During the Lunar New Year, my husband lost twenty thousand dollars playing cards in a single night. That was the hard-earned money we had saved up by living frugally while working away from home all year. It was also our daughter’s tuition, my father’s surgery fund, and our family’s living expenses for the coming year. My husband knelt outside our bedroom door all night, begging for my forgiveness. I cried the entire night. Finally, I dug out our daughter’s hundred dollars of New Year’s money and handed it to him: “Go back and keep gambling tonight.” 1 “Wife, I was wrong, I was really wrong! Please forgive me just this once, I swear I’ll never gamble again!” When I took out our daughter’s New Year’s money and told him to keep playing, he frantically slapped his own face and made promises. Clearly, my husband not only knew he was wrong, but he was also terrified. But I grabbed his wrist and told him with a serious expression that he must keep playing tonight. Agitated, my husband went to the kitchen and grabbed a meat cleaver, his eyes red and swollen. “Wife, I’m really done gambling! Let me prove it to you!” With that, he raised the cleaver, ready to chop off his own hand. I quickly snatched the cleaver from his hand, threw it far away, then held his shoulders and said: “I believe you, and I forgive you.” It wasn’t that I was soft-hearted. It was that my husband had been invited to a gathering by his so-called “friends” last night. If friends play a friendly game of cards for three or five bucks and win or lose a few hundred dollars, that’s within reason. But losing twenty thousand dollars in one night? There was only one explanation. My husband had been set up! Hearing that I forgave him, a glimmer of light finally returned to my husband’s eyes. He wiped his tears and said: “Wife, I’m going to pack my bags right now and go find work at a factory.” Seeing the self-blame and regret filling his eyes, I stopped him again. “Our daughter’s tuition is due after the holiday, and your dad needs surgery. Even if you leave to find work tonight, it won’t solve the problem.” My husband turned deathly pale, looking even more regretful. He opened his mouth but didn’t know what to say. I smiled and said: “So, listen to me. Take this hundred dollars and go find the people you played cards with last night. I’m going with you.” When I led my devastated husband to his friend, Kevin, he was still playing a game of “Zha Jinhua” (a popular Chinese card game similar to Three-Card Brag or Poker) with a group of people. Seeing my husband, Kevin immediately flashed a smug smile. “Hey, Arthur! You want to play again today? Come on, come on, we’re exactly one person short.” Kevin and my husband, Arthur, were elementary school classmates. He dropped out in middle school to work but came back home shortly after because it was too hard. He spent his days idling around our hometown and couldn’t even find a wife. Every Lunar New Year, Kevin would team up with a few other idlers in town, shamelessly using old connections to invite people who returned home for the holidays to “gatherings.” I had warned my husband long ago to keep his distance from Kevin. But my husband was a simple, honest man. Kevin used their shared history as elementary school classmates and childhood friends to drag him to the card table. Hearing that Kevin wanted him to play again, my husband trembled all over and looked at me timidly. I pulled my husband behind me, gave him a reassuring look, and smiled at Kevin. “My husband isn’t playing today. Mind if I take a seat and play a few rounds with you guys?” “Wow, this is rare. I didn’t expect a good woman like you, Chloe, to be interested in cards. Great! Quick, make room for Chloe.” Kevin was a bit surprised, but mostly delighted. He immediately ordered someone to give up their seat for me. I glanced at the card table and noticed they were playing for very low stakes right now. A one-dollar ante, with a ten-dollar cap. In a game like this, It’s absolutely impossible to lose twenty thousand dollars in one night! After I took my seat, Kevin impatiently told the dealer to deal me three cards. Without even looking at my cards, I immediately bet the ten-dollar cap “blind.” Everyone at the table was stunned. The dealer, a guy nicknamed “Baldy Wu,” frowned in displeasure. “Chloe, do you even know how to play? Who starts by betting the max blind?!” In a capped game like this, once someone bets the maximum limit “blind,” everyone else must either fold or call the max bet, and then immediately show their cards. You could say this style of play is like going all-in right off the bat. It relies purely on luck and takes all the fun out of the game. Most people hate it. I smiled and said: “I’m just a woman, I don’t know how to play anyway. I can only gamble on my luck with you guys.” Kevin rolled his eyes at Baldy Wu, speaking up for me: “Chloe didn’t break any rules! She can play however she wants. What are you whining about?!” Baldy Wu immediately scratched his head and quickly changed his tune, offering me an awkward smile. “True, I spoke out of turn. Please don’t mind me, Chloe.” I could tell Kevin and Baldy Wu were secretly communicating through signals. But I didn’t care at all. I smiled and asked if they were calling. There were six people at the table, including me. Two people looked at their cards, muttered about having a bad hand, and folded. “I’ll call ten, just to keep Chloe company,” Kevin smiled broadly, not looking at his cards either. “Then I’ll call too, and test my luck against Chloe’s.” Baldy Wu carefully peeked at his cards, hesitated for a moment, and chose to call. Another guy also chose to call ten dollars. After the three of them called, we all revealed our three cards. My luck was good: a pair of 5s. Kevin’s highest card was a Queen, Baldy Wu’s highest was an Ace, and the other guy’s highest was a King. I won. The winner deals the next round. After clumsily shuffling the deck, I dealt the second hand. When it was my turn to act, I chose not to look at my cards again and directly bet the ten-dollar max blind. Two people still chose to fold, while Kevin and the other two called. After revealing the cards, I won again. Perhaps it was a burst of incredible luck, but I won ten hands in a row. I had won back three hundred and five dollars of the twenty thousand my husband had lost. Baldy Wu was starting to look unhappy. He glared at me, asking suspiciously, “This is bizarre. Chloe, how do you keep winning? Is this really your first time playing cards?!” I spread my hands and smiled faintly. “Doesn’t everyone say beginners always have good luck? What’s the saying? Right, beginner’s luck.” Kevin snickered. “Since your luck is so good, Chloe, want to change the rules?” That was exactly the sentence I was waiting for. “Change to what?” I asked calmly. Kevin and Baldy Wu exchanged a look, then said to me: “A one-dollar ante is too small. Let’s make it ten dollars. And let’s remove the ten-dollar cap. No limit, how about that?” Just as I was about to agree, my husband grabbed my arm. “Wife! Let’s stop playing.” I saw fear in my husband’s eyes. It was obvious that the reason he lost twenty thousand in one night was definitely related to playing with “no limit.” “Oh come on, Arthur. Chloe is on a hot streak. Don’t be a buzzkill.” “Yeah, when you were playing yesterday, Chloe didn’t come and interrupt you.” “Chloe, who wears the pants in your family? Arthur seems pretty soft. It’s probably better if you’re in charge.” Before I could speak, Kevin and the others, seemingly terrified I would stop playing, started throwing passive-aggressive remarks to provoke me. I feigned anger and yelled at my husband: “When I’m playing, you just stand there and watch, you coward! If you say one more word, I’m divorcing you!” My husband instantly fell silent. He bit his lip and stepped aside, his eyes full of helpless resignation. I turned my gaze back to Kevin. “We’ll play by your new rules. Ten-dollar ante, no limit!” “Chloe is so straightforward!” They all gave me a thumbs up, praising me for being bold and not petty and hesitant like other women. I laughed heartily. Before starting the new rules, I carefully reviewed the rules of Zha Jinhua with them again. With the new rules, I couldn’t be the dealer anymore. By drawing high cards, Baldy Wu became the dealer for the first round. It seemed that after I won ten rounds in a row, they were getting suspicious. After all, no one can be lucky forever. But without evidence, they couldn’t say much. Moreover, even if women play cards, it’s usually Mahjong. Almost none know how to play Zha Jinhua. Soon, Baldy Wu dealt me three cards. This time, when it was my turn to act, I didn’t bet blind. I looked at my cards and saw a 10-Jack-Queen straight. However, I immediately folded my cards. “I fold.” “Wait, Chloe, what kind of hand do you have? Why aren’t you calling?” Seeing me fold, everyone at the table was stunned. Baldy Wu looked especially shocked. I smiled and said, “Maybe my luck ran out. The cards were too low.” Baldy