract him. My blood pressure spiked, but remembering that thousand bucks, I forced it down. Okay. Smiley: He’s playing really cute, but he seems shy. He might not open up as much if you’re there. Me: … $388 is still money. I had to endure. 07 The game started. Smiley was jungle, Husky was mid-lane. And I, because I was replying to their messages, was forced to pick a healer! Early game, Husky: Go support the carry lane. Mid-game, Smiley: Go protect mid-lane. Late game, Husky: Go protect the jungler. By the end of the game, my in-game shoes were practically falling apart. After we finished, I immediately left the private room. I was just about to start my own game to relax. Husky: Are you his friend? What does he like? I want to get him a gift. Smiley: He’s your friend, right? I want to know what he likes, I want to get him a gift. Dude! Are you two really playing this Campus Queen Bee and Head Cheerleader dating game? Again, money’s hard to earn, and some things are just tough to stomach. What else could I do? I had an idea. I asked Husky: Is there anything you particularly like? I sent the same question to Smiley. Husky: I like collecting sneakers. I’m pretty athletic. Smiley: Nothing specific, just cute things. Isn’t this perfect? What were they so shy about? Did they really have to act so convincingly? I copied and pasted their exact words to each other. Not long after, Husky sent two pictures: Which one should I choose, do you think? They both looked the same, damn it. I just casually picked one. The second one. Husky: Exactly what I thought. Heh. At midnight, just as I was getting ready to sleep, Smiley: Are you asleep? Not asleep, but I’m about to break. What’s up, honey? Smiley: I want to ask him his shoe size. I sent the question to Husky. Husky: Nine. I replied to Smiley: Nine. Smiley: That… that small? I was so tired I typed with my eyes closed. Why don’t you ask him yourself? …No need. Seriously, this was annoying! 08 In the morning, I opened social media and nearly fainted. Messages: 99+. Had I committed some divine offense? These two lunatics! If they wanted to date, they should do it privately! I scrolled through and gathered they’d had a fight. Smiley thought Husky wasn’t ambitious enough, and Husky thought Smiley was too serious. They’d debated right and wrong all night, even creating a special group chat for it. The group kept tagging me, asking who was right and who was wrong. I swear, if it weren’t for the post-sales service, I’d block them both right now. “Alex, are you up?” “Yeah, what’s up?” “Nothing, we just didn’t want our crying to bother you.” My mouth twitched. “What happened now?” “You don’t know? Blair posted on the campus forum, basically making it official!” “I still don’t know who the guy is! Who could have landed the ice-queen Head Cheerleader?!” “Holy sh*t! I can’t live anymore!” I looked at my roommate, who had just sprung out of bed. “What’s wrong with you?” “The Campus Queen Bee is dating too! I’m crying my eyes out!” Damn, I almost forgot, this dorm also had a Campus Queen Bee fanboy. “What’s going on? Are all the pretty girls suddenly dating?” “They’re all taken. What pretty girls am I supposed to look at now?” “My emotional support isn’t working!” The dorm echoed with wails and lamentations before everyone finally headed to their 8 AM class. 09 During class, as I dozed off, my phone suddenly vibrated. Husky: Forgot to ask, what’s your name? I typed with my eyes half-closed and sent: Alex Quinn. Two minutes later, I shot my eyes open and grabbed my phone. Damn it, undo! Undo! Crap, why did I just give away my name? I’m screwed, totally screwed! My roommate asked, “What’s wrong with you?” “I’m kind of dying.” “Well, hurry up, class is almost over.” Husky: That’s a nice name. I’ll call you Alex from now on. I—was—DOOMED. 10. After playing dead for two days, I saw both of them post on social media simultaneously. The real Blair Thompson, the Head Cheerleader, posted a selfie. In her hand, she held a doll that Riley Vance had given her. Blair: See this, see me. And the real Riley Vance, the Campus Queen Bee, posted a mirror selfie wearing shoes Blair had given her. Riley: Never thought my first online romance would be true love. You gotta be kidding me! These are real people?! I’m truly in trouble now! My head spun. I felt like the rest of my life was going to be a disaster. Right, right, I need to break them up first. I messaged Husky: Forgot to tell you, I introduced you to the wrong person. I don’t even know that person. In my panic, I accidentally forwarded the same message directly to Smiley. Smiley: ? Smiley: What do you mean? Trying to stir trouble? Damn it! How could a person make the same mistake twice in a row?! I’m being framed! I also forgot to tell you, I introduced you to the wrong person. I don’t know anyone named him. Smiley: It’s fine, we get along, and we’re about to meet in person. Meet… meet in person?! Holy crap, are two girls dating in fast-forward? Meeting so quickly! No, no, if I get exposed, Riley Vance, the Campus Queen Bee, won’t let me off the hook. I might not get into Harvard, but I definitely don’t want to get beaten up! 11. So, I harassed them both morning, noon, and night. I became the person I once hated most. Even an outsider like me can see you two aren’t a good match! If you stay together for long, you’ll definitely argue all the time! Blair: It’s fine, I’ll be accommodating. You’ll accommodate my foot! During the debate competition, I was pushed in as a last-minute replacement for my club and Blair absolutely shredded me. I couldn’t get a single word in. Blair’s mouth was like it was coated in poison. One lick and I’d poison myself. Riley: I have a good temper. You have a good temper my butt! I still remember when Riley got into a conflict on the basketball court freshman year and, in a fit of pique, threw the ball, hitting me. I’ve had a fear of basketball courts ever since. Seeing I couldn’t argue with them, I could only say: Log on! Let’s play a game! They say gaming can make feelings fade. I didn’t believe it. I was going to mess things up so badly they’d have to break up! Blair: What are we playing? Me: Ranked! Okay. As soon as the game started, I deliberately sabotaged Riley. She immediately typed a furious message to me: What’s wrong with you?! Why didn’t you block that skill for me?! Me: I didn’t buy boots, I couldn’t move fast enough. Wasn’t it because you’re bad that you died? Riley: You were clearly standing still! All the enemy damage went straight to me! Me: Say whatever you want. I think I played pretty well. I went to follow Blair. After a few kills, Blair typed: He’s playing pretty well. Riley: Why are you defending him? Blair: I watched his plays, they really were fine. Riley: So it’s my fault then?! Blair: No, no, it has nothing to do with you. Riley: Right, right, it has nothing to do with me! Blair: I didn’t… mean it like that. My mouth was practically splitting from smiling. Argue, argue, more fiercely! I refuse to believe they won’t break up after this! 12. Just one game, and these two were already arguing offline. As I was happily drifting off to sleep, Riley messaged: Oh right, we’re meeting up in two days. You should come too. I shot up, wide awake. No way… What did you say? Meeting up? Riley: Yeah, we’re in the same school anyway, it’s not hard to meet. No way! You don’t even know who they are, and you’re just going to meet them? What if it’s… Riley: Well, you’ll be there, right? You were the matchmaker, you have to help me vet them carefully. Was it too late to give the money back? I’m not going. I have plans in two days. Riley: What plans are more important than us meeting? Oh, and I got you a gift. She sent a photo. Cartier!? Holy smokes! I’m there! I’m there! You shouldn’t have bothered with a gift. I’ll treat you all to dinner depending on how things go. I wondered if they’d even have dinner after they met. Anyway, it felt like I could save some money. At most, I’d just get beaten up, and I’ve been tough since childhood. I’ll be fine!

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The day the real heiress returned to the Harrington family, I was in a car accident. My spine suffered permanent damage, leaving me motionless, like a vegetable, in bed. I cried, wanting to end my life, but my adoptive mother insisted I live. She cared for me meticulously for a year. Until the real heiress was diagnosed with leukemia, needing umbilical cord blood to survive. My adoptive mother allowed a procession of strangers into my bedroom, and soon, I was pregnant. Looking at my swollen belly, the real heiress gloated, “Thank you for your child. The umbilical cord blood for my beauty treatments works wonders.” It took me three days to slowly disconnect my oxygen tube. When I opened my eyes again, I was back to the day the real heiress returned. … “Lisa, it seems the car broke down. Could you go out and check?” Holly’s voice, like that of a demon, startled me awake. Looking out at the pitch-black night, I realized I had been reborn. “Lisa, it’s too dark outside, and I’m scared. Uncle Jack, the driver, says he’ll stay in the car with me. Could you go see what happened?” Holly’s icy hand clutched mine. I instinctively recoiled, almost crying out. How long had it been since I’d felt control over my own body? Holly was the true heiress of the Harrington family, found after being lost for over twenty years. To welcome her, the Harringtons held a lavish banquet. She didn’t travel with my adoptive parents, insisting on coming with me, claiming she wanted to share girl talk. I believed her. After the car broke down on the highway, she feigned fear, crying and begging me to get out and push. But the moment I stepped out, I was hit by an oncoming sedan. As I lay bleeding and dying, Holly, who had just been crying about being scared, walked up to me and crouched down. Her face showed clear dissatisfaction. “Why didn’t you die?” “Miss, a living person who isn’t dead yet is more valuable. They can be used for anything.” The driver who had hit me whispered a few words in her ear. Holly’s gaze upon me slowly changed. She called my adoptive mother in front of me, sobbing uncontrollably. When my adoptive parents arrived at the hospital, she had already bruised her own face. “It’s all my fault for coming back. If I hadn’t, there wouldn’t have been a banquet, and Lisa wouldn’t have been hurt.” “Why wasn’t it me who got hurt? Am I bad luck, causing Lisa’s injury? I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have come back…” My adoptive mother was moved by her performance and believed every word. To compensate me, my adoptive mother specifically renovated a critical care room for me in the villa, with round-the-clock care. Later, Holly suddenly developed leukemia, needing umbilical cord blood to survive. My adoptive mother, influenced by Holly, wanted me to get pregnant. Countless strangers entered and exited my bedroom, getting on and off me… I couldn’t remember how many, only that I was soon pregnant. One child couldn’t save her, so I’d bear two, three… As my dignity was trampled, Holly would sit nearby, watching. “Who told you to take my place for twenty years? This is what you deserve!” She glared at me fiercely. “I want you to suffer for twenty years before you die, otherwise I can’t let this go!” Before her was my fifth newborn child. Watching the child’s neck being twisted, I bit through the artery in my wrist. My body grew cold. “Holly, may you die a terrible death…” She tossed the child aside. “Thanks for your child, I can extract umbilical cord blood for my beauty treatments now.” Her demonic smile from that time now danced before my eyes. Seeing my inaction, she urged again. “Lisa, hurry down, or we’ll be late.” I checked my phone; the time was eight o’clock, just like in my previous life. And in the distance, I could already hear the roaring engine of a speeding car. “Alright.” I looked into her eyes and obediently stepped out of the car. Ordinarily, stepping out of the car would place me on the side away from traffic, making it impossible to be hit. But in my previous life, the moment I stepped out, the driver drove off. The next second, a speeding car crashed directly into me. I had no chance to escape. The car door clicked open, and I stepped out. A malicious glint flickered in Holly’s eyes, and she signaled the driver. Just as the car door was about to close, I grabbed her hand. “I smell gasoline. The car isn’t safe; you should get out too.” I pulled her out with force. The blinding headlights from the opposite lane illuminated her terrified expression. At that critical moment, the driver was the first to react. He floored the gas pedal, using the car to shield us. Amidst the massive crash, Holly’s face turned ashen, and she collapsed directly to her knees. I ignored her and immediately called for emergency services. “Hello, a vehicle in the opposite lane illegally swerved, driving against traffic, suspected of attempted murder, please…” Holly stood up and hung up the phone. “Lisa, aren’t we fine? Mom and Dad are waiting for us at the hotel. Let’s not make a fuss, okay?” “But you’ve just returned and encountered something like this. I suspect someone is targeting you.” I feigned concern for her. “I’ll call Mom and Dad too, and have them come pick you up first.” Holly refused. “Uncle Jack, can the car still be driven? Otherwise, should we leave here first?” The driver gave me a subtle glance. “Minor issue, won’t affect driving.” “Miss Harrington, Miss Thorne, Mrs. Harrington just called to rush you. She said most of the guests have arrived, and as the guests of honor, you shouldn’t be late. We should head off quickly.” Looking at the driver, I had already drawn my conclusion. Holly had bribed the family staff from her first day back, clearly intending to kill me. I didn’t know why she hated me, because from the day she returned, I had already decided to leave. She had found her birth parents, and I wanted to find mine too. But she never gave me the chance. The moment she returned, she put on an act in front of our adoptive parents, pretending to be afraid of upsetting me. Whatever was brought to her, she always insisted I choose first. “Whatever Lisa doesn’t like, just give it to me. I like everything.” “As long as Lisa is happy, I don’t mind.” In just a few days, she had won over everyone in the villa. This led to everyone despising me after I became a vegetable. Half an hour later, we arrived at the hotel. My adoptive mother immediately noticed the scrapes on Holly’s body, and her face instantly changed. “Lisa, what did you do to Holly?” Holly’s eyes were misty with tears. “Lisa didn’t mean it, she only meant well… Mom, please don’t be angry.” Then, she walked up to me and cautiously tugged at my sleeve. “Lisa, I’m not trying to break you apart, I’m just joining you. Please don’t be angry. Next time, I’ll make sure Uncle Jack checks the car thoroughly before we leave. If we encounter problems, I’ll still be there, just like today, to keep you safe.” My adoptive parents only learned what happened after questioning the driver. My adoptive mother shot me a dark glare. “Lisa, genes truly determine everything. A bad seed is a bad seed. How could you make your sister get out to check the car?” “You know she’s afraid of the dark! Why didn’t you go down yourself? Would getting out of the car kill you?” Her gentle expression towards Holly vanished the moment she turned to me, replaced only by disgust. My already torn heart still ached. Before Holly, I was my adoptive mother’s darling; she gave me all her love, making me believe I was the happiest princess. So, when she allowed Holly’s people to restrain me, I was shocked and utterly confused. I didn’t even know what resistance was anymore, letting her caress my face, smiling as she personally tied me up. “Darling, just bear with it. Holly and I have finally reunited, and I can’t lose her. As soon as you have a child, Mom will let you go, okay?” I shook my head repeatedly, but she slapped me hard. Afterward, she tenderly applied ointment to my face. “I’m sorry, Mom was just too anxious. You and Holly are both my darlings, and I don’t want to lose either of you.” “It’s just having a child, don’t be so resistant.” I didn’t retort now, simply bowing my head in apology, afraid that if I looked up, she would see the hatred in my eyes. “If ‘sorry’ worked, what would we need the police for?” My adoptive father snorted. “Get out. I don’t want to see you tonight.” His words suited me perfectly. I hid in an empty lounge, preparing to review the entire situation. But before I could even close the door, several men burst in. My face instantly changed. They were Holly’s bodyguards, and in my previous life, they were the first to torment me! In fact, the first children I had, the ones who were killed, were theirs. “What do you want?” Several men approached, their intentions clear. The one in front had already untied his necktie, wrapping it around his hand. “Miss Thorne, we’re just following orders. Don’t blame us if anything happens…” I kept backing away until I hit the sofa. “Did Holly send you? Why would she do this?” “Miss Thorne, we don’t understand what you’re saying.” The men were cautious; no matter how I tried to trick them, they wouldn’t say Holly’s name. “We just really like Miss Thorne and want to… converse.” The leader suddenly raised his hand, and I saw the small bottle in his grip. My eyes widened. A familiar scent assaulted me—in my previous life, they used to say I was a living corpse, uninteresting. Each time before touching me, they’d make me smell something to excite them. Over time, my tolerance increased. They went from spraying it to pouring it into my mouth, even injecting it directly. This made me highly sensitive to the drug; I couldn’t forget its smell in either life. I covered my nose, afraid to breathe, but still caught a faint whiff. A familiar heat began to sweep through my body, and I trembled uncontrollably. My fingers dug into my thigh, terrified of showing any weakness. But the men had already noticed, and their laughter grew more uninhibited. “Miss Thorne, your neck is flushed. It looks quite pretty.” “I wonder if such a red neck is sweet? I can barely control