1 For eight years, I, Abby Sullivan, was the top sales executive at Marcus Parker’s company and his secret lover. I overheard him complaining to his friends after a few drinks. “Just thinking about Abby wining and dining, and sleeping with, those investors… it disgusts me.” “Not to mention her family is a bunch of nobodies, and my company is about to go public.” The man who once promised to love me forever. Now, he was passionately kissing a younger woman. I opened my phone camera, saved the video evidence, and then called my father. “Dad, cut off all investments in Parker Group.” “That graduate student you mentioned earlier sounds good. I’d like to meet him.” … It was a rainy summer, and I didn’t wait in the car as usual. Instead, I arrived early at the private room where Marcus was. Before I even pushed the door open, I heard his distinctly slurred voice. “Abby is good at everything.” At that, a faint smile touched my lips, but his next sentence instantly froze it. “It’s just a shame she’s so clueless, thinking I’d marry her after what she did.” His voice carried a hint of disdain, as if discussing something utterly ridiculous. “I don’t have any strange fetishes. You could find someone cleaner on any street corner.” Laughter and echoing agreement filled the air. My hands clenched, nails digging deep into my palms. “So, will you marry me?” A woman’s coquettish voice abruptly cut through the chatter. Peeking through the crack in the door, I saw Marcus curve his lips into a smirk and pull the woman into his embrace. The man who had always been so reserved and proper around me was now publicly kissing another woman, pinning her beneath him. I used to think he wasn’t passionate enough in relationships; he said it was his nature, and I believed him. Turns out, he simply saved all his passion for someone else. His friends, seeing the awkward situation, wisely distanced themselves. A clueless young man piped up, “So, what do we call them both now? We can’t call both of them ‘ma’am,’ can we?” “Don’t be stupid, Marcus never acknowledged Abby’s status.” “Look, it’s a long story, but Marcus would never marry a woman who isn’t clean.” I leaned against the wall, listening to them dissect my past with Marcus. Just then, my phone vibrated with an AirDrop notification. I accepted it. It was a photo. The main subjects were the two inside, locked in a heated embrace, naked and intertwined in sleep. Immediately after, Seraphina Miller smugly flashed her phone at me, sending a message. “Abby, I really pity Marcus. He’s forced to stay with you because of some obligation. But you probably don’t know this, do you? Every time he touches you, he feels sick for a week and comes to me for comfort.” “He says every time he touches you, he just pictures you giving yourself to some old man for an investment. So dirty!” So, that’s why Marcus never acknowledged me? My blood ran cold, a chill seeping through my entire body. Five years ago, the Parker family was on the brink of bankruptcy. Marcus was desperate, pleading with everyone to save the Parker Group. My family was incredibly wealthy, but we had a strict family rule: no one could use the family name for personal gain. To help him, I accompanied him to countless business dinners, dealing with investors more times than I could count. During that period, I’d drink until I vomited, then drink again. A few times, I was even hospitalized for stomach bleeding. I still remember lying in that hospital bed, and Marcus, with reddened eyes, promising he’d never betray me. Then came a crucial investment for Parker Group. To secure the deal, I left the hospital and went straight to a drinking engagement with the investor, almost blacking out by the end. Luckily, my father’s good friend, Mr. Harrison, saw my condition. He intervened, took me away, and booked a hotel room for me to rest. I returned the next day, and Marcus looked at me with a strange expression. Curious, I asked what was wrong. He didn’t speak, just held me tightly, repeatedly saying, “You’ve been through so much.” At the time, I thought he was referring to me drinking myself to the point of throwing up blood. But I never imagined that, from that moment on, he had begun to see me as a woman who would sell her body for money. Seraphina’s messages continued, breaking my train of thought. “Oh, and one more thing. I’m pregnant with Marcus’s child. We’ll be making it official soon. If you’re smart, you’ll leave quietly. Being a mistress isn’t exactly honorable, you know.” My heart felt like it had been pierced by a sharp blade, and I nearly lost my footing. Seraphina saw the pallor of my face, raised an eyebrow triumphantly, and stepped away from Marcus’s embrace. “Be gentle, what if you scare the baby in my belly?” Before Marcus could speak, the clueless young man finally seemed to grasp the situation and quickly tried to curry favor. “Congratulations to Marcus and the future Mrs. Parker, may you have a long and happy life together and many children.” Marcus frowned slightly, his face devoid of much emotion. “Who I marry is not for you to say. Keep your mouth shut. If Abby finds out, I will make you regret it.” “I won’t marry Abby, but she’ll always be the woman I love most. You better show her some respect.” He straightened his clothes, then checked his phone. By habit, I should have contacted him by now. His breath hitched, a flicker of panic in his eyes, as he quickly tapped on his phone. Soon, my phone received his message: “Abby, where are you?” I took a deep breath and replied, “It’s raining today, I can’t pick you up.” He read the message, his brow relaxing slightly, then turned back, kissed Seraphina’s cheek, and whispered: “Be good, I need to go home.” Seraphina grabbed his hand, trying to stop him. He pulled away without hesitation, feigning deep affection. “I have to go back to her. She doesn’t like rainy weather.” I watched the scene with cold eyes, then turned and walked away. I then called my father. “Dad, terminate all investments in Parker Group.” “Pick me up in a few days. I’m coming home.” When Marcus returned home, he transformed back into the familiar man I knew. He held a bouquet of flowers and leaned in affectionately. “I’m sorry, Abby, I’m late.” Aside from the heavy scent of his cologne, there was no other sign of his deception. I instinctively recoiled. His face stiffened, then as if remembering something, he quickly offered an explanation. “I drank too much today, didn’t want to bother you with the smell. Are you hungry? I’ll make you something delicious.” With that, he rolled up his sleeves and hurried into the kitchen. The once pampered young man who never touched a dish, now the CEO of a company. Because I had a sensitive stomach, he learned to cook, and when he was home, he never let anyone else do it. If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, anyone would believe he loved me desperately. It was amazing how long he’d kept up the act. During dinner, I said casually: “Let’s go to the hospital tomorrow for a check-up.” His face fell, and he asked with concern, “What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?” The usual comforting concern. I shook my head. “Nothing, it’s just time for my annual physical.” He breathed a sigh of relief, smiling and nodding in agreement. But a moment later, Marcus seemed to remember something, his brow furrowing with a look of difficulty: “Abby, I just remembered I have to entertain an important client tomorrow. I can’t reschedule.” I lowered my head, continuing to eat. The air instantly thickened. He glanced at me, then cautiously spoke. “Are you mad?” “I’ll reschedule then. Nothing is more important than your health.” I looked up at him; his gaze was open, devoid of any guilt. “It’s fine, it doesn’t have to be tomorrow.” I chuckled, my nerves numb from the day’s intense emotional rollercoaster. My phone screen glowed beside me, displaying a message Seraphina had sent shortly before: “Tomorrow Marcus is taking me for my prenatal check-up. He’s so excited about this baby.” “By the way, don’t bother Marcus too much lately. I’m pregnant, and if he gets upset, I won’t be able to help him.” After dinner, Marcus affectionately put his arm around me. “Abby, you’re so quiet today, I’m not used to it.” The moment his body heat pressed against me from behind, a powerful surge of nausea rose in my throat, an urge I could no longer suppress. I violently pulled away from his embrace and rushed into the bathroom. Marcus followed anxiously, reaching out to rub my back. I flinched and slapped his hand away. “Don’t touch me!” Marcus froze, his eyes filled with hurt. I still couldn’t help but ask what was on my mind: “Five years ago that night, if I told you nothing happened, would you believe me?” Marcus looked startled, then curved his lips, feigning ignorance. “What happened five years ago?” A cold laugh echoed in my heart. I turned my head away, no longer engaging with him. The next day, I arranged for a hospital stay for a full body check-up. Marcus was too dirty; I didn’t want any lingering consequences for my own body. Unexpectedly, I ran straight into Marcus and Seraphina. Marcus had Seraphina tightly in his arms, soothing her in hushed tones: “It’s alright, the doctor said it’s nothing serious, just try not to get too emotional.” As he spoke, Marcus seemed to sense something, suddenly turning his head and meeting my gaze directly. The moment he saw me, his face instantly turned ashen. He immediately released Seraphina and quickly walked towards me. “Abby, don’t misunderstand. She’s my client’s wife. The client had an urgent matter and asked me to bring her to the hospital.” He explained frantically, his excuses full of holes. I didn’t bother to expose him, merely replying with a bland, “You’ve always been so helpful, I know that much about you.” Seraphina stood nearby, watching our act with keen interest, then suddenly let out a gasp. “Oh, my stomach hurts so much.” Marcus looked at me with an almost pleading expression, as if I were the villain breaking up a loving couple. I felt nothing but utter absurdity, and spoke coldly: “What are you waiting for? Don’t delay the child.” He gave me a deep look, and for once, stopped acting, helping Seraphina to leave. In the afternoon, Seraphina came to my hospital room, her tone triumphant. “Marcus had someone check, and I’m carrying a boy.” She paused, then spoke maliciously, “How could you accept such an old man? You really have no shame. No wonder Marcus reacts so strongly every time he touches you.” I glanced at her, “Sounds like Ms. Miller knows a lot about old men.” A flicker of panic crossed her eyes, but before I could delve deeper, Seraphina composed herself. “If I were you, I would have left in shame ages ago, instead of clinging to a man you can’t keep, all because of some old debt of gratitude.” I laughed mockingly. “If you were truly so confident, why do you keep coming to provoke me? It’s only because you’re unsure of what Marcus will choose.” Seraphina seemed to have her insecurities exposed, and she immediately became enraged, raising her hand to slap me. I instinctively dodged, and she, having put too much force into her swing, lost her balance and stumbled a few steps. Familiar footsteps sounded outside the door. Seraphina immediately gasped and collapsed to the floor. “Abby, I only came to say hello because I’m close with Marcus. I didn’t mean anything else. How could you do this to me?” At that moment, the hospital room door opened. Marcus, for the first time, lost his composure in front of me. He demanded furiously: “What are you doing! Seraphina is pregnant!” He rushed to help Seraphina up, anxiously checking on her. “If I say it wasn’t me, will you believe it?” Marcus sneered. “Are you trying to say she’s slandering you with her baby? Abby, you disappoint me so much!” I scoffed, then raised my hand and slapped him across the face. “That’s what I should be saying.” “Marcus, you disappoint me deeply.” After my medical examination, back in my room, the nurse brought my meal. As I was about to eat, Mrs. Parker burst through the door, yelling. She rushed at me, trying to slap me. “Abby, how dare you bully my son and my grandchild!” I dodged her, immediately understanding. She couldn’t fight me, so she ran to his parents. Mrs. Parker, seeing me dodge, became even more agitated, her spit almost hitting my face. “My son has been more than generous to you. A dirty thing like you, my son cherished and pampered for so many years. How can you do this to him now?” “You didn’t really think a woman like you could join our family, did you? I’m telling you today, Seraphina is the only daughter-in-law I’ll ever acknowledge!” His mother had always looked down on me. I used to not know why, thinking I simply wasn’t good enough. And Marcus treated me so well that I didn’t want him to be caught in the middle. I tried my hardest to win her over. Whether it was rare jewels or the latest luxury items not yet on the market, I sought them out for her one by one. Only then did she finally show me some rare kindness. Watching her now, fiercely defending Seraphina without reservation. I finally understood. Marcus’s parents’ opinion entirely depended on Marcus. He didn’t truly respect or love me, so his parents naturally treated me horribly. But all those gifts I’d given them in the past, even if I’d fed them to a dog, the dog would have become familiar with me. The thought made me even more annoyed. “Well, that’s perfect then. You truly are a suitable family. One who lives off women, and a mistress who climbed her way up. A match made in heaven, indeed.” Mr. Parker, who had been silent, snorted. “Name your price, don’t get greedy.” I looked up at him. “Oh really? How about the entire Parker Group then? I won’t even complain about how small it is.” “You wish!” Mr. Parker instantly exploded in fury. At this, Mrs. Parker also jumped in, shouting like a fishwife. “When our Parker family was struggling, you, a promiscuous woman, climbed into some old man’s bed to get ahead. My son was blind to stick by you. Now you want our entire Parker Group? Dream on!” The words had barely left her mouth when I glimpsed Marcus, pale-faced, standing at the doorway, holding Seraphina. I raised an eyebrow. “Care to explain? Who was it that drank themselves to stomach bleeding to help you secure investments, giving Parker Group a lifeline, only to be accused of being an opportunist?” Marcus’s face was drained of all color, his eyes darting away. He instinctively stammered: “No, that’s not what I ever said, they just misunderstood, really…” I scoffed. He had countless opportunities to explain for me, yet he never once did. Ultimately, it was because he was afraid of others saying he climbed his way up by relying on a woman. Mrs. Parker couldn’t stand to see Marcus humbling himself before a woman, so she tugged at his sleeve. “What are you hesitating for? Ever since Seraphina came along, our family has been thriving. We not only secured investments, the company didn’t go under, and it’s almost going public. Now Seraphina is even carrying our precious grandchild, don’t be foolish!” Marcus closed his eyes, as if finally making up his mind. “Abby, I truly love you, that’s why I tried for five years.” “But I’ve tried. Every time I touch you, I can only find relief with Seraphina. Let’s just part ways amicably.” I slapped Marcus hard across the face. Marcus was expressionless, but his eyes were red-rimmed. His parents, seeing this, moved to rush forward, but he stopped them with a raised hand. “If this is what she wants, I accept it. It’s what I owe her.” I sneered, “You owe me much more than that!” With that, I drove them all out. As they left, they grumbled, “Using my son’s money to stay in such a nice hospital room, shameless!” Shortly after they left, a video about me suddenly went viral online. In the video, a woman with a back resembling mine was seen leaning against an ugly, fat old man. Someone recognized me as the “rumored girlfriend” of the promising young Marcus Parker and pressed him for comments. Marcus responded immediately. “Ms. Sullivan and I have never had a romantic relationship, and I regret only now seeing her true colors. As a former friend, I hope everyone won’t be too harsh on her.” “On a related note, allow me to introduce my fiancée, Seraphina Miller, who is also the mother of my child, a woman I cherish dearly in my life.” Marcus, with his dashing appearance and this pompous statement, was quickly lauded by netizens as a “top-tier good man.” And I, however, became the “shameless woman” in their comments, with the comment section full of attacks against me. Seeing this, Mrs. Parker, who usually portrayed herself as a sophisticated lady in public, personally entered the fray. “Appearances can be deceiving. My son is kind-hearted and was very tolerant of her when they were friends, but I hope everyone won’t take the unnecessary misunderstandings seriously. Please understand a mother’s feelings.” Her words implied that all past perceptions of my relationship with Marcus were due to my persistent badgering, and she made no secret of her disgust for me. I scrolled through the comments with relish as my assistant handed me a document. “Miss, I’ve collected evidence of their defamation against you, ready to file a lawsuit at any time.” “Wait a little longer.” The boarding announcement sounded, and I was about to put down my phone. Seraphina’s message suddenly popped up. “Abby, with that video out, it’ll be hard for you to get married now, won’t it? If worst comes to worst, I could ask my husband to introduce you to someone?” I replied, “You can keep the man I don’t want. As for the video, do you really think no one can tell who it is?” After sending it, I immediately blocked and deleted her number. Just before boarding, my assistant reported: “Miss, our funds have been 100% withdrawn. Parker Group’s cash flow is about to completely collapse.”