Wu frowned but didn’t say anything more. They bet a few rounds and then showed their hands. The winning hand was just a pair of 9s. If I hadn’t folded my straight, I would have won. But I knew that if I kept betting, I would definitely be the one to lose in the end. In the following rounds, the worst hand I was dealt was a straight. I was never dealt a weak hand. It was mostly flushes, straight flushes, and even three-of-a-kind. But every time, I just took one look and folded immediately, absolutely refusing to bet. “Chloe, what kind of strategy is this? Before, you were betting blind every hand, and now you’re folding every hand. This is getting boring,” Kevin couldn’t help but complain. I spread my hands. “The cards are bad, what can I do?” Baldy Wu said in dissatisfaction, “If you keep doing this, we’re not playing with you anymore. It’s really boring. You should just go play Mahjong with the women and let Arthur play.” I quickly clasped my hands together in a pleading gesture. “Please, no. If I get a decent hand next round, I promise I’ll call.” Baldy Wu huffed and dealt another round. I picked up my cards and saw that the highest card was an Ace, the second was a 10, and the third was a 5. But I couldn’t help a hint of a smile. When it was my turn, I directly bet ten dollars. “Ooh, Chloe has a good hand this time.” Seeing me smile, Kevin smiled meaningfully. “Since Chloe finally decided to call, I’ll play along.” With that, he bet ten dollars. “I call.” “I’ll call too.” Baldy Wu and the others also chose to call. But after two rounds of betting, everyone revealed their cards. Surprisingly, I actually won. I won over a hundred dollars again. I happily collected the money and became the dealer. “Chloe, can you shuffle a little faster?” Seeing me clumsily shuffling the cards, taking forever to finish, Baldy Wu rushed me. I smiled awkwardly. “Sorry, I’m clumsy. You’re all big strong men, just bear with me.” “You’re so demanding. Chloe doesn’t usually play, so what if she shuffles slowly? Are you in a rush to get reincarnated?!” Kevin was still taking my side, snapping back at Baldy Wu. I apologized while shuffling. However, just as I finished and was about to deal, Baldy Wu suddenly stopped me. “Wait!” I asked in confusion, “What is it?” “Cut the deck!” Baldy Wu said somewhat impatiently. He snatched the deck from my hands and haphazardly cut it three times. Once he finished, I smiled and dealt the cards. “Blind bet: a hundred!” This time, I didn’t look at my cards again and went back to betting blind with my eyes closed. “You’re doing this again?!” The group groaned in annoyance. I smiled. “I feel like my luck is back. Betting blind!” “I call!” But this time, surprisingly, no one folded. They all chose to call. “You think I’m scared? I call two hundred!” Baldy Wu peeked at his cards, his pupils shrinking imperceptibly, and slammed two hundred dollars on the table. “I’ll bet a hundred blind too.” Kevin smiled, his eyes turning into slits, without looking at his cards either. When it was my turn again, I counted my money. I still had over five hundred dollars left. So, I took a deep breath and slammed all the money onto the table. “I’ll bet five hundred blind!” Seeing my aggressive move, they were all slightly surprised. But after checking their cards, they all put on a determined expression, gritted their teeth, and said, “I call!” Seeing that they all called, I let out a sigh of relief. Because from this moment on, the real game had just begun. And this was the final, do-or-die round! “I raise to a thousand.” After another round of betting, it was my turn again. I glanced at them and spoke calmly. “Wait.” Kevin, sitting to my left, didn’t immediately call. He waved his hand to stop me. I looked over. “What’s wrong?” A mocking smile appeared on Kevin’s face. “Chloe, it’s not enough to just say you call. You have to put the money on the table. Do you even have a thousand dollars right now?” “Yeah, stop blowing hot air. You need to show us cold, hard cash. I could say I’m betting blind for a million.” Baldy Wu glared at me, his eyes full of hostility. It seemed they had already thoroughly investigated our family’s situation and knew that the twenty thousand my husband lost last night was our entire savings. Their enthusiastic invitation for me to join the game earlier was just a ploy to squeeze the last remaining pennies out of us. “Of course I have it, just not in cash.” I had prepared for this. Calmly, I pulled out my phone and showed them my bank account balance. Exactly twenty thousand dollars! “Hehe, didn’t expect Chloe to have a secret stash.” Seeing the balance, Kevin’s eyes lit up, and he teased me. Baldy Wu also looked delighted and complimented me: “Who would have thought? Chloe is loaded. You can tell she’s a woman who knows how to manage a household!” I smiled but didn’t explain. Because this twenty thousand was not my secret stash. My husband and I never kept secrets from each other when it came to our finances. This was the money I had scraped together by maxing out every single online loan app I could find on the way here. Thank goodness my credit was good, otherwise the twenty thousand my husband lost would have been gone forever. “Wife! Let’s stop playing, please? If we lose, we’ll be crushed by debt!” However, seeing that I was about to wager the loan money I just borrowed, Arthur rushed forward to stop me in a panic. I glared at him. “Shut up! You’re cursing me to lose before the cards are even revealed! Do you want to die?!” “I…” Arthur’s bloodshot eyes didn’t dare meet mine. He immediately lowered his head. Just as he was about to speak again to persuade me, he was interrupted by Kevin and the others. “Arthur, I don’t want to criticize you, but your kind of interference is taboo at the card table. Chloe’s luck has already turned; how could she possibly lose?” “Exactly! Chloe is playing great, why are you interrupting? Who knows, maybe when the cards are revealed, she’ll win it all back.” As they spoke, their eyes were full of mockery. I frowned. “Enough, ignore him. Let’s continue. Are you guys calling or not?” “Hehe, no rush.” Baldy Wu wasn’t in a hurry anymore. After a sinister chuckle, he suggested that since the money was in my account, what if I lost and refused to transfer the money? To be safe, it would be best to convert it all into chips and settle the cash with the house manager later. I said “hmm” and agreed to the suggestion. I immediately went and converted all the money into chips. “Since Chloe is so enthusiastic, I’ll call.” Seeing that I had my chips, Kevin smiled broadly and called. “Never mind, I fold.” “This is getting too big, I fold too.” “Sigh, can’t afford to call.” Seeing that we had raised the stakes to over a thousand, the other three guys unwillingly folded. “Look at you weaklings. You’re scared of a thousand dollars?” Baldy Wu curled his lip, looking at them with contempt, then turned to me. “I call.” “Five thousand!” I still hadn’t looked at my hole cards. I continued to bet blind, and I raised. “Chloe, aren’t you going to look at your cards?” Kevin was a bit surprised and reminded me. I shook my head. “No. I’m just betting on my luck against you guys.” Kevin chuckled. “Alright, then I’ll risk my life to keep the gentleman—no, the beautiful lady—company. I won’t look either. I’ll bet five thousand blind with you.” “You two dare to bet five thousand blind. I’ve already seen my cards, why would I be afraid of you?” Baldy Wu snorted coldly, then shoved a pile of chips forward. “Ten thousand!” I could tell he was trying to goad me. Right now, I only had fourteen thousand dollars left. After hesitating for a moment. I pushed the remaining fourteen thousand onto the table all at once. Gasp… When I pushed all the remaining fourteen thousand dollars in, the surrounding crowd collectively gasped in cold air. “Chloe has lost her mind! This is the first time I’ve seen someone bet this big while playing blind.” “Yeah, she’s desperate. I heard her husband lost twenty thousand last night. She probably wants to win it all back to break even.” “But she doesn’t seem to know how to play! Who plays Zha Jinhua like this? Even if she’s lucky and gets a good hand, she won’t have the money to keep betting later.” “Tsk, tsk. Chloe doesn’t know the rules. She’s probably done for.” Since earlier, our game had attracted a large crowd of onlookers. Seeing the stakes get higher and higher, they couldn’t help but start whispering among themselves. Actually, everything they said was right. My behavior was a classic symptom of being completely tilted. Even the most level-headed person, once they sit at the card table and see red, will uncontrollably lose their minds. They won’t stop until they’ve lost everything. Moreover, my style of play… anyone who understands even a little bit about the rules of the card table wouldn’t play like this. “All of you shut up! Chloe has good card etiquette! I call!” Hearing the crowd’s whispers, Kevin rolled his eyes at them, yelled, and then chose to call. Although he looked