myself, look at my trousers, they’re bulging…” “You’re so uncultured, just looking at her neck? I think further down is where the real beauty lies.” Their laughter was grating, and their movements sent shivers down my spine. As their clothes came off, memories from the past began to flood me. After the car accident, I was a quadriplegic. I could only lie in a hospital bed, needing round-the-clock care. Holly, who had always been healthy, fell ill shortly after I was brought home from the hospital. Acute leukemia, needing umbilical cord blood to save her life. “Mom, I’m sorry, I’m so useless.” Holly lay on the hospital bed, her face utterly pale. “If only I could get pregnant. I heard the doctor say that umbilical cord blood is the most effective. Mom, please find someone for me to marry.” “I want to stay with you and Dad forever. Even if I have to sacrifice my virtue, it doesn’t matter. I only ask to be with my family.” My adoptive parents struggled internally, unwilling for her to endure such suffering. They even considered buying what they needed. But Holly stopped them. “Mom and Dad, that’s illegal. I don’t want you to risk yourselves for me. I want our family to be together.” Her deliberate emphasis on ‘family’ made my parents turn their gaze to my bedroom. That night, my bedroom door was opened. The lights in my room stayed on all night, and my hoarse screams echoed through the entire villa. Yet, no one came to save me. The next day, the nurse, as if oblivious to the marks on my body, changed my dressings and massaged me as usual. That night, another sleepless night. It wasn’t until the nurse confirmed my pregnancy that I found a brief respite. On the day I gave birth, Holly, who had been bedridden, uncharacteristically came to see me. I watched, wide-eyed, as the blood was drained from the child in their hands. Holly looked at the blood and the child’s corpse and smiled. “Lisa, you stole twenty years of my life. Now you’ll bear children for me for twenty years.” She subtly curled her lips. “I hear umbilical cord blood is excellent for beauty. I should thank you properly for making me younger.” Because of her thanks, more men entered my room. The hellish torment lasted for years. I couldn’t even commit suicide. Until that time, I finally managed to raise my weak hand to my mouth and ended my own life. Reborn, Holly, unable to kill me outright, had prepared a backup plan! I moved around behind the sofa, throwing everything I could get my hands on. The loud noise attracted the attention of those outside. I finally found an opportunity to rush to the door and open it. “Help me!” A waiter nearby turned, and a flicker of hope crossed my face. The next second, I was dragged back by my hair. When my scalp was pulled and I was thrown to the ground, my hair also fell out. I clutched my blood-soaked hair, looking at them in terror. “What you’re doing is illegal.” “How much did Holly give you? I can double it, just let me go.” “Pfft!” The leader spat at me. “Miss Thorne is the true heiress. You’re just a bastard no one wants. You think you can buy us off? Do you even have the money?” “Be a good girl, crawl over here and satisfy me. Then maybe I’ll tell my boys to be nice to you. Otherwise…” The cold glint in his eyes cut through my skin like a knife, making every inch of me sting. Two men walked over and pinned me to the ground, tearing my clothes with one hand. The white skin on my chest further excited them. “As expected of someone pampered. This color, so good!” “Let me touch… Ah!” I bit down hard on his arm, tearing off a piece of flesh. The foul, metallic taste in my mouth made me gag all over him. But remembering what he had done to me in my previous life, I lunged at him again, biting down hard on his other hand. My hair was pulled back forcefully; I could even hear the tearing sound of my scalp. But I dared not let go—this was my only chance. Soon, the man couldn’t bear the pain and threw me aside. I seized the opportunity to shove the other man, then head-butted the last man directly between his legs. Amidst his cries of pain, I burst through the door. “Help!” I grabbed a passing waiter. “Call the police for me!” The waiter looked at me in shock, covered in blood, with a tear at the corner of my mouth. Terrified, she gasped. She quickly pulled out her phone to call. I stared intently at her actions, my heart pounding. “911…” Just as she was about to press the last digit, Holly walked around the corner. She gave a signal to the people behind her. “Lisa, are you ill again? It’s alright, I’ll have someone take you to the hospital immediately. I’ll handle the assault.” She patiently explained to the waiter that I was just sick and there was no need to call the police. My attempts to explain were completely shut down. Watching the waiter about to leave, I frantically shook off the men and rushed forward. “I’m not sick! They were trying to assault me! Please…” But the waiter had already believed Holly and wouldn’t listen to me. Despair slowly consumed my mind. Holly smiled. “No one will believe you. I’ve already spread the word that you have a mental illness.” “Mom and Dad think you’re an embarrassment. They’ve already removed you from the family tree, Lisa…” She whispered in my ear. “Two lifetimes, and you’ll never defeat me. Give up.” I stared at her, stunned, my eyes filled with disbelief. “You’ve been reborn too?” She didn’t answer me, motioning for the bodyguards to lock me up.

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At the Carter family’s charity gala, my husband’s childhood friend, Eleanor, burst in, her dress disheveled: “Grandpa Carter, you must uphold justice for me! Luke Smith’s brother forced himself on me, I can’t live like this!” “My innocence is ruined, and I have no face left to marry the Carter family’s young master!” Guests around murmured, cursing my brother as a horny dog, blaming me for his lack of upbringing. My husband, James Howard, looked heartbroken, shielding Eleanor with his body: “Lily, you know how important Eleanor is to the Carter family, yet you indulged your brother in such a despicable act.” “We can’t cross the Carters. If your brother is a man, he should come forward and take responsibility. Even if Mr. Carter cripples him, I’ll take care of him for life.” Watching Mr. Carter glare at me with murderous intent, I just smiled. Because my brother, he really wasn’t a man. 1 Mr. Carter looked at me and spoke in a deep voice: “Miss Smith, I need an explanation.” I remained completely unfazed: “Mr. Carter, actually, my brother…” Before I could finish, James shoved me aside: “Lily, any excuses are useless now. Hand over your brother, Luke, immediately!” “Let him confess his sins by severing his own hands in front of Mr. Carter, otherwise, don’t blame me for abandoning our marriage!” Everyone attending the gala today was a prominent figure in Boston. Now they looked at me, full of disdain. “The Smiths are a reputable family, both parents are university professors. How could they raise such a shameless beast?” “Young Master Carter has a cognitive disability and is only attached to Eleanor, his caregiver. Mr. Carter just announced Eleanor would marry into the family, and this happens.” “I think the Smith family is doomed. With her brother involved in such a scandal, how could the Carters let him off?” Eleanor cried even harder, trembling in James’s arms: “James, my innocence is gone. How can I ever face Young Master Oliver now…” She cried while glancing at Mr. Carter. Mr. Carter’s face immediately darkened: “Miss Smith, your brother committed such an outrageous act in my home, you must give me an explanation!” James, with an air of righteous indignation, quickly interjected on my behalf: “Sir, rest assured, I, James Howard, will never cover up for him!” “Though Luke is my brother-in-law, for committing such an unforgivable crime, I will have his hands broken and that vile thing that caused the harm chopped off as atonement!” I raised an eyebrow, looking at Eleanor: “Eleanor, are you sure it was my brother who forced you?” Eleanor’s body stiffened, her voice suddenly rising: “Lily, what do you mean? Would I really use my own innocence to frame him?” “He was so strong, I couldn’t escape no matter how hard I struggled. This was my first time, it was meant for Young Master Oliver!” Saying this, she yanked open her collar. Ambiguous red marks on her neck, and purple bruises, were shockingly visible. “I’m sorry for the Carter family’s kindness, but Luke is worse than an animal!” James immediately took off his jacket and wrapped it around her: “Lily, that’s enough! Eleanor has already been ruined by your brother, what more are you doubting?” “I’ll say it one last time, hand Luke over! Otherwise, we’re done!” The crowd also began to murmur: “What does she mean? Would Eleanor really frame her own brother?” “I think she’s just trying to deny it! Quickly, bring that beast out! Such scum deserves to be torn to pieces!” But I actually smiled, under everyone’s gaze. I called my brother directly and put it on speaker. “Since you’re so certain, let my brother come here in person. We’ll confront each other face to face.” “I’d like to see how he was such a beast to you.” 2 But the phone rang for a long time without connecting, which puzzled me. With all this commotion, everyone was in the main hall. Where had that kid gone? James immediately spoke up: “Did your brother know about his atrocious acts and run away in fear of punishment?” “Lily, do you and your brother have no shame!” Watching James’s desperate attempt to distance himself, my heart turned to ice. Married for three years, he always harbored feelings for Eleanor, his childhood friend. I wasn’t unaware. But Eleanor was the Carter family’s chosen one, and my marriage to James was also supposed to be a love match. If he was unwilling, he should have said so earlier. Why would he try to ruin my brother’s life? “James, you seem even more eager to condemn my brother than a judge.” “He’s a grown man, where could he possibly run off to on Carter family property?” I paused, then changed my tone, my voice turning cold: “Or, are you hoping my brother ran away?” James was momentarily stunned by my words, then his veins bulged: “Lily! You’re still talking tough even at death’s door! This is the Carter family estate, not a place for you to make a scene!” “Since you can’t reach that beast, don’t blame me for being unmerciful!” He turned to Mr. Carter and knelt down directly: “Sir, it is my Howard family’s misfortune to have married such an ignorant woman, and to have such a scandal occur.” “To give Eleanor justice, and to provide the Carter family an explanation, I request to use the Carter family’s security team to search the entire city for Luke!” “Once he’s caught, break his limbs and throw him into the sea to feed the fish!” Eleanor, hearing this, cried even more frantically: “James, but Luke had a knife, he threatened me with it!” Bruises on her wrist were exposed, along with bloodstains from a knife cut. Immediately, a chorus of accusations erupted: “He even used a knife? The Smiths look respectable, but secretly they’ve raised a psychopath with antisocial tendencies.” “Mr. Howard is unlucky to have such a brother-in-law, but disowning a relative for justice, that’s a true man!” Mr. Carter immediately waved to the security guards at the door: “Lock down the ballroom, gather all personnel, and find that animal Luke for me!” Dozens of guards immediately acknowledged the order. James stood up from the floor, looking at me with triumph: “Lily, when your beast of a brother is caught, I will personally cripple him, and make him pay for touching Eleanor!” I watched James’s distorted face and slowly walked to a sofa, sitting down. I picked up a glass of red wine, swirling it gently: “Alright, then I’ll wait here.” “But James, how about we make a bet?” James frowned: “What new trick are you trying to pull now?” I took a sip of wine: “If my brother is innocent, I want you to kneel and kowtow 100 times in front of everyone, and then leave our home with nothing!” James immediately scoffed: “How could your brother be innocent? Are Eleanor’s injuries fake? Is her humiliation fake?” Eleanor also sniffled and chimed in: “Lily, I know you care for your brother, but the facts are right in front of us, you can’t deny them.” “Or are you just jealous that I’m marrying into the Carter family, and purposely sent your brother to ruin my purity?” James’s eyes grew colder after hearing Eleanor’s words: “Fine! I’ll take that bet!” “If Luke is innocent, I, James Howard, will leave with nothing and kowtow in apology!” “But if Luke indeed forced Eleanor, I want your brother to break his own limbs and get out of Boston!” I put down my wine glass and clapped my hands: “It’s a deal.” “I hope, Mr. Howard, your knees will be as tough as your mouth later.” Just then, a lazy voice came from the doorway: “Whoa, quite a party, huh? Heard someone wants to cripple me?” 3 Everyone’s eyes snapped towards the doorway. A silver-haired handsome guy walked in. James’s eyes immediately flared with rage upon seeing him: “Luke, you beast, you dare show your face again! Get him!” Several security guards immediately moved to pounce. “Wait!” I shouted, standing up: “Now that he’s here, and the matter isn’t clear, who dares lay a hand on him?” Mr. Carter also raised a hand, signaling the guards to pause. My brother casually tossed his hair. Many socialites in the room stared, discussing amongst themselves: “Lily’s brother is that handsome? Eleanor got lucky, if it were me, I’d have volunteered…” “Bah! He’s a rapist, what good is looks! Worse than an animal!” My brother ignored James’s murderous gaze and walked to my side: “Sis, I just went to get you that cheesecake you love, the line was a bit long.” “And now I’m back, why does everyone look like they want to eat someone?” My heart warmed, and I looked at Eleanor: “Eleanor, look closely again, was the person who forced you really my brother?” Eleanor immediately pointed at my brother and shrieked: “It was him! He dragged me into the lounge, tore my clothes, and said even if he killed me no one would dare do anything to him!” “Grandpa Carter, you must stand up for me! Look at Luke, how arrogant he is, he shows no remorse at all!” My brother blinked, looking innocently at me: “Sis, what is she saying? I don’t understand.” Just then, a man was pushed in by the butler. It was Oliver, the Carter family’s young master with a cognitive disability. “Eleanor, baby… in tummy…” His words were slurred and unclear. Everyone was confused, wanting to ask questions, and Mr. Carter also stepped forward anxiously. But upon seeing Young Master Oliver, Eleanor’s face immediately hardened with determination: “Luke, you ruined my innocence! My belly might even be carrying your illegitimate child because of this!” “I have no face to see Young Master Oliver anymore! I won’t live!” Eleanor finished speaking and slammed her head into a nearby pillar. With a dull thud, blood streamed down. The entire ballroom erupted into chaos. “First ruining someone’s purity, now forcing Eleanor to her death, these Smith siblings are too cruel!” Mr. Carter gave a command, and the security guards immediately pinned my brother to the ground. James, spurred by Eleanor’s blood, had bloodshot eyes. He abruptly stood up, grabbing a baseball bat, and rushed over: “Luke, you’ve done this to Eleanor, today I’ll make you pay with your life!” He raised the baseball bat. Aiming directly for my brother’s groin, he swung it down! 4 In that critical moment, I lunged forward without hesitation. The baseball bat struck my back, and I uncontrollably coughed up a mouthful of blood. James’s voice was vicious: “Lily, what are you doing! Originally, if this beast broke his own hands to atone to the Carters, I would have taken care of him for life out of respect for you!” “But now you’re as stubborn as him, so don’t blame me for being ruthless!” Eleanor, supported by others, clutched her head and stood up: “James, forget it. It’s my fault for being impure and unworthy of Young Master Oliver, it’s me who should die…” The surrounding crowd began to criticize: “Still protecting her brother, Lily is hopeless!” “Mr. Howard has been more than generous, I say just kill that beast!” My brother broke free, supporting me, his voice trembling: “Sis, are you okay? Don’t scare me!” I wiped my mouth, straightening up: “James, you’re so eager to silence him, could it be that you were the one messing around with Eleanor?” James immediately panicked: “Lily, what nonsense are you spewing!” “To clear your brother, you dare to throw dirt on me!” Saying this, he raised a hand to slap my face! My brother stepped in front of me, kicking him. “Brother-in-law, are you implying I forced Eleanor?” “Even if I were blind, I wouldn’t go for someone like that.” Eleanor’s face turned ashen, and she shrieked, her voice trembling: “Grandpa Carter, he not only ruined my purity, but he publicly humiliated me! How can I live like this!” James, ignoring the pain, hugged Eleanor tightly: “Eleanor, don’t do anything foolish again! It’s not worth it for scum like him!” “Mr. Carter, please preside over justice! I want him to pay with his life right now!” Young Master Oliver nearby trembled incessantly, clearly frightened. Mr. Carter’s face also darkened: “Miss Smith, facts are facts. You’ve broken my Carter family’s rules, and you should know the consequences.” “Guards, break Luke’s limbs and throw him to the dogs!” As the security guards surrounded us again. I looked at Eleanor: “You keep saying my brother forced you, right?” Eleanor’s face was filled with indignation: “Yes! He’s an animal, a pervert! He tortured me for a whole hour in that room!” “My injuries are proof! Lily, don’t even think about denying it!” I nodded, looking at everyone present: “Did everyone hear that? Eleanor admitted herself that my brother forced her.” People exchanged glances, confused: “Isn’t that obvious? What does Lily mean, is she scared senseless?” I smiled, then turned and walked over to my brother. He looked at me in horror, shaking his head and backing away frantically. But I ignored him, and ripped open his shirt. Everyone looked over, puzzled, and then froze.