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When I was ten, I moved into the Mercer home with my mother after she remarried. My stepbrother, Ethan Mercer, always mocked me as a parasite, once even pushing me down the stairs. He watched me lie in a pool of blood with cold eyes: “Don’t think you can become a Mercer just because you follow your mistress mother. I’ll kick you out eventually.” He’d tear up my homework, draw on my dress with markers, deliberately trying to humiliate me. Even though I was obedient in every way, his malice never ceased. Until his best friend, Leo Donovan, confessed his feelings for me in college. From then on, Ethan, surprisingly, stopped tormenting me. I saw Leo as my salvation, and on my birthday, we became intimate. But the very next day, I overheard a conversation between him and Ethan. Ethan’s voice was steeped in malice: “Did you get her first time on camera?” Leo chuckled mockingly: “Of course, high-definition, uncensored. If it weren’t to get back at you, I wouldn’t touch a home-wrecker like her.” I clapped a hand over my mouth, tears streaming down my face. My supposed salvation was nothing more than Ethan’s tool for revenge. Only, he didn’t know I had submitted my application to study abroad. I was never coming back. … In the private room. Ethan took a drag from his cigarette. “Ruin her reputation. Let’s see how she clings to living in my house after that.” “What if she can’t take it and something happens…” Ethan shot him a glance, scoffing. “So worried about her? Don’t tell me you actually fell for her?” Leo quickly denied it. “No way! I was just messing around with her.” “Chloe is coming back. I don’t have time to waste on Elara.” I stood outside the door, my heart a block of ice. Chloe Harrison was their childhood sweetheart, growing up with them, and Leo’s first love. Ethan always hated me; I knew that. He believed my mother’s appearance caused his mother’s suicide, so he transferred all that hatred onto me. After I started dating Leo, Ethan still didn’t care for me, but he didn’t torment me as he used to. I thought he had finally accepted me. I thought I was finally going to have a brother and eagerly anticipated a normal relationship with him. I never expected this, a revenge far more malicious than before. He and Leo had been inseparable since childhood; how could I have deluded myself into thinking he truly liked me? I had overestimated myself. I swallowed the bitterness in my throat and ran out like a madwoman. It was pouring rain outside. I was completely drenched. The moment I got home, I texted my professor, “Professor, I agree to go abroad with you for the project.” He was my mentor from an international competition, a leader in intelligent technology. I used to strive for excellence, desperately wanting my family’s approval. But no one ever cared. Not my mother, not Ethan. Because the project involved classified information, I couldn’t leave the research institute for three years, so I had refused it. Now, that no longer mattered. Perhaps it was the rain, but I curled up in a ball. Only after being startled awake by a nightmare did I realize I was burning up. Just as I was about to get up for fever medicine, my bedroom door was suddenly pushed open. Before I could speak, my mother, furious, threw a stack of photos at my face: “Elara Vance! How old are you to be sleeping with men? Are you that depraved?” Those photos were taken by Leo while I was asleep. My eyes were vacant, a profound sadness rising in my heart. Overnight, they couldn’t wait to spread the photos. Just two days ago, Leo had solemnly promised me: “I’ll take responsibility for you. We’ll get married after graduation.” He had plied me with a lot of alcohol, and under his persistent coaxing, I agreed. He pulled me into bed again and again, lost in primal desire. I was naive enough to think he truly loved me then. Seeing my silence, my mother relentlessly interrogated me: “Speak up, who took these? If anyone else sees these photos, your uncle and I will never be able to show our faces in society again!” She never cared about me, only herself. But when I said Leo’s name, my mother fell silent. She chastised me: “How could you get involved with the Donovan family’s son? We can’t afford to offend someone like him…” “Besides, you and Leo were dating normally. Even with evidence, we can’t do anything to him. Why didn’t you just say no?” I snapped my head up, my eyes wide with disbelief. She avoided my gaze: “Those photos have been taken down. Given time, no one will remember this.” The Donovans were powerful and wealthy, not someone the Mercers could easily offend. The moment the door closed, I saw Ethan standing at the top of the stairs, smiling at me, his eyes full of provocation. It was as if he had anticipated this outcome all along. The truth no longer mattered. A deep sense of powerlessness washed over me, drowning me in an instant. I crouched in the corner, sobbing uncontrollably. My phone began to buzz with incessant harassment messages. They sent disgusting words that made me nauseous. My hands trembled as I blocked all those numbers. My mother said she had arranged a long leave of absence from school for me, so I didn’t have to go. I didn’t want her to know about going abroad, so I would have to return to school myself to complete the paperwork. She was always too busy for me; she probably wouldn’t even notice if I left. Even though the photos had been deleted, almost everyone around me knew what had happened. Their gazes were filled with scrutiny and mockery, accompanied by whispers. “I never would have thought, she looks so innocent usually, but behind closed doors, she’s so wild. Who knows how many men she’s slept with?” “Who knows, don’t get too close to her. She might have an STD.” A suffocating mix of shame and fear enveloped me. My heart suddenly seized up, and I barely remembered how I left school. Walking disoriented on the street, I was stopped by several men approaching me. The leader pulled out a phone displaying my intimate photos, sizing me up with a sickening gaze. “This picture is you, right? You’ve got a great body.” “Playing so wild in private, how much for a night?” “Come on, have some fun with us. I want to taste what Leo Donovan’s girlfriend is like.” My body stiffened, and I took half a step back: “What do you want?” The men exchanged lewd smiles. Ignoring my struggles, they forcibly dragged me into a dimly lit alley. They grinned menacingly, pressing down on me. “Get off me! Don’t touch me!” But my hands and feet were pinned down; I couldn’t even struggle. I could only watch helplessly as their filthy hands reached for my body. The sound of tearing fabric filled my ears. “Don’t struggle. No one’s coming to save you. If you make us happy, we might go easy on you.” I bit my lip hard, the metallic taste of blood spreading in my mouth. Seizing the moment while they were taking off their clothes, I quickly pulled out the knife I had hidden in my bag. My hand holding the knife trembled: “Don’t come any closer, any of you…” The first time I was bullied, my mother said it was because I dressed provocatively and told me not to wear dresses anymore. But at that time, I was wearing my school uniform. If Ethan hadn’t appeared in time, I wouldn’t have known what to do. Since then, I always carried a fruit knife with me. My fear reached its peak. But they still grinned, unafraid, even trying to snatch the knife from my hand. In the struggle, the blade plunged into my chest. The leader panicked, as if afraid of causing a death, and released me. I collapsed to the ground, my clothes soaked in blood. My vision blurred. But I could hear them making a hushed phone call. “Mr. Mercer, something happened. She stabbed herself.” Ethan’s voice came from the other end of the line. “Is she dead?” Then Leo’s voice: “Ethan, you’re a real bastard. You actually hired people to ambush her.” Ethan sneered: “I just wanted to scare her. Whose fault is it if she wants to die?” “If she’s not dead, dump her at the hospital. Don’t let her know what happened today.” My heart felt like it was being violently squeezed, almost suffocating me with pain. So… he really wanted to destroy me. The words I had accidentally overheard him say flashed through my mind. “Actually, I know my mom wasn’t killed by her. But I just don’t want her to live in peace.” “My dad feels guilty towards them, but I certainly don’t.” Tears fell uncontrollably from the corners of my eyes. I completely lost consciousness. When I woke up again, I was in a hospital bed. Leo was by my side, and when he saw me wake, he immediately leaned in, concerned. “Baby, you’re finally awake. I was so worried.” Seeing my silence, his eyes flickered: “I saw those photos. I’m so sorry. I went out, got drunk, and someone took my phone by mistake and posted them.” “Don’t worry, I’ve had them all deleted. Don’t overthink it, I don’t mind any of it.” I looked at him quietly, my heart a dead wasteland. He was clearly the culprit, yet he was playing the savior. If he hadn’t relentlessly pursued me when I was at my most vulnerable, we never would have been together. But before I could even speak, his phone rang. He responded softly to whatever was said on the other end, then turned and left, phone still in hand, without a backward glance. No sooner had he left than Ethan walked in. Seeing my disheveled state, his eyes showed disgust as he said: “Do you know why he left in such a hurry? Chloe’s back in the country, and she’s not used to the environment, so she can’t sleep. He went to comfort her until she fell asleep. He won’t be protecting you anymore, so don’t delude yourself.” At his words, my body involuntarily trembled. Chloe Harrison was their childhood sweetheart, growing up with them, and Leo’s first love. Because Ethan’s mother once said Chloe resembled her, Ethan always catered to her every whim since they were children. I cherished Ethan as a brother, always trying to be good to him, but it was never enough to outweigh a single word from Chloe. I closed my eyes, a self-deprecating smile playing on my lips. Only now did I truly see that neither Leo nor Ethan ever truly cared for me. Normally, I would have apologized to appease him. But I merely turned my head indifferently: “Understood. It won’t happen again.” Ethan paused for a moment: “Leo isn’t here. Who are you putting on this pathetic act for?” He stormed out. Due to my severe injuries, I was in the hospital for a whole week. My mother, upon learning this, only transferred the hospital fees, then left on a business trip with Uncle Mercer, never visiting me. I was alone even on the day of my discharge. I took advantage of their absence to start packing. There wasn’t much to take, really. The things I once treasured were mostly Ethan’s handouts. Now, they were unnecessary.

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When John Vaughn went bankrupt, I ran off to America with a wealthy man. When we met again, he was a titan in the business world, with a beautiful fiancée by his side. At a party, everyone heard about my past deeds and egged each other on to bid for a night with me. John, with an indifferent expression, said in a cold voice: “Gentlemen, aren’t you worried about germs? This woman’s womb probably holds the ashes of countless bastards.” As his words fell, the room erupted in laughter. Rich heirs splashed their icy drinks on me. I instinctively shielded my belly. He didn’t know that I left him that year because I had uterine cancer. 1 Seeing me shield my belly, John’s brows instinctively furrowed, and a complex emotion flickered in his eyes. But it was only for an instant, quickly returning to normal. I sat on the floor, disheveled, as everyone sneered: “She is carrying a bastard!” “I saw Ms. Winslow at the gynecology clinic last month!” “My friends in America also said Ms. Winslow frequently visited obstetrics and gynecology. If you gentlemen aren’t afraid of germs, feel free to continue bidding. I, Mr. Preston, am out!” “Turns out she’s that dirty! I wouldn’t take her even if she was free.” They cast disdainful glances at me. I looked at the man sitting in the center, silent, and a bitter ache rose in my heart. “I have a great idea! Who wants to see a pregnant woman strip dance?” From the booth, someone first suggested it, and everyone cheered. One of John’s friends spoke up: “Ms. Winslow, please? If you don’t dance today, I’m afraid you won’t be leaving this private room.” He was John’s best friend, and he always resented what I had done. The young gentlemen, seeing him speak, egged me on, and some even came to tear at my clothes. Just as a patch of pale flesh on my chest was about to be exposed, John’s cold, deep voice came from above: “Enough!” John’s tone carried a hint of anger, and those men immediately let go of me. “Get her out!” The club manager immediately offered John a placating smile, then dragged me out. After chemotherapy, my once thick long hair had become sparse. Being dragged like that hurt, and I couldn’t help but cry out in pain. John’s fingertips, gripping his wine glass, turned white, but he closed his eyes, refusing to look at me. As I cleaned the wine stains in the restroom, footsteps sounded behind me. Turning around, I saw a bright and charming woman with John. I heard she was the one who helped John rise from the ashes, becoming a formidable force in the business world. “Ms. Winslow, what a coincidence. It seems our John and Ms. Winslow truly have a destined connection. He just said he needed to come to the restroom to fix his tie, and here we run into you.” John’s expression remained unchanged, but he affectionately stroked the back of the woman’s hand, saying softly: “Thank you, my fiancée.” He deliberately emphasized those three words. The woman giggled as she straightened his tie. Just then, a sharp pain shot through my lower abdomen, and I instinctively braced myself against the wall. His right fist clenched, veins bulging, but he deliberately looked away as if trying to restrain something. After a long moment, he looked back at me, a mocking smirk playing on his lips: “Elara Vaughn, when you left me for money, did you ever imagine a day like this?” I looked up, meeting his eyes, my thoughts swirling. John and I spent five years building everything from scratch. Those five years were tough, but supporting each other, we were also very happy. The change happened three years ago. John suddenly went bankrupt, and his mother was diagnosed with lung disease, needing a lung transplant. We borrowed from everyone we knew, tried every possible method, and barely managed to scrape together the medical fees. But misfortunes never come alone. Around the same time, I was diagnosed with uterine cancer. Treatment would be another huge expense. At that moment, John was overwhelmed with his mother’s situation. Unwilling to burden him further, I didn’t tell him. I knew that between his mother and me, only one could be saved. His mother was incredibly kind to me, watching us grow together every step of the way. She would definitely choose to sacrifice herself to save me. And no matter who we saved, John would spend the rest of his life in regret. At that time, an American tycoon took an interest in me, promising that if I went with him, he would take me back to America for the best treatment. I agreed without a second thought. But things didn’t go as smoothly as planned. My uterine cancer, despite three years of treatment, had worsened. Now, I only had a few months left. The doctor said that with aggressive treatment, I could extend my life by two more years. I hesitated. I knew deeply that if I agreed, I might never see John again in this lifetime. Either way, I was going to die. Compared to death, I feared regret more. So, I gave up the last treatment and hurriedly returned to the country. But I never expected he would already have someone new by his side. 2 “I did.” Of course, I had thought about it. Every time I underwent chemotherapy, I imagined him returning to his peak. John scoffed and asked me: “Do you regret it then?” I shook my head. John’s expression instantly turned incredibly dark. “Do you love money that much?” A metallic taste filled my throat, but I forced myself to say: “Yes, money solves a lot of problems, doesn’t it?” I tilted my head up and saw a red mark on his neck, feeling a little disoriented. There, once etched with my initials, it had now been completely removed by laser, leaving a deep scar. The woman beside him, after straightening his tie, provocatively kissed his neck. I suddenly felt that I shouldn’t have come back. He put his arm around the woman’s waist, looking down at me from above, his gaze shifting to my lower abdomen. “Whose child is it? The American’s?” His tone suddenly deepened, suppressing a surge of anger. I said faintly: “That’s none of your business.” However, no sooner had the words left my mouth than a wave of discomfort washed over me. I pushed him away and rushed to the sink, vomiting. His face tightened, a flicker of worry in his eyes, as he moved to help me. But the woman beside him spoke up: “Ms. Winslow, you don’t need to worry, these are all normal reactions during pregnancy.” That one sentence seemed to remind John that the child in my belly was someone else’s. He immediately froze, and his gaze towards me grew even colder. The woman walked forward with concern, stroking my back, then said as if casually: “Ms. Winslow, where’s your husband? He lets you work at a club while you’re pregnant…” The atmosphere instantly fell silent. The woman continued: “I really envy you. Unlike John, he won’t let me do anything after we got together, saying he cares about me.” John dotingly ruffled her nose, his tone playfully: “You, you, you talk as if I’ve mistreated you.” The woman pouted playfully: “You won’t let me do this, won’t let me do that! What I’m saying is just the truth!” The two chuckled and walked away, leaving me disheveled in the same spot. I suddenly remembered that during those five years, John treated me the same way. He always took on all the chores and work by himself because he cared for me, sometimes staying up until two or three in the morning at his computer, coding and checking ledgers. John hasn’t changed at all. He’s still so good at loving, just not loving me. 3 That evening, the manager told me that a lady had taken a liking to me and wanted to hire me as her assistant. I probably guessed who it was, so when I saw John, I wasn’t surprised. “Who let you in?” One second John was gently pinching Maya Sterling’s cheek with a smile, the next, his gaze towards me turned utterly cold. I lowered my head, adopting a submissive posture: “Ms. Sterling asked me to come.” John seemed surprised. “Maya?” He looked at Maya Sterling, who gave a bright smile and wrapped her arms around John’s arm, coquettishly: “Oh, John, look at you, you’ve scared Ms. Winslow! Yes, I asked her to come. I saw Ms. Winslow is pregnant, and working at the club long-term isn’t a solution. I just happen to need an assistant. So…” John’s expression immediately softened at her words: “My little angel is always so kind, even to a woman like this.” Maya Sterling suddenly seemed to remember something, her face changing color as she apologized to John: “I’m sorry, John. I was thoughtless. After all, she hurt you before, and I brought her along…” John stroked her head with a hint of helplessness: “You don’t need to apologize to me. The past is the past. If it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t have met you. In fact, I should thank her.” John embraced her as if she were a precious treasure. Maya Sterling’s delicate nails intimately traced his arm, displaying a triumphant smile as if asserting dominance, her mockery undisguised. I watched the dazzling scene, silently retreating from the room. Hearing the door close, John’s body stiffened, and he suddenly let go of Maya Sterling. “John, what’s wrong?” “Nothing.” “Aren’t you going to change your shoes? Call Elara Vaughn in.” Maya Sterling looked surprised: “Isn’t that a bit much?” John’s cold brows arched sharply: “What’s wrong with it? It’s her job.” I was called in to help Maya Sterling change her clothes and shoes. John waited outside the door. As he brushed past me, he gave me a complex glance. I pretended not to see it and walked straight into the room. As soon as John left, Maya Sterling mercilessly stepped on the back of my hand, saying viciously: “How dare these hands ever touch him!” Her ten-centimeter high heel dug a deep indentation into the back of my hand, and blood began to flow. Just as I was about to cry out in pain, she clapped a hand over my mouth and delivered a heavy kick to my lower abdomen. I fell to the floor. Outside the door, John heard the commotion and asked anxiously: “Maya! What happened in there?” Maya Sterling pulled out an X-Acto knife, slashed fiercely at her arm, and cried out in pain. John burst through the door with almost no hesitation, but his eyes instinctively darted towards me. When he saw the blood pooling on the floor, a flicker of panic crossed his eyes. He was about to reach out to help me up when Maya Sterling burst into tears: “Ms. Winslow, we have no quarrel, why are you doing this to me?” John’s body stiffened. He glanced at the X-Acto knife by my hand, his eyes filled with disappointment. He then picked up Maya Sterling in his arms, saying nervously: “Call a doctor immediately!” Without John’s permission, no doctor dared to treat my wounds. I endured the searing pain and said: “John… help me…” At that address, he visibly froze, his pupils suddenly widening, but quickly returning to calm. “You have no right to call me John.” “And no right to ask for help.” I tugged at his cold coat sleeve, weakly saying: “John… believe me, I didn’t hurt her…” His brow furrowed slightly, and he forcefully shook off my hand. “I saw it with my own eyes! And you still try to argue! You’re as disgusting as you were three years ago!” Due to the sudden movement, my wound was pulled, and the bleeding worsened. Coupled with the sharp pain in my lower abdomen, tears flowed uncontrollably. He paused, but then seeing me clutching my belly, he suddenly became clear-headed. “Ms. Winslow should be careful. If you keep acting like this, the bastard in your belly might not make it.” With that, he left, carrying Maya Sterling.