angry, anyone could see the smugness on his rat-like face. “Don’t you know the rule ‘a true gentleman watches the game in silence’? If I hear anyone else gossiping, don’t blame me for getting nasty.” Baldy Wu also glared fiercely at the crowd, shaking his fist and speaking in an annoyed tone. As he finished speaking, the corners of his mouth curled up, and he also chose to call. Neither of them folded, and neither chose to reveal their cards. According to the rules of Zha Jinhua, if there are three people at the table and someone is betting blind, you cannot reveal the cards. You either choose to keep calling or fold. Only when there are two people left can the cards be revealed. This rule is very tricky. Because without even needing to cheat, the people running the scam can use the blatant tactic of “two ghosts crushing one person” to force them into a corner. As long as the two of them collude beforehand, regardless of their hands, as long as they have enough capital, they can keep calling and betting endlessly. And the person being pressured, no matter how good their hand is, as long as they don’t have as much capital as the opponents, they can never reveal the cards. Ultimately, they can only fold in bitter resentment. Once they fold, all the money they previously bet goes entirely to the two “ghosts.” There have been tragedies before where a desperate gambler holding three Aces was drained of their entire fortune, had no money left to call, and jumped off a building in a fit of rage. Playing up to this point, I could confirm it. Kevin and Baldy Wu were teaming up to run a scam! I had heard long ago that these idlers specifically targeted men who worked away from home. When our men returned for the Lunar New Year, they would use various methods to drag them to the card table and collude to swindle our men’s hard-earned money. Since they were willing to screw over their own friends for money. I didn’t need to be polite with them. “Chloe, it’s your turn to act again. If you have money, hurry up and call. If you don’t, you have to fold.” At this point, Baldy Wu felt he had me dead to rights. He couldn’t be bothered to pretend anymore, raising his eyebrows and rushing me. “Chloe, it seems you’ve used up all your chips. Without money, you have to fold.” Kevin also chimed in with his passive-aggressive tone. The crowd’s eyes all turned to me, wanting to know if I had any money left. Only my husband’s eyes were filled with absolute despair. Others didn’t know, but my husband knew very well. We didn’t have a single cent left. However, I wasn’t panicked at all. Under the gazes of the crowd, I slowly stood up and said softly, “Give me fifteen minutes.” Seeing that I didn’t immediately call, Baldy Wu chuckled sinisterly. “Looks like you’re out of money.” “Chloe, you have to play within your means. No one will laugh at you if you fold now. People will just call you stupid. You only had twenty thousand dollars, yet you dared to play this big with us. I don’t know if there’s something wrong with your brain.” Kevin stopped pretending too, crossing his arms and mocking me directly. I ignored them and went straight to the manager of the underground casino. “You offer loan sharking here, right?” The manager seemed to have been waiting for me. He looked up and smiled. “We do. But do you know the rules?” I nodded. “Nine-out, thirteen-return (A common usurious loan term: borrowing 10, receiving 9, and repaying 13). Just tell me how much you can lend me.” The manager directly pulled out a stack of agreements. “Sign these, and I can give you a hundred.” ($100,000) I glanced down and noticed these agreements were some kind of organ donation agreements. This was exactly why they dared to offer loan sharking to gamblers who had lost everything. “Wife, you can’t sign these agreements!” But just as I picked up the pen to sign, Arthur rushed over and desperately grabbed my hand. I said calmly, “If I don’t sign, I won’t have the money to keep playing.” “Wife, let’s fold, okay?! We’ll forfeit the money. Even if we have an extra twenty thousand in debt, it’s fine! I’ll go work with you, and we’ll pay it back slowly!” Arthur choked on his tears as he pleaded with me. I took a deep breath and shook my head. “It’s too late. If we don’t keep calling, what about our daughter’s tuition? What about your dad’s surgery? How will we survive after the New Year? If we gamble it all, there’s still a glimmer of hope. Otherwise, our entire forty thousand is gone.” This is the typical gambler’s mindset. This kind of thinking is completely wrong. Because gambling it all usually means stepping into the abyss with no point of return. Taking a step back, although the loss is huge, at least there’s still a way out. But I’m different from those gamblers. The one falling into the abyss today definitely won’t be me. “I don’t want it! I don’t want any of it! I just want you to be alive and well! It’s not too late to fold now! I’m begging you!” My husband panicked even more. He clearly realized that if we kept betting, it was certain death! With that, he fell to his knees in front of me, pleading bitterly. “Chloe, listen to your husband. You’re not playing cards anymore; you’re gambling with your life.” “Yeah, stop now. It’s not too late to turn back. Once you sign those agreements, there’s no turning back.” Perhaps out of pity for my husband, and unable to watch me walk into eternal damnation, many onlookers also started trying to persuade me. They were right. I was gambling with my life! “Arthur, get up. I’ve made my decision. Stop trying to stop me.” After helping Arthur up, I bowed slightly to the crowd to express my gratitude, then signed the agreement and inked my thumbprint. “Sigh, Chloe, why are you doing this? You’re not the only one who lost. We all lost too. There’s no need to risk your life.” “Chloe, listen to me, stop calling. We can afford to lose forty thousand; worst case, we start over. But if you borrow another hundred thousand and lose, you’ll never recover.” Seeing that I had already signed the agreement, everyone expressed their regret. It was exactly because I knew almost everyone here had lost money that I insisted on doing this. Anyone who returned home for the Lunar New Year from working out of town was practically invited by Kevin and Baldy Wu. Through their colluded scams, some lost as little as ten thousand, while others lost no less than my husband. I heard from Arthur that two days ago, someone who lost fifty thousand drank poison, leaving behind a widow and an orphan. “Here are ninety thousand in chips. If you win, you owe me a hundred and thirty thousand. If you lose, you know what you’ll be using to pay it back.” The loan shark manager didn’t care about our drama. Seeing that I had signed and fingerprinted, he immediately handed me ninety thousand in chips, not forgetting to remind me. Of course, he was referring to the “nine-out, thirteen-return” rule. I said “hmm,” took the chips, and returned to the card table. “Ninety thousand, still blind!” Once I returned to the table, the smiles vanished from Kevin and Baldy Wu’s faces. They clearly hadn’t expected that a woman like me would not only refuse to back down and fold, but would even take out a high-interest loan to fight them to the bitter end. I knew they probably still had some money left, but definitely not much. So, I shoved the entire ninety thousand in chips forward in one go. This time, it was their turn to gamble their lives against mine. “Chloe, is it really necessary to play this big?” Baldy Wu’s expression suddenly became serious. He narrowed his eyes and frowned. “Chloe, playing this big really isn’t necessary. Why don’t you look at your cards and think about it?” Kevin didn’t dare use his passive-aggressive tone anymore. He offered a dry laugh. He was obviously getting nervous. My gaze swept over their faces as I sneered, “Cut the crap. Just tell me if you’re calling or not. If you can’t afford it, fold. If you don’t have money, go sign an agreement and borrow it, just like I did!” “Hehe, we’re not like you. There’s no need to sign those kinds of agreements.” Baldy Wu’s cheek twitched. Then he looked at Kevin and said, “Why don’t you fold? I’ll keep going against her.” Kevin immediately glared. “Why should I fold?! If anyone folds, it should be you!” With that, unable to hold back, he picked up his cards and looked at them. He stopped betting blind. I noticed that the moment he saw his cards, a flash of delight appeared deep in his eyes, but he quickly covered it up. It looked like his hand was very strong. “You idiot! Could your hand possibly be better than mine? Listen to me, fold right now, give me the rest of your money, and I’ll reveal the cards!” Baldy Wu slammed his hand on the table, his eyes wide as saucers, yelling with obvious threat. “Stop arguing, you two! If you’re going to call, do it quickly. If not, fold and get off the table! Do you think we’re stupid?! You two are blatantly colluding right here!” Seeing them pretending to fight but actually exchanging signals, I