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The Halloween season was approaching, and my two childhood sweethearts, who had cherished me for twenty years, abandoned my grandmother, who suffered from Alzheimer’s, at a busy intersection. She never got to see me one last time, dying in a horrific car accident. At the same time, the internet exploded with trending news: “The Two Lexington Brothers Race for Love: Who Will Win Her Heart?” It turned out they had abandoned Grandma to compete for the right to spend Halloween with my stepsister. Liam Lexington, who lost the competition, vented his frustration at me: “It’s all your fault for constantly calling me, otherwise, I would be the one spending Halloween with Mandy!” Jerry Lexington, who won, sternly warned me: “You’re an adult; act your age. Don’t dare call me on Halloween!” After Grandma’s funeral, I looked at an email in my inbox: “Ms. Phoebe Smith, please reply to confirm your participation in the Lunar Exploration Project! If confirmed, your identity will be concealed, and you will not be permitted to contact the outside world for five years.” I calmly replied to the email: “Confirm!” 1 I was at the hospital, processing a refund for a deposit, when a familiar voice rang out. “I just coughed, and you two overreacted, insisting on bringing me in for a check-up!” The two Lexington brothers, one on each side, carefully helped my stepsister, Mandy Perry. In the past, they were the two people who cared about me the most. When I was young, my mother had just passed away and hadn’t even been buried, yet my father eagerly brought Mandy and her mother into our home. Through their deliberate machinations, my father grew increasingly disappointed in me, eventually just sending me back to my grandmother’s house. From then on, I met the two Lexington brothers next door to Grandma. They pitied me, a young girl who had lost her mother and was bullied, and they guarded me like knights, showering me with all their affection and care. They promised to be good to me forever, but when Mandy returned, they broke all their promises. They knew Grandma was my only family, they knew she suffered from Alzheimer’s, yet they still carelessly abandoned her at a busy intersection. Mandy saw me first, flashing me a triumphant smile. “Phoebe, what are you doing at the hospital? Are you stalking us? Are you keeping too tight a leash on Liam and Jerry?” I clutched the settlement statement tighter, glaring hatefully at the three people before me. Jerry stepped forward, blocking Mandy. “Phoebe Smith, what are you doing here at the hospital? You told us you were busy with work and needed us to take your grandmother for a check-up, but now you have time to stalk us.” Liam looked at me with disappointment, shaking his head: “I can’t believe you’ve resorted to lying just to get attention! Phoebe Smith, how did you become so disgusting?” Hearing them mention Grandma, my heart twisted in pain again, and I lunged forward, hitting Jerry like a madwoman. “Shut up! How dare you mention my grandmother?” “You knew she was sick, yet you abandoned her alone on the road!” Jerry gripped my hands tightly, his face dark. “Phoebe Smith, can you stop being so unreasonable?” “We kindly took your grandmother for a check-up, we just left her at the intersection, it was only a short walk home. She’s not legless, why are you being so dramatic?” Even now, they were self-righteous. Grandma treated them like her own children; for over a decade, their favorite thing was to linger at Grandma’s house, eating her homemade meals. They had even promised to take good care of her. But now, they had carelessly abandoned Grandma just to compete for Mandy’s company. I couldn’t bear to imagine how helpless Grandma must have felt, facing so many people and so many cars, all while suffering from her illness. “I truly wish I had never known you!” Then there would be no hope, then I could still have Grandma! A look of shock and a hint of panic flashed across Liam’s face. “It was thoughtless of us not to take Grandma all the way home, but do you have to overreact and erase our twenty years together so casually?” Mandy’s eyes flickered, and she spoke in a saccharine voice. “Phoebe, it’s my fault for causing unpleasantness between you three! I’ll just stop contacting the Lexington brothers, please don’t be angry with them!” With that, she covered her face and ran towards the door. Liam and Jerry glared at me hatefully, “Are you satisfied now?” Then they both chased after her. Soon after, Mandy updated her social media. “It’s easy to cheer up an upset princess; all it takes is two knights and a Ferris wheel ride!” As a child living with Grandma, my greatest desire was to ride a Ferris wheel. Liam and Jerry promised they would fulfill my wish before I turned twenty-five. But due to busy schedules, it never happened. Now, they took Mandy to the place I had longed for. Watching them so intimately, with no room for a fourth person, I forced an ugly smile. I calculated that there were six days left until my departure. The day before I left was also my mother’s death anniversary. After seeing her, I could leave with a clear conscience. From now on, I would no longer bother the three of them. 2 Countdown, day five. When Grandma was occasionally lucid before she passed, she always talked about wanting to see her old house in the countryside. Now Grandma could never return, and I was about to embark on a long journey. I thought I’d go back and see her house one last time before I left. As soon as I reached the village entrance, I saw a large bulldozer mercilessly tearing down a corner of the old house. I rushed forward, wanting to stop it, but tripped over some loose stones and fell. My arm stung with a burning pain, a large patch of skin was scraped raw, and blood mixed with dirt made it particularly messy. I struggled to my feet, limping to the bulldozer and blocking its path. “This is my house! By what right are you demolishing it without my consent?” Mandy walked out from behind a large tree near the house, pinching her nose and fanning her hand. “This old, dilapidated house is an eyesore here; turning it into a rose garden would be much nicer for everyone to enjoy! Old things should just be destroyed!” Her words carried a double meaning, and her cruel face increasingly resembled the one from over a decade ago. Back then, after my mother’s death, I was helpless and could only fall asleep hugging her photograph every night. But Mandy, when I wasn’t looking, snatched my mother’s photo, forced me to crawl on the ground like a dog, made me eat slop, and in the end, she still broke her promise and threw my mother’s photo into a cesspit! At that time, she stood before me like a demon, laughing wildly. “If you want it, jump in and get it! Dead people’s things are bad luck, and your unlucky mother belongs with the cesspit!” I ran to my father for help, but was met with his merciless condemnation. After that, Mandy and her mother became even more abusive. They would punch and kick me at the slightest displeasure. My arms and back were covered with scars from their curling irons, and going hungry was a regular occurrence. Even now, seeing her still makes me instinctively afraid and wanting to hide. The two Lexington brothers walked out from behind Mandy. I remembered once, when I accidentally bumped into a lamppost, Liam and Jerry were so worried they took me to the hospital for a full check-up, terrified I might have even a minor injury. But now, they just stood by the doorway with their hands in their pockets, watching coldly. My thoughts returned, and the fresh pain mixed with old grievances made me tremble with anger. Just as I raised my hand to push Mandy away, she let out a delicate cry and collapsed to the ground. Liam and Jerry rushed forward almost simultaneously, scooping Mandy into their arms, tenderly checking her arms and ankles. When they saw the red marks from the pebbles on her hand, Jerry’s eyes turned red. Jerry, who was usually straightforward, kicked me to the ground, looking at me coldly. “Mandy is your sister, how can you be so malicious?” “Mandy, as a Perry family member, has a say in this old house. Do you intend to monopolize it?” “Just a few dilapidated rooms, even you are not worth one of Mandy’s fingers! Go apologize to Mandy, or don’t blame me for being rough!” The usually composed Liam, holding Mandy in his arms, did not stop Jerry’s actions, and his gaze at me was filled with disappointment. “Phoebe Smith, have we spoiled you too much, making you so audacious?” An indescribable sadness filled my heart. Years ago, they too had lived in this old house for a long time. Fishing in the river, picking fruit from trees – those were the most beautiful memories of our childhood. They once said they would preserve the old house forever, and one day bring their own children back to experience our childhood. Their “forever” turned out to be so fleeting. Inside the old house were still old photos of me and Grandma; I wanted to get them back. But Jerry blocked my path. “You must apologize to Mandy first, otherwise I won’t let you in!” Grandma was gone, the old house was being torn down. I just wanted to retrieve some photos of Grandma as mementos. Jerry kicked me in the back of the knee, making me fall to my knees with a thud. Mandy flashed me a triumphant look, then turned, putting on a delicate, pitiable expression. “Liam, it’s too noisy and dirty here, let’s go back, okay?” The indifference on Liam’s face faded, replaced by a gentle expression. “Okay, does your hand still hurt? Do you want to go to the hospital for a check-up?” Jerry also rushed after her, “Mandy, once this area is cleared, I’ll gather every variety of rose in the world for you, okay?” Coddled like a precious gem by the two men, Mandy raised an eyebrow at me, silently saying: “Sister, you’ve lost again!” 3 Against her, I seemed to have never won. She always effortlessly stole my things; once it was my father’s love, now it was the Lexington brothers’ affection. Countdown, day four. Returning to the apartment I rented for Grandma, her border collie, Buddy, was nowhere to be seen. The doors and windows were intact. Buddy was a very smart dog; he would never follow a stranger. I quickly checked the surveillance footage and saw Liam and Jerry had visited before I came back. They had always been good to Buddy, so I should have felt at ease, but for some reason, I felt a pang of panic. I quickly got dressed and took a taxi to the Lexington brothers’ villa. Before Grandma fell ill, I sometimes stayed at the Lexington villa. The brothers had specifically designed a room and walk-in closet for me. I pressed my fingerprint, only to realize that my print had been deleted from the villa door at some point, and even the password had been changed. It had started raining, drenching me instantly, but the unease in my heart grew stronger. Finally, just as I was about to call the police, the villa door opened, and Liam walked out, holding an umbrella. “What are you doing here? You’re drenched, are you trying to stage a drama?” I ignored him and walked straight in. But he grabbed my arm, “Mandy’s having a party, don’t go in and spoil the fun!” Stepping into the villa, I found a crowd of men and women, snacks and empty shells strewn everywhere, and even my bedroom and walk-in closet were ransacked. Seeing me enter, a guy with dyed yellow hair walked up and put his arm around my shoulder. “Whoa, is this a wet T-shirt contest? Come here, let me feel you up!” Jerry leaned casually on the sofa, carefully peeling an orange for Mandy, not even glancing at me. I remembered once, when I was out, a man merely whistled at me, and the two Lexington brothers ruined that man’s family. Now, this yellow-haired guy openly provoked me in front of him, yet he remained indifferent. It was terrifying how heartless men could be. I slapped away the yellow-haired guy’s hand and walked up to Jerry. “Where’s Buddy? Where have you hidden Buddy?” Jerry ignored me. Mandy walked over with a drink from the bar. “Phoebe, if you drink this, I’ll tell you, how about it?” I’ve been allergic to alcohol since childhood. When I was little, I unknowingly ate some liquor-filled candies and broke out in a full-body rash, which terrified the two Lexington brothers. Liam returned, carrying a box of liquor. “Tell me, where is Buddy?” Mandy poured a table full of drinks, then challenged me with her gaze. “Phoebe, you might have thought one drink was too little. Now I’ve personally poured you a table full of drinks.” “As soon as you drink them all, I’ll tell you Buddy’s whereabouts.” Drinking this much would be fatal for me. I looked up at Liam and Jerry. “Is this also what you want?” Jerry, with a casual swagger, his legs crossed, replied, “Mandy’s wish is what my brother and I wish!” Fearing something terrible had happened to Buddy, I stepped forward and picked up a glass from the table. One after another, the pungent liquid flowed down my throat, making me cough violently. My consciousness gradually blurred, but I still forced myself to finish the last glass. “Can you tell me now?” Liam and Jerry didn’t look happy; their faces were frighteningly dark. “Mandy is going to volunteer at an animal shelter, so she took Buddy home to practice.” “But that beast bit Mandy, so I beat him and sold him!” My body swayed, filled with resentment, “Jerry, are you even human?” “That was Buddy, Buddy who was with us for over ten years, how could you do that to him?” Jerry, publicly accused by me, looked annoyed and frustrated. “Just an old dog, how much is it worth? Here’s ten thousand dollars, isn’t that enough for you to buy another one?” He pulled out a wad of cash and threw it in my face. I couldn’t stand it any longer. Swaying unsteadily, my head heavy, I stumbled out. I had to find Buddy. He was my last bond in this world, the family member who would never betray me. 4 My head grew heavier and heavier, and finally, I collapsed. In a daze, I saw Liam rush over quickly. Countdown, day three. I woke up in the hospital, my whole body itching and aching from the rash. “You know you’re allergic, yet you drank so much alcohol. Do you have a death wish?” Listening to the nurse’s incessant chatter, I looked at Liam, who was guarding the bed. “Where’s Buddy?” He looked at me as if I were an unreasonable child. “It’s just a dog, why are you so obsessed?” My emotions suddenly crumbled, and I burst into tears: “No, Buddy isn’t just a dog, he’s my family. I’ve already lost Grandma, I can’t lose him too.” Liam, who had never let me shed a single tear since childhood, stared blankly at my tear-streaked face. “Phoebe Smith, can you stop always talking about Grandma? She’s so old, why do you always curse her to die?” My vision blurred with tears, “Didn’t you two kill Grandma?” Liam finally lost his patience, “Are you mentally ill? Do you have paranoid delusions?” “You truly have a malicious heart, even bringing up your own grandmother, with whom you’ve depended on your whole life, to curse her to death and gain sympathy!” I looked at Liam and gave a bitter smile. “I wish I were lying; then Grandma would still be alive and well…” “Enough. I’m too idle to sit here listening to your nonsense! Buddy was sold to the North End Farmers Market. Go ahead and be as crazy as you want!” I pulled out the IV needle from my hand, ignoring everything, and rushed out. Liam, for whatever reason, followed me. I searched stall after stall but couldn’t find Buddy. In my disappointment, I saw Buddy’s bell hanging on the door of a shop at the very end of an alley. But I was afraid, my feet incredibly heavy. Pushing open the door, I saw several people gathered around a stove inside. “Where did you get this old dog? The meat is too tough…” In the corner, a pile of fur was stacked, a color I knew all too well. “Ah…” I shrieked, violently vomiting blood, and fainted. Countdown, day two. I woke up in the hospital again, this time with a full house: the two Lexington brothers and Mandy were all there. Seeing me awake, Jerry scratched his head, looking guilty. “I just wanted to teach him a lesson; I didn’t know the person who bought him would… eat him.” Liam sighed, “This was indeed our mistake. When you’re better, we’ll go buy you another one.” How could they speak so lightly? That was the dog that had been with me for ten years, the dog Grandma and I considered family. Even if they bought a million more, none would ever be Buddy. I couldn’t shed another tear, turning my face away from them. “Alright, alright, you can’t blame the Lexington brothers. Who told that old dog to bite people so randomly!” I picked up the water glass from the table and threw it at Mandy. “My dog was fine in his own home; you’re the ones who came to steal him! Get out, all of you, get out!” They left, sheepishly. Countdown, final day. It was my mother’s death anniversary. I placed Buddy’s fur into a box, preparing to see my mother before I left. Early that morning, perhaps out of guilt, Liam, Jerry, and Mandy waited at the hospital entrance, surrounded by various offerings. In previous years, on my mother’s death anniversary, the two brothers would always accompany me, rain or shine. “Phoebe, today’s your mom’s anniversary, let us take you!” I ignored them, simply hailed a taxi, and headed to my mother’s cemetery. They followed closely, trailing behind me to my mother’s tombstone. Liam and Jerry, seeing the tombstone next to my mother’s, immediately teared up. Mandy’s eyes darted away, and she scoffed coldly. “Phoebe Smith, it’s a pity you’re not an actress. I can’t believe you even erected a tombstone here just to make us believe your grandmother died!” Liam frowned, “Today I’m going to tell Grandma that you, this unfilial granddaughter, curse her to die every day!” He pulled out his phone and dialed Grandma’s number, but it showed as off. Then he impatiently called his assistant: “Go to Phoebe Smith’s grandmother’s house now and have her call me back!” “Mr. Lexington, Mrs. Perry has passed away.” Liam and Jerry looked disbelievingly, huddling together to listen to the phone. “What did you say? We just took her for a check-up a few days ago, how could she suddenly pass away?” “Mr. Lexington, I heard she was hit by a car on the way home after her check-up. Her injuries were too severe, and she died the same day.”