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Over the New Year, I went to a class reunion with Anna Sinclair. After a few rounds of drinks, everyone suggested playing truth or dare. Anna was the first to draw a truth. “What’s your biggest regret in a relationship?” She spoke openly, her eyes constantly darting towards her first love, Adrian Miller, who was sitting nearby: “Not ending up with the person I loved most. Instead, I settled for a backup and married him, just to get by.” The room erupted in whispers. Everyone expected me to storm out, but I simply smiled and signaled for the game to continue. When it was my turn, the question became: “Is there anything you’re hiding from your partner in your relationship?” “Yes.” “What is it?” “I’ve been raising a seven-year-old son on the side.” … The private room fell into a dead silence. A heavily intoxicated Anna instantly sobered up considerably, her eyes wide with disbelief as she looked at me. The class president quickly tried to smooth things over: “Eddy, you must be drunk. You can’t just blurt things out like that!” “Yeah, Anna’s words were just a joke. You can’t be so upset that you make this kind of joke. It’ll hurt feelings!” A classmate beside me laughed and patted my shoulder, trying their best to lighten the mood with a jocular tone. I raised my glass, drained it, and slowly leaned back in my chair: “I wasn’t joking.” “Seven years of marriage, and Anna still calls his name, Adrian Miller, every time she’s drunk. Calls his name when we’re intimate. Even the little chicks in her farm game are named ‘Adrian Honey’.” “We’ve been sharing a bed but dreaming different dreams for so many years. Is it really too much for me to raise a son outside?” The amount of bombshells I dropped stunned everyone. Adrian and Anna exchanged glances, their faces incredibly dark. But Anna had always been obsessed with her image since childhood; she wouldn’t let me expose her embarrassing secrets. She slammed her hand on the table: “Eddy Vance, if you’re drunk, go home. Stop making a drunken scene here!” “I was just talking about my regrets. Even if you’re jealous, you don’t have to retaliate like this!” Jealous? I’ve had enough of being jealous these past seven years! Since she’s still hung up on Adrian, then I’ll make sure those two dogs get what they want! I stared at Anna’s captivating face, and the more I looked, the more disgusted I felt. “I’m retaliating against you? Which one of my words wasn’t true?” “Your favoritism towards Adrian goes beyond what I’ve said. Do you dare make everything public?!” My aggressiveness made the atmosphere in the room tense again. Adrian, seeing the situation escalate, immediately approached with a glass of wine to try and calm me: “Eddy, we’re all old classmates. This reunion is just to reminisce. Why are you getting so angry?” “Besides, Anna and I are long past. I’ve been abroad for years. Anna just wanted to cheer me up this time.” “I’ll toast you as an apology. Don’t let me affect your relationship.” He extended the glass to me, but I shoved it away. Anna sprang to her feet. She wiped her face, splattered with wine, her eyes practically spitting fire. “You say I’m still hung up on Adrian. Yes, I admit it!” “But what kind of saint are you? Haven’t you also been cheating on me, even having a child?!” “You say I don’t dare make my past with Adrian public. Fine, then let’s turn this truth or dare into a full-blown confession game!” “Whoever gets triggered and leaves the table forfeits all assets in the divorce. Do you dare?” A curve played on my lips, and I replied calmly: “Gladly.” Even though I already knew Anna and Adrian had a lingering connection, and even though I had decided to divorce her after the New Year. I still wanted to hear her say those facts herself. For no other reason than to bring closure to my love of these past seven years. This confession game, with a wager, I was playing to the end tonight. The game continued. Anna was unapologetic, immediately dropping a bombshell: “The night I said yes to your proposal, Adrian and I went to a hotel.” She paused, then added: “We did it all night, no protection.” As her words landed with a thud, the air instantly solidified. Everyone was silent, only casting sympathetic glances my way. “Anna, isn’t that a bit too much?” “Dropping such a bomb right at the start, can Eddy handle it?” Adrian tugged Anna’s sleeve, feigning persuasion, but his tone held an unconcealed triumph. Anna waved him off dismissively. “What’s this?” “Starting with a big one is just to prepare him mentally, so his heart doesn’t give out after a couple of rounds.” I smiled faintly, my heart completely calm. “I already knew.” “Because seven years ago, when you and he were in bed, I was in the room next door.” “With another woman.” That night I proposed, I received a call from Adrian’s girlfriend, Mia. She and I stood pressed against the wall, listening to them for an entire night. Mia wanted to burst in and catch them countless times that night, but I stopped her every single time. Because I loved Anna desperately. I just assumed it was their farewell hookup, hoping that after this, they would completely cut ties. But as it turned out, these seven years were nothing but my wishful thinking. “Eddy Vance, do you think that’s enough to make me angry?” Anna scoffed, looking at me with some disdain. “Do you know I got pregnant after that night?” “And I even gave birth to the child.” At these words, the room erupted. The classmates’ scalps tingled from bomb after bomb, and they couldn’t help but whisper: “Holy crap, this isn’t a confession game, this is a battlefield.” “Eddy Vance is so pathetic. Seven years of marriage and only now finding out his wife cheated with her first love and even had a child with him.” “Pfft, what’s pathetic? He knew seven years ago and still hasn’t broken up. Isn’t he just a pure cuckold?” “Exactly, didn’t he also cheat and have a child? I can only say these two are equally bad, neither of them are good people!” I ignored their chatter, simply pulled a cigarette from my pocket and lit it. As I exhaled a puff of smoke, I slowly said: “I knew that too.” “Your pregnancy test report was hidden in the overcoat he gave you, from Seaside General Hospital. You went three times.” Anna and Adrian’s faces visibly darkened. She had expected me to completely collapse once she revealed this. I might have yelled, or made a scene, or even flipped the table and left. But she hadn’t expected me to deny her the satisfaction of seeing me break down. Seeing her silence, I twisted the knife further: “But there’s one question I’ve always wanted to ask you.” “Where is that child now?” Anna was speechless for a moment, then raised her voice: “What’s it to you? It’s not your child. What right do you have to ask me?” Of course, I knew Anna wouldn’t say. Or rather, I knew she dared not say. When she got pregnant, fearing I would find out, she made up an excuse about the company sending her on an overseas training assignment. Because of that, I postponed our wedding by a whole year. And after we got married, I didn’t even find a single trace on her of having given birth. If I hadn’t found the pregnancy test report while tidying clothes later, I would probably have been kept in the dark all along. Thinking of this, I stubbed out my cigarette and sneered: “I really don’t have the right.” “I’m just worried you might have secretly gotten rid of the child so I wouldn’t find out.” “After all, that’s a life. If it were lost…” “Eddy Vance, are you ever going to stop?!” Anna’s face flushed red, and the anger in her eyes surged. “Are you deliberately bringing up all this past stuff at a class reunion just to humiliate me?” “Since you’re determined to pick a fight with me, why don’t we raise the stakes even higher!” “Truth is boring. Dare, do you dare?!” I crossed my legs, resting my chin in my hand, and looked at her playfully: “No problem. Whatever you want to do today, I’m with you all the way.” She stopped talking nonsense and immediately signaled the class president to pick an item. The class president, unable to refuse her, reached his hand into the lottery box. Soon, a slip of paper was spread on the table: [French kiss the person you love most for three minutes.] Anna let out a soft laugh, then settled onto Adrian’s lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Eddy Vance, I truly didn’t expect you to tolerate me for so long, knowing I cheated.” “Since you enjoy being a cuckold so much, how about I put on a show right in front of you? What do you think?” As her words fell, the class president quickly stood up to dissuade her: “Anna, that’s enough. It’s a class reunion, at least spare Eddy some dignity.” The other classmates also chimed in, one after another trying to stop Anna: “Yes, the class president is right. Eddy might have gone a bit too far, but you can’t do this in front of him. It’s a huge slap in the face!” “Anna, listen to us for a second. Leave some room for maneuver. After all, you and Eddy are a couple. You still have to live together, right?” But Anna wouldn’t listen to a word, instead sharply retorting: “Leave some room?” “Get it straight, Eddy Vance cheated too! He even has a seven-year-old son. Neither of us is any cleaner than the other!” “Live with him? Ha!” With that, she directly kissed Adrian’s lips. The two of them kissed and tangled beside me, their eyes fixed on me, anticipating my outburst. But I remained calmly seated, not even raising an eyelid. I knew Anna too well. She was inherently vengeful. I had publicly exposed her infidelity, making her lose face in front of so many people, so there was no way she would just let it go. Moreover, in her eyes, I was just a cheating scumbag. Since neither of us was any cleaner than the other, she naturally had no fear. Three minutes later, the two reluctantly broke their kiss. Anna gently wiped the lipstick from Adrian’s lips, her eyes full of provocation as she looked at me. “How about that? Did that get a rise out of you?” “If you can’t handle it, you can leave. But the property in this house will all be mine.” I smiled, and gestured for the game to continue. The class president pondered for a few seconds, then reached his hand into the lottery box again: [Your dare is designated by the first person of the opposite sex next to you.] And the first person of the opposite sex next to me was Anna. She smirked at me mischievously and announced my dare: “Bring the son you’re raising on the side, and let me see him!” I froze for a few seconds, then gently shook my head. “Not that one. Change it.” But Anna had no intention of letting me off the hook, relentlessly pressing me. “I won’t change it. I want you to do this dare. What, can’t handle it?” “Let me remind you, if you can’t handle it and leave, you’ll walk away with nothing.” I still stuck to my decision, stubbornly refusing her: “Our business has nothing to do with this child. I swore that until he’s an adult, I wouldn’t bring him out.” The situation reached an impasse. Just then, Adrian suddenly stood up and patted my shoulder: “Eddy, don’t be so petty when you’re out having fun. Just bring the child out for us to meet.” “Anna won’t take out her anger on the child just because you cheated. Maybe Anna will even like him after she meets him, and you can openly bring him home to raise. After all, she can no longer bear children…” At this, he suddenly stopped. I turned my head and glanced at him coldly. “Go on, why did you stop talking?” “Afraid everyone will know Anna can’t have children, making her lose face?” Anna’s child was born prematurely, and coupled with postpartum hemorrhage, she completely lost her fertility. That’s why after seven years of marriage, we still haven’t had a child of our own. All of this was thanks to Adrian and their absurd farewell hookup. Seeing her deepest secret exposed by me once again, Anna could no longer suppress her inner rage. “Eddy Vance, if you can’t handle it, you can leave. There’s no need to use these things to provoke me!” I looked at the familiar yet strange face before me and nodded calmly. “If you’re triggered, you can choose to leave.” Anna froze for a moment, then doubled over with laughter. “Me triggered?” “I’d be triggered by such trivial rubbish? Yes, I slept with Adrian and became infertile. I admit it, alright?!” To be honest, I really couldn’t stand it anymore. Anna’s indifferent attitude truly made me want to vomit. She was clearly the one who cheated first and was in the wrong, but the way she put it, it made me seem like the one being overly aggressive. Seeing the situation escalating, Adrian quickly grabbed my arm and tried to persuade me. “Eddy, there’s no need to make a big deal out of a small matter.” “A good woman like Anna is hard to find.” “Do me a favor. Don’t hold Anna’s past mistakes against her. A man should be magnanimous, don’t you agree?” I turned my head and gave him a faint smile: “Be magnanimous, forgive her for cheating, forgive her for having a child with you, forgive her for still being hung up on you? Is that it?” He smiled and nodded: “Exactly. What’s wrong with that? If a man wants to have a smooth life, he’s got to tolerate some things. Apologize to Anna, and this whole thing will…” I raised my hand and punched him, then showed him the wedding ring on my ring finger. “You, a homewrecker, what right or standing do you have to tell me what to do?” “Remember, I’m not divorced from her yet. Our family matters are none of a homewrecker’s business.” The private room was eerily silent. Everyone was stunned by my sudden outburst. The next second, a crisp slap landed on my face. “Apologize to Adrian.” “If you’re triggered, you can leave, but you can’t lash out violently.” “If you don’t apologize today, I’ll hire the best lawyer to sue you for marital infidelity, and you’ll still leave with nothing.” I gave a self-deprecating laugh. I loved this woman for seven years, endured her infidelity for seven years. In the end, she never once thought of apologizing to me. Instead, she was fixated on making me leave with nothing. I had intended to preserve some dignity for both of us, but she and Adrian kept pushing me. Since she wouldn’t let me part ways amicably, I had no choice but to blow everything up. “You say I cheated. Do you have proof?” She sneered twice, then pointed to everyone present. “You yourself admitted you have a seven-year-old son. Everyone heard it.” “What, trying to deny it now? Too late!” As her words fell, the classmates nodded in unison. “Eddy, I know you’re angry, but Anna’s infidelity after marriage is at most emotional. You, however, definitely cheated physically. The fault lies with you.” “Yeah, Eddy, quickly apologize to Anna. Don’t let a reunion game ruin a good marriage.” I ignored them and dialed my driver. “Bring little Oscar to my private room.” With that, I looked up and met everyone’s gaze. “You all seem to have forgotten one thing.” “I merely said I have a son, but I never said this child is biologically mine.” “Since you all believe I’m the one at fault for cheating, then today, I will reveal all the long-hidden secrets!”