immediately called them out. However, judging by their posturing, the hands they held were probably not weak. They both wanted to use their own cards to match against mine. And looking at the situation, the money they had on them wasn’t enough to cover the ninety thousand. “Exactly! Call if you’re going to call! If you say one more word to collude, it counts as cheating!” “I thought something was off with you guys. Are you running a scam? If you two say one more word, you should both fold!” Their blatant behavior immediately sparked public outrage. The onlookers who had lost money to them couldn’t stand it anymore and stepped forward to accuse them. Faced with the public outrage, the previously blustering Baldy Wu immediately backed down. “Who’s cheating?! You can’t just say things like that! I don’t have enough money on me either. Let me scrape some together.” After weakly yelling at the crowd, Baldy Wu’s gaze turned to the three people who were playing at the table earlier. “Lend me all your money. I guarantee a win.” With that, he covered his cards and showed them to the three of them. Seeing Baldy Wu’s cards, all three looked delighted, their expressions clearly saying “it’s a sure win,” and they all reached for their wallets to lend him money. Since the three of them had folded and left the table early on, showing them the cards wasn’t technically breaking the rules. “Wait!” However, right at that moment, Kevin interrupted their attempt to lend the money. “If you’re going to lend money, you should lend it to me. I’m the one who’s guaranteed to win.” Kevin shot a disdainful look at Baldy Wu and said immediately. “If you show them your cards too, that counts as cheating!” As soon as he finished speaking, I interjected, staring at him. The reason was simple: Baldy Wu had already shown them his cards. If Kevin showed them his as well, the reactions of the three guys would indicate whose hand was stronger. That would be against the rules. “Hmph, you have to lend the money to me anyway, or you’ll regret it.” Kevin also knew that doing so would break the rules, so he could only snort. The three guys looked conflicted, glancing between Baldy Wu and Kevin, unable to make a decision for a moment. It seemed Baldy Wu’s hand was indeed very strong, but not unbeatable. Seeing this, I quickly offered them a suggestion: “You can choose to lend half to each of them.” “Half it is. Hurry up.”

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My boyfriend’s roommate suffered a traumatic brain injury in a car accident and developed a severe case of identity dysmorphia. He spends his days staring into the mirror, calling himself “Arthur.” But Arthur is my boyfriend’s name. He genuinely believes he is Arthur, which means he also believes I am his girlfriend, and he constantly sends me highly inappropriate messages. I awkwardly showed my boyfriend a shirtless mirror selfie his roommate just sent me. But he just begged me to endure it a little longer: “Julian only got into that accident because of me. I can’t afford the legal settlement if his family sues. Just play along and humor him for me, please?” Later, separated only by a single door. Enduring it became incredibly difficult. Even my muffled cries were completely shattered by Julian. 1 Waiting outside the emergency room with Arthur, his hands were ice-cold with fear. He kept muttering frantically under his breath: “I didn’t mean to, I swear. I was just replying to a text…” I didn’t catch everything he said, but I tried my best to comfort him: “I heard the injuries aren’t life-threatening. Don’t worry, if there’s a financial settlement, I’ll help you figure it out.” However, my words did absolutely nothing to calm Arthur down. It wasn’t until the surgery was over and his roommate finally opened his eyes in the recovery room. Arthur snapped out of his daze and sprinted to the bedside. “Julian! You’re awake!” “Thank God you’re okay!” But Julian’s reaction was incredibly bizarre. He frowned, tilting his head as he scrutinized my boyfriend. After a long, tense silence, he finally spoke, his voice dripping with an oppressive, chilling authority: “Who are you?” My boyfriend froze in shock: “Me? I’m your roommate, Arthur.” A cold, uncanny smile spread across Julian’s face. His eyes flashed with pure mockery: “Where did this pathetic imposter come from?” “I am Arthur.” 2 According to the doctors, Arthur’s—or rather, Julian’s—condition was incredibly complicated. During the crash, Julian was in the passenger seat and suffered severe head trauma. Because Arthur, sitting in the driver’s seat, was the last person Julian interacted with before losing consciousness… Upon waking up, Julian developed a profound, catastrophic cognitive dissonance. Julian genuinely believed he was Arthur. Because they were close roommates, Julian knew everything about Arthur’s life. As a result, Julian started speaking with Arthur’s exact cadence and mannerisms. He transformed from his naturally aloof, introverted self into someone highly talkative and outgoing. He perfectly internalized Arthur’s zodiac sign, his birthday, and even his entire social circle. Arthur frantically asked the doctors when Julian would recover. The doctors admitted there was no immediate medical solution. The best course of action was to discharge him and let him reintegrate into a normal routine. Hopefully, his self-awareness would eventually reboot, and he’d remember his true identity. But days turned into weeks. Julian showed absolutely zero signs of improvement; if anything, his behavior became even more extreme. 3 My final class before winter break ended. I stood outside the boys’ dorms, waiting for Arthur. The winter snow fell heavily, slipping down my collar and making me shiver violently. Suddenly, a pair of large hands wrapped a black-and-white checkered scarf snugly around my neck. A familiar scent washed over me. It was the crisp, cedarwood cologne I had specifically picked out for Arthur. “Arthur?” My heart leapt with joy. Before I could turn around, he wrapped his arms around me from behind, pulling me completely into his embrace. His hot breath ghosted across my ear, standing impossibly close, sending a shiver down my spine. His long arms wrapped around my waist, his fingers intertwining with mine. The heat radiating from his palms felt like it was seeping straight into my heart. “Sorry to keep you waiting.” “Why are your hands so cold?” That voice… that wasn’t Arthur. I froze completely. Looking up, I saw Arthur practically sprinting down the dorm steps. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw us, his face turning an ugly shade of green. “Julian, why the fuck are you hugging my girlfriend?!” 4 Starting that day, Julian began relentlessly texting me. At first, it was just mundane, everyday updates. Nothing too crazy. I completely ignored him. I assumed that if I gave him the silent treatment long enough, he’d eventually get bored and stop. But Julian only escalated. I awkwardly handed my phone to Arthur. The illuminated screen displayed a blatant, post-shower selfie of Julian’s perfectly sculpted abs. Even though his face was cropped out, the distinctive flame tattoo on his forearm made it undeniably clear who it was. “This is getting out of hand. I’m really uncomfortable with this.” Arthur let out a heavy sigh. “Mia, please, listen to me.” “I know how insane this is, but I talked to a lawyer the other day. If the Thorne family decides to pursue legal action, I’m going to owe a catastrophic amount of money.” “I was the one driving when the crash happened. The Thorne family is insanely wealthy and powerful; I literally cannot afford to piss Julian off.” Arthur hesitated for a second before continuing: “Could you just… play along for a little bit? If Julian recovers quickly, he probably won’t press charges against me.” I was absolutely floored by Arthur’s suggestion. “Are you out of your mind?!” He looked at me with pathetic, puppy-dog eyes: “Mia, I’m begging you.” “Didn’t you tell me the other day that you’d help me figure this out?” “But…” I desperately tried to reason with him. “Look, Julian doesn’t have a girlfriend. I’m sure he just wants someone to talk to; he won’t do anything crazy.” “Besides, if Julian actually tries anything inappropriate, I am your actual boyfriend! I’ll be the first one to step in and beat the shit out of him!” He leaned in and gave me a quick kiss. “You’re the best, Mia.” As he spoke, Arthur actively unblocked Julian’s contact on my phone. 