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I was caught by Damon Blackwood, who brought people to expose my supposed affair. The man with me was his business rival. Reporters’ cameras and microphones shoved into my face, completely disregarding my half-naked state. Damon spoke with a tone of cool command: “Does Mr. Riley lack women so much that he’d even lay hands on my wife?” “Darling, come here.” However, I simply displayed my divorce certificate and marriage certificate, then linked arms with Ethan Riley. “I’m sorry, but we are legally married.” “Damon, you’ve forgotten, we’re divorced. You proposed it yourself.” He wanted me to get a fake divorce to frame Ethan Riley with my reputation. It’s laughable. I finally remarried, didn’t I? Go back? Dream on. 1 On our third wedding anniversary, I was getting an IV at the hospital. Acute gastroenteritis. I was curled up like a shrimp on the cold chair in the emergency room, writhing in pain. All around me, there was the noisy chatter of people, the cries of children, the anxious urgency of family members. Only my spot was quiet, like an isolated island. My phone screen lit up and dimmed, the last message still lingering from three hours ago, when I sent Damon: “Damon, my stomach hurts so much, I’m at City Hospital Three.” No reply. It wasn’t until the liquid in the IV bag was almost empty, and a nurse called out “Bed 23, medication change,” that I managed to raise my hand to press the call button. Just then, a red dot popped up on social media. It was from Sarah Miller. The accompanying picture showed a long, beautiful hand adjusting a diamond necklace around her neck. I had seen that hand for three years, touched it for three years; I’d recognize it even if it were ashes. It had distinct knuckles and a faint mole on the web of the thumb. The caption read: “After all this time, your taste is still the best. Thank you for the birthday gift, Damon.” The location was the city’s most upscale shopping mall, barely two miles from my hospital. In that instant, the cramping in my stomach seemed to spread along my nerves to my heart. I turned off my phone, pulled out the needle, a bead of blood seeped from the back of my hand, quickly congealing. It was late night when I got home. The villa was dark; Damon hadn’t returned. I instinctively went to the kitchen to warm a glass of milk. As I carried it out, the fingerprint lock on the front door chimed. Damon walked in, bringing with him a chill and a faint scent of perfume. It was Sarah Miller’s favorite “Desert Rose,” intense and bold, utterly different from the lingering smell of laundry detergent I carried. “Why aren’t you asleep yet?” He loosened his tie, tossing it onto the sofa without even glancing at me. “Today is our wedding anniversary.” I clutched the warm cup, my voice a little hoarse. Damon paused, then frowned, rubbing his temples impatiently: “I’m very busy, Evelyn. The company is currently bidding on that project in Southside, and Ethan Riley is pushing hard. I don’t have time to celebrate such a boring holiday with you.” A boring holiday. This day last year, he was at an exhibition with Sarah Miller; the year before that, he was working late at the office, having his secretary wire me ten thousand dollars. “I went to the hospital today.” I said softly, looking at his back. “Oh, aren’t you back now? Seems like nothing’s wrong.” He didn’t even turn to ask “What happened?”, walking straight to his study. “I have something important to discuss with you, come in.” The study was lit by harsh, pale light. Damon sat behind the large desk, his expression typically cold and rational. He pulled a document from a drawer and slid it across to me. I saw the words clearly—”Divorce Agreement.” My mind buzzed, but I didn’t cry. I just stared blankly at him: “Is it for Sarah Miller?” “Don’t get ahead of yourself.” Damon tapped the table, his tone carrying a business-like inducement, “This is strategy. Evelyn, you know Ethan Riley, he’s a lecherous, philandering man, but he holds the key vote for the Southside project. We can’t win by force.” I looked up, disbelievingly, at the man I had loved for seven years. “So?” “We’ll get a fake divorce.” Damon leaned forward, his gaze fixed on me, as if I were a useful pawn. “You’ll approach Ethan Riley as a single woman. He’s recently shown interest in you in public. As long as you can get his lowest bid, or catch him committing commercial bribery, this project will belong to the Blackwood family.” I felt all the blood in my body draining, my hands and feet frighteningly cold. “You want me… to seduce him?” “Just approach him, I’m not asking you to do anything real.” Damon’s tone was light, as if he were discussing tomorrow’s breakfast, “You are my wife, for our future, what is this small sacrifice? Once the project is secured, we’ll remarry immediately. Then, we’ll have a grand wedding to compensate you.” Compensate. Using my dignity, my purity, to expand his business empire. “What if I refuse?” Damon’s face turned cold, that fleeting hint of false tenderness instantly vanished: “Evelyn Whitaker, the Whitaker family’s finances still rely on Blackwood Enterprises. Who pays for your comatose brother’s monthly expenses at the nursing home? One should know how to be grateful.” This was his trump card. He had seized my weakness, precise and cruel. I looked at him, and suddenly his face felt so unfamiliar. When did the boy who blocked a ball for me on the university field, the man who promised to protect me for life at our wedding, truly die? Perhaps, he had never truly lived. The one alive had always been this shrewd and self-serving Mr. Blackwood. “Alright.” I heard my voice, dry, respond, “I’ll sign.” Damon smiled with satisfaction, walked over, and patted my shoulder, as if rewarding an obedient dog: “That’s right. Don’t worry, it’s just a formality. In my heart, you’ll always be my wife.” I lowered my head, hiding the ashen despair in my eyes. In your heart? Damon, your heart only holds profit; there’s no room for a person. 2 The formalities were handled quickly. To make the act convincing, Damon even arranged for the media to “paparazzi” us leaving the civil affairs office. In the photos, my face was pale, his expression cold, and the headline was a sensational “High Society Dream Shattered: Blackwood CEO Dumps His Old Wife.” I moved out of the villa and into an apartment he arranged. According to Damon’s plan, I needed to “accidentally” encounter Ethan Riley at a private party he frequently attended. That night, I wore a backless black evening gown. Damon had personally chosen it, saying Ethan Riley liked that style—both cool and alluringly seductive. The woman in the mirror, with her exquisite makeup, had eyes as empty as a puppet’s. The party was held at a mansion nestled on a hillside. I held a glass of champagne, standing in a corner, watching Ethan Riley at the center of the crowd. He was different from the rumors. Rumor had it that the eldest son of the Riley family was eccentric, changing women like clothes. But at this moment, he was dressed in a well-tailored dark blue suit, holding a stem glass, listening to someone next to him, a faint smile on his lips, yet his eyes were remarkably clear, with an air of casual detachment. Damon’s task for me was: to spill wine on him, to get his attention. What a crude and vulgar cliché. But I had to do it. I took a deep breath, adjusted my expression, and pretended to stumble, heading straight for Ethan Riley. The expected gasp and spilled wine didn’t happen. He caught me, but his elbow accidentally brushed my chest. We both froze for a second. “…Sorry.” He spoke first, his earlobes slightly red. I hadn’t expected someone like Ethan Riley to be embarrassed. This made me even more nervous—if he were an old hand, I’d know how to deal with him, but like this… “Careful.” He steadied me, his voice very low. For some reason, my heart was beating a little fast. Probably because I almost fell. Yes, definitely because of that. I looked up, meeting his eyes. He was smiling. But it wasn’t a mocking smile; it was a kind of playful smile I couldn’t quite decipher. “Miss Whitaker…” He paused, leaning closer to my ear, his voice so soft only I could hear, “Was this ‘falling into my arms’ trick taught to you by Damon Blackwood? Or did you come up with it yourself?” My mind went completely blank. How did he know? “Don’t panic.” He held my wrist, not tightly, but enough to prevent my escape. “Since you’re here, you have to play your part well. The cameras over there are all watching.” He said “part.” He knew I was acting. He knew everything. I opened my mouth, not knowing what to say. My mind was blank, with only one thought frantically looping: I’m done for. I instinctively tried to escape, but he gently held my wrist. He leaned down, close to my ear, a gesture so intimate it felt like he was whispering sweet nothings: “Don’t panic. Since you’re here, you have to play your part well. The cameras over there are all on us.” He then took the glass from my hand, tipped it back, and drained it, then raised his voice, with a hint of playful teasing: “This wine is excellent, Miss Whitaker. Would you do me the honor of a dance?” I was led onto the dance floor like a puppet on strings. His palm was broad and warm, and the heat transferred through the thin fabric, making my heart race with anxiety. “Why?” I whispered, “Since you know I was…” “Because I wanted to see how far Damon Blackwood, that blind man, would push you.” Ethan Riley twirled me, his gaze falling on my face, without any hint of flirtation, but instead with a… pity? that I couldn’t understand. “Are you also here to use me?” I scoffed. “Use you?” Ethan Riley raised an eyebrow, “What if I said I’m here to save you?” That night, I didn’t get the supposed “leverage,” but Ethan Riley took me back to his private villa. Not to sleep with me. He had the housekeeper make me a steaming bowl of noodles and even thoughtfully arranged for makeup remover and skincare products. “Eat and then sleep in the guest room. Don’t worry, I’m not interested in forcing women.” He leaned against the door, idly playing with a lighter, “Go back and tell Damon Blackwood that I’ve taken the bait. Have him send you the next phase of the plan.” I clutched the bowl of noodles, the steam stinging my eyes. “Why are you helping me?” Ethan Riley looked at me, his eyes as deep as the sea: “Evelyn Whitaker, you might not remember. Three years ago, you fed a stray cat by the roadside. It was raining heavily that day, you didn’t have an umbrella, but you left yours for that cat.” I was stunned. “At that time, I thought, how pitiful this naive girl would be if she fell into the wrong hands.” He gave a self-deprecating laugh, “Unfortunately, I was a step too late, and you married that bastard Damon Blackwood.” Over the next month, I became a frequent guest by Ethan Riley’s side. The outside world was buzzing, saying Evelyn Whitaker, fresh off her divorce, had already latched onto Mr. Riley. Clearly, she was a woman who couldn’t stand being alone. Damon was quite pleased with this progress. He even praised me over the phone: “Well done, Evelyn. Keep him hooked, preferably get the core data from his computer.” I held the phone, looking at Ethan Riley, who was sitting across from me, peeling shrimp for me. My heart was a mix of emotions. Ethan Riley was busy, but he never made me wait. If I casually mentioned wanting chestnuts from the west side of the city, he would drive halfway across town to buy them; if my stomach hurt during my period, he would cancel meetings to come back and make me ginger tea, and clumsily use his warm hands to rub my belly. No comparison, no harm. With Damon, I was air, a housekeeper, a tool. With Ethan Riley, for the first time, I felt like a living, breathing person, a cherished woman. But I still dared not fall for it. I feared it was another abyss. Until that day. Damon told me to go to his company to pick up a “fake” confidential business document, intended to win Ethan Riley’s trust. I arrived at the Blackwood Tower, and the secretary said Mr. Blackwood was in a meeting and asked me to wait in his office. The office door was slightly ajar. From inside, Sarah Miller’s sweet voice drifted out: “Damon, should we set our wedding date for next month? The weather will be perfect, and it won’t be cold for a wedding dress.” My hand, reaching to push the door open, froze in mid-air. Then came Damon’s voice, with a tenderness I had never heard: “Whatever you wish. The wedding dress is already being custom-made in Paris, by your favorite designer.” “What about… Evelyn Whitaker? Isn’t she still helping you with the mission?” “Hmph, that fool.” Damon sneered, his voice filled with contempt, “Once she gets Ethan Riley’s data and the Riley family falls, she’ll be useless. Then, I’ll just give her some money and send her away. If she dares to cause trouble…” His voice dropped, becoming sinister: “Then don’t blame me for abandoning old ties and cutting off her comatose brother’s medication.” Boom— The last shred of hope in my mind completely shattered at that moment. It turned out there was no “fake divorce.” It turned out there was no “remarriage compensation.” From beginning to end, this was a complete deception. He not only wanted to use me to bring down his rival but also to squeeze out my last bit of value, then discard me like trash, even threatening my only family member. I stood at the doorway, trembling all over, my nails digging deep into my palms, drawing blood. I don’t remember how I left. I walked like a ghost on the street, my mind filled with Damon Blackwood’s words: “fool.” Yes, I was a fool. Foolish enough to think that giving genuine affection would be reciprocated, foolish enough to help someone count money after being sold by them. I don’t know how long I walked before a black Maybach pulled up beside me. The window lowered, revealing Ethan Riley’s anxious face. “Evelyn! What are you doing here? You’re not answering your phone, do you know how worried I’ve been?” He rushed out of the car and pulled my cold body into his embrace. That hug was so warm, so tight, as if he wanted to meld me into his very bones. “Ethan…” I clutched his lapels, and my tears finally broke free, “I want to get married.” Ethan paused, then cupped my face, looking earnestly into my eyes: “What did you say?” “I want to marry you. Really marry you.” I stared at him, my eyes burning with the fire of revenge, “Do you dare to marry me?” Ethan Riley smiled. There was no calculation, no weighing of pros and cons in that smile, only the wild joy of having his wish fulfilled and a reckless, profound affection. “Evelyn Whitaker, I’ve waited three years for those words.”