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My sister, Lily, had gone to Silverton to meet her online boyfriend. After a week of whirlwind romance, the guy told her he preferred slender girls. He demanded she slim down to 70 pounds before contacting him again. I was furious. “Why didn’t he say that when you met? You’re 5’5” and 120 pounds, that’s a perfectly healthy weight! How could you possibly drop to 70 pounds? He’s just playing with you!” Lily nodded, agreeing with me, and soon started a new relationship. That was until she scrolled through her social media feed and saw his wedding photos. She completely lost it. She pressed a pillow over my face, suffocating me. “Christopher’s bride is only a tiny bit thinner than me! I could have been with him if I’d just lost a little weight, but you said it was impossible! You did it on purpose! You’re just jealous I found true love!” I gasped for air, and then I woke up. I was back on the day Lily returned from Silverton. My face remained calm. “What’s wrong with getting down to 70 pounds? Even 50 pounds isn’t impossible! True love is hard to find; any sacrifice is worth it!” In this life, I wholeheartedly supported her pursuit of true love. But this time, she was the one who regretted it bitterly. … “Big sis, you don’t know, Christopher is incredibly athletic! And so handsome!” Lily gushed, her eyes wide with adoration. “He’s 6’1”, with exquisite features, broad shoulders, and a narrow waist! The second son of Apex Corporation, rich and good-looking – I love him so much!” “But when we parted, he said he liked slender beauties and told me to get down to 70 pounds before I went back to him. What should I do?” Lily blurted out the entire story of her meeting her online boyfriend and the problem she faced, exactly as it had happened in my previous life. I sniffed, the lingering sensation of suffocation from the pillow still fresh in my memory. I thought back to before, when I’d painstakingly explained to her that 70 pounds at her height meant a BMI of 12.55 kg/m ², far below the healthy range. I’d even listed several fatal cases of anorexia, telling her Christopher was a liar and that his demand for her to lose weight was just an excuse to make her leave him. She’d listened. With her pretty face, she’d quickly found a decent boyfriend. But when she’d seen Christopher’s wedding photos and realized his bride was only slightly thinner than her, she’d been consumed by resentment. She’d blamed me for everything, saying I couldn’t stand to see her happy, that I was jealous she’d found true love. Seeing her distressed expression, a peculiar smile touched my lips. My gaze was firm as I said, “A socialite like Christopher, his wife will often be in the spotlight. Look at any famous actress; they’re all incredibly thin. Supermodel Kate Moss is practically skeletal, but she’s considered high fashion, isn’t she?” “As long as you have the determination, what’s wrong with 70 pounds? Even 50 pounds isn’t impossible!” Lily’s eyes lit up with wild joy. “Big sis, you think so too? I thought the same thing! For true love, what’s a little suffering?” To show my support, I immediately found an extremely strict “Celebrity Fasting Schedule” online. I analyzed it with a serious air, “You have a tendency to gain weight, so if you want to lose 50 pounds in a month, you have to be ruthless with yourself. From now on, you’ll follow this fasting plan.” Lily looked at the diet, which consisted almost entirely of water. First, she expressed concern, then nodded in resolute agreement, as if she could already see herself in a wedding dress. In two weeks, Lily had tormented herself into losing twenty pounds. Her once round cheeks began to hollow, her cheekbones protruded, and dark circles hung heavily under her eyes. Clumps of hair clogged the bathroom drain. Her prolonged low-carb diet had led to ketosis, filling the house with the smell of rotten apples. Watching Lily hold a cup with a few floating vegetable leaves for breakfast, our mom finally couldn’t take it anymore. “Lily, are you losing weight too quickly?” she asked, frowning, her eyes scanning Lily’s pale face. “Your complexion is so sallow; don’t ruin your health.” Lily was about to flare up, but I interjected, my tone confident and professional. “Mom, you don’t understand. This is called the fat-burning reaction.” I spoke nonsense with a straight face. “These are all toxins being metabolized. Once this phase passes, she’ll be completely transformed. Look at those actresses, which one hasn’t gone through this ‘ascension’ to become a goddess?” Upon hearing “ascension,” Lily’s dull eyes instantly brightened. She rushed into the bathroom, lifted her top, and started snapping photos of herself in the mirror. It had to be said, though her complexion was poor and her skin a little saggy from the weight loss, she did have an “A4 waist.” Her features looked more defined with the filter. Less than two minutes later, she burst out, phone in hand, a radiant smile on her face. “Big sis! Christopher saw my photos and said I look beautiful!” She shot a triumphant glance at Mom, then tilted her head back and gulped down the unpleasant vegetable juice. “Mom, did you hear that? Christopher likes me like this!” “But Lily, you shouldn’t bother Christopher too often. You agreed to only see him when you reached 70 pounds. Those wealthy bachelors don’t have much patience!” Lily quickly nodded. “I’ll surprise him when I get to 70 pounds.” Dad hadn’t said a word throughout the meal, but after, he quietly asked me, “Is that Christopher really a rich kid?” I looked at him as if he were slow. “You know ‘Apex Corporation,’ right? It’s his family’s company. The name is a combination of his and his brother’s names.” Dad said “Oh” with satisfaction, a proud smile on his face. A few days later, Lily’s beauty journey hit a snag. Her weight stalled at 90 pounds, completely unchanged for three whole days. She raged in her room, slamming the electronic scale. “Why isn’t it dropping? Why?!” Mom frantically swatted the apple out of my hand. “Eat, eat, eat! All you know is eating! Your sister is like that, and you can’t even help her think of a solution. What kind of big sister are you?” I gripped my finger, which had been nicked by the paring knife, blood dripping between my fingers. Mom ignored it. Ever since I was little, Mom and Dad had always emotionally blackmailed me by saying I was the older sister and had to act like one. Their idea of acting like an older sister was that I should suffer on Lily’s behalf, and she should get to enjoy all the good things. I retorted coldly, “What do you want me to do? Lose weight for her? Or convince her to give up?” Mom got even more agitated. “What nonsense are you talking about? How could she give up? Do you not want her to have a good life?” “If I could lose weight for her, wouldn’t you have made me do it a long time ago?” Mom was speechless. When we were in school, Mom would tell me Lily’s chore schedule in advance and make me do her cleaning. When Lily bullied classmates, Dad would drag me out and slap me in front of the bullied student’s parents, saying I’d instigated it. Dad saw the blood on the floor and impatiently asked what was going on. Mom quickly explained Lily’s stalled weight to him in detail, stating she was very anxious, and I was indifferent and even tried to make Lily give up. Now it was Dad’s turn to seriously criticize me. “Iris, how can you be like this? Your sister’s matter is huge. You should be helping to find a solution, not dragging your feet! Lily has the natural qualifications to marry into a prominent family; you can’t be jealous of that…” No wonder in my previous life, after Lily smothered me, Mom and Dad conspired to quietly bury me. They told everyone I was a disgrace and had run off with a married man. It turned out he also thought I was jealous of Lily’s beauty. Any lingering guilt I had vanished completely. I walked into Lily’s bedroom. “I heard that before Victoria’s Secret models walk the runway, they use special methods to achieve extreme figures. Things like ‘fairy tubes’ or powerful laxatives, where they eat, throw up, and get thin, not absorbing any calories.” Lily abruptly turned her head, staring at me intently. “Quick! Buy them for me! Buy them now!” I immediately placed an order for expedited delivery. When it arrived, I deliberately opened it in front of Mom. The transparent plastic tubes made my scalp prickle. “What is this stuff?” Mom asked suspiciously. “Imported dietary fiber tubes, they’re expensive, thousands of dollars a set,” I lied without batting an eyelid. “They’re for regulating Lily’s digestion, it’s all the rage in rich circles.” Mom’s mouth immediately closed when she heard the price, and she even cautiously touched them a couple of times. Late at night, heart-wrenching retching sounds came from the bathroom, sending chills down my spine. Mom knocked on the bathroom door, but got no response. She crept to my bedroom door and whispered, “What’s wrong with Lily? That sound makes my heart pound!” I rolled over, lazily responding, “Nothing, she’s practicing singing. She wants to surprise Christopher by singing ‘Love You Till Death.’ Don’t disturb her.” Mom mumbled something about “that child really working hard” and returned to her bedroom. I lay in the dark, listening to her dry heaves, a smirk on my face. To be a wealthy socialite, she was indeed working hard. Finally, Lily reached 70 pounds. Dad was ecstatic. He hosted a celebration party for Lily at home, inviting all our aunts and uncles. Also present was Mr. Harrison, a limping shrimp farmer from our hometown. Dad quietly told me, “Mr. Harrison is very wealthy. He just has a slight limp in his right foot. What does a limp matter? As long as he has money, right? You’re not like your sister, you don’t have the luxury to pick and choose! You just need a comfortable life!” I scoffed, a laugh escaping me. In Dad’s eyes, even marrying a limping man was me aiming high! “What if I don’t agree?” “Don’t make trouble! It’s good enough that he’s willing!” I was in the middle of confronting Dad when Lily emerged from her bedroom, wearing elegant makeup. The chatter among our relatives instantly ceased. Aunt Mae’s eyes widened, and she forgot to crack the melon seeds in her hand. Aunt Carol covered her mouth, nearly gasping aloud. Lily thought everyone was stunned by her beauty, and a faint blush colored her cheeks. Aunt Mae opened her mouth, then saw Mom and Dad’s triumphant faces and ultimately said nothing. Dad began to boast. “My Lily’s boyfriend comes from a prominent family in Silverton. The bar for marrying into such a family is high; the weight standard is strictly that of a supermodel. Fortunately, our girl is dedicated. After three months of rigorous figure management, she finally met the standard and will be getting married soon.” “Lily’s wedding is set. Now, what worries me most is our elder daughter.” Dad’s topic shifted, his gaze falling on me and Mr. Harrison. “Though Iris’s figure and looks are not as good as her sister’s, she’s been independent and strong-willed since childhood, perfect for settling down.” This was the first time in two lives Dad had ever complimented me, but it felt worse than being scolded. What did he mean, independent since childhood? It was because ever since Lily was born, I became the older sister and had to act like one. I had to do my own things, and I had to do my sister’s things for her. Mr. Harrison quickly chimed in. “Uncle, don’t say that. Iris is a good girl; it would be my blessing if things worked out.” I shot him a disgusted look. My cousin had told me that Mr. Harrison had a strange personality, hadn’t found a partner in his thirties, and might even be gay. He was also a heavy gambler, and his limp was supposedly from being beaten after losing too much and failing to pay up. Our relatives watched, eager for drama. I would never agree to this. “Hey! She and Lily are incomparable…” “Let’s exchange contact info. We should keep in touch.” Mr. Harrison interrupted Dad, holding out a QR code to me. Given that he’d stopped Dad, I scanned the code, saved him as “Limping Comrade,” and then ignored him completely. The entire dinner was filled with Mom and Dad’s bragging, as if Lily had already become the wealthiest person in the city. The day we left for Silverton, Lily specifically chose a tight, strappy red dress. It drew curious glances from everyone we passed. Lily put on her sunglasses, chin held high, and looked at my slightly plump figure with disdain. “I’m turning heads everywhere; being thin truly is the ultimate.” I nodded vigorously in agreement. “Yes, beauty lies in the bones!” Lily was overjoyed to hear this. Once we reached Silverton, she headed straight for the five-star hotel Christopher always booked. She wanted to surprise him. The elevator doors opened, and she bumped right into Christopher, who was on his way out. Lily excitedly threw her arms open and lunged at him. “Darling! I’m 70 pounds!” Christopher stiffened, a flicker of disgust passing through his eyes. “Li… Lily?” he stammered. “You… you’re amazing, I’m stunned. But there’s an urgent company matter, I have to go abroad for a month! Leaving immediately! Otherwise, I’ll miss my flight! Wait for me to come back!” As the elevator doors closed, I saw the look of sheer relief on his face. Lily turned abruptly, a little dazed. I thought she’d understood, but her reaction was: “Big sis, was he touched by me?” “He looked at me with such shock just now. He must not have expected me to be so hard on myself for him, right? But why didn’t he take me with him?” I curled my lips. “Yes, why indeed?” “Perhaps he still thinks 70 pounds is a bit too much? After all, those supermodels are all skin and bones!” Lily mused. I silently agreed. “If he still thinks it’s not enough, then I’ll keep losing weight. I’ll go down to 52 pounds, which means ‘I love you’! I want to be his cherished bride! I’ll let him see an even more perfect me in a month!” “Mom and Dad won’t agree,” I reminded her promptly. She immediately called Mom and Dad, saying Christopher had agreed to marry her and she needed to stay in Silverton to prepare for the wedding. She also asked them to transfer ten thousand dollars for her wedding preparations. Less than ten minutes later, twenty thousand dollars was directly deposited. Any lingering tenderness in my heart completely vanished. Mom had chased me for three days to pay back the twenty-eight dollars for an air conditioner cover she’d bought me. Lily merely opened her mouth, and they poured everything they had into her. Was I even their real daughter? Lily rented an apartment in Silverton and began her “ascension” journey. Every day, she survived only on vitamin supplements. Occasionally, she’d call me to complain. “Big sis, I’m so hungry, my heart is racing…” I would encourage her. “Hold on, you’ll soon have an ‘ultimately slender’ soul.” And she would reignite her confidence. Mom and Dad worried that Lily’s wedding preparations might not be lavish enough for a wealthy family, fearing she’d suffer after marriage. They demanded Mr. Harrison front fifty thousand dollars to help Lily with her wedding expenses. They also hoped I’d understand that the Davies were a prominent family, and Mr. Harrison’s family couldn’t compare! I just wanted to curse. Fortunately, Mr. Harrison could distinguish right from wrong. He told me that the first time he came to my house, he already knew my family status. He was on my side and told me to let him know if I needed any help. I asked him to pretend to be my boyfriend to appease Mom and Dad, but not to give them any money, and he played his part perfectly. Soon, Lily’s weight settled at 52 pounds. She happily video-called me. In the video, she was wearing a princess dress, twirling in front of a mirror. Her cheekbones were prominent, her eye sockets deeply sunken, and her limbs were so thin you could count every bone, like a living skeleton. “Big sis, how do I look?” “So beautiful! Lily, you have amazing willpower! Long live love!” I cheered for her. She told me she had custom-ordered a wedding dress and booked the largest commercial square screen below Christopher’s company building, preparing to officially propose to Christopher. I said I would come to her proposal ceremony to witness her shining moment! “You can come, but don’t be jealous, okay?” Lily teased me over the phone, her voice brimming with pride. I teased back, “Not jealous, just full of hate!” She thought I was joking, but I was telling the truth. Silverton’s most bustling commercial square was teeming with people. Suddenly, the advertisements on the large screen transformed into a declaration of love. “Christopher, I love you! I want to be your cherished bride!” Colorful heart shapes filled the screen, incredibly romantic! Lily stood in the center of the square, dressed in her wedding gown, waving to the onlookers. A chorus of screams erupted from the crowd. Cell phone cameras furiously filmed her. Lily’s face was beaming with pride as she held the microphone and loudly declared her love. “Christopher! Look! I’ve become the slender girl you like most! Thinner than any celebrity! This is the strength your love gave me! I went from 120 pounds to 52 pounds, enduring a lot of hardship, but for you, it’s all worth it!” The scene erupted. Christopher didn’t appear. Lily called out again, “Christopher! I know you’re watching! Come out now! I’m waiting for you to take me home…” Thunderous applause filled the square. Still, Christopher didn’t appear. After a few awkward minutes, a handsome man walked up to Lily. He handed her a letter. Lily took the letter and excitedly showed it off to the crowd. “Christopher wrote it, he’s quite romantic! I’ll share it with everyone!” She eagerly tore open the envelope. The moment she unfolded the letter, her face instantly turned ashen, and she collapsed to the ground. She stared intently at the words on the letter, unable to utter a sound. The onlookers, always eager for a show, started to jeer. “Read it out! Is it a proposal vow from the wealthy heir?” “Don’t be shy, beautiful, let us share in your joy!” Someone held up their phone, live-streaming. “Folks, this is the ruthless person who lost 52 pounds for love! Look at how touched she is!” Lily sat on the ground, completely distraught. She suddenly lunged to stuff the letter into her mouth. I quickly stepped forward to “help” her. I gently but firmly pulled the crumpled letter from her hand. “I’m her sister; I’ll read it for her.” Lily rose, trying to snatch it back, but I sidestepped. “Lily, I’ve never liked you. Asking you to lose to 70 pounds was purely to make you back off. I can’t believe you actually did it!” I declared indignantly, shouting to the crowd, “What a scumbag!” I continued reading. “When I saw you at 70 pounds, I was already scared. And now 52 pounds! You’re completely insane! The first time I didn’t reject you wasn’t because I liked you. When something’s offered, well, you know how men are. I didn’t want to say anything too harsh, but I was afraid you’d be misguided. Go home, stop this nonsense. We can still be friends!” After reading, I adopted a protective sister stance and demanded that everyone help my sister get justice. Christopher probably thought Lily would save face, quietly take the letter, and leave. But I definitely intended to fan the flames. “Holy crap, this guy is such a jerk, but this girl is also a freak.” “I knew it, who would like a skeleton like that? Turns out she was just played.” The live stream comments exploded, filling the screen with “Clown,” “Serves her right,” and “LOL.” Lily lay on the ground, sobbing. Her proud love, the figure she’d fought so hard for, had now become a complete joke. “No… this isn’t real…” I helped her up, wiping her tears. “Wake up, he’s a liar!” The onlookers also started to chime in. “Yes, girl, a man like that isn’t worth ruining yourself over.” “Don’t be so vain!” Lily’s public humiliation was utterly boundless. She suddenly rolled her eyes and fainted. After being rushed to the hospital, the doctor shook his head at the test results. “Severe malnutrition, electrolyte imbalance, multiple organ dysfunction. This isn’t weight loss; it’s slow suicide! If she continues like this, she’ll be headed straight for the crematorium.” Lily quieted down, but online public opinion soared. The online video titles were more sensational than the last. “Skeleton Bride Publicly Demands Love: Scumbag or True Love?” “Starving Herself to a Corpse for a Wealthy Marriage: Is This Human Perversion or Moral Decay?” “This girl’s brain must be fried, 52 pounds? My dog weighs more than her.” “This whole family is strange. The sister even read out such nasty words from the guy; clearly, apples don’t fall far from the tree.” I sat on a hospital bench, scrolling through these comments, feeling completely unfazed. Mom and Dad arrived, dusty and disheveled, rushing straight to me. Dad grabbed my collar, and before I could speak, a slap landed across my face.