5 That evening, I was supposed to video chat with Arthur. I was lying on my stomach in bed, wearing a simple nightgown, and dialed his number. “Hey, Mia.” On the other end of the screen, Arthur was aggressively mashing his keyboard, deep into a video game. His eyes were glued entirely to his monitor. But I couldn’t ignore the intense, piercing gaze shooting toward me from right behind Arthur’s shoulder. Julian was leaning casually against a wardrobe, staring at me with freezing, predatory eyes. A bizarre, deeply uncomfortable feeling washed over me. I’m literally talking to my actual boyfriend, why does it feel like I’m being caught cheating?! “Arthur, could you pause your game for a second…” Arthur turned around. He saw Julian pick up his phone, yank off his headset, and yell: “You guys talk, my match just started.” Before turning back to his game, Arthur actually had the audacity to wink at me. I glared angrily, my eyes locking with Julian’s. Those dark, abyssal eyes were staring straight through me. My face flushed bright red. I instinctively yanked the neckline of my nightgown higher and blurted out: “I am not your…” I swallowed the word “girlfriend” before it could escape. I remembered Arthur’s pathetic pleading. I had no choice but to suppress the intense disgust and awkwardness I felt. Julian retracted his gaze and adjusted the phone’s camera angle. “You blocked me, but you’re video chatting with my roommate.” “Why are you avoiding me?” Why am I avoiding you?! Because I am literally not your girlfriend! “I’m not avoiding you. I just… had something to ask your roommate.” I sighed helplessly, realizing this was the perfect opportunity to express my boundaries. “Also, could you please stop sending me those kinds of pictures?” “What kind?” Julian raised an eyebrow. “The ab pictures… and the ones where you aren’t wearing…” My face was burning. “Just stop!” “Fine.” This time, Julian agreed shockingly fast. But he immediately laid out a new condition. “Ever since I was discharged, you haven’t come to see me once.” “If I don’t send those pictures to bait you, you wouldn’t even talk to me, would you?” My ears burned even hotter. This was getting completely out of hand. I was forced to bite the bullet and continue pacifying him: “As long as you promise not to send inappropriate pictures, I promise I’ll keep talking to you.” “And… I’ll come see you.” “Then how about tonight?” Julian’s gaze flicked casually toward Arthur. Arthur was completely absorbed in his game, acting like a braindead dog, aggressively fighting a boss battle. He had absolutely zero idea what kind of predatory, borderline-insane things his usually aloof roommate was saying to his girlfriend. 6 It was almost time to meet Julian. I had sent Arthur multiple texts and called him several times, but got absolutely no response. With no other options, I had to go to the meetup alone. Julian’s car was parked directly beneath my dorm building. Being confined in such a small space with him was incredibly suffocating and awkward. Julian, on the other hand, looked perfectly relaxed. He was wearing a black turtleneck sweater—another exact copy of Arthur’s wardrobe—looking incredibly sharp and poised, showing absolutely no signs of being a recently discharged trauma patient. Watching how smoothly and flawlessly Julian drove, I couldn’t help but feel suspicious. If he has a traumatic brain injury and amnesia, how is he driving this perfectly?! It was bizarre. While stopped at a red light, Julian suddenly turned to look at me. “What’s wrong?” His intense stare gave me goosebumps. Beneath his dark eyes, there were churning, predatory undercurrents that felt like they were trying to swallow me whole. Julian didn’t answer. He suddenly leaned completely over the center console, reaching toward the side of my face. I instinctively flinched backward. My palms were sweating profusely. But he was just reaching over to buckle my seatbelt for me. I had absolutely no idea that his gaze had briefly, intentionally locked onto someone standing right behind the car. Outside the window. Arthur, arm-in-arm with a younger girl, was standing frozen on the crosswalk, his jaw practically on the pavement, watching everything happening inside the car. 7 The car pulled into the driveway of a luxurious, multi-story townhouse in the suburbs. This was Julian’s home. “Thirsty?” Seeing me hovering awkwardly in the entryway, Julian offered me a bottle of coconut water. “No, I…” I was just about to invent an excuse to decline. Julian suddenly remembered something, pulled his arm back, and tossed the bottle back into the fridge. “Almost forgot. You’re on your period.” My brain completely short-circuited, and I froze in place. Hold on. How the hell did Julian know I was on my period?! That was way too accurate for a random guess! “Why aren’t you sitting down?” Julian pulled me over to the plush sofa. He was over 6’2″, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. Even sitting casually on the sofa, the oppressive, dominant aura he radiated was impossible to ignore. I intentionally sat a safe distance away from him, desperately trying to keep my head clear. And, more importantly, to state exactly why I was here: “Julian, I need to talk to you.” “We can talk about absolutely anything, except breaking up.” Julian lowered his eyes, his fingers gently, rhythmically tracing the pulse point on my wrist. Furious that he had perfectly anticipated my move, I snapped: “Fine! Let’s talk about something else.” “I came here today to tell you the truth. You were in a car crash, you suffered a traumatic brain injury, and you have identity dysmorphia. You think you are Arthur. But the truth is, Arthur is your roommate, and I am Arthur’s girlfriend.” Julian let out a lazy, cynical chuckle: “You say I’m not Arthur. Do you have any proof?” “Check your ID.” Julian pulled out his wallet and handed me his ID card. But the card clearly displayed Julian’s photo expertly photoshopped onto Arthur’s personal information. I didn’t even have to guess; this was 100% Arthur’s doing. If you looked closely, you could even tell the photo was slightly crooked. It was such a pathetic, obvious fake, yet Julian actually bought it. My shoulders slumped in total defeat. I honestly had no idea how else to explain it to him. Suddenly, Julian’s voice drifted lazily from above my head: “I actually have a way to prove it. But I’m going to need your cooperation.” I grabbed onto the offer like a drowning person grabbing a lifeline: “Tell me! I’ll do whatever it takes!” 8 The exact second the words left my mouth. Julian reached out and effortlessly lifted me onto his lap. He casually wrapped one arm around my waist, using his other hand to brush my bangs aside. His fingertips trailed down my earline, coming to a rest at the nape of my neck. Beneath me were Julian’s solid, muscular thighs. The overpowering scent of a strange man’s pheromones violently shattered every social boundary, aggressively invading my senses and forming an inescapable cage. By the time I finally realized what was happening, there was nowhere left to run. My brain practically exploded. All my composure evaporated instantly. I vaguely realized I had just guessed exactly what “method” he intended to use. I instinctively pressed my hands against Julian’s chest to push him away. But he effortlessly captured my wrists, pulling them to his lips and leaving a trail of wet, tingling, agonizingly slow kisses across my skin. Even though his facial features were significantly sharper and more devastatingly handsome than Arthur’s… He was wearing the exact same black turtleneck sweater, and he was enveloped in the exact same crisp, cedarwood cologne. It was incredibly disorienting. He was too close. So close our lips were practically brushing. So close the scorching heat radiating from his neck was burning the tips of my ears. I was losing the ability to distinguish whether the man in front of me was Arthur or Julian. I snapped out of my daze instantly. I babbled frantically: “Don’t touch me! I’m on my period!” Julian finally released me. He stared intently at the flushed, red marks on my neck, smiling with absolute satisfaction: “Well, the timing of the period matches up perfectly.” “And you taste incredible. There’s absolutely no way you aren’t my girlfriend.”