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Three years after I died saving my best friend, I was reincarnated and born again into her womb. The baby inside her had tragically died due to the fake heiress, driving my friend to despair and the brink of jumping from a window. Inside her belly, I kicked and shouted: 【Girl, don’t be scared, I’m back! Give birth to me, and I’ll kick that jerk and his mistress to the curb for you!】 【You can’t die! I owe a mountain of debt in the underworld all for you; you have to help me pay it back!】 My best friend, Skylar, who was standing on the windowsill, froze. I quickly did a little flip in her womb and revealed a secret only we knew. 【Skylar, that Lamborghini you burned for me last year? I couldn’t even drive it. Did you forget I don’t have a license?】 【And that villa with the pool and all those male models? I sold them all. I really went broke to come find you!】 … Skylar was too shocked by my thoughts to speak. She lowered her head to look at her belly, then gave a self-deprecating laugh. “Kiki, I must be missing you so much to be hallucinating like this.” “Just wait, I’m coming to find you now!” With that, she leaned out the window again. 【No, no, Skylar Bishope! It’s really me, I reincarnated to find you!】 【If you die now, I’ll be completely ruined! Not only will I have to go back and pay off my debts, but no one will burn me fancy villas and paper money anymore!】 I cried out urgently with my thoughts, reaching out inside her belly to make a heart shape. Skylar’s eyes, swollen like walnuts, widened. “Kiki? Is it really you?” I quickly gave her belly a gentle kick. 【You idiot, it’s not a hallucination, it’s me! I’m really back!】 【I went through so much trouble, took out loans in the underworld and pulled strings to save you, and you’re trying to die!】 【Do you want me to lose everything and just let that jerk and his rotten mistress win?】 Skylar covered her face and burst into tears. “Oh, Kiki, I didn’t want this either… But Naomi Vance is already pregnant with Liam Knight’s son, that’s why she dared to hurt me. And the Knight family’s future heir can only be a boy; no one cares about the daughter I’m carrying…” I grinned, both triumphant and sly. 【That’s why I paid extra to change my gender, don’t worry! Just watch me crush them all!】 Looking at Skylar’s bloodless face, her red and swollen eyes, her messy hair, and her crumpled pajamas, my heart ached fiercely. She used to be such a vibrant, lovely goddess, yet that jerk and his mistress had ground her down to this. Those rotten scoundrels deserved to die! 【Skylar, trust me, give birth to me, and watch how I torment those two to get revenge for you!】 My words finally made her stop crying. “Okay, I believe you!” 【Good! Now go eat something nutritious; I’m practically starving to death in here!】 Skylar wiped away her tears, stepped off the windowsill, and started to walk out. “How about sweet and sour pork, steamed fish, and eight-treasure shrimp? I remember you loved those…” My heart warmed considerably. Of course, she was always the one who remembered my favorites. She took a cab straight to the city’s best restaurant and had a wonderful meal, then went to my grave to burn paper money to repay my debt. Hearing that I owed ten billion underworld dollars, she gasped. “Is reincarnation in the underworld really that expensive?” I chuckled, keeping her in suspense: “More than that, I also exchanged for other skill points. You’ll find out later, hehe…” An hour later, as we finished burning a mountain of underworld money. The jerk, Liam Knight, stormed over. “Skylar Bishope, what the hell are you doing?! The doctors can’t find you anywhere! Come back with me for the abortion!” He paused, seeing my tombstone. “Isn’t this that short-lived friend from your orphanage?” He sneered, kicking my tombstone. “What, playing games for sympathy again? Or do you want to go down there and keep being sisters with her?” Three years ago, Skylar was found by the powerful Bishope family, a prominent family in the capital, and became the true heiress. The night before she was officially welcomed back, she was almost kidnapped. It was me who pretended to be her, was taken by the kidnappers, and then murdered. After my death, Skylar was heartbroken and desperately tried to get the Bishope family to call the police for justice. But the Bishope family refused. They believed the matter shouldn’t be publicized, especially since it was just me, an orphan with no background, who died. If things blew up, and someone tried to kidnap her again, it would be real trouble. Skylar couldn’t change their minds, so she could only give me a lavish burial and then diligently investigate the truth herself. It was only after my death that I learned the kidnappers were hired by the fake heiress, Naomi Vance, and Liam Knight knew about it! He feared the Bishope family would trace it back to Naomi, which is why he personally persuaded the Bishope family to drop the investigation. And today, he dares to run his mouth at my grave? He deserves to die! No, I can’t tell Skylar the truth yet. She’s a vulnerable pregnant woman right now and can’t handle any more shock. 【Girl, go back with him. Let him see if you really need that abortion!】 Skylar sneered, retorting, “Don’t worry, how could I bear to die before sending you two rotten scoundrels to hell?” “You! Even at this point, you’re still being stubborn, huh? Let’s see how you explain yourself to my parents back at the hospital!” Liam Knight fumed, angrily dragging her back to the hospital. Naomi Vance, clutching her belly and with teary red eyes, came rushing over. “Sister, please don’t do anything rash. The doctor said you’ll be in danger if you don’t have the abortion soon!” “Even though you accidentally bumped into the corner of the table when you pushed me, we’re still sisters. I won’t blame you!” She cried, her tears like falling pearls, as if she truly feared losing Skylar, her sister. 【You rotten conniving cow, what are you pretending for? Skylar, punch her!】 No sooner had I thought it, than Skylar slapped Naomi across the face. “I accidentally bumped? You deliberately pushed me!” Naomi clutched her face, collapsing into Liam’s arms, sobbing. “Sister, I know you’ve always resented Liam and me, but that night was truly an accident!” “You didn’t want me to have Liam’s baby, that’s why you pushed me… I know losing your baby is painful, you can hit me or curse me, but please don’t try to end your life!” Liam protectively cradled Naomi in his arms, then backhanded Skylar across the face. “Skylar Bishope! You brought this upon yourself with your malicious heart, trying to harm someone, and now you blame Naomi for losing your baby?” “Thank goodness fate had eyes and made you suffer the consequences. You deserve it!” 【Damn it, that rotten scumbag dares to hit my girl? Drop dead!】 I forcefully kicked Skylar’s stomach from the inside. Puke! She precisely emptied the contents of her stomach all over the jerk and the rotten mistress. “Ahhh!” Naomi, who moments ago had been clinging to Liam like a little bird, shrieked, frantically shaking her dress. Liam’s custom-made suit was also covered in vomit. “Ugh—!” Naomi was so disgusted she started throwing up herself. “Who told you my baby is gone? My morning sickness is still this severe!” “Doctor, my baby isn’t dead, he just kicked me! If you don’t believe me, check again!” The doctor looked at her with sympathy, ultimately unable to refuse. After instructing a nurse to help her back to bed, the doctor began the ultrasound examination. The next second, his face changed dramatically. “How is this possible! The fetus’s heartbeat has actually returned, and…” “And its gender characteristics have changed! It was clearly a girl before; how can it be a boy?!” At that moment, Mr. Knight Senior and Mrs. Knight, who had just arrived, immediately brightened. “Dr. Hsu, what did you say? Is that true?!” Their voices trembled with excitement. They had initially believed Naomi’s words and rushed over to confront Skylar. They never expected such a huge surprise! The doctor pointed at the ultrasound image, nodding excitedly. “Yes, Mr. and Mrs. Knight, please look. This is the young master’s first full-face appearance on camera!” “It was a misjudgment due to the angle before. Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Knight, congratulations on your grandson!” The elderly couple grinned, their eyes crinkling with joy. Liam Knight and Naomi Vance’s faces turned ashen. “How can this be? How is this possible?!” If it were true, the boy in Naomi’s belly would no longer be precious! Years ago, the Bishope and Knight families had casually arranged a marriage alliance. After Skylar went missing, the Bishope family adopted Naomi. After years of nurturing, the Knight family also accepted her. She and the Knight brothers, Arthur and Liam, grew up together, their feelings strong. It wasn’t until Skylar was found that, to compensate her, the Bishope family let her choose her preferred spouse for the alliance. My best friend fell for the refined and steady Arthur Knight, but Naomi cried and refused. Liam, feeling sorry for her, cunningly arranged for himself and my best friend to sleep together at a banquet. My best friend had no choice but to marry him. Naomi also got her wish and married Arthur. But soon after the marriage, Arthur died in a plane crash. Her dream of becoming a wealthy socialite was shattered, so she turned her attention back to Liam, the sole heir. Not long after Arthur’s burial, she used the excuse of needing company due to grief and drugged Liam’s drink with an aphrodisiac. After a wild night, she got pregnant before my best friend did! Mr. Knight Senior was furious when he found out and forced her to go to the hospital for an abortion, but Liam protected her, threatening his own life. “Naomi is carrying my child. If you harm the baby, I’ll kill myself! Dad, can you bear to see our Knight family have no descendants?!” Mr. Knight Senior backed down. To cover up the scandal, he could only announce to the public that Naomi was carrying Arthur’s posthumous child. However, my best friend also found out she was pregnant half a month later. Six months into her pregnancy, Naomi constantly played dirty tricks behind the scenes to frame my best friend. She even exploited the fact that she was carrying a boy and my best friend a girl, brainwashing the in-laws. Fortunately, Mr. and Mrs. Knight Senior always felt guilty towards my best friend, so they still took good care of her. Now seeing that both babies were fine, the elderly couple even recited Buddhist prayers. “Thank goodness, thank goodness.” “Doctor, did you make a mistake? You previously said my sister was carrying a girl, and the fetal heartbeat had already died!” Naomi forced a smile, unwilling to give up. The doctor laughed. “The angle was blurry before, leading to a misjudgment. The young master has a strong will to live and great fortune, which is why he turned the corner!” Naomi was so angry she almost passed out, clutching her stomach and starting to cry in pain. Liam quickly helped her to another room. I sneered inside my best friend’s belly. 【Can’t handle this much? Your good fortune is still ahead!】 Over the next few months, both Skylar and Naomi entered confinement mode. Naomi’s pregnancy was incredibly tough; she suffered from morning sickness, fetal movement, frequent urination, and insomnia all day long. In contrast, I was exceptionally well-behaved in Skylar’s belly, even considerate enough to avoid pressing on her internal organs. Naomi’s complexion grew more haggard, and her temper became more volatile. My best friend, however, had a rosy complexion, radiating gentle maternal glow. Every time we had an ultrasound, I cooperated fully, showing myself off. I would even interact with Mr. and Mrs. Knight Senior when they observed. This amazed even the doctor. “Oh my! The young master seems to be waving hello to Mr. and Mrs. Knight!” “Is this the connection of blood? It seems the young master has a great bond with you!” The elderly couple beamed, their faces flushed with joy. Mrs. Knight Senior even reached out, tentatively placing her hand on Skylar’s belly. The next second, I did something that surprised everyone. I extended my chubby little hand and pressed my palm against hers, through the belly! “My precious grandson! My precious grandson is high-fiving me!” Mrs. Knight Senior trembled with excitement, holding up her hand, tears welling in her eyes. “Old man, look quickly! My precious grandson must have been born to be close to me!” Mr. Knight Senior quickly pulled out his phone and took continuous photos: “Record this! This child is so clever and so connected to us; he’s sure to be a pillar of the Knight family in the future!” The two of them began planning my birth gifts early. Naomi, hiding outside the door, clenched her fists in rage. A malicious smile flickered across her face, as if she had made some kind of resolution.