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Three days before the wedding, I was hit by a car, and my spine was fractured. Lucas, my fiancé, put the driver behind bars. I lay in the hospital bed, refusing to wake, devastated by the news of my paralysis. In a haze, I overheard Lucas’s conversation with the doctor. “Mr. Stone, it’s still not too late for the surgery. A few more days, and Ms. Hayes will truly be paralyzed for life! You just want Lily to be your bride; why take on half a life’s burden?” “Disabled is disabled. I will take care of her for the rest of her life. If she recovers, she’ll definitely cause trouble at the wedding. I promised Lily I’d bring our child into the Stone family with all due pomp. Only when Clara is completely incapacitated will she treat my child as her own. Being disabled is fine; at least she won’t bully the child.” In an unnoticed corner, a single tear traced a path down my temple. So, the wedding I had so eagerly anticipated was nothing but a lie. The love I yearned for was also my death warrant. If that was the case, I would grant his wish. “Don’t say anything extra. Follow my plan. The hysterectomy must be thorough, leaving no trace for her to discover. Once she wakes, I’ll take her to the orphanage to pick up the child. Without the chance to have her own children, she’ll surely dote on Rose.” The doctor wiped sweat from his brow, his conscience pricked. “Mr. Stone, perhaps you should reconsider? Ms. Hayes is already paralyzed. Removing her uterus would be like taking her life! How will she face the elders of the Stone family afterward?” “Besides, your child with Ms. Evans is three years old now, and the girl looks remarkably like you. If Ms. Hayes ever found out, everything would be ruined!” Lucas reached out, skillfully wiping my cracked lips with a wet tissue again and again. His voice was filled with the regret of a love unfulfilled. “She won’t find out. As long as she’s disabled, she’ll be confined to the Stone family estate for life, unable to take a single step outside. I promised Lily I’d give her a grand wedding and watch our child grow up with my own eyes. Even if she’s married to someone else now, I will never let her have any worries.” The doctor beside him sighed, looking at my pale face on the hospital bed. “Clara is a good girl. You two grew up together, and you insist on clinging to that… never mind. I won’t say anything more. If you think it’s okay, then proceed.” “Go prepare for the surgery. Remember, make it clean, leave no traces. While Clara is still unconscious, I don’t want her to feel too much pain.” The doctor quickly left the room. Lucas took out his phone and sent a voice message to his assistant. “That driver didn’t spill the beans, did he? As agreed, pay his family two million and help them move out of this city. Don’t let Clara find out.” Tears fell uncontrollably, soaking into the pillow. Lucas meticulously wiped my body with warm water again and again. A chill, however, still ran through me. It turned out the wedding I had anticipated for five years was merely preparation for Lily. The car accident was no accident at all. It was just his way of clearing me, a stumbling block, for Lily. My imagined happiness and perfection were nothing but illusions. Lies and betrayal were the true nature of our relationship. I struggled to open my eyes. But soon, an anesthetic was injected into my body. Before being wheeled into the operating room, Lucas kissed my forehead with feigned tenderness. “Be good, it’ll be over soon, Clara. I’ll be waiting for you.” Cold instruments continuously churned inside me. My shattered heart grew even colder. When I opened my eyes again, I was already in the recovery room. I still had no sensation below my waist. Lucas sat by my bedside, his face etched with worry when he saw me awaken. He took my hand in his, gently pressing it against his cheek. “Clara? You’re awake? Is anything still bothering you?” “Tell me if you’re in pain, and I’ll have them change your medication.” His expression was as doting as ever, but I could no longer detect any warmth in his eyes. For someone to go to such lengths for another… I gently shook my head, my fingers tracing the stubble on his chin. “You haven’t slept all night, have you? I’m fine; you should rest a bit.” Lucas, unsuspecting, relaxed and quickly drifted off to sleep. I picked up his phone from the bedside table and unlocked it. The wallpaper was still our wedding photo, taken in advance. His social media app was open. The pinned contact was saved as Lily. Tapping into the chat, beyond cute cat emojis, were only photos of Lily holding a child. “Rose kept asking for Daddy again today. She’s so young and already knows Daddy is handsome. She’s definitely going to be obsessed with good looks later.” “Rose had a good appetite today; she ate the entire cake you sent all by herself.” “Rose is begging to go to the amusement park with Daddy. I can’t convince her otherwise. Come over if you have time.” Lucas hadn’t replied, but beneath each photo were video logs lasting up to two hours. Remembering he once said he didn’t like children, I now understood. He didn’t dislike children; he just disliked children born from my womb. He had created a separate album for Lily, the password being the child’s birthday. Five thousand photos documented the child’s three years of growth. Every important holiday, Lucas had been by their side. The second chat box in the app was a conversation with the wedding planner. From the moment he started planning the wedding a month ago, Lucas had given Lily’s name. The wedding dress was her size. The invitations were handwritten by both of them. From the very beginning, he had never intended for me to be at this wedding. I laughed at myself, a bitter sound, and stopped scrolling. I contacted my best friend, asking her to find another hospital for me abroad for surgery. I also applied to cancel all my identification documents in the country. My best friend, not thinking much of it, just assumed I had finally seen Lucas’s true colors. Her messages were filled with joy for me. Putting down my phone, I fell into a deep sleep. I woke again, startled by Lucas’s sobs. He clutched a hospital report in his hand, his shoulders shaking uncontrollably. “Clara… the doctor said they found during the examination that you were born without a uterus, you’re infertile.” “Don’t worry, I won’t look down on you. No matter what you become, you are my wife. How about we adopt a child after you’re discharged? With a child by your side, you’ll slowly get better.” I was the one who had lost the ability to conceive, yet he seemed more heartbroken than I was. His acting was convincing, and I couldn’t be bothered to expose him. After a long silence, looking at the report in his hand, I nodded slowly. Lucas, moved, shed tears and pulled me into his embrace. “I will take good care of you. Don’t be afraid. No matter what anyone says, I will stand by you.” “After we get married, I’ll transfer all my assets to your name, as your security.” Our chests pressed tightly together. Yet our heartbeats were on different rhythms. After a while, Lucas struggled to speak. “The wedding is already prepared, but now your body hasn’t recovered, so it might have to…” “Find someone to go in my place. Don’t let the Stone family lose face.” I knew what he wanted to say. Rather than being passive, it was better to be proactive. At least I could maintain some dignity. Lucas was surprised by my change in attitude. But with his wish fulfilled, he didn’t want to pry. His phone rang. He glanced at it, surprised. “Clara, what documents did you cancel?” I quickly swiped away the message, calmly explaining, “Nothing, my documents expired. I’ll just replace them online.” He didn’t think much of it, hugging me tighter, his voice full of tenderness. “Now that you’re not well, just tell me anything you need, and I’ll handle it for you.” “Lucas, I want to leave the hospital.” His emotions suddenly tensed. “No, your body hasn’t recovered. I don’t agree.” I tugged on his arm, shaking it, a smile playing on my lips. “Didn’t you say you wanted to take me to adopt a child? We have nannies at home; nothing will happen. I want to visit the orphanage, okay?” In our five years together, this was the first time I’d ever acted so sweetly with him. Lucas couldn’t refuse me and softly agreed. On the way, he took out the cakes he had prepared in the car and arranged them in front of me, saying he had specially bought them for me. But the “suitable for toddlers” label on the packaging still stung my eyes. I closed the bag, tossing the cakes to the back, and feigned discomfort, closing my eyes. This five-year-long deception, it was time for it to end. As soon as we entered the orphanage, I was in my wheelchair. A little girl familiarly rushed up and hugged Lucas’s leg, incessantly calling him “Daddy.” Lucas’s face changed, and fearing my suspicion, he quickly explained, “Don’t misunderstand, I sponsor this orphanage. I’ve visited a few times before. This child is an orphan, and she’s always called me that.” I nodded, smiling as I stroked the child’s face. “She looks a lot like you. If you hadn’t said anything, I would have thought she was your child.” “What’s her name?” “Rose, she’s the one I’m planning to adopt.” Before he could explain further, Rose cried, calling for “Mommy.” Lucas’s face instantly went pale. He frowned deeply, looking at me. “I’m fine. Go comfort her. This child is beautiful; I like her too.” My words visibly eased his tension. Lucas didn’t think further, picking up the child and heading into the office. I excused myself to the restroom to escape. But from the doorway, I kept hearing the staff discussing. “Why is Mr. Stone making his own child pretend to be an orphan? Those clothes are high-end; they cost more than my life. Who would believe she’s an orphan?” “What do you know? Mr. Stone has it all planned. This is the only way for the child to legitimately enter the Stone family. Be smart when you go out later; don’t let anything slip in front of Ms. Hayes.” “Indeed, the one closest to Mr. Stone’s heart is still Ms. Evans. They both loved volunteering here during college. I noticed it back then, and now it’s come true! A man and a woman alone in the same room; now they might even be…” Amused laughter reached my ears, pressing down on my chest until I could barely breathe. I moved my wheelchair to the door. Inside, I heard a familiar voice. “Is he still good to you?” “He’s quite good. It’s just that he’s often abroad, so there are some things he can’t manage. This is good too; he won’t discover Rose’s secret, and he’s even nagging me to have another child with him.” Lucas smiled, but his eyes were filled with bitterness. “Once Rose is settled in the Stone family, you won’t have to worry anymore. If you need anything, just message me.” “Oh, and this is a bracelet I just bought. Consider it my wedding gift to you.” Lily took the gift box, winking playfully. “Why are you giving me gifts again? How many wedding gifts have you given me in our year of marriage? My closet is overflowing. Clara would definitely be unhappy if she knew.” Though she said this, she didn’t stop accepting the gift. Beside them, Rose smiled, clinging to her, continuously calling her “Mommy.” The director, eager to process the paperwork, rushed to me and pushed open the door. A flicker of panic crossed Lucas’s eyes. “Clara, what are you doing here?” “Don’t misunderstand. Lily is a volunteer here at the orphanage. She just happened to be visiting today to discuss my adoption of Rose…” Lily stood up, holding Rose in her arms, and waved to me. “Clara, long time no see.” I sat in my wheelchair, smiling and nodding, swallowing my hurt. “It’s fine; I’m just looking around. Since you’re busy, I won’t bother you. I’ll wait in the car.” With that, I turned to leave. Lucas thought I was angry and followed me, explaining for a long time. “Don’t misunderstand. She often comes here to volunteer. All the children in the orphanage call her Mommy. I’ll explain everything to Rose once the adoption paperwork is done.” Watching him fret over me, I suddenly felt like laughing. To legitimately bring his child into the family, he didn’t hesitate to stage a car accident to paralyze me. Now that he had gotten his wish, who was he playing the victim for?

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During a meeting, my son’s smartwatch alerted me his temperature was high. I rushed to school to take him to the doctor, but his teacher, Ms. Clarke, eyed me warily. “Who are you to Ethan Holloway?” she asked. “I messaged his mother this morning—she’s already taken him to the hospital.” I showed her my blank message screen. “Did you text the wrong person?” She pushed her phone toward me. “The records are right here. Don’t try to impersonate a parent.” As security escorted me out, I overheard teachers whispering: “She’s delusional, trying to marry into money. Mrs. Holloway warned us about people like her.” “Mr. and Mrs. Holloway are so devoted—he held her hand all through orientation.” But on orientation day, I’d been at the hospital with my mother-in-law. Lance had taken our son himself. So who was this “Mrs. Holloway”? Following the watch’s GPS, I reached the hospital and saw my best friend Vanessa carrying Ethan out of the clinic. Lance walked over with payment slips, gently pinching our son’s nose. “Get down from Mommy’s arms—you’re in elementary school now.” Vanessa… was his mother? Then what was I—after ten months of pregnancy and nearly dying in childbirth—just a joke? … The sounds of the crowded hospital faded into a blur. I was barely aware of my surroundings. The three figures before me, so intimately entwined, looked like a true family. Someone bumped into me, jolting me back to reality. I saw them walking towards my direction. Without thinking, I spun around and ducked into a corner. Ethan’s childish voice drifted to me. “Oh, if only Aunt Nessa were my real mommy.” “Just thinking about facing Mommy’s poker face when I get home gives me a headache.” His precocious tone made the two adults beside him laugh. But my heart, standing in the shadows, plunged straight into an icy abyss. Vanessa gently patted his back. “Don’t say that, sweetie. Mommy is busy with work and works very hard.” Lance’s tone was harsh, filled with disgust. “You’re too soft-hearted, still defending her. The child is sick, and she doesn’t even care. Is she the only one who’s busy? Is she the only one with a job?” Vanessa lightly hooked her finger through his. “Lance, don’t say such things in front of the child.” “Ethan, be good. Aunt Nessa always thinks of you as her own son.” Lance, moved, pressed a kiss to her cheek. “Vanessa, I’ve put you through so much. I’m lucky you’ve been with us all this time.” Vanessa’s eyes reddened, but she bravely shook her head. “I don’t feel wronged being by your side. It’s just…” She blinked, and a tear slid down at just the right moment. “If only time could go back to last week. That week was the happiest of my life.” Lance pulled her into his arms. “Don’t say that!” Ethan also reached out his small hand, clumsily wiping her tears. “Daddy, can you send Mommy on another business trip today, the farther the better? I’m sick, and I want Aunt Nessa to stay with me.” Last week? Lance had sent me to Arlington to deal with an extremely difficult client. He had held me from behind, exhausted, his chin resting on my shoulder. “Honey, help me. Those old geezers are all waiting to laugh at me. You’re the only one I can trust.” My heart ached for him. Despite a relapse of my stomach condition, I forced myself to go to Arlington. As I left, Vanessa had comforted me. “Chloe, you go focus on your work. I’ll help you take good care of Ethan.” At the time, my heart was filled with gratitude, feeling lucky to have such a thoughtful best friend. But it turned out that from beginning to end, this was all a carefully orchestrated lie, designed to get rid of me! My husband of ten years, my son for whom I endured ten months of pregnancy, my confidante. They had long formed a new “family” behind my back! I returned home, physically and emotionally drained, to find my mother-in-law sitting in the living room. Years ago, after my parents died, it was my mother-in-law’s financial support that allowed me to complete college. When my relationship with Lance was exposed, his entire family opposed it. She was the first to give in, agreeing to my marriage into the Holloway family. To me, she was more than just my mother-in-law; she was also my benefactor. So, no matter how bad my mood, I respectfully greeted her. “Mom, you’re here.” My mother-in-law glanced behind me, then smiled. “Yes, I came to see you all.” Our housekeeper, Mrs. Miller, peeked out from the kitchen. “Madam, should I soak the dried yams you brought, or boil them directly?” My mother-in-law hurried over. At that moment, her phone screen lit up, and I clearly saw a notification: “Temperature too high, precious might be unwell.” My eyes widened. I suddenly remembered the smartwatch was a gift from my mother-in-law to our son. Of course, she had also linked the app. So, she came today because she knew Ethan had a fever? But from the moment I entered, she hadn’t mentioned it once, nor did she show any surprise at seeing me come home alone. My hands and feet turned cold as I walked to the kitchen doorway. Sure enough, I heard my mother-in-law’s hushed voice. “The yams need to be cut into small pieces, and go easy on the sugar. The child has a fever; he needs something bland.” Mrs. Miller chuckled softly. “Oh, I know. Ms. Evans just called specifically to say we should make fewer sweets these two days.” My mother-in-law was silent for a moment, then sighed. “Vanessa… she knows how to handle things.” So, it wasn’t just my mother-in-law; even the housekeeper knew about Lance and Vanessa’s affair. Was I the only one kept in the dark all along? I went upstairs, made a phone call, and then, finding a flimsy excuse, prepared to leave. The front door suddenly opened, and Lance returned, carrying Ethan. He saw me and froze for a moment, then uncomfortably said, “Ethan has a fever. I just took him to the hospital.” Seeing Ethan clinging weakly to his shoulder, a pang of heartache went through me. He was only 7 years old, my flesh and blood, a part of me! To protect him during my pregnancy, I had spent a month on bed rest. Later, when he was born, my mother-in-law insisted on a natural birth, and I was in agony for two days and two nights. Finally, the doctor issued an ultimatum before my mother-in-law reluctantly agreed to switch from natural to C-section. Exhausted, I held my tiny baby, tears streaming down my face. “Baby, you’re amazing. We made it through together, you and I.” “From now on, the three of us will always be together.” Thinking of this, my heart softened. I raised my hand. “Ethan, come here, Mommy will hold you.” But Ethan opened his eyes, saw me, and burst into tears. “I don’t want you! I want Aunt Nessa!” “I hate you! Go away! I want Aunt Nessa to be my mommy!” My hand froze in mid-air. Vanessa flung open the door, reaching out to take Ethan into her arms, gently cooing, “Be good, sweetie. Aunt Nessa is here. Don’t cry!” My voice trembled. “Vanessa, give me back my son!” Vanessa held Ethan, avoiding my outstretched hand. “Chloe, don’t be angry. Ethan is still little. He was playing too wildly outside yesterday and ate ice cream. He’s afraid you’ll scold him.” She lightly tapped Ethan’s nose. “Tell Mommy you’re sorry and that you won’t do it again.” Ethan buried his face in her arms. Under her gentle gaze, he reluctantly mumbled, “I’m sorry.” Then he clung to her, whining, “Aunt Nessa, I just want you to stay with me, please!” I was about to speak, but Lance impatiently pushed me. “What’s the fuss? Let Vanessa take the child to his room first.” My mother-in-law, emerging from the kitchen, witnessed the scene and shot Lance a glare. “Why are you so harsh? Chloe has been busy at the office all day; she’s tired enough.” Then she took Ethan from Vanessa. “Vanessa, Ethan isn’t feeling well today. Why don’t you go home for now, so you don’t catch anything?” “It’s already dark outside; let Lance drive you back.” My mother-in-law’s words seemed to be defending me, but in reality, she was covering for Lance. I gave a bitter laugh, looking seriously at my son and asking, “Do you really not want me, and want Vanessa to be your mom?” Ethan hesitated, looking at Vanessa. Vanessa smiled and leaned closer, intimately hooking her arm through mine and swaying it. “Chloe, why are you being so serious with a child? We’re best friends; if I have children someday, won’t they be like your own?” I pulled her hand away, then looked up at Lance. “Do you think so too? Do you want Vanessa to be the woman of this house?” Vanessa, seeing me ignore her, forced a strained laugh. “No way, you’re not jealous of me, are you? Chloe, we’ve been friends for over ten years. I saw you were busy, and I came out of the goodness of my heart to help you take care of the house, and you…” Lance finally spoke, his voice filled with accusation. “Chloe, why are you getting angry at Vanessa? Why don’t you reflect on why our son isn’t close to you?” “Vanessa, just an ‘aunt,’ can make time to be with the child, but you? What have you cared about all day besides work?” “Our son had a fever today; where were you, his mother?” I waited for him to finish, then calmly said, “I went to the school today.” “The teacher told me the child had already been picked up by his mother.” “The contact person in her phone, the profile picture and name were mine, but it wasn’t my number.” “Lance, at the orientation, who did you actually put down as our son’s contact person?” One sentence changed everyone’s expression. Vanessa’s face froze. She tried to explain, her voice dry. “Chloe, it’s not what you think. We’re best friends; trust me…” Only Ethan didn’t understand what was happening. Seeing the tears welling up in Vanessa’s eyes, he angrily yelled at me, “Don’t bully Aunt Nessa! I just hate you. You don’t let me do anything, you’re always forcing me to do homework. Daddy said you only care about work and don’t love me at all.” “Go on your business trip already! I want Aunt Nessa to stay with me!” I deliberately ignored the dull ache in my chest. I quietly looked at Ethan. His small face was flushed from the fever, and his little chest heaved violently. “Next week is your eighth birthday. Your birthday present is hidden in the cabinet in your room.” That was the treasure hunt game he loved playing with me when he was little. “You’re allergic to lamb and tomatoes; don’t eat them anymore.” His allergies had been managed much better in the past two years, but those two things were still off-limits. I paused, suppressing the bitterness. “There’s one last gift.” “I promise you, I’ll leave, and let Vanessa be your mother.” With that, I left the house without looking back. Lance and Vanessa both rushed after me. Vanessa, trembling, grabbed my arm, tears streaming down her face. “Chloe, don’t go! I can explain! I really did envy your happy family, but I never intended to destroy it. Lance truly loves you; there’s nothing between us. I can stop being Ethan’s aunt. If you don’t want to see me, I’ll leave. I’ll disappear forever, okay?” I shook her off. “Vanessa, even now, you’re still acting. You claim to be my best friend, yet you snuck into my husband’s bed behind my back. When you were kissing and hugging him, did you ever think of us as friends?” “Presuming on my trust, doing something so shameless, aren’t you afraid of karma?” I couldn’t be bothered to listen to their continued excuses and justifications. I simply shoved the hospital photo of Lance kissing her in front of them. Lance’s pupils constricted. The composure he had maintained finally cracked. “How did you end up at the hospital?” he asked, his voice dry. “Chloe, I’m sorry.” I stared at him, asking word for word, “When did you start the affair?” Lance was silent. After a long pause, he finally managed to squeeze out a single sentence. “When… you were pregnant, I was drunk and lost control.” Tears streamed from my eyes. Hatred almost consumed my last shred of sanity. I raised my hand and slapped his face. “Lance, you bastard! Who was it who pointed fingers and cursed men who couldn’t control themselves as disgusting?” “Who swore at our proposal that if he ever betrayed me, he would meet a terrible end?” Before he could speak, I slapped him again with my other hand. “Now you’ve cheated, you’ve betrayed me, so why aren’t you dead yet?!” Vanessa cried, lunging forward, arms outstretched to shield Lance. “Don’t hit him, Chloe! It’s all my fault! I was the one who fell for Lance first. I wanted to keep it a secret forever, but feelings are truly uncontrollable.” Lance pulled her closer into his embrace. “Chloe, it’s true that cheating was my fault. But after we got married, you focused entirely on the company, always talking to me about clients, reports, and performance.” “After you got pregnant, you constantly talked about the child.” “I’m a man; I have desires too. Did you ever consider my feelings?” I found it utterly ridiculous. “Lance, do you have a conscience? You were the one who said you were too young to control the old guard at the company. You and your mother begged me to join the company to help you get established.” “You come home from work, say you’re tired, and then feel perfectly justified in doing your own thing. What about me? After I come home, not only do I have to spend time with Ethan and research his allergy-friendly recipes, but after he’s asleep, I still have to work overtime to prepare for the next day’s meeting materials.” “I’m so busy I only get five hours of sleep a night. Did you ever ask if I was tired?” I stared intently at him. “You cheated because you’re selfish. Don’t try to blame me.” “You don’t deserve it.” “Lance, I want a divorce.” Lance released Vanessa, took two steps forward, massaged his jaw, and gave a short, bitter laugh. “Chloe, can you really give it up? Without the Holloway family, how would you have climbed to your current position?” “Stop this nonsense. I never intended for anyone else to take your place as Mrs. Holloway.” Vanessa stumbled, then suddenly clutched her abdomen, her face pale. “Chloe, don’t divorce Lance. I’ll get rid of the baby, disappear forever, and never appear before you again. Please forgive me, okay?” Lance spun around, seizing her wrist, and raised his voice. “You’re pregnant? Why didn’t you tell me?” Vanessa slumped weakly into his arms, her eyelashes trembling. “I didn’t want to put you in a difficult position. I felt so guilty towards Chloe.” “Lance, my stomach hurts so much.” “This baby, he shouldn’t have come…” Lance broke out in a sweat, yelling back towards the door, “Driver, hurry up and drive! To the hospital immediately!” He didn’t spare me another glance. I stood rooted to the spot, a cold sneer in my heart. So, this was Vanessa’s trump card. But she didn’t know that this card would also lead her to ruin.