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Arthur and I had been married for three years. Everyone said we were the perfect, loving couple. But only I knew that he had been sleeping in the guest room for three years. He had never touched me. I placed the divorce papers on his desk, intending to set him free. But I unexpectedly saw a diary lying open on the desk. [Today, she forgot to take her clothes after showering. I resisted for a long time, but couldn’t control myself and hid one piece. I hope she won’t notice.] I froze. So he was the one taking all the lingerie I’d “lost” before. 1 In the middle of the diary on the desk lay a black and gold fountain pen. It wasn’t the one I had given Arthur. But the lingerie mentioned as taken in the diary… Was the exact set I had just bought last week. Thinking back carefully, over these three years, the nightgowns and lingerie I’d lost probably added up to over twenty pieces. I had thought the wind blew them away. Or that I forgot to pack them after a trip. The only person I hadn’t suspected was Arthur. Simply because of his aloof personality. Since getting married, we had always treated each other with polite respect. When he spoke to me, his eyes never wandered anywhere else. How could he do something like this? But last night, Arthur said there was no hot water in the guest bathroom sink. And borrowed my bathroom to take a shower. It took him barely half an hour, start to finish, and he even thanked me when he left. I hadn’t suspected a thing. I never imagined it was him. But my intimate clothing… it wasn’t like he could wear it. What could he possibly do with it? Inappropriate images suddenly popped into my head. My face burned, and I didn’t dare think about it any further. I really wanted to step closer and read the earlier entries in the diary. I even wanted to storm into the guest room and rummage through his closet. But that would be too unethical. I calmed myself down. And decided to pretend I hadn’t seen anything. I turned around and closed the study door. As for the divorce papers, I stuffed them into a drawer in my vanity. Real or fake, I’ll find out once I test it. 2 Arthur came home early tonight. Seeing the living room lights off when he came in, he called out my name. “Chloe Vance.” I braced myself and walked out of the bedroom. “You’re home. I didn’t make dinner tonight.” Arthur still had that same unsmiling expression. Whenever he called me, he always used my full name. But I had read the diary… Just thinking about him, with that aloof face, secretly using my nightgowns to… I couldn’t even look him in the eye. Completely oblivious to my unusual behavior, he handed me a blue gift bag. “That’s fine. We can go out to eat. “This is a gift for you.” I reached out to take it. The back of my hand accidentally brushed against his fingertips. I pulled back quickly. Arthur’s eyes darkened for a moment, but quickly returned to normal. Today was our third wedding anniversary. The gift I had prepared for him was a divorce agreement. Yet he had bought me a pearl necklace. I suppressed my complicated emotions and said softly: “I’m sorry, I forgot to get you a gift.” Thankfully, he didn’t seem to mind. “It’s okay. I don’t need anything. “This necklace suits you, so I picked it up.” I quietly said thank you. Arthur said flatly: “You’re welcome. Get ready, I’ll go make a reservation.” I changed into a strapless velvet dress, paired with a fur shawl. And put on the pearl necklace he gave me. It was an elegant outfit, not overly flashy. When I opened the door, Arthur looked up and was visibly stunned for a second. Our eyes met, and my heart suddenly beat faster. Before I could speak, he had already looked away. “Let’s go.” Watching his indifferent back, I muttered to myself: Let’s see how long you can keep this act up. … The temperature in the restaurant was a bit high. Just as I was about to take off my shawl, He suddenly looked up and stared at me. Arthur had sharp features and deep-set eyes. Wearing glasses usually softened his aggressive aura, giving him a more refined look. But right now, I saw danger in his eyes. “Wh-what’s wrong?” “Nothing. I’m going out for a smoke.” As soon as he left, that suffocating feeling instantly dissipated. For a second there, I thought he was going to eat me alive. 3 During dinner, Arthur mentioned he had a few days off. And asked if I wanted to go home. Actually, my plan was to confront Arthur, sign the divorce papers, and then go back. After my family went bankrupt, my dad’s mental health took a hit. He rented a house back in our hometown, spending his days gardening and growing vegetables. He gradually recovered. My dad always thought Arthur and I had a great relationship. I hadn’t told him about the divorce yet. If I went back with Arthur, the divorce papers would have to wait. Arthur was waiting for my answer. I had no choice but to brace myself and force a laugh. “Sure. If you’re not busy, let’s go back together.” When we were leaving, Arthur stood at the door, not moving. I looked at him. “Did you forget something?” His gaze fell on my shoulders, obscure and unreadable. “Put your shawl on properly.” Perhaps realizing his tone was too harsh, He softened his voice and added: “It’s cold outside.” “…” After taking a shower, I looked at my discarded clothes in the laundry basket. I remembered the bra I had recently lost. It was a low-cut style, trimmed with white lace. I really liked it. I wonder where Arthur hid it. I deliberately left the nightgown I had just taken off on the counter. Arthur would be borrowing the bathroom again tonight. If the nightgown disappeared, then I’d have concrete proof. Sure enough, a little while later, Arthur knocked on the door. Still wearing that cold, aloof face. “Sorry, I need to borrow it one more time tonight.” I smiled at him and said generously: “No problem, go ahead.” Listening to the sound of the water running in the bathroom, every second felt like a year. I kept staring at the same page of my book without reading a single word. Finally, Arthur came out. He looked completely normal and said softly: “Get some rest soon. Goodnight.” “Mhm. Goodnight.” As soon as he left, I immediately rushed into the bathroom. Sure enough. My nightgown. Was gone. I was both embarrassed and furious. I marched angrily to the door of the guest room. Just as I was about to knock, I suddenly heard a few suppressed, muffled groans coming through the crack in the door. Th-this-this… Is he… right now…? My face burned searing hot. Afraid of walking in on something incredibly awkward, I had no choice but to turn back to my room. My imagination ran wild all day, resulting in bizarre dreams that night. In my dream, Arthur was wearing my lingerie. Asking me if he looked good. I called him a pervert. He chuckled, pressed me down, and whispered in my ear: “Chloe, then you wear it. “Wear it just for me, okay?” 4 When I woke up the next day, I had huge, dark circles under my eyes. Arthur was already on the phone with my dad. Hearing that we were coming to stay for a few days, My dad happily announced he was going to slaughter a chicken to make soup. The two of them chatted casually on the phone, the familiar atmosphere making it seem like we were truly a real family. I packed my luggage with mixed feelings. Actually, Arthur treated me quite well. He supported my continuing to paint. He didn’t make unreasonable demands just because he saved my family from ruin. On the contrary, he respected me deeply. Everyone outside thought we had a profound connection, a couple to be envied. I had even developed feelings for him. But he attributed all his kindness to repaying a debt of gratitude. I had to wonder, maybe he just saw me as a younger sister he was taking care of. Aside from a marriage certificate, we had absolutely no real connection. But now, the thought of my nightgown potentially hidden in his suitcase made my skin crawl. His serious, upright demeanor was entirely an act! I closed my suitcase, suppressing my complicated emotions. I resolved that once we got back from my dad’s, I would put an end to this absurd marriage. The drive back took almost six hours. Arthur was a bit of a germaphobe. So I didn’t open a single snack from the huge bag he had bought me. I lay in the backseat, playing games on my phone. Arthur watched me through the rearview mirror. “Is there nothing you like?” Wrong. He bought all my favorites. But this was his car, and I had to respect his germaphobia. So I lied: “Oh, I’m not hungry.” Halfway there, Arthur pulled into a rest stop. When I came out of the restroom, he was standing under a camphor tree, talking on the phone. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, shining down on him. Without his suit jacket, wearing just a dress shirt, Arthur looked a bit more youthful. He flicked the ash from his cigarette, brought it to his lips, and took a deep drag. He tilted his head back, exhaling the smoke. His usually rigid posture relaxed in that moment. When he glanced sideways and saw me, a faint smile played on his lips. “Alright, I’m hanging up. Call me if anything comes up.” This gentle, modest appearance… Definitely an act too! As soon as I got in the car, I covered myself with my coat and pretended to sleep. Terrified he would try to talk to me. Arthur drove very steadily. While pretending to sleep, I actually fell asleep. When I woke up, my dad had already opened the car door and was welcoming me out. “Chloe, you slept the whole way! You didn’t even take a turn driving so Arthur could rest?” Before I could even speak, Arthur looked at me, smiled, and said: “It’s fine. She’s not familiar with my car. It’s better to let her sleep.” “Sleeping so much during the day, will you even be able to sleep tonight?” Arthur said softly: “If she can’t sleep, then she won’t. It’s a rare vacation.” A seemingly casual remark. Yet it sent a chill down my spine. I quickly got out of the car and bolted toward the courtyard. As soon as I walked in, the rich aroma of chicken soup hit me. “Dad, I’m starving. Let’s eat.” “Okay, okay, okay. You two can taste your old man’s cooking. Arthur, take her to wash her hands. Keep an eye on her so she doesn’t try to sneak a bite!” Arthur, carrying my suitcase, followed my dad and smiled in agreement: “Sure, I’ll keep an eye on her.” Hearing Arthur’s voice, I tensed up. As soon as he walked in, I quickly hurried out. Awkward. It was just too awkward. 