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The popular girl in school, my roommate, loved to toy with her impoverished, wheelchair-bound boyfriend, Danny. Once again, she told me to push Danny’s wheelchair over, kicking him into the winter lake. Suddenly, a stream of on-screen comments floated before my eyes. 【The pampered heiress female lead and the dark, secretly rich princeling male lead—this dynamic is my absolute favorite.】 【The worse our female lead is to the male lead now, the more intense their future love scenes will be! It’s just a shame about this pretty little cannon fodder. I wonder if the male lead will blame her for all the wrongs he suffered pursuing the female lead, and then have her die a gruesome death.】 【She deserved it, chasing money and doing bad deeds. She brought it on herself.】 【This time, the male lead almost died in the lake, finally giving up his pretense of poverty and disability, which he used to prove the female lead would love him no matter what. He’ll reclaim his identity and force her to love him.】 I paused my movement by the lake, then turned, jumped into the water, rescued Danny, and brought him back to my cheap rental apartment. I didn’t want to be cannon fodder; I wanted to be the main character. 1 Danny was unconscious for a long time. When he woke up, I was boiling water in a salvaged iron pot to give him fever reducers. A cockroach crawled past his foot, and his “disabled” leg twitched involuntarily, almost performing a medical miracle by jumping up. I pretended not to notice, holding the fever reducer to his lips, speaking hesitantly. “You have a bad fever. Take the medicine.” Danny’s face was unnaturally flushed, but that didn’t stop him from swatting the fever reducer away with one hand. His lips moved as if to speak, but I beat him to it, apologizing. “I’m sorry… for pushing you into the lake.” My eyes were red, but a forced smile played on my face. “I know an apology can’t make up for what I did to you, but please, at least let me take care of you until this cold is gone. Consider it my penance.” My hand, holding the cup of water, trembled continuously. Danny’s gaze imperceptibly swept across the damp, dimly lit basement, finally settling on my equally flushed face. “You have a fever too?” I widened my eyes slightly in surprise, shaking my head. “There’s only one fever reducer left in the house. You take it.” “Don’t pretend.” Danny sneered. “Every time you help Chloe bully me, she gives you money. After all these times, it must be a hefty sum. You can’t even afford a single cold medicine?” My body stiffened. The sole heir to the Thorne family, a titan in the business world, it would be effortless for him to know I was taking Chloe’s money to bully him. Seeing the mockery in his eyes, and remembering what the on-screen comments said—that after this, Danny would become the high-and-mighty princeling, and it would be harder than hell for me to see him again—this was my last chance. I lowered my head, stammering, “That money, it needs to be spent on something more important.” Danny impatiently looked away, about to stand up and leave, but the next second, he slumped back, half-conscious. Seeing that he was clearly aware but couldn’t wake up, I nodded in satisfaction, snapped a syringe, and tossed it out of the basement. Chloe’s money did indeed have a more important use—like buying a drug that renders someone immobile. Watching me laboriously carry Danny to the hospital, crying in fear yet still encouraging him to hang on, the on-screen comments exploded. 【Is this cannon fodder crazy? She pushed the male lead down then saved him, just missing his family coming to pick him up. If the male lead can’t regain his identity, how will he force the female lead to love him?】 【The cannon fodder has no money herself, what’s the point of taking the male lead to the hospital? I’m genuinely worried she’ll actually kill him by dragging him around.】 I certainly had no money, but I had blood. Carrying Danny’s burning body, I practically knelt on the ground, begging the doctor to save him, my sleeves rolled high on my arms. “It’s my blood donation time. Please take my blood. Whatever it takes, please save him. I can’t lose him again.” The doctor looked troubled. “Ms. Lynn, you’ve been chronically malnourished, and you donate blood every month to cover your mother’s medical expenses. You finally paid enough for this month in advance, so you don’t need to donate blood again. Why for a stranger…?” I interrupted him, speaking softly. “I owe him.” The doctor sighed, but agreed to draw my blood. I endured the dizziness from the blood loss, gently cupped Danny’s face, and whispered, “You have to get well, Danny.” “As long as you get well, even if all my blood is drawn, it’s fine.” In the end, I couldn’t resist the weakness from excessive blood loss and slumped beside Danny’s hospital bed, falling into a deep sleep. When I woke up again, it was already dark outside. I slowly opened my eyes and found a jacket draped over me. Danny was sitting on the bed, playing on his phone, his unreadable gaze fixed on me. I instinctively reached out to touch his forehead, sighing in relief when I felt it was cool. “Are you hungry? I’ll go get you something to eat.” I quickly stood up, but my body swayed for a few steps due to dizziness. A strong hand gripped my arm, steadying me and refusing to let go. “You almost killed me, then you used your life to save me. What exactly do you want?” 2 I lowered my eyes, and before I could speak, the doctor knocked on the door. “Your mother just woke up and is asking to see you.” No sooner had he spoken than I, without waiting to answer Danny’s question, tore my hand from his and rushed out. Sure enough, I saw my mother, thin as a skeleton, lying on the bed, her eyes open, anxiously searching for me. My nose stung, and I knelt by her bed, gently comforting her. “Mom, I’m here. Lily is here. Are you feeling better today? If you’re uncomfortable, you must tell me. I’ll find a way.” Mom’s shriveled, pale lips moved, squeezing out a few hoarse words. “Lily, let me… die. Mom… won’t get treatment… anymore.” “You study well, you… live well.” My heart felt like it had been hit with a club, the pain making tears instantly stream down my face. I quickly wiped them away, not wanting Mom to see, and could only repeat, “Mom, I have a way. You’re the only family I have. If you live well, I can live.” “Lily… you’re still young. So much money… what will you do?” I gently wiped away the tears from Mom’s eyes and smiled. “Don’t be afraid, Mom. I have a way. You always said I never lied, so I would never lie to you.” I don’t know how long I comforted Mom. When she lost consciousness again, I watched her furrowed brow for a long time before steadying myself on the bed frame and stiffly standing up. Exiting the ward, Danny sat in his wheelchair, having waited outside for who knows how long. I looked at him in surprise, then touched his cold hand, immediately wrapping my scarf around him. I crouched in front of Danny, looking at him intently. “Why did you come out dressed so lightly? What if you get sick from the cold?” “I’m sorry I let you starve for so long; I’ll go buy food right away.” “The money Chloe gave you, did you spend it all on your mother’s medical bills?” Danny stared fixedly into my eyes, suddenly asking. My eyelashes fluttered, and I nervously clasped my hands. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have helped Chloe bully you for money, but I was truly desperate. I couldn’t just watch Mom die.” “Then why did you spend so much to save me?” Danny gripped my chin, forcing me to look up, his brow furrowed deeply. He couldn’t understand. Tears shimmered in my eyes. “I used to have an older brother…” The hand on my chin trembled slightly. I pretended not to notice and continued, “He drowned in the river trying to earn money for my tuition and Mom’s medical bills.” Tears fell, one by one, onto Danny’s hand. I looked up at him. “In every nightmare since, I see my brother’s eyes, wide open in death after being pulled from the river. He was still clutching a hairpin he wanted to give me.” “So, Danny, I can’t let you die for me. I can’t have another pair of eyes in my nightmares.” I gently rested my cheek in Danny’s palm. “I truly regret what I did before, Danny. Please, give me a chance to make amends, okay? I’ll do anything, please.” He didn’t speak, only his thumb gently brushed my skin. I knew he meant yes, so I stood up and slowly pushed him back to the ward. 【The sky has fallen! The male lead just messaged his family, giving up on going back! How will I ever see my ship’s fireworks now? Where’s my favorite forced love story?】 【What’s this cannon fodder’s deal? Trying to seduce the male lead and climb the social ladder? Is she that pathetic?】 【The comment above is a bit harsh. The little cannon fodder doesn’t even know the male lead’s true identity. In her eyes, it’s clearly two poor souls saving each other, okay? The little cannon fodder is so tragic, with her sick mom and drowned brother. I actually feel a little sorry for her.】 【I only ship the official couple. I’m going to report this to management to fix the plot.】 The on-screen comments were arguing fiercely. Aside from the last sentence, which caught my attention, I treated the rest of the insults as background noise. After carefully feeding Danny millet porridge, I fetched a basin of water and started to pull down his pants. “Even though you changed clothes, falling into the water and not showering must be uncomfortable. Let me help you wipe down.” Danny raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure you want to clean me?” “Don’t worry, I often help Mom wash up. Even if your legs can’t move, I can handle it.” Determined, I stripped off his clothes and outer pants, only to discover Danny had an incredibly well-built physique; every muscle was perfectly sculpted. My face flushed, and I awkwardly cleared my throat. I cleaned the cloth and carefully wiped him down until a certain change became too prominent for me to ignore. I glanced at Danny in surprise, stammering, “Is… is everything… okay down there?” Danny, pretending to be engrossed in his phone, his forehead veins throbbing, reached out and gripped my shoulder, pulling me against his chest. He leaned down and bit my ear. “Wouldn’t you like to find out if it’s ‘okay’?” “Didn’t you say you’d do anything to make amends?” “So? Is ‘that’ included?” A thrill shot through me, and my entire body turned crimson. Looking into Danny’s beautiful eyes, I gritted my teeth and initiated a kiss on his lips. It was a wild night, especially since Danny often used his “disabled” legs to coax me into sitting on his lap. Danny stayed in the hospital for five days, putting me through the wringer. By day, he ordered me to massage his feet, feed him fruit, and attend to his needs. By night, he coaxed me into relieving his physical discomfort. It was then I saw Danny’s childish side: he was afraid of needles, and after a blood draw, he’d demand a hundred comforting kisses before he’d let up. His guard around me completely dropped. He followed me everywhere, calling me Lily all day, nothing like the “dark princeling” the on-screen comments described. It wasn’t until Danny had mostly recovered that I processed his discharge papers and pushed him to school. At the school gate, I knelt down to remind him. “If you feel unwell, call me. I’ll pick you up. I made ribs tonight; you’re just getting better, remember to come back and eat.” He sensed something was off in my tone and asked in return, “What about you? No classes today?” I avoided his gaze, not daring to look at him, and followed his lead. “Uh… no classes.” No sooner had I spoken than a familiar female voice rang out. “Lily Lynn, you still dare to come back? Don’t forget, you’re not a student here anymore.” “Tsk, tsk, tsk, poor people really stick together. I’m almost moved, hahaha. Danny, the only one you deserve is Lily Lynn. Dreaming of me is just that—a dream.” Danny’s eyes turned cold. For the first time, he ignored Chloe’s words, stubbornly asking me, “Don’t lie to me. Why were you expelled?” I lowered my head, remaining silent. It was Chloe who answered. “I told her if she dared to disobey my orders, she wouldn’t be allowed in school anymore. Yesterday, she disregarded me, insisted on saving you, and made me lose face. So, I had no choice but to have her expelled.” Danny clenched his fist, and I quickly tried to calm him. “It’s okay. This way, I have more time to work, earn money for Mom’s medical bills, and even your tuition.” 【I reported it, and I’m back. So what if the cannon fodder slept with the male lead? My official couple must be together.】 3 My voice, still trying to explain, choked on the on-screen comment. A profound sense of unease surged through me. I desperately clutched Danny’s hand, catching a glimpse of the black-suited men who had appeared near the lake that day. They walked in unison to Danny’s side. “Young Master, the Master has ordered you to stop playing around outside.” “Danny…” I stared blankly at Danny’s expression, which had become regal with the appearance of the men in black. My voice died in my throat. Danny imperceptibly frowned, letting out an impatient tsk, then stood up from the wheelchair and followed the men in black away. His indifferent complaint floated back on the wind. “The old man really has impeccable timing. I just found a new toy.” The car sped away, leaving me stunned, and Chloe utterly shocked. “He’s not crippled? Why did someone call him Young Master? What the hell is going on?” She stared, endlessly questioning me. I looked at the jubilant on-screen comments, too exhausted to answer Chloe. All I felt was despair. Was I truly destined to accept my fate, to be cannon fodder my entire life? 【Once the male lead returns, he’ll immediately inherit Thorne Group. Congratulations all around!】 【Danny’s first order of business will be to announce his engagement to Chloe. Then our proud little cat will become a down-on-her-luck kitty, and the beautiful forced love story will finally begin!】 【Cannon fodder, just die already, okay? You’re messing up the whole plot.】 I clenched my hands, but then felt a plain silver ring in my pocket—the one Danny always wore. My heart couldn’t help but pound. I shook off Chloe, who was still grabbing and questioning me, and coldly replied, “I don’t know.” Then I turned and walked away. Not until I could no longer see her did I pull out the ring with trembling hands. My heart suddenly settled. It seemed I had won the gamble. The streets were plastered with advertisements. Danny’s almost perfect face dominated the center. “Thorne Group power transfer successfully completed. Danny Thorne becomes the youngest head of Thorne Corp.” 【This ring is the male lead’s mother’s keepsake, only given to his future wife. Why is it on the cannon fodder?】 The on-screen comments further reassured me. I practically rushed to the hospital, crying and laughing at my unconscious mother. “Mom, I succeeded. You’re saved.” I sat quietly with Mom, waiting for the fruits of my gamble to appear before me. It wasn’t until late into the night that the ward door was suddenly kicked open, but it wasn’t Danny. It was Chloe, her face contorted with rage. She subtly raised a hand, and a pair of bodyguards rushed forward, pinning my shoulders and pressing me to the ground. Before I could react, a slap landed on my face, and my ears immediately rang incessantly. Chloe rubbed her reddened hand, looking down at me condescendingly. “Did you know Danny’s identity all along? And meticulously seduced him away from me?” I spat out a mouthful of blood, tears of pain welling in my eyes. “I don’t know what you mean. I just wanted to make amends to him.” “Heh.” Chloe sneered, leaning closer to me. “Danny gave you that ring.” “Daring to trick me all this time! Those strange words just told me everything. Wouldn’t it have been better for you to just be cannon fodder? The only one worthy of Danny is me, the true female lead.” “Those words told me the plot has been corrected. Don’t even dream that Danny will come to save you.” She pulled out her engagement announcement with Danny, displaying it before my eyes. Their names were written together, as if they were truly a match made in heaven. My eyes widened in shock, even my pupils trembling. She could see those words too, and the plot really had been “corrected.” “Will you hand over the ring yourself, or will you exchange it for your mother’s life? Choose one.” Chloe said lazily, as a bodyguard already had his hand on Mom’s ventilator. My breath hitched, and I roared to stop him. “No!” Tears streamed down my cheeks as I desperately surrendered. “The ring is yours. Please, spare my mother.” I took off the ring, still warm from my body, and placed it in Chloe’s pale, slender hand. I felt as if I couldn’t breathe. Chloe nodded in satisfaction, then suddenly pulled out her phone and aimed it at me. “You dirtied my things. I need some compensation.” “Have your fun, just don’t kill her.” In my stunned expression, the two bodyguards steadily approached me. I screamed, grabbing a fruit knife to stab them, but it was easily snatched away and thrown into the trash. The bodyguards grinned lewdly, tearing off my sleeve and pinning me down. “Cooperate nicely, and you might even enjoy it.” 【Cannon fodder deserves this! Getting in the way of the male and female leads, even being ground to dust isn’t too much.】 I wept silently, unwilling but helpless, until my legs were roughly forced apart. The second before my body was violated, a figure kicked open the ward door. “Who dares touch my wife?”