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Ever since I rescued Arthur from that blazing warehouse fire, my lungs, ravaged by smoke inhalation, had been slowly deteriorating. On Pancake Day, after carefully preparing a batch of delicious pancakes, a sickening sweetness surged in my throat. I just wanted to rest on the lounge chair for a bit, but I never opened my eyes again. Arthur, who had gone out to buy me some candied nuts, returned, his secretary, Sarah, trailing behind him. Seeing me still on the lounge chair, he reached out for a throw blanket. “You’re not well; don’t overexert yourself. Just get some more sleep.” But Sarah, teary-eyed and feigning distress, interjected: “Mr. Sterling, Jessie just messaged me, calling me a hussy and telling me to die… I should just leave. I don’t want to ruin your marriage.” Arthur looked at my closed eyes, the tenderness in his gaze hardening into disgust. “Jessie, what exactly is your problem? Sarah just came back to get some files from me. Can’t you be more reasonable?” His scolding didn’t stop until my body grew cold. Arthur, I won’t cause trouble anymore. 1 Arthur, frowning, had lectured for a long time. Seeing no reaction from me on the lounge chair, he finally sighed. The harshness in his eyes softened. He knelt, gently placing the bag of candied nuts he had clutched in his arms into my hand. “Don’t be angry anymore.” His voice was incredibly soft, as if coaxing a sulking child. “I queued for a long time to get these; they’re still warm. This shop is on the south side of town; haven’t you been talking about it forever? Get up and eat them while they’re hot; they won’t taste good cold.” The paper bag of nuts felt warm, but alas, my palm could no longer sense that faint warmth. Arthur, sensing my cold hand, frowned again. He rose to fetch a wool blanket from the bedroom, carefully draping it over me. Tucking the corners, his movements were heartbreakingly practiced. Having done all this, he turned to the kitchen, the sound of running water filling the air. “I’m pouring you some warm water to soothe your throat.” Arthur’s voice drifted from the kitchen, a hint of concern in his tone. “After Pancake Day, I’ll clear my schedule at the company and take you to a retreat in the south. It’s warmer there, and the air is humid. Your cough never seems to get better; resting your lungs there should help. And if you want to see the ocean, we’ll go see the ocean…” I floated in mid-air, watching his busy figure in the kitchen, my eyes stinging, yet unable to shed a single tear. Arthur, it was too late. Standing nearby, Sarah stared at Arthur’s busy back, consumed by furious jealousy. She hadn’t expected that even with me feigning sleep and ignoring him, Arthur wouldn’t get angry. Instead, he was thinking of taking me south. While Arthur’s back was to the living room, Sarah quietly approached the lounge chair. She reached into my coat pocket and pulled out my phone. Sarah tried a few times; my password was Arthur’s birthday. She tapped her fingers on the screen a few times, setting a timed text message. Having done all this, she casually slipped my phone into her own bag. The next second. “Ah!” A piercing scream shattered the living room’s tranquility. Sarah abruptly snatched the crystal ashtray from the coffee table and ruthlessly smashed it against her own forehead. Blood instantly gushed out, streaming down her pale cheek. “What happened?!” Arthur, holding a glass of warm water, rushed out of the kitchen in a panic. He immediately saw Sarah clutching her bleeding head, collapsed on the floor, weeping uncontrollably. “Mr. Sterling… boohoohoo…” Sarah pointed at my unmoving figure on the lounge chair, sobbing breathlessly. “Jessie suddenly threw the ashtray at me! She called me a hussy and told me to get out, or she’d kill me!” Arthur’s face instantly changed. He strode to the lounge chair, reaching out to grab my arm. “Jessie! Are you insane? Sarah is just a young woman; how could you do such a thing?!” Just as his hand was about to touch me, “Ding-dong.” Arthur’s phone in his pocket rang. Sarah immediately screamed, “Mr. Sterling! Look at your phone! Jessie must have sent me a message cursing me! She was just tapping on her phone; she was pretending to be asleep!” Arthur’s movements faltered. He pulled out his phone. A line of text abruptly popped up on the screen, the sender clearly labeled “Wife.” [If that bitch secretary doesn’t leave, I’ll die right here and make you regret it for the rest of your life!] The veins on the back of Arthur’s hand, clutching the phone, bulged, his knuckles white. He looked up at me on the lounge chair, the last flicker of warmth in his eyes vanishing, replaced by towering rage. “Fine.” Arthur, furious, laughed mirthlessly, his voice cold. “Jessie, to drive Sarah away, you’re even threatening me with death? I’ve been too good to you, haven’t I? Made you think you can get away with anything, haven’t I?” He raised his hand. “Splash!” The glass of warm water, originally meant to soothe my throat, was thrown directly onto my face. Drops of water slid down my ashen cheeks, wetting my eyelashes and the freshly covered wool blanket. I remained with my eyes closed, unmoving. “Still pretending?” Seeing my lack of reaction, the fire in Arthur’s heart burned even hotter. He grabbed the still-warm bag of candied nuts from my hand and tossed it into the trash can. “Fine, you like playing dead, do you? Then you can put on your act alone here to your heart’s content!” Arthur turned around, pulled Sarah up from the floor, not sparing me another glance, his voice filled with disgust. “Sarah, let’s go! I’m taking you to the hospital to get bandaged. We’ll spend the holiday at the office tonight. Let her go crazy alone here!” The front door slammed shut with a “bang,” shaking the ceiling light fixture. I floated in mid-air, looking at my wet face and the nuts in the trash can. Arthur, I wasn’t pretending. I was truly dead. 2 The next day, my body began to change. Faint purplish corpse spots subtly appeared on my once pale skin. The heating in the room was on full blast, accelerating the process. My soul was bound by an invisible force to Arthur, compelled to follow him. At that moment, Arthur was driving, his brow deeply furrowed. In the passenger seat, Sarah, her head wrapped in gauze, was playing with my phone. She secretly glanced at Arthur’s expression. She opened my social media, rapidly typing a line of text. She even specifically tagged Arthur before hitting send. Having done all this, she contentedly slipped my phone back into her bag. Looking up at Arthur, she resumed her delicate, innocent demeanor. “Mr. Sterling, Jessie… she seems really angry.” Arthur, who was driving, snorted coldly at her words, then took out his own phone. When he tapped into social media and saw the latest post on my account, his face instantly darkened. [If you dare to leave, I’ll die at home, making you regret it for the rest of your life!] “Bang!” Arthur slammed his fist on the steering wheel, the horn blaring harshly, drawing glances from passersby. “This lunatic!” Arthur gritted his teeth, veins throbbing on his forehead. After a night of cooling off, he had still felt a pang of concern for me. After all, I wasn’t well, and he had thrown water in my face yesterday. He had thought about going back to check on me and perhaps bring me some medicine. But this social media post completely severed his thought of returning home. “Since you want to die, then don’t blame me for not coming back.” Arthur sharply turned the steering wheel, making a U-turn. The road home became the road to Sarah’s apartment. “Mr. Sterling, is Jessie really angry?” Sarah asked timidly, her eyes brimming with triumph. “Perhaps you should still go back and check on her. I’ll be fine alone.” “No,” Arthur spat out coldly. “She plays these games too much; the more I humor her, the worse she gets. This time, she needs a lesson!” At Sarah’s apartment, Sarah pulled out all the stops to keep Arthur there. She tied on an apron and bustled in the kitchen, then suddenly let out a small “Ouch!” Arthur, who was sulking on the sofa, immediately rushed into the kitchen. He saw Sarah’s finger, red and scalded by hot soup. “Why are you so careless?” Arthur’s brow furrowed. He immediately pulled her hand under the faucet to rinse it. His movements were gentle, his eyes filled with concern. This scene stung my eyes. Before, when I cut my hand in the kitchen and asked him to put a bandage on it, he would always say, “Just take care of minor injuries yourself; I’m very busy.” It turned out he wasn’t incapable of showing affection; he just didn’t show it to me. Just then, Arthur’s phone rang. It was Dr. Jones, my attending physician. Arthur glanced at the screen, sneered, and answered the call. “Hello?” On the other end, Dr. Jones’s voice was filled with urgency. “Arthur? Where’s Jessie? I’ve been calling her phone, and no one answers! Her test results from yesterday are in, and her condition is very critical! She needs to be hospitalized immediately! Quickly, make her answer the phone!” Arthur impatiently cut him off, his tone laced with sarcasm. “Dr. Jones, Jessie is even using you to get my attention now? You two put on quite a show.” “What did you say?” Dr. Jones was stunned. “Arthur, I’m not joking! Jessie’s lungs are already…” “Enough!” Arthur coldly interrupted. “Tell Jessie that if her suicide attempt turns real, I’ll just make arrangements for her burial. Don’t think that teaming up with a doctor can scare me; I’m not falling for it.” With that, he hung up the phone and immediately blocked Dr. Jones. I floated nearby, desperately wanting to scream, wanting to explain. But my voice couldn’t reach his ears. After hanging up, Arthur’s anger hadn’t subsided. To spite me, he deliberately posed for a photo with Sarah. In the picture, Sarah held a wine glass, smiling sweetly. Arthur sat opposite her, his face stern, but the background was a cozy candlelight dinner. Sarah immediately posted it, with the caption: [Thank you for spending the warmest Pancake Day with me. May we be together for many years to come.] She had set the privacy to “only visible to me.” Late at night, brilliant fireworks suddenly exploded outside the window. Arthur stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, gazing at the fleeting fireworks, his eyes distant. He unconsciously stroked his phone, then, on an impulse, sent me a message. [Have you caused enough trouble? If so, cook your own pancakes and eat them. Don’t starve to death at home and bring bad luck.] The message was sent, but there was no reply, not even the familiar “typing…” Arthur stared at the screen for a while, then irritably tossed his phone onto the bed. He thought I was throwing a tantrum, giving him the silent treatment. But he didn’t know that my body was quietly lying on the lounge chair, slowly decaying. 3 February 17th. Arthur woke up at Sarah’s apartment, his head throbbing from a hangover. He instinctively reached for his phone; the screen was blank, with no unread messages. In the past, even if I was angry, I wouldn’t ignore him for more than a night. I would make him hangover soup; I would message him, asking if his stomach hurt. But now, the silence was unsettling. “Before, she’d cling to me even if I just gave her a slight cold shoulder. Humph, now she’s gotten quite bold.” Arthur tossed his phone aside, an inexplicable anger surging within him. He cursed defiantly, “Fine, you want to play the waiting game, do you? Let’s see how many days you can last.” Sarah entered, carrying breakfast. Observing Arthur’s expression, she tentatively suggested, “Mr. Sterling, the weather is nice today. Why don’t we go for a walk by the sea? You’ve been too tired lately.” Arthur had intended to refuse, but remembering my obstinate presence at home, he nodded on a whim. Just as they finished tidying up and were about to leave, the property manager’s call came through to Arthur’s phone. “Mr. Sterling, your downstairs neighbor complained that there’s a strange odor coming from your apartment, like… something rotten. Could you please come home and deal with it?” Arthur’s brow immediately furrowed into a knot. He remembered my half-dead appearance on the lounge chair before he left yesterday, and that bag of nuts he had kicked over. It must be me, trying to spite him, deliberately not taking out the trash, perhaps even scattering food everywhere. Arthur’s voice was cold as he spoke into the phone. “It must be my wife, trying to annoy me, deliberately not throwing out the trash. Just ignore her; she’ll clean it up when she can’t stand it anymore.” He hung up, his disgust growing. The car drove all the way to the beach. The winter sea wind was strong, making people’s faces sting. Arthur stood on the rocks, looking at the churning waves. His restless mood didn’t calm down; instead, it became even more chaotic. He suddenly remembered our wedding anniversary. I had pulled on his sleeve, my eyes sparkling, saying, “Arthur, I want to see the sea. When I feel a little better, can we go to the beach and collect seashells?” But he had said, “I’m very busy. Next time.” Arthur looked at the seashells at his feet, his heart suddenly softening. He picked out a shell bracelet from a small roadside stall. “Never mind, I’ll go back and appease her.” Arthur, holding the bracelet, mumbled to himself, “She’s not well; it would be troublesome if she got sick from anger.” He turned to a convenience store to buy water, thinking of getting me a hot milk too. As he paid, Sarah, standing not far away, stared at his back with venomous eyes. She took out my phone, hidden in her bag. She skillfully opened the browser, downloaded a photo of slit wrists from the internet, and sent it to herself. Then she quickly put my phone back in her bag, adopting a terrified expression, and rushed towards Arthur, holding her own phone. “Mr. Sterling! Mr. Sterling, it’s bad!” Sarah shrieked, her voice choked with sobs. “Jessie sent me a picture… she said she slit her wrists! Look!” Arthur had just received his change; the coins scattered all over the floor with a “clatter.” He snatched Sarah’s phone, staring intently at the photo. Bright red blood stung his eyes. Towering fury surged within him. Another threat! Yesterday it was a hunger strike, today it’s slitting wrists, tomorrow will she jump off a building? “Lunatic!” Arthur roared, fiercely raising his hand. The newly bought shell bracelet plunged into the sea with a “splash,” instantly swallowed by the waves. “Absolutely irrational!” Arthur’s eyes were bloodshot, his chest heaving violently. “She wants to die, does she? Fine! Let her cut! Let’s see how much blood she can shed!” I floated in the sea breeze, watching the bracelet sink to the bottom. It was the first time he had ever bought me a gift, and he had thrown it away himself. Arthur, I don’t hurt anymore. Truly.