5 It wasn’t until after dinner that I realized an even more awkward problem. My dad said he had only prepared one guest room. “One room?” I gasped out loud. My dad looked at me, confused: “It’s just the two of you, isn’t one room enough?” Arthur interjected: “It’s enough. Thanks, Dad.” As he spoke, his dark eyes never left me. It gave me the creeps. I lay in bed, tossing and turning. I decided to text Arthur. [How about you and my dad go out and play cards tonight?] Arthur: [I’m tired from driving.] Okay, driving for over six hours is definitely exhausting. [Then I’ll sleep outside on the couch and watch TV all night.] Arthur: [There’s no heating in the living room.] What am I supposed to do then? I can’t actually share a bed with Arthur, can I? I can’t guarantee I’ll be able to control myself. I carefully drafted a reply: [But sleeping together… isn’t that a bit inconvenient?] This time, Arthur didn’t reply immediately. I could hear him and my dad chatting outside. I paced around the bedroom anxiously. He wasn’t replying. Did that mean there was no room for negotiation? A short while later, Arthur returned. I hid under the covers and pretended to sleep. I listened to him taking a shower in the bathroom. The atmosphere grew increasingly tense. Unfortunately, I had slept for over three hours during the day, and I wasn’t sleepy at all now. The countryside night was incredibly silent. I could hear his every movement clearly. The water in the bathroom stopped. Arthur was drying his hair. He opened the door and approached. The mattress dipped on one side. A familiar scent drifted over. He used my body wash! I swallowed hard. And tried to steady my breathing. Arthur was tall with long legs. As soon as he got under the covers, his foot accidentally brushed against my calf. “Sorry.” “It’s fine.” “You’re not asleep?” “…” “Isn’t it stuffy under the covers?” “…” The air almost solidified. I kept my eyes squeezed shut, pretending I wasn’t the one who had just spoken. But Arthur leaned closer. The rich floral scent was warmed by his body heat. Why had I never noticed before how this scent could make a person’s imagination run wild? I held my breath, continuing my act. “Chloe, did you read the diary I left on the desk?” My eyes snapped open instantly, and I threw off the covers to explain: “I didn’t! I didn’t read it!” Who knew I would look straight into his dark, deep eyes. He frowned slightly. “Tsk. You didn’t read it? “My fault. I guess I didn’t leave it in a noticeable enough spot.” What did this disappointed tone mean? Was he laying all his cards on the table? Dropping the act? Voluntarily admitting he stole my clothes? I threw the covers back, preparing to interrogate him properly. But instead, he grabbed my wrist, his voice low: “It’s been three years. Are you still this afraid of me?” As he spoke, he leaned over me. His voice was hoarse, murmuring in my ear: “But I don’t want to hold back anymore. “Chloe, it hurts so much to hold back. Touch it if you don’t believe me.” 6 My fingertips brushed against hot, smooth skin. I yanked my hand back instantly. The tips of my ears burned. “Arthur, are you crazy?!” He had a few extra drinks while chatting with my dad at dinner. It was my dad’s homemade liquor, and it was very strong. Now, a faint flush covered his pale skin. A layer of mist clouded his eyes as he looked at me pitifully. “You don’t want to touch me…” He was definitely drunk. This disappointed tone gave me goosebumps. Tonight, Arthur had shed his usual cold exterior. After his shower, his dark, fluffy hair softened his sharp features. Without his glasses, his long eyelashes made him look fragile and vulnerable. I remembered the contents of his diary and tested the waters: “Arthur, did you drink too much?” “No.” “Then… did you take my nightgown?” “Yes, I took it.” “What did you do with it after you took it?” Arthur fell into a memory, his Adam’s apple bobbing hard. He said hoarsely: “I did some bad things.” I couldn’t help but remember the suppressed groans I heard outside the guest room that day. A mix of pain and pleasure. It was obvious what he was doing. My face instantly turned bright red. Secretly writing in a diary, secretly taking my nightgowns to DIY… Was it really that hard for him to just say he liked me? I was determined to make him say it himself! Feigning anger, I glared at him: “What ‘bad things’ exactly?” Arthur’s dark eyes stared at me. He shuffled forward on his knees, trapping me against the headboard. “Chloe, I can’t say it. Can I show you instead?” 7 Show me. Show me. Show me. That’s all he knows how to do. Blushing furiously, I shoved him away. Arthur was caught off guard. He fell backward onto the blanket. Propping himself up on his hands behind him. Under the warm yellow glow of the bedside lamp, he looked up, his expression stunned. His chest heaved rapidly. Through the loose collar of his pajamas, I could faintly see his collarbones and pectoral muscles beneath his Adam’s apple. Clean, sharp lines. Combined with that face that usually looked completely devoid of worldly desires… It was just too unfair. “You-you go sleep with my dad!” He looked down, glancing at his pajama pants, and said bitterly: “Chloe, it’s… not really convenient for me to go out like this.” I followed his gaze. And instantly felt embarrassed and annoyed. “Arthur, how could you?!” He let out a soft sigh. “I’ve always been like this. I was afraid of scaring you, which is why we slept in separate rooms.” “But you can’t just…” hold it in for three years. “I’m sorry. If you don’t like it, I’ll control myself. “I was impulsive tonight because of the alcohol. If I touch you again… you really might get hurt. “Chloe, go to sleep. I’m going to the bathroom.” I instantly understood what he was going to do. I hid under the covers, refusing to look at him. But he didn’t move, just sat on the edge of the bed looking at me. I poked my head out: “What are you doing? Don’t tell me you expect me to help you?” Arthur’s body stiffened, and he swallowed hard. “Can you?” “Of course not!” “Then can I borrow your pajamas for a bit?” Act, act, act. Still acting! “Where’s the white silk one from yesterday?” “I accidentally tore that one.” Me: “…” It only lasted one night! Is he covered in spikes or something?! My face dark, I gritted my teeth: “Arthur! That piece was very expensive!” “I’ll buy you new ones, lots and lots of them!” “Don’t even think about it! I only brought two pieces with me!” “But without your pajamas, it’s really hard for me…” “Stop talking, you pervert!” I couldn’t bear to listen anymore. I hid under the covers, clutching my burning face. I had no idea that Arthur, standing by the bed, felt like he was shattering into pieces. It took him a long time to say: “I’m sorry.”

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I dated Arthur Sterling in secret for two years. He always refused to make our relationship public. That is, until I saw a photo hidden in his study. I realized then that he had a “first love” permanently residing in his heart. But infuriatingly, he was completely transparent about her. He told me about every single time they hung out alone. As time went on, I finally got tired of waiting. “Let’s break up.” He glanced at me and sighed. “You just want to go public, right? Stop playing these games. You know perfectly well I don’t fall for that.” I didn’t answer. I just handed in my resignation. Later, after I moved back to a neighboring city, I heard a rumor. Mr. Sterling, who had aggressively maintained his “single” persona for years, was suddenly wearing a wedding ring. He claimed he had lost the girl he loved. 