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The day the two boxes of oranges my mom sent arrived at the office was the day I found my boyfriend’s closest friend, Victoria, tearing my desk apart. “A twenty-thousand-dollar Van Cleef & Arpels,” she said, her voice dripping with disdain for anyone who cared to listen. “Besides her, the charity case from the middle of nowhere, who else in this office would even be desperate enough to steal it?” I stood frozen at the entrance, clutching the box of oranges. Tired of rummaging, Victoria plopped down into my chair, casting a casual, playful glance at Lucas Knight. “Lucas, darling, Nina’s your girlfriend. Can’t you just ask her to give me back my bracelet?” They had grown up together, sharing a bond that was different, deeper than any other. Even I, his actual girlfriend, had to admit that the effortless intimacy between them sparked a sharp sting of jealousy. Whenever they started reminiscing about their childhood, their shared history, I was always the silent outsider, unable to find a single foothold in their conversation. But this time, Lucas didn’t play along. He didn’t even look at her. His voice was a calm, level sea. “What bracelet? I’ll just buy you a new one.” The office erupted in a wave of whispers. “What does the boss mean by that? Did Nina really steal it?” “Why are you surprised? Everyone knows she’s broke. And she was the only one who left the office during the all-hands meeting.” “But that’s Van Cleef & Arpels… that’s more than half a year of her salary.” “I heard her mom had a reputation back home for being… light-fingered.” 1 I remained at the doorway, feeling as though I’d been struck by lightning. A tremor ran through my entire body. I had no idea that the same people who smiled and greeted me every day were saying such things behind my back. Just then, someone’s voice cut through the buzz. “Nina’s back?” The atmosphere froze. Every eye in the room turned to me. In that instant, I felt like a criminal under a spotlight, awaiting my sentence. I lowered my head, biting my lip, and saw Lucas turn to look at me. Maybe it was a trick of the light, but in his eyes, I saw disappointment. 2 I didn’t want to explain. I knew no one would believe me. “You know what? Forget it,” Victoria said with a flick of her wrist. “It’s not like I’m hurting for one bracelet.” If she had just said she might have misplaced it, the whole thing would have blown over. But what was this half-accusation, this insinuation? I refused to be a suspect, the focal point of office gossip. As Victoria turned to leave, I grabbed her arm. “The company has security cameras. If you’re accusing me, we can go check the footage together.” A smirk played on her lips, her eyes filled with a mockery I couldn’t quite decipher. I expected her to refuse. I never imagined the one to shut it down would be Lucas. He wrapped an arm around me, his voice a soothing balm. “Nina, that’s enough. It’s okay.” He always used that tone to comfort me when I was down. And just like that, the dam of humiliation and hurt I’d been holding back broke. “I’m not okay,” I said, looking down at him, my voice already thick with tears. “My mom sent me something. I left the meeting to put the oranges she brought me in my drawer.” All I did was go back to my desk to put something away. Something my mother had taken two subway lines to bring to me, all the way from her own small garden. But Lucas didn’t seem to care why I’d gone back. He said it didn’t matter, that he would handle it, no matter what I’d done. But that’s the point, I wanted to scream. I didn’t do anything! My reputation was more important than any amount of money! I insisted on checking the security footage. A flicker of impatience crossed Lucas’s face, followed by a derisive laugh. “Nina, come on. This is as far as I can help you.” His voice dropped, laced with a cold logic that chilled me to the bone. “Weren’t you just saying your mom’s sick and the roof at home is leaking? That you needed money for a new house? You’re desperate for cash. You have a motive.” He leaned in closer. “And the security camera in the office just happened to break today. You wouldn’t know anything about that, would you, Nina?” My head buzzed. Suddenly, something Victoria had once said to me echoed in my mind. You and Lucas are from two different worlds. I hadn’t understood it then, but in that moment, I finally did. It wasn’t a threat; it was just the truth. Lucas Knight, the golden boy who’d grown up coddled in wealth, looked down on the poor. It was etched into his very bones. Did he not understand how important a reputation was? No, he did. He just never believed me from the very beginning. Someone pulled open my drawer. The oranges my mom had brought me tumbled out, scattering across the floor. I watched, numb, as one or two were crushed under an careless foot. The last thread of my composure snapped. Lucas’s voice continued, oblivious. “Nina, I was already planning on buying you two a house. Why did you have to go and do something like this?” I couldn’t listen anymore. When I looked up, my eyes were burning. “Mr. Knight, my family may be poor,” I said, my voice shaking with rage, “but we are not thieves.” 3 The north wind cut right through me. I sat on the roof, silently eating the two oranges I’d managed to salvage. The rest had been trampled and ruined. When Lucas found me, his voice was tight with barely controlled anger. “What are you doing up here? Trying to threaten someone by jumping?” He gestured at the oranges in my hand. “And don’t eat those. They’ve been on the floor, for God’s sake.” I acted as if I hadn’t heard him. “Nina, are you listening to me?” he snapped. “It’s a bag of oranges. Is it really worth all this? I’ll have someone send two boxes to your desk.” Lucas rarely got angry with me. Normally, his tone would have sent me storming off. But right now, all I wanted was to quietly finish these last two pieces of fruit. He walked over and tried to drape his coat over my shoulders, but I shifted away. His voice was laced with disbelief. “Are you recoiling from me?” After a second of tense silence, he took a step back, his lips pressed into a thin line. He placed the coat on my lap instead and stood there, a silent statue against the wind. By the time I finished the last slice, the wind was howling. “About the bracelet,” Lucas began, “I’ll—” “Don’t bother,” I cut him off. “I’ll handle it myself.” His voice rose with impatience and confusion. “With what? Do you have any idea what your status is? How are you going to ‘handle’ it? Do you know how much that bracelet costs? You think you can pay for it with your meager salary?” I almost laughed. “Think whatever you want. It has nothing to do with you anymore.” I carefully gathered the orange peels from the ground, stood up, and started walking away. His voice, small and thin in the wind, called my name. I didn’t look back. 4 After that day, Lucas didn’t show up at the office for a long time. That was the last conversation we ever had. Victoria didn’t pursue the matter either, but the rumors didn’t stop. My department head started giving me strange looks, occasionally reminding me that the company would “investigate the matter thoroughly.” When I walked into the office, I’d see coworkers instinctively lock their designer watches, phones, and other luxury items away in their drawers. I would freeze in place, a heavy stone sinking in my stomach. I had worked for more than a decade to get into a top university, then landed a job at this multinational corporation, becoming a key player in my department. I never imagined I’d be treated like a common thief. I wanted to keep fighting, for all the years I had spent clawing my way up, but I didn’t know if there was any point in continuing this lonely, unsupported battle. 5 Soon, the final straw came. My mother suddenly fell ill. I had no choice but to take a leave of absence from the company, spending all my time at the hospital. While I was running around, taking care of her, I ran into Victoria in the main lobby. She knew my mom. The last time they’d met, she and Lucas had come to my mother’s small fruit stand. I remembered how she’d stood there, arms crossed, her eyes scanning the fruit with a critical gaze. “Are these even fresh?” she’d asked, her tone laced with doubt. “They’re covered in dust. You actually sell this to people?” Then, turning to Lucas, “You can eat it if you want, but maybe Lucas shouldn’t.” I saw Lucas take a bite, then his brow furrowed. He looked like he was about to be sick. My mother, flustered, pulled a few tissues from her pocket to offer him, but he just stared at them, motionless. It was Victoria who pulled out a pristine silk handkerchief and delicately wiped his mouth for him. Lucas and I had a huge fight that night. Snapping back to the present, I watched Victoria warily. She smiled. “Nina, it looks like you really are short on cash. Why didn’t you tell anyone your mom was sick? We’re all colleagues. If you had just asked, Lucas and I would have helped.” She held out a thick stack of cash. “What is this?” “Your mom’s treatment costs money, doesn’t it? You don’t have any projects right now. How are you going to pay for it on your salary alone?” She leaned in, her voice a conspiratorial whisper. “I know a great hospital that specializes in this kind of illness. I can help you get in. It’s far, though. I suggest you move there to be with her.” I stared at her, confused. “Do you know why Lucas hasn’t been around lately? He’s tired, Nina. Your family’s situation, and then that whole theft incident… Lucas has a lot of pride. How do you think all this makes him look?” Her voice was as smooth as silk, yet each word was a dagger. “But he’s too kind to be the one to say it’s over. So… I’m here. This was his idea, too.” Her words sent my heart plummeting into an even deeper, colder ocean, the pressure building until I felt like I couldn’t breathe. My body trembled. From my mom’s room, I could faintly hear the sound of her weary sighs. An invisible force was urging me to take the money, to agree. “Thank you,” I heard myself say. “I’ll resign as soon as possible to take care of my mother. I’ll pay this money back, too. It’ll just take some time. Can you give me an account number?” She raised an eyebrow, a mocking glint in her eyes. “I can give you the number, but don’t worry about paying it back. It doesn’t matter.” 6 I didn’t tell anyone I was resigning. I took my mother to that hospital in another city. Gradually, her condition improved. I found a simple job nearby. It didn’t pay much, but it allowed me to be there for her, and that gave me a sense of peace I hadn’t felt in a long time. Every month, I deposited a portion of my earnings into the account Victoria had given me. It took five years, but I finally paid back every last cent. Five years passed in a blur. I never thought I would see Lucas Knight again. It was at a colleague’s wedding. The guest list was a who’s who of the city’s elite. I didn’t want to go, but my friend had insisted. “I’m only getting married once! You vanished without a word five years ago, and now you won’t even come to my wedding? Is that all our friendship means to you?” she’d pleaded. “I know things ended badly with Lucas and Victoria, but what does that have to do with us?” She was the only person I’d kept in touch with. She could be blunt, but she had a good heart. I couldn’t refuse. Walking into the grand hotel ballroom, I was hit by a wave of opulence. This really wasn’t a place for people like me. But since I was here, I had to see it through. When I handed over my gift, my envelope was noticeably the thinnest. The person at the registration table was polite but couldn’t hide their surprise. “Are you sure about this amount? There’s no mistake?” I offered a faint smile. “No mistake.” As I took my seat, I immediately became the center of attention. “Isn’t that Nina?” “Why did she suddenly resign back then? We never heard a thing!” When Victoria saw me, her expression soured. “Speaking of Nina’s resignation, I’ve always been curious myself,” she announced, her voice carrying across the table. “I wonder if it had anything to do with that little bracelet incident? I hope it didn’t upset you too much, Nina. I’d already decided not to press charges. After all, everyone makes mistakes.” It was obvious she wanted to drive me out before Lucas arrived, each word more cutting than the last. I smiled. “Victoria, you seem even more on edge than you were five years ago.” I met her gaze directly. “Five years ago, I told you I didn’t take it. Today, my answer is the same. I, Nina, may be poor, but I am not a thief.” I took a step closer and lowered my voice to a whisper only she could hear. “And you can’t possibly think I don’t know what really happened to that bracelet, do you?”

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It had been ten years with Daniel, and for the first time, he baked me a birthday cake with his own hands. I took a bite, my heart swelling with joy, only for my skin to erupt in red, angry hives. My throat started to close. Vicky, watching me, clapped her hands and burst out laughing. “So Daniel was right! Some people really are allergic to cheap, artificial cream!” I begged Daniel to take me to the hospital. He just stared at me, his face cold. “An allergic reaction? It’s not that serious. Are you just trying to scare Vicky?” “I have to go with Vicky to shoot her vlog. If you want to go, go by yourself.” That day, it was a waitress who called the ambulance for me. Three months later, he finally remembered to call, his first words an accusation: “Sophie, are you done playing games?” The man beside me snatched the phone from my hand. “I hear you’re a great baker. We’re having our engagement party tomorrow. Why don’t you send a cake over?” Daniel panicked, but the line went dead. 1 The itching was unbearable, and a slow, horrifying realization dawned on me: I was having a severe allergic reaction. Ever since I was three years old and ended up in the emergency room after eating cake, I’ve known that imitation whipped cream was poison to me. And Daniel knew it too. My throat was swelling shut. I collapsed to my knees, gasping for air. “This has… artificial cream in it,” I rasped, forcing myself to look at the cake on the table, the one with a single slice missing—my slice. “Daniel, you knew…” Vicky cut me off, pointing at my face and howling with laughter. “Haha! Sophie, your face is so swollen you look like a pig!” “So Daniel was right! Someone really is allergic to that stuff!” She was doubled over, snapping pictures with her phone. Daniel’s face was a mask of impatience. “I know. So what? A little bit won’t kill you.” Vicky suddenly put on a pathetic pout. “It was my fault. I was just so curious if the allergy was real, that’s the only reason Daniel did it. If you’re going to be mad at someone, be mad at me.” I couldn’t speak anymore. If this continued, I was going to go into anaphylactic shock. I grabbed Daniel’s arm, desperately making gestures, trying to tell him to call 911. Vicky shrank behind him. “Danny, she’s scaring me.” Daniel violently shook my hand off, shielding Vicky. His voice was laced with disgust. “An allergic reaction isn’t that dramatic. You’re just trying to scare her on purpose.” “I have to go with Vicky to shoot her vlog. If you need a doctor, call one yourself.” And with that, they left, leaving me alone on the floor. Watching his retreating back, my heart felt like it was being crushed by a giant fist, a pain that eclipsed anything my body was feeling. So this was their birthday gift to me. At nine years old, Daniel had promised to protect me forever, to never let anything hurt me. At twenty-nine, he had shattered that promise with his own hands. Tears streamed down my face. If this was how it was going to be, then I was letting go. For my own sake. My vision blurred, and then everything went black. 2 I woke to a blinding light, and a large hand immediately covered my eyes. The clean, crisp scent of soap wafted from his sleeve, a scent that was inexplicably calming. Daniel? Had he come back? I knew it was unlikely, but a foolish sliver of hope flickered within me. I reached up to push his hand away, to see his face, but he caught my wrist and gently tucked it back under the covers. “Don’t get cold.” His voice was cool, a stark contrast to his gentle touch. It was Noah, my junior from grad school. The moment I saw his face, my heart sank. “Oh, it’s you.” I tried my best to hide my disappointment, but Noah saw right through it. “Who else were you hoping for? That useless boyfriend of yours?” He handed me a glass of water. “You’ve been out for a whole day. Drink something.” I took the glass, watching as he put the insulated thermos he’d poured it from back inside his jacket, close to his chest. It was the one I’d given him for his birthday three years ago. Seeing me staring, he awkwardly placed it on the bedside table. “I just… I just kept it because it’s good quality.” I didn’t press him. My mind drifted back to when I was eighteen, when Daniel and I had made a pair of matching couple’s mugs at a pottery class. He had held me and whispered, “These represent our love. I’ll keep mine until I’m eighty.” A few days ago, I saw Vicky post a picture on her Instagram story. It was a small succulent, planted in a familiar mug. The caption read: I said I wanted it, and he gave it to me right away. It’s perfect for my little plant! And there it was, Daniel’s mug. He had even commented below: As long as you like it. I’ll get you something even better next time. When I called to confront him, he got angry. “It’s just a mug, Sophie. Are you serious? When did you become so petty? We can just make another one.” After we hung up that day, I felt a profound weariness settle over me. He was the one who had forgotten his promise, but he was telling me I was the one who had changed. We had a huge fight. We didn’t speak until yesterday, when he messaged me, saying he wanted to celebrate my birthday. I thought he wanted to apologize. I never imagined he was just planning to deepen my disappointment. All the little disappointments were piling up, and the love I once felt was slowly eroding away. “Hello? Are you even listening to me?” Noah’s raised voice pulled me back to the present. “You knew you were allergic. Why did you eat it? You’re a grown woman, how could you make a mistake like that?” His face was tense. “They ended up calling me, you know.” “Was Mr. Wonderful so busy that he couldn’t even answer your call at a time like this?” I checked my phone. Three missed calls to Daniel. All unanswered. The nurse must have gone through my recent calls and found Noah’s number, since I had called him a few days ago about our mentor’s birthday. Noah was just getting warmed up. “He doesn’t even have time to pick up the phone? I think he’s just—” “Stop it!” My voice was suddenly sharp. “I’m hungry. Can you get me something to eat?” Noah looked at me, a strange emotion flickering in his eyes. Seeing me avoid his gaze, he turned and left, a shadow of disappointment in his posture. Watching him go, I felt a pang of regret for my harsh tone. He was still in his suit, obviously having rushed over from work. I’d heard he had recently taken over his family’s company; he must be incredibly busy. We were just friends, barely even in contact since graduation. I had no right to treat him that way. I was surprised he had even come at all. It was just… hearing him talk about Daniel made me feel ashamed. Even an outsider could see how little Daniel cared. I was only fooling myself. My phone buzzed. It was a new video from Vicky. She was a minor influencer with a few hundred thousand followers, famous for her schtick of “randomly” picking handsome strangers on the street for romantic-themed photoshoots. A year ago, she had “randomly” picked Daniel. I remember him sending me a special text asking if I’d mind. How ironic that seems now. From that day on, he and Vicky became fast friends. Daniel had opened a small dessert shop after college, and thanks to the viral photos, a lot of Vicky’s fans flocked to his store. After that, Vicky used the excuse of photoshoots to spend more and more time with him. I told him they were getting too close. He’d just laugh it off. “We’re just buddies. What are you thinking? Besides, her popularity is great for business. It’s mutually beneficial.” I believed his nonsense and watched as they got closer and closer, until he started prioritizing her over me. I steeled myself and opened the video. The title was “A Happy Day with My Temporary Photographer!” The video showed them at an amusement park, taking photos in a “princess and knight” theme. In one shot, Daniel was on one knee, kissing the back of Vicky’s hand. I saw a familiar look in his eyes—a look that used to be reserved for me. The comment section was filled with people ‘shipping’ them. “Wow, the sparks are flying! Someone get these two a marriage license!” “This guy has been in so many of her videos. Is something really going on?” Vicky replied with a blushing, face-hiding emoji. Her fans went wild. Even though I had already decided to let go, seeing this still sent a sharp pain through my heart. 3 My allergic reaction had subsided. Noah drove me home. A folk song I loved was playing softly in the car. I remembered how Daniel’s car was always blasting rock music. When I complained it was too loud, he said I was getting old, that my taste couldn’t keep up. But he was the one who had told me folk music was beautiful in the first place, the reason I had started listening to it. The singer’s gentle voice lulled me to sleep. I dreamt of my childhood. Whenever bullies picked on me, Daniel would always fight them off. When I asked him why, he’d wipe his runny nose, his eyes brighter than stars, and say, “You’re going to be my wife someday. I can’t let them push around my future wife.” But dreams end. Reality had taken a sharp, cruel turn. A tear escaped the corner of my eye. I felt a cool touch on my cheek and opened my eyes to see Noah quickly pulling his hand back. “What are you doing…?” “Just curious,” he said with a smirk. “I never thought I’d see our ‘Iron Lady’ shed a tear.” He’d given me that nickname in grad school because of how hard I worked. I jabbed him with my elbow. “Still making fun of your senior, huh? You’re asking for it.” We roughhoused for a moment, and it felt like we were back in school again, a comfortable familiarity settling between us. My mood lifted. When we got to my apartment, Noah just looked at me, as if he had something to say. His stare made my cheeks flush. I laughed nervously. “What, are you about to confess your undying love?” He didn’t speak, just kept looking. Just as the silence became awkward and I was about to make an excuse to leave, he finally said, “Take care of yourself.” I didn’t have my keys, so it was Daniel who opened the door. “What took you so long?” he asked, as if nothing had happened. I didn’t answer. The silence stretched until he finally put down his phone, the smile he’d had while looking at the screen vanishing. He looked up at me, his tone accusatory. “You’re not still mad about the cake, are you? Seriously? It was just a joke to make a girl happy.” “Daniel, a severe allergic reaction can kill someone! Is a human life a joke to you?” The casual indifference on his face made my heart ache. This toxic relationship wasn’t worth saving. A sweet, feminine voice suddenly came from his phone. “Oh, Danny, please don’t fight. It’s all my fault. I really didn’t know it would be that serious.” The voice broke into a sob, and Daniel immediately became frantic. “Sophie, when did you become so vicious? She was just having some fun. Besides, you’re fine now, aren’t you?” His baseless accusation made me see the man I had loved for so many years with chilling clarity. In his stunned silence, I slapped him hard across the face. “‘Just for fun’ could have cost me my life,” I said, my voice shaking with rage. “I was lucky to make it out of the hospital today. If I had died, would you have stood over my grave and said it was ‘just for fun’? What you did was attempted murder. I could press charges!” The word “hospital” seemed to extinguish his fury. He looked me up and down. “Hospital? It was that serious? Are you okay?” I slapped away the hand he reached out to me. He tried to say something else, but was interrupted by a noise from his phone. “Ah! There’s someone lurking outside my house! What if it’s a stalker? I’m so scared…” “Don’t be afraid. I’m on my way,” Daniel said instantly. He pulled a box from his pocket, placed it on the table, and headed for the door. “This is your birthday present. I’ll explain when I get back…” I knew he wouldn’t be back tonight. The so-called gift was a pink necklace. I knew instantly whose style it was. I didn’t touch it. I had a business trip for work anyway. I packed a few things and left. 4 Over the next few days, Daniel sent a few texts. I just replied that I was on a business trip and then ignored him. Strangely, Noah kept asking me out to dinner, saying he wanted to discuss our mentor’s birthday plans, even though there was nothing special about it this year. I returned a week later, just in time for my grandmother’s 80th birthday. In previous years, Daniel and I would have gone back together. Now… My mom texted asking if I was coming. I was about to say I’d be coming alone when a message from Daniel popped up, offering to drive us both back. I agreed, thinking it would be the perfect opportunity, with all our family there, to make the breakup official. I thought, at the very least, he wouldn’t back out of something like this. But on the day we were supposed to leave, he went silent. I stood at our designated meeting spot for hours. Darkness fell. I decided I’d just go by myself the next day. But then my mom called. My grandmother had fallen down the stairs. I tried to book a ticket immediately, but it was the start of the university winter break, and everything was sold out. Staring at my silent phone, I didn’t hesitate any longer. Daniel’s actions had erased any reason I had left to forgive him. It was better to rip the band-aid off. I typed out a text. “We’re done.” I was frantic to find out more about my grandmother’s condition when my phone rang. A familiar yet distant number flashed on the screen. It was Noah. The contact name was still “Junior,” a relic of a more detached time.