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At our high school reunion over the holidays, I drew a “Truth” card during a game of Truth or Dare. A classmate asked if I still liked Ethan Vance. I smiled and shook my head: “I haven’t liked him for a long time. I have a boyfriend now.” No one believed that I, who had once been madly in love with Ethan, would give up so quickly. Everyone thought I was just putting on a brave face, and even Ethan smiled disdainfully. Later, my boyfriend pinned me against his car and kissed me passionately: “Trying to coax me? You’ll have to put a little more effort into it, Chloe. That’s not enough.” I was kissed until my lips were slick and my whole body went weak. And right at that moment, Ethan Vance was standing right outside the car window. 1 “Chloe, do you still like our guy Ethan?” That one question silenced everyone in the room. Eyes darted between me and Ethan, eager to hear my answer. Because Ethan and I were childhood friends, and I had indeed been crazy about him in high school. But now, I just smiled faintly and shook my head without a shred of hesitation: “I haven’t liked him for a long time. I have a boyfriend now.” “Who is it?” A classmate pressed. I reminded them: “You only get one question for Truth.” Everyone’s faces immediately fell, and someone couldn’t help but voice their doubt. “You’re probably just making it up, right? You obviously don’t have one, but you’re still pretending.” Ethan had been focused on his phone the entire time, but when he heard someone doubting me, he seemed to let out a mocking chuckle. I didn’t argue, placing my card on the table: “You guys keep playing, I’m going to the restroom.” I don’t understand why they didn’t believe me. Is a person only allowed to like one person their entire life? Everyone has moments when they’re blind, right? 2 Coming out of the restroom, I saw Ethan standing a short distance away. He had great physical attributes; standing there, he caught the eye immediately. In just that short time, several girls had already approached him to strike up a conversation and ask for his number. He smiled, added their contacts, and let their hands wander over his chest. After saying goodbye to them, Ethan pulled out a pack of cigarettes and locked eyes with me. I frowned, suddenly feeling that he wasn’t really that handsome after all. I was about to leave, but he grabbed my wrist as I passed by. “Why did you lie to everyone and say you have a boyfriend? “What? Trying to make me mad? Hoping to see me look sad and regretful after hearing that? Chloe, maybe you should watch fewer soap operas.” I looked up and met his slightly provocative gaze. He was always so confident. Just like when I confessed to him in high school. Ethan and I grew up together. He was always the brightest presence in any crowd, yet he would get into bloody brawls if anyone ever bullied me. He would also climb the wall into my room, ignoring the danger, just to bring me my favorite candy when I was crying after being scolded by my parents. We used to share everything and promised to be together forever. As we grew older, our friends would always tease me about being Ethan’s “little wife.” He never denied it, continuing to carry my backpack and buy me lunch every day. If any guy asked about me, Ethan would pull him into an alley the next day and threaten him. I thought Ethan liked me too. So, after confirming my college entrance exam scores were high enough to get into the same university as him, I gathered my courage and confessed my feelings. Ethan accepted quickly, as if he had anticipated it. But the joy of that success didn’t last long. The very next day, I received a photo from Mia, the school’s “it” girl. In the photo, she and Ethan were acting intimately, their bodies practically pressed together. When I rushed to the private karaoke room, I saw Ethan with his arm around Mia, kissing her passionately. The practiced way they moved made it obvious it wasn’t their first time. 3 My body felt like it was plunged into an ice cellar, and my mind went completely blank. In my ears, I could hear Ethan’s friends cheering them on. Someone couldn’t help but ask: “Ethan, aren’t you afraid Chloe will get mad? She literally just confessed to you yesterday.” Ethan wiped the moisture from his lips and scoffed lightly: “She’s been following me around like a lost puppy for years, do you think she’d actually leave?” “True, Chloe looks pretty desperate. She finally got you, she’d probably be willing to be your side piece, let alone tolerate you cheating.” In the past, if anyone dared to talk about me like that, Ethan would be the first to throw a punch and beat them until they couldn’t speak. But this time, he just laughed nonchalantly: “Who said accepting her confession means I can only be with her? “Actually, Chloe is fine, just too obedient. She’s boring. Not like Mia, who’s sexy and feminine. College is so great, it’d be a waste to settle down before I’ve even tasted what’s out there. “But for marriage, I’d still choose Chloe. After all, a wife is different from a hookup; you still need someone obedient and domesticated.” Saying that, Ethan pulled Mia in by the waist and blew into her ear. The laughter in the room grew even louder. I don’t know how I got home. All I knew was that the perfect boy I had hidden in my heart shattered completely in that moment. That night, my pillow was soaked. But I also told myself that I was only allowed to be sad for this one day. I wouldn’t torture myself over someone else’s mistakes. None of this was my fault. The sun would rise tomorrow, and no one is indispensable. The next day, with eyes swollen like walnuts, I changed my college preferences. I changed my top choice from Boston, where I had promised to go with Ethan, to New York. I had originally wanted to apply to a school in New York because their art programs were better. I only chose Boston for Ethan. But when Ethan heard I was majoring in fine arts, he still smiled disdainfully. He thought fine arts was a dead-end career and that he’d be mocked if his college classmates found out his girlfriend was an art student. Well, now Boston and New York are far apart; he doesn’t have to worry about being mocked anymore. 4 The day I broke up with Ethan, he looked impatient. “Chloe, what are you throwing a tantrum about? It was just a few kisses, is it necessary to be this angry? “If you break up with me, do you really think you can find someone better? “Believe it or not, I can find a prettier, more obedient girlfriend in the blink of an eye.” I didn’t say a word. I just returned all the gifts he had given me over the years. Ethan gritted his teeth: “Fine. When you get bullied in Boston, don’t come crying to me.” That summer, I took the money I had saved for a trip with Ethan and enrolled in an oil painting class to improve my weakest skill. I left early and came home late every day, channeling my heartbreak into motivation. Ethan seemed to be doing well too; his social media was full of pictures from trips to various places. Mia was in every single picture. I heard they got together, and then broke up later. The next time I saw Ethan was a month later. He was tanner, had styled his hair, and had shed his high school awkwardness. I was still wearing my hair in a high ponytail and overalls, my face still smeared with paint from class. Seeing me, the corners of Ethan’s mouth twitched up: “Didn’t I tell you to buy some more mature clothes? Why do you still look like this? When we get to campus, people are going to think I brought my little sister.” I knew this was his way of trying to make peace. In the past, every time we fought, he would act like this, and I would happily run back to him. But this time, I ignored him and walked right past him. Hearing constant belittlement hurts eventually. I didn’t tell Ethan I had changed my college preferences until the moment I boarded my flight. On the plane, I saw his last message. [Chloe, you actually dared to change your college choices behind my back.] I didn’t reply. I deleted him and blocked him. Ethan used to tell me that there were a lot of bad people out there, that I should stick close to him and not easily trust strangers. It wasn’t until I left him that I realized everyone else was perfectly nice; the only one who hurt me the deepest was him. And now, facing his interrogation, I could look him in the eye calmly. “Ethan, I’m not as immature as you think.” He scoffed: “Fine, keep pretending to be tough. Let’s see how long you can last.” With that, he left before me. We didn’t speak another word after that. 5 When the reunion ended, most of our classmates were pretty drunk. Ethan and I lived the closest, so someone suggested he walk me home. He glanced at me, but before he could speak, I immediately refused. “No thanks, my boyfriend is coming to pick me up.” Without caring about the surprised looks from the others, I grabbed my things and left. I saw Liam at our agreed-upon meeting spot. He was wearing a black dress shirt, standing tall and straight. The line of his brow bone beneath his silver-rimmed glasses was striking. Looking at him, I couldn’t help but smile sweetly. But right now, his expression was a bit dark. When he saw me, he immediately stepped forward and took my hand. “Chloe, am I that unpresentable? Why do I have to hide so far away to pick you up?” Knowing I was in the wrong, I quickly rubbed his arm. “I can’t help it. You’re too famous. If you show up, the whole high school class will know we’re dating by tomorrow. “Didn’t we agree to keep it low-key for three months? We’ll go public after the trial period.” Liam had gone to the same high school as me. But he was too outstanding. Almost everyone in the school knew who he was. He had received an early acceptance letter from a university in New York before he even took the final exams. He was constantly winning major academic competitions and was the “model student” on every teacher’s lips. Even though he had graduated, he was still a legend among the younger students. Honestly, Ethan also played a part in Liam and me getting together. When he found out Liam and I were going to the same university, he asked him to look out for me. Maybe he thought someone as aloof and distant as Liam would never be interested in a boring “good girl” like me. But it was exactly this kind of person who had dug a pit for me early on, just waiting for me to jump in. Once we got in the car, Liam’s face was still dark. I kissed him on the cheek trying to coax him: “Don’t be mad, okay?” “Trying to coax me?” He turned, his gaze deep as he looked at me. I nodded vigorously. “You’ll have to put a little more effort into it, Chloe. That’s not enough.” 6 With that, Liam reached up, took off his glasses, pulled me onto his lap, and leaned in to kiss me. I gasped instinctively, and he seized the opportunity to deepen the kiss, his tongue tangling with mine. His hot hand firmly gripped the back of my neck, preventing me from retreating, kissing me deeper. So deep I was afraid he was going to do something even more outrageous right there in the car. Feeling the heat radiating from the man beneath me made my legs go weak. I couldn’t care about anything else anymore; I could only let him do as he pleased. It wasn’t until the tip of my tongue felt numb that Liam finally let me go, looking like he still wanted more. A silver thread connected our lips. Meeting my unfocused eyes, a smirk appeared on his lips as his thumb brushed over my slightly swollen, red lips. I suddenly realized that his shirt had been unbuttoned at some point, revealing a firm chest and defined abs. His hot breath tickled my ear: “Satisfied with what you see?” I swallowed hard. His smile deepened, and just as he was about to continue, we heard approaching footsteps. I looked up and saw Ethan walking toward us. 7 I instinctively hid against Liam’s torso. My clothes were a mess, my lips were swollen; if I were seen like this, I’d die of embarrassment. But I forgot that this position was basically throwing fuel on the fire for Liam. It was the first time I had ever been this close to the source of his heat, and I could feel its breath puffing against my face. Liam’s breathing grew heavier. Ethan’s surprised voice came from above: “Hey man, what are you doing here?” Liam grabbed a jacket and threw it over my head, his voice hoarse and laced with slight anger. “Just passing through.” Ethan didn’t notice anything wrong and continued asking: “Did you happen to see Chloe? She said she was coming to meet her boyfriend, but she disappeared in the blink of an eye. You went to the same college; do you know who her boyfriend is?” At that moment, Liam’s hand was caressing my waist, his tone nonchalant: “Didn’t see her. Don’t know.” Those few words seemed to satisfy Ethan greatly: “I knew she was lying. She can’t forget me; she just made someone up to make me mad.” Liam raised an eyebrow, his tone subtle: “Is that so?” As he spoke, his hand squeezed my waist firmly. I couldn’t help but let out a soft moan and bit my lip hard. Hearing a familiar sound, Ethan stepped closer, confused, and caught sight of the figure huddled beneath Liam. “Dude, you play that hard?” He hadn’t recognized me. Liam shifted his body, blocking Ethan’s view of me. He looked at him coldly: “So why are you still here?” Ethan rubbed his nose awkwardly: “Leaving, leaving, I won’t bother you guys. “Remember to introduce your girl to us sometime.” As he walked away, Ethan still felt the figure looked somewhat familiar. He turned around for another look, only to see Liam driving away. He hadn’t expected the usually aloof and restrained Liam to be so impatient. But for some reason, Ethan’s heart felt inexplicably irritated. 8 Later, knowing I hadn’t eaten much at the reunion, Liam drove us to get a late-night snack. But my mind was entirely focused on what had just happened, and I didn’t dare look him in the eye the entire time. When it was time to part ways, Liam suddenly pulled me into his arms and planted a quick kiss on my lips. “If you’re this shy now, what are we going to do later? “Chloe, we’re going to be together for a lifetime. So, with me, you can afford to be a little bolder.” I looked around nervously, but I didn’t push him away. It wasn’t until he let me go that I hurriedly ran off. My heart was filled with shyness, but also a sweet, fluttering joy. But all of that vanished the moment I saw the person standing outside my house. Seeing me return, Ethan’s tense expression relaxed slightly. “Back so late? I thought you and that ‘boyfriend’ went to get a room. “Looks like he’s not very capable.” My expression turned cold: “I didn’t bring my ID.” His face instantly darkened. “What are you doing at my door?” He pulled an amulet out of his pocket: “My mom told me to give this to you.” His mother got us peace amulets every year, but couldn’t he just give it to me tomorrow? Did he really need to wait at my door until this late? My frown deepened, but I reached out and took it. “Tell your mom she doesn’t need to get one for me anymore. My mom will give me one.” After I spoke, he looked like he wanted to say something else, but I ignored him and shut the door in his face.