1 On my birthday, Arthur, who was famously punctual, was late for the very first time. I looked at the cold food on the table and sighed internally. It’s fine. He’s busy with work. I need to be understanding. Just as I was debating whether to clear the table, I heard the lock turn. Arthur walked in, bringing a rush of cold air with him. I went to hug him, but he stopped me. “I’m cold. Let me change my clothes first.” While he was changing, I heated up the food. Once he sat down, the first thing he said was an apology. “I’m sorry I’m late today.” “Chloe had to fly back to North City today, so I drove her to the airport.” Hearing that familiar name, my hand holding the chopsticks paused. Arthur noticed. He leaned forward, looking tired but lazy, his tone teasing. “What? Are you jealous?” “It’s not like you don’t know her. I’ve told you about her.” “We grew up together. If something was going to happen between us, it would have happened a long time ago.” Suppressing a bizarre, uncomfortable feeling in my chest, I shook my head and lied to him for the first time. “I’m not jealous.” Then, I quietly finished my meal. When I started to clear the table, Arthur grabbed my hand. “The cleaner will take care of it tomorrow.” He pulled me over to the sofa and pulled me onto his lap. “Still trying to say you aren’t upset? What do I have to do to make you happy?” I froze for a moment. Then, taking advantage of the opening, I asked the question for the third time. “When can we go public?” Arthur smiled indulgently. Then, with a helpless sigh, he stroked my hair. “Going public wouldn’t be good for you.” This was the second time I had heard him say that. The first time was right after we started dating. He had said, “Let’s not go public. It wouldn’t be good for you.” Because he was the most famous, eligible billionaire bachelor in Kun City. And I was just a nameless, low-level employee at his company. Even the way we met was incredibly humiliating for me. My manager was furious because the client had rejected my proposal multiple times. In a fit of rage, he threw the file folder directly at me. Papers scattered all over the floor, and I didn’t dare make a sound. Just then, Arthur happened to walk by. He looked relaxed, almost bored. He just cast a fleeting, weightless glance our way, and my manager instantly panicked. “Mr. Sterling.” Arthur’s voice was completely flat. “Sometimes, you shouldn’t just blindly blame the employees.” “It’s not unheard of for a proposal to be rejected multiple times, only for the client to ultimately choose the very first draft.” “You are absolutely right, sir.” My manager agreed sycophantically, shooting me a pointed look. I crouched down, gathered the scattered papers, and walked out with my head bowed. That evening, just as I walked out of the office building, his car pulled up right in front of me. The window rolled down, and he invited me. “Won’t you treat me to dinner?” I didn’t decline. After all, thanks to his intervention today, my manager had stopped harassing me. I mentally calculated the balance in my bank account and gave him a rare, honest answer. “I’m afraid I can’t afford to treat Mr. Sterling.” “It’s fine. I’m very easy to feed.” That night, he and I went to a casual Sichuan restaurant and had a very simple meal. I thought that would be our first and only interaction. But right before we parted ways, he stared at me for a long time, then smiled. “I really enjoyed spending time with you. Thank you for dinner.” “See you next time.” I gave him a stiff wave goodbye. I thought to myself: Arthur’s eyes really do make everyone feel like he’s deeply in love with them. My thoughts snapped back to the present. Those same “deeply in love” eyes were studying my face intently. His tone was coaxing. “At Sterling Corp, you can do whatever you want.” “By my side, you can buy whatever you want.” “The only thing I can’t give you is going public.” I pretended to be angry, turning my head away and ignoring him. He gently turned my face back. “Stop being mad, okay?” “We’re together. That’s a fact, isn’t it?” Thinking about it, the manager who had made my life hell when we first started dating had been demoted. I had gone from an errand girl everyone ordered around to someone who could quietly do her own work without interference—all thanks to him. I quickly convinced myself it was fine, then leaned in and kissed his cheek. “Thank you, Arthur.” 2 On the weekend, Arthur went into the office to work overtime. I was bored at home alone, so I decided to tidy up the apartment. Arthur had told me before that this place belonged to both of us. He said he had absolutely no secrets, and I was allowed to go anywhere. So, after cleaning the living room, I went into the study. While wiping down the desk, I noticed a book tucked away in the corner. It looked completely out of place among the business files. It looked like a college textbook. My curiosity piqued, I picked it up and flipped through it. A piece of paper fluttered out of the pages and landed on the floor. I instinctively picked it up and realized it was a photograph. I flipped it over. The photo showed Arthur with someone else. The two of them looked incredibly comfortable and relaxed in front of the camera. The way they smiled at each other spoke volumes of their deep, familiar connection. Beneath the photo, there was a single line of text written in elegant calligraphy. [There is a beautiful one, clear and graceful. A chance encounter, she perfectly suits my heart’s desire.] It was Arthur’s handwriting. In that exact moment, I suddenly understood why we couldn’t go public. It turned out that someone else had permanently taken residence in his heart—someone he could never forget. And that someone… was the person I had just heard him mention a few days ago. It was Chloe. The girl he claimed he “would have gotten with a long time ago if it was going to happen.” 3 That night. I was lying on the sofa, binge-watching a TV show. Arthur poured himself a glass of water and went into his study. A few minutes later, he hurried back out. Seeing my confused expression, he quickly regained his composure. “Did you clean the study today?” I didn’t bring up the photo. I just gave a soft “Hmm.” “Yeah, just a quick tidy-up.” Seeing me act completely normal, he retreated back into the study. Under the blanket, my fingers gripped the edge of my shirt tightly. I knew exactly what he was panicking about. Early the next morning, he left the house before I was even awake. I walked back into the study and flipped open that book. Just as I suspected, the photo was gone. My phone pinged with a transfer notification. I opened it and saw a message from Arthur attached. [I haven’t spent much time with you these past two days. Go out, walk around, and buy yourself something nice.] As usual, I ignored the massive transfer amount. And politely thanked him. I set the phone down, suddenly finding the whole situation incredibly funny. Making a gesture like this right now… Was it out of love, or guilt? What happened that evening gave me my answer. We had just finished dinner when Arthur’s phone rang. He didn’t try to hide it from me; he answered it right there. Chloe’s voice came through the speaker. “I’ll be there soon. Are you coming to pick me up, Arthur?” Arthur agreed in a gentle, warm tone. He hung up and looked at me. “I’m going to pick her up and take her home.” For the very first time, I didn’t just nod and agree. For the very first time, I bared my teeth at him. “Does she literally not know a single other person here besides you?” Arthur tapped his fingers lightly against the table. “I don’t like explaining things I’ve already explained twice.” “You understand me, right?” I stared at him for a long, long time. Just as he was starting to look impatient, I suddenly smiled. “Go ahead!” Seeing my smile, his brow relaxed. He walked over and kissed my forehead. “Wait for me to come back.” But as soon as he left the apartment, I changed my clothes and followed him out. Some things, you have to see with your own eyes before you can truly give up. 4 When I arrived at the airport, Chloe was just walking out of the terminal. Arthur habitually took her suitcase from her hand. And Chloe naturally hooked her arm through his. I wasn’t standing far away. I could clearly hear Chloe’s voice. “Arthur, thank you for coming to pick me up.” She paused, as if she had just remembered something. She started rummaging through her small purse. She pulled something out, resting it on her open palm and holding it up to Arthur. “I brought you some cufflinks. Thanks for always driving me around.” Arthur chuckled softly. “You really do treat me like your personal chauffeur, don’t you?” Chloe playfully stuck her tongue out, then proceeded to put the cufflinks on Arthur. “See? I told you I have great taste.” Just as I was about to leave, I caught a glimpse of Chloe standing on her tiptoes out of the corner of my eye, leaning in to kiss him. Arthur, seemingly sensing her intent, took a step back, and Chloe kissed empty air. Perhaps his reaction annoyed her. She stomped her foot. “Look how scared you are.” Arthur just smiled without saying a word. I turned around and walked away. It was probably in that exact moment. That I realized my relationship with Arthur was permanently fractured. When Arthur finally came home that night, I was already getting ready for bed. While he was changing his clothes, I intentionally asked: “When did you buy those cufflinks? I’ve never seen you wear them.” His movements stalled for a fraction of a second. “Chloe gave them to me.” Perhaps he genuinely believed that his transparency proved he had nothing to hide. But I had seen how intimately they interacted. And I knew about that carefully hidden photograph. Was it that he didn’t like her, or was it that he didn’t dare cross that line? I knew the answer, even if he didn’t realize it himself. And the reason he refused to go public, aggressively maintaining his “single” persona… Who was all of that really for? 5 The next day, Arthur didn’t go into the office; he worked from home. He told me he had a gathering with some old friends that evening. I nodded, indicating I understood. Then, I took the subway to the office alone. When I got home from work that night, the apartment was completely empty and pitch black. The only source of light was the dim glow of his laptop on the dining table. I