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Less than a month after we were married, my millionaire wife, Eleanor Croft, went bankrupt. Everyone laughed at me, the opportunist who’d made a bad bet. I ignored them. I gathered every penny I had, handed it to her, and said, “I believe in you.” For three years, we lived on nothing. We were so poor that when my father was on his deathbed, her company accountant couldn’t even scrape together the five thousand dollars needed for his surgery. I watched my father’s eyes close for the last time. I hated myself a million times over for failing to borrow the money, but I never once thought of hating her. Not until I saw a video from her company’s team-building event, posted by one of her employees. Finn, her handsome assistant, was wearing a Patek Philippe watch, the kind I’d agonized over but never dared to buy. He had dozens of them. The tie he wore required a fifty-thousand-dollar deposit just to be put on the waitlist for the full collection. 1 “Ms. Croft, wasn’t that five thousand dollars originally earmarked for your husband? Why was it suddenly reallocated as a bonus for Finn?” I was standing outside her office when I heard the accountant’s voice. I held my breath, my eyes burning as I strained to hear what was inside. Eleanor’s laugh was light, careless. “I offered to buy it for him, but he wouldn’t let me. Said I’d already spent hundreds of thousands on him, that he was turning into my kept man. The collection he wanted was exactly five thousand dollars short, and he insisted on earning it himself. Giving it to him as a bonus makes it feel less like a gift. It makes him happier.” I stumbled, nearly losing my balance. My father’s life-saving money was casually diverted to Finn for a tie, all because of a single comment? Then what about my father? And wasn’t Eleanor still struggling to keep her company afloat? Where did the hundreds of thousands of dollars come from? “Ms. Croft, the company has been out of the red for a long time now. We could have easily allocated another five thousand for your husband. Why did you have to take his money and give it to Finn?” Eleanor sighed. “A while back, Finn wanted to go on a trip, but your husband snatched up the very last train ticket. Finn missed seeing the sunrise over the Grand Canyon and was heartbroken for weeks. This was just… making up for what he owed Finn.” A bitter laugh escaped my lips. The day I bought that train ticket was the day I received the notice that my father was in critical condition. I didn’t want to bother her at work, so I hadn’t even told her. The train’s booking system was first-come, first-served. Just because Finn was a second slower than me, it became a debt I owed him? “Hey, Ryan? What are you doing here?” The sound of Finn’s polished leather shoes echoed behind me. The voices inside the office fell silent. 2 “Ryan?” Eleanor opened the door and grabbed my hand. “Aren’t you supposed to be with your father? What are you doing here?” I stared into her eyes. “He’s gone.” Her breath hitched. “What? Why?” “We were five thousand dollars short for the surgery. I couldn’t get it in time.” The accountant gasped, instinctively glancing at Eleanor. I caught the flicker of surprise in her eyes. “How could this happen…” Seeing her delayed, performative remorse, my first instinct was to slap her. To demand why she gave the money to Finn for such a ridiculously trivial reason. But I realized I didn’t have the right. Every cent I had was gone, spent on my father’s medical bills. I didn’t even have money for a funeral. The substantial savings I once had were handed over to her without a second thought the day she told me she was bankrupt. Now, I had to beg this very person to cover my father’s burial costs. Seeing me bite my lip to hold back tears, Eleanor rushed to wipe them away. “Don’t be afraid, Ryan. I’ll get through this with you. Even if I’m struggling, I’ll find a way, no matter the cost.” Even now, she was still pretending to be poor. “That’s right, Ryan. Ms. Croft may be having a hard time, but she’ll do her best for you,” Finn said, reaching out to squeeze my hand. My gaze fell on the gold ring on his ring finger. Finn quickly pulled his hand back, his smile a little strained. I understood then. Eleanor had bought him that ring, too. Perhaps out of guilt, Eleanor spared no expense for the funeral. She took a full week off from work to stay by my side. On the day of the service, I thought I could hold it together, but the moment I saw my father’s portrait, the tears came like a flood. She stood beside me, but her eyes kept darting down to her phone. Only when a relative approached her would she quickly put it away and force a somber expression onto her face. “Ryan, something’s come up at the office. I have to go, now.” She squeezed my hand tightly. “I’ll come back to get you when it’s over.” She turned and hurried away, her footsteps echoing her urgency. There was a time when she only moved that fast when she was on her way to see me. I didn’t stop her. I took out my phone and opened an account with the username “Finn.” Just as I expected, a new photo had been posted. It showed a view from the floor-to-ceiling windows of a riverside penthouse, a floor littered with empty wine bottles. The caption: If I just pretend to be pathetic too, will you finally look at me? It was tagged to an account with the username “E.” E. Eleanor. Finn. I can’t remember the feeling that washed over me when my trembling fingers first found that account and hit ‘follow,’ wanting only to watch the progression of their affair. After the funeral service ended, the account updated again. It was a selfie of a man being embraced from behind by a woman. His workout clothes clung to his perfect physique, hinting at the defined abs and V-line beneath. You couldn’t see his face. But the hand resting on his waist wore a wedding ring I knew all too well. The caption: I know you’ll never let me be lonely. “E” had liked the post. And commented: The one who loves you would never let you be sad. A low laugh escaped me. I stood in the empty memorial hall. The wind howled, and it felt as if I was the only person left in the world. Me, and my father’s portrait behind me. Eleanor never came to pick me up. Darkness fell, and the funeral home emptied out. Finally, she called. “Ryan, things at the office are a little complicated, and it ran right into a press conference. I’m so sorry I couldn’t get you. I’ll be done in two hours, tops. I’ll come straight there.” I laughed, sitting in the back of a taxi. “Don’t bother. I have a gift for you.” “What?” On my phone, a livestream of the press conference was playing. The large screen behind Eleanor suddenly flickered to life. Unspeakable sounds filled the air. On a large bed in a riverside penthouse, two familiar figures were tangled together in a desperate embrace. 3 A week ago, when I first found Finn’s account, I had already started preparing for this day. With my father laid to rest, I finally had the time and energy to deal with them. I am not the kind of person who swallows humiliation. My revenge had to be public, absolute. I wanted to ruin them. And there was no better stage than a press conference. By the time I arrived, the venue was in chaos. The reporters’ questions had shifted from company matters to Eleanor Croft’s extramarital affair. Then they saw me. A path spontaneously cleared for me through the crowd. “Ryan?” Eleanor stared at me in disbelief. Finn cowered behind her, his eyes wide with terror. “Ryan…” SLAP! A sharp slap echoed as my hand connected with her face. Eleanor winced. “Ryan!” SLAP! Another one, just as hard. She looked at me, stunned. “Who did you give the five thousand dollars to?” Her breath caught. “You… you know?” SLAP! A third. “Do you have any idea it was only five thousand dollars! With that money, my father could have lived!” At the mention of the man who had cared for her as a child, Eleanor looked down, silent. But the reporters smelled blood and swarmed forward. “Mr. Cole, what five thousand dollars? Could you tell us more?” “You want to know?” I gestured. The large screen changed again. “Then watch closely.” I had compiled everything into a presentation over the past week. “This five thousand was originally allocated by my wife for my father’s surgery, but her assistant…” “Enough!” A hand clamped over my mouth. Eleanor kicked the screen viciously, causing half of it to distort into a mess of pixels. “Eleanor! Let go of me!” She gripped my wrist, dragging me toward the private elevator. In the CEO’s office, she threw me onto the sofa. “You recorded those videos?” I let out a cold laugh. “Yes. What about it? Did you really think I didn’t hear your conversation with the accountant that day? I looked up Finn’s address as soon as I got home. You have some nerve, Ms. Croft. A riverside penthouse for an assistant, while I was still living in a rented apartment with you!” “That’s enough!” Eleanor’s chest heaved. “You don’t understand. During my hardest days, he was the one by my side. He stayed up all night with me, pored over financial reports with me, met with clients with me! Now that I’ve succeeded, don’t I owe him this?” I thought I had misheard. “He was with you? Then what about me?” Eleanor froze. “Eleanor, was he the one who gave you the start-up capital after you went bankrupt? When the debt collectors came, was he the one who refused to give up your location, even when they held a knife to his back? Did he give you every last penny he had? Was he the one crammed into that tiny apartment with you, eating instant ramen, or was that ME?” Her mouth opened, but no words came out. She avoided my gaze. I laughed bitterly. “You don’t want to answer? Fine, I’ll answer for you. He did NONE of that! The only person who walked through hell with you from start to finish was ME!” “I said, that’s enough!” she roared. The sudden outburst startled me. She stared at me, her eyes burning. “You’re only saying all this to remind me of how much you sacrificed, aren’t you? I was worried you’d hold your help over my head, that you’d demand a fortune once you found out I was back on my feet! That would have destroyed our relationship, which is why I hid it from you. But he’s different! Even after I spent hundreds of thousands on him, he still wanted to earn that last five thousand himself! Do you understand now? That’s the difference between you two. That’s why I favor him and guard myself against you.” An unexpected laugh escaped me. “So, you thought I married you as an investment?” She pressed her lips together. “Didn’t you?” I turned away, using a bitter smile to hide the tears in my eyes. “Fine. Let’s say I was only after your money. Then tell me, Eleanor, what kind of man seduces his savior’s wife?” Eleanor’s breath caught. She probably remembered. Without me, Finn would have died at the hands of those thugs. 4 Finn was handsome. He had the kind of face that women instinctively wanted to protect and adore, which naturally made him a target for jealousy. He’d been bullied and harassed his entire life. Until the day I walked into an alley armed with a steel pipe. I came out with a fractured leg and a split lip. Finn, apart from the endless stream of tears, was untouched. From then on, he became my loyal protégé. I decided to see it through and got him a job at Eleanor’s company. Eleanor despised incompetence. She complained more than once about the deadweight I had saddled her with. It took all my pleading to convince her not to fire him, to save him from being sold to a brothel by his gambling-addicted mother. Then she went bankrupt. We were too busy scrambling for rent and food to argue about him anymore. But I never imagined that while we were fighting for our survival, Finn had never truly suffered at all. The savings I gave Eleanor weren’t just to keep the company from folding. A large portion of it went to ensuring that Finn, the assistant, was completely unaffected by the bankruptcy. “Name your price. What will it take for you to leave him alone?” Eleanor’s voice was devoid of emotion. I looked at her and sneered. “I don’t want money. I want his life ruined.” She frowned. “Impossible.” “Eleanor, are you really this protective of him now?” A complex emotion flickered in her eyes. “It doesn’t matter. You’ve lost your chance.” A cry echoed from outside the door. Eleanor’s head shot up. “Finn!” She threw the door open. Finn was being dragged by his collar, slapped repeatedly across the face. “You worthless piece of trash! You can do this disgusting thing, but I can’t bear the shame!” a man roared. “Sir!” Eleanor cried out, panicked. Finn’s father bellowed back. “Stay away! I’m disciplining my own son! What’s it to you?” “Dad, I…” “Shut up! Have you forgotten who saved you? Who broke his leg for you? You could have been with anyone, but you just had to be a homewrecker, didn’t you?” SLAP! SLAP! Two more resounding smacks, splitting Finn’s lip. Camera flashes went off relentlessly. The reporters captured every moment. After I’d saved Finn, his father and I had always been on good terms. I’d visit him during the holidays, just like I visited my own father. “You animal! Why did I have a son like you! If you love being a homewrecker so much, you can do it after I’m dead!” He turned and lunged for the window. Finn panicked, but he was too slow to stop him. “Sir!” Eleanor screamed. “Finn is not a homewrecker!” His father stopped and turned. A bright red marriage certificate was brought out. Eleanor opened it, revealing a photo of her and Finn, stamped with a clear, official seal. “Finn and I are legally married. Ryan Cole is the real homewrecker.” My breath caught in my throat. Finn’s father looked from her to me, utterly bewildered. “If you’re married, then Ryan is…” I pulled out my own marriage certificate with Eleanor, staring her down. “If you married him, then what is this?”

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