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I had been with Liam Vance for four years, but our intimate life was always a disaster. He constantly complained that I lacked experience and made it incredibly uncomfortable for him. Desperate to please him, I bought a massive box of adult toys online, intending to practice by myself. But then, I accidentally overheard a conversation between him and a friend. “Liam, you literally hired someone to hit Mia with a car, putting her in the ICU, and then bribed the doctor to surgically sever her vocal cords so she could never sing again. Do you really not feel a single shred of guilt?” “Guilt? Why would I feel guilty that she sounds like a dying pig now?” “For the past four years, I’ve been so disgusted I haven’t even wanted to sleep with her. Every time we do, I intentionally make it as painful as possible for her.” “And guess what? She actually thinks it’s her fault! She just bought a massive box of toys online to ‘practice’!” Liam laughed cruelly as he dumped the box of toys I had bought onto the table, sparking an eruption of mocking laughter from the room. I stood frozen outside the door, my body trembling uncontrollably, feeling like I had been plunged into an icy abyss. It turned out, my entire life had been a meticulously crafted lie. 1 On the other side of the wall, the mocking laughter finally died down. Someone else spoke up. “Damn, Liam. You actually manage to intentionally hurt her every time?” “You really must despise Mia, huh?” “Aren’t you terrified she’ll find out the truth about what you did back then?” Liam’s face was obscured by cigarette smoke. His voice, when he finally spoke, was as cold as a harsh winter. “So what if she finds out?” “Permanently destroying her vocal cords was the only way Chloe could win the Golden Ear Award in the music industry.” “Besides, I’ve already promised to marry her. What more could she possibly want?” With that, Liam looked down, gazing with profound devotion at a photo of Chloe on his phone. “My heart will only ever belong to Chloe.” “I would sacrifice absolutely anything for her. Even… someone else’s life!” The room erupted in gasps again, with everyone praising Liam for his incredible devotion. But every single word he spoke pierced directly into my ears. It felt like a massive, invisible hand reached into my chest and viciously twisted my heart. I convulsed in agony, leaning heavily against the wall just to remember how to breathe. Four years ago, I was involved in a horrific car accident on my way to compete in the Golden Ear Awards. When I woke up, not only had I missed the competition entirely, but I was told my vocal cords were irreparably damaged. I fell into a severe depression, becoming incredibly volatile and prone to explosive anger. It was Liam who stayed by my side the entire time, encouraging me, supporting me. On the day I was finally discharged from the hospital, he even dropped to one knee and proposed, swearing he would love me for the rest of his life. But now, I realized it was all a monstrous, calculated lie! My entire body was trembling, and a sharp, agonizing pain radiated from my throat. I stumbled into the kitchen and, with shaking hands, logged into an account I hadn’t touched in four years. The follower count on my singing account, [Silk Melody], hadn’t dropped at all. Every so often, fans would still leave comments, begging to know when I was coming back. From there, I quickly found Chloe’s profile. Unlike four years ago when she was completely unknown, Chloe’s posts now regularly racked up hundreds of thousands of likes. Her most recent post was from three days ago. It showed her at the Paris Opera House, her arm linked affectionately with a man in a tailored black suit. [I just mentioned I wanted to see a show, and he flew me out here to experience the world!] [He said loving someone is like cultivating a rare flower, and I am his most precious bloom.] The comments section was flooded with people gushing about how perfectly matched they were, calling them a match made in heaven. I scrolled down her feed frantically, like a woman possessed. Every single post featured “him.” A “him” who never showed his face. Suddenly, my eyes locked onto a specific post, and my heart slammed to a halt. It was a series of highly suggestive, lust-fueled photos. Taken in a suite at the Hilton. A naked man and woman, strategically covering themselves, posing for mirror selfies. Chloe had written a pinned comment underneath: [His technique is absolutely incredible, and he lasts so long. Every time is pure bliss.] [It’s true what they say: when you find a man, find one with a strong dedication to ‘customer service’.] Her fans were screaming in the comments about how jealous they were, spamming reaction stickers begging for her “luck.” But on the exact night those photos were posted, I permanently lost my mother because I couldn’t speak. 2 A year ago, my mother was involved in a terrible car accident. Because my vocal cords were destroyed, I couldn’t call for help. I stood in the middle of the chaotic accident scene, dropping to my knees and desperately kowtowing to every single passing car. Finally, a kind stranger stopped and helped me rush my mother to the hospital. But we were too late. She didn’t make it. During those agonizing, critical minutes we lost, I sent dozens of frantic text messages to Liam. Because he had once promised me that no matter what, he would always reply to my texts the absolute second he saw them. But that night, I never received a single reply. Because he was busy “servicing” Chloe, utilizing every single ounce of his “technique” in bed. I locked my phone screen. It felt like a literal axe was cleaving my brain in two. The excruciating psychological pain made it impossible to breathe. Slumping against the kitchen counter, I gasped desperately for air. Suddenly, Liam’s panicked voice echoed from behind me. “Mia! Are you okay?!” “Is your throat hurting again?” He gently patted my back, slowly helping me regulate my breathing. “Mia, I told you, I don’t care what your voice sounds like. Even if you can never speak another word for the rest of your life, I will always love you.” Liam pulled me into his arms, his voice thick with tender comfort. I leaned stiffly against his chest, listening to his familiar heartbeat, feeling nothing but profound, nauseating absurdity. It turns out that mouths can lie, and heartbeats can lie too. Liam’s heart was racing, beating so fast I almost could have believed I was the woman he truly loved. But the horrific conversation I had just overheard was permanently burned into my memory. I curled into myself, trembling slightly. “Mia, let me get your medicine, okay?” Liam looked down at me, his eyes overflowing with manufactured concern. He reached up to gently touch my throat, then released me to go grab the first-aid kit. But the very next second. Both of our phones pinged simultaneously. He stopped dead in his tracks, stared at his screen for a few seconds, and then immediately sprinted toward the front door in absolute panic. Without a single word of explanation, his departure was rushed and jarring. I stood frozen in the kitchen. I pulled out my phone and saw that Chloe had just posted a new update. [I just ran into a crazy stalker fan at my hotel! I’m so terrified!] The attached photo showed her looking panicked and frightened. Every single micro-expression on her face was perfectly calculated to make her look incredibly fragile and pitiful. I let out a cynical, self-deprecating laugh as a dull, agonizing ache pulsed through my heart. Through the living room window, I watched Liam sprinting to his car and speeding off like a maniac. So he actually was capable of being this terrified for someone. Without realizing it, tears began streaming down my arms. My body convulsed violently, and I stumbled, collapsing heavily onto the floor. Several minutes later, I slowly forced myself to stand. I dug deep into the back of a kitchen cabinet and pulled out an old business card. [Professor, I want to get treatment for my vocal cords.] [I want to return to the stage.] The reply came almost instantly. [Mia, are you serious?!] [I’m booking you a flight immediately!] [There’s a revolutionary new treatment technique in the US. I know with absolute certainty that you can win the Golden Ear Award!] My professor booked my flight for the very next day. I packed my clothes and shoved the suitcase deep into the back of my closet. Once I finished, I sat blankly in the living room. It wasn’t until late that night that I heard the sound of a key in the lock. Liam stumbled in, reeking of alcohol. “Sorry, sister-in-law. Liam’s in a really bad mood, so he drank a bit too much.” “Please take good care of him.” Liam staggered into the apartment and pulled me into a crushing embrace. But the name slurring from his lips was Chloe’s. “Chloe… I know I was wrong. I never meant to hide the truth about Mia from you.” “I don’t love Mia at all! She isn’t worth a single strand of your hair.” “Chloe, how could you just tease me like that and then leave?” “Do you have any idea how much I’m burning up inside right now?” 3 Liam’s heavy, alcohol-laced breath washed over my neck. Unlike his usual brutal, aggressive demeanor, tonight, Liam was incredibly gentle. I covered my eyes with my hands, tears silently streaming down my temples. Four years ago, filled with nervous anticipation and dreams of a beautiful romance, I gave myself to Liam for the first time. And that very first time, he treated me with such brutal aggression that my body ached for days. But afterward, he actually blamed me. “Mia, your body makes me incredibly uncomfortable.” “Every time we try to do this, you completely kill my mood.” I was naive and inexperienced. Believing him, I kept trying to make it work. Terrified that any unpleasant sound from my ruined throat would ruin his mood, I aggressively suppressed every reaction. But right now, I felt absolutely no pain or discomfort. I only felt an incredible, overwhelming pleasure. And all of this was solely because Liam was currently hallucinating that I was Chloe. How hilariously tragic. I violently wiped away my tears and used every ounce of strength I had to shove Liam to the floor. But he immediately lunged at me again. This time, his eyes focused, and he realized who I was. “Mia?” “Why the hell did you push me?!” He stared at me in pure, unadulterated disbelief. His eyes, glazed with lust, gave him a feral, animalistic look. As if he had finally ripped off the refined, gentlemanly mask he always wore, Liam kissed me with savage, punishing force. I couldn’t break free, and he subjected me to his usual, violent routine. The next morning, Liam finally woke up sober. He rubbed his temples, a flicker of guilt crossing his eyes. “Mia, last night… I drank too much.” “Make sure you take your birth control.” With that, he pulled on a black dress shirt. As he walked toward the bedroom door, he stumbled slightly, accidentally kicking over the massive box of toys I had bought. The small toys spilled out across the floor, some of them accidentally turning on and beginning to vibrate violently. Liam muttered a low curse, right as his phone rang. He glanced at the screen, a soft, genuine smile instantly blooming on his lips, and walked out, shutting the door behind him. The bedroom returned to its dim gloom. Fighting through the physical pain, I unlocked my phone. Chloe had posted a new update. A photo of a pair of red stilettos resting on a perfectly tailored, black suit jacket. [Spent all night lighting fires all over him. I just love watching him burn with desire, yet still refuse to hurt me.] In the dark bedroom, my phone screen slowly timed out and went black. I struggled to my feet, nearly collapsing again, my entire body trembling violently. Once I managed to get dressed, I limped painfully to the bedroom door. Kneeling on the floor, I manually turned off every single vibrating toy and shoved them all back into the box. These toys felt like a physical manifestation of my pathetic, humiliating delusion. I lowered my head. The agonizing, stabbing pain in my heart made it impossible to breathe, and every inhalation felt like thousands of needles piercing my ruined throat. Thank God I was leaving so soon. I carried the heavy box of toys downstairs and threw it directly into the dumpster. Winters in Beijing are brutally cold. I stood by the dumpster for a few minutes, catching my breath. Suddenly, a familiar Maybach sped toward me and screeched to a halt. Liam threw the door open, his face frantic, and clamped his hand around my wrist like a vice. “Mia, get in! We need to go to the hospital right now!” Before I could even struggle, Liam forcefully dragged me into the car. He drove like a maniac, blowing through multiple red lights. When we arrived at the hospital, he dragged me straight to a VIP ward. “Draw her blood! She has the Rh-negative blood type!” 4 In the freezing, sterile hospital room, I clutched my phone, my entire body shaking uncontrollably. It turned out that Chloe had been in a car accident. Early this morning. So Liam, completely disregarding my safety or well-being, dragged me to the hospital solely to act as a human blood bag for Chloe. But Liam! After the car accident four years ago, I was diagnosed with severe anemia. And you knew that perfectly well. The overwhelming stench of disinfectant filled the air. I watched the blood draining rapidly from my arm, my face turning ashen pale. The nurse patiently asked if I was feeling unwell. I shook my head. I literally couldn’t speak a single word. But tears began streaming relentlessly down my face. “Miss, please don’t cry!” “Aren’t you a voluntary donor?” The nurse looked absolutely shocked and instinctively moved to pull the needle out. But Liam immediately barked an order to stop her. “Mia, stop being so unreasonable.” “Someone’s life depends on your blood right now. Stop acting like a spoiled brat!” Liam’s brow was furrowed in deep annoyance, his grip on my wrist painfully tight. He had a tight, reassuring smile on his lips, but his eyes were freezing cold. The nurse was startled by his tone, her hand trembling as she pulled away. I stared up at Liam, and suddenly, a cold, empty smile touched my lips. [Liam Vance, this is the absolute last time you will ever hurt me.] I lowered my head. I didn’t struggle, and I didn’t fight back. It wasn’t until several bags of my blood had been drawn that the nurse finally whispered timidly: “Sir, this should be more than enough to save the pregnant woman who’s hemorrhaging…” Liam frowned deeply. “Pregnant woman?” The nurse nodded. “Yes! We currently have a pregnant patient with Rh-negative blood experiencing severe postpartum hemorrhaging.” “Isn’t she the one you’re here to save?” Liam’s frown deepened into a scowl. Suddenly, a painfully familiar voice echoed from the hallway. “See? I told you!” “I told you Liam would definitely drag Mia here!” “Chloe, I won the bet!” Liam’s friend walked into the room, laughing boisterously. Right behind them was Chloe. Her complexion was perfectly rosy, her makeup was flawless, and she looked absolutely nothing like someone who had just been in a car crash. I sat completely frozen, my head spinning with dizziness from the blood loss. Then I heard Chloe’s sickeningly sweet, whining voice. “Liam, you aren’t mad, are you?” “It’s all their fault! They insisted on making a bet and playing a stupid game.” “I know I was wrong.” Chloe grabbed Liam’s hands and threw herself into his arms. Liam didn’t move a muscle. His eyes were terrifyingly calm. Within seconds, a suffocating silence fell over the entire room. The group finally realized they had crossed a massive line, and genuine fear flickered in their eyes. “Liam, please don’t be mad…” But suddenly, Liam wrapped his arms fiercely around Chloe, the veins on the back of his hands bulging. His voice actually trembled. “Chloe, never, ever make a joke like that again.” “I was… terrified.” In an instant, an explosive ringing erupted in my ears, drowning out all other sound. The couple embracing in front of me looked like a perfect, romantic painting, reducing me to nothing but a pathetic, humiliating clown. I was the one who shouldn’t be here! Using the wall to support my severely weakened body, I slowly walked out of the room, leaving their joyous celebration behind. When I reached the hospital entrance, a torrential downpour had begun. I stumbled blindly into the rain, my clothes instantly soaked through. Rain and tears mingled on my face. The pain in my throat was so intense I could barely breathe. But I felt completely numb. I walked back to the apartment like a hollow, soulless ghost. The moment I unlocked the door, my strength completely vanished, and I collapsed heavily in the entryway. I curled into a tight ball, wrapping my arms desperately around myself. As if that pathetic gesture could offer me some kind of comfort. But my rain-soaked phone suddenly lit up. And the tiny, fragile wall of defense I had struggled so hard to build was ruthlessly annihilated. Chloe had posted a new update. [Just a silly joke, but he was absolutely terrified.] The photo showed the flawless lower half of Liam’s face, gently kissing the corner of her eye. The comments section was flooded with people declaring that only a love this profound was worthy of marriage. Chloe even replied to one of those comments. [Marriage is already in the works!] [He said he’s preparing a massive surprise for me!] With stiff, trembling fingers, I actually ‘liked’ the post. Then, I logged into my [Silk Melody] account. This time, I didn’t use incognito mode. The “Online” indicator for [Silk Melody] lit up. I posted a photo of my boarding pass. [Goodbye, Liam Vance.] … Meanwhile, back at the hospital, Liam excused himself to the restroom and immediately dialed my number. But the call wouldn’t connect. Until a friend sent him a screenshot. “Liam! Mia is leaving the country!” “She might have found out the truth about what happened back then!” The hand holding the phone began to shake violently, and a sudden, inexplicable wave of sheer panic seized his heart. 5 In the past, Liam was absolutely, undeniably convinced that I would never, ever leave him. But in that moment, he was genuinely terrified. In the hospital restroom, his breathing grew ragged as he yanked at his tie, loosening it. But the paralyzing panic in his chest didn’t subside; instead, it mutated into a suffocating dread. In a fit of explosive rage, he punched the mirror. The glass shattered instantly. Blood streamed down his fingers, but he didn’t even seem to notice. When he finally walked out of the restroom, Chloe gasped, covering her mouth in shock. “Liam! What happened to your hand?!” Liam raised his hand, staring blankly at the blood coating his knuckles. He actually felt a bizarre, momentary sense of calm. But looking at the pure terror in Chloe’s eyes, his mind violently flashed back to me. Over the past four years, if he suffered even the most minor, microscopic injury, I would completely lose my mind with worry. Tears would instantly well up in my eyes, and I would clumsily type out furious text messages, scolding him for not taking better care of himself. And then, I would meticulously, gently bandage his wound. Thinking of this, Liam ignored his bleeding hand and dialed the first number in his favorites list again. “The number you have dialed is currently powered off…” He dialed it again, and again, and again. The panic inside Liam grew exponentially. He raised a hand to clutch his chest. It felt like something vital, something foundational, had just permanently vanished. At that exact moment, I fell into a deep, exhausted sleep on the plane. When I finally woke up and walked out of the arrival gate, the very first thing I saw was my professor waiting for me. In an instant, the dam finally broke, and years of suppressed agony and injustice exploded outward. I threw myself into my professor’s arms and sobbed hysterically, telling her absolutely everything about what Liam had done to me. Her eyes blazed with pure, unadulterated fury, her hands balling into tight fists. “Mia, you foolish, foolish girl!” “Why didn’t you tell me you were suffering so much?!” My professor’s eyes grew red as she held me in a fierce, protective embrace. “Don’t worry. I will use absolutely every resource and connection I have to help you!” “The Golden Ear Award this year belongs to you!” My professor was a woman of her word. She immediately secured appointments with the absolute top specialists in the US. “Ms. Harrison, whoever severed your vocal cords did so with the explicit intention of making sure you never recovered.” “I can treat it, but the surgical procedure is going to be unimaginably agonizing.” “We will need to perform the surgery entirely without anesthesia. That is the only possible way to guarantee the maximum restoration of your vocal cord function.” “Are you absolutely certain you want to proceed?” I clenched my fists tightly, but a massive wave of relief washed over me. Thank God. It can be fixed. I nodded, agreeing to the surgery without a microsecond of hesitation. For the next month, I underwent a brutal, agonizing surgery almost every single week. Every single procedure felt like being burned alive and reborn from the ashes. Finally, after a grueling month, I produced my first vocal sound. My voice was clear and crisp, but possessed a subtle, undeniable huskiness. It was entirely different from my previous tone. It carried a profound depth, a texture born from surviving unimaginable suffering. I touched my throat, massive tears rolling down my face. I could finally speak again. The absolute second I regained my voice, I threw myself entirely into vocal training. I practically lived in the music studio, practicing from dawn until dusk. Four years ago, I was robbed of the Golden Ear Award. This time, I absolutely refused to let it slip through my fingers. Fueled by that unyielding determination, I trained relentlessly until exactly one week before the Golden Ear competition. When my professor finally pushed open the door to the practice room. “Mia, I’ve booked your flight back home.” “This time, I know with absolute certainty that you are going to take the Golden Ear Award.” But a flicker of deep anxiety crossed her eyes. “Mia, Liam Vance is a major sponsor for the Golden Ear Awards this year. He’s on the judging panel.” “I’m worried that…” I smiled and gently interrupted her. “Professor, the judging panel for the Golden Ear Awards isn’t just Liam Vance. It’s every single netizen in the entire country.” “I believe absolute talent will conquer everything else.” My professor smiled warmly and walked over to hug me. “Mia, there is one more thing I need to tell you.” “For the past few months, Liam Vance has been relentlessly hunting for any trace of you.” “When you return to the country, there’s a very high probability he will find out immediately.” Liam was looking for me? Hadn’t he ruined my life enough? Was he trying to ensure I was actually dead? I leaned against my professor’s shoulder, my heart turning to ice. I felt like I had been violently dragged back to a few months ago. Back when I was trapped in the suffocating delusion of his “love,” serving as nothing more than prey for him to maliciously torture. But this time, I absolutely refused to be his prey ever again.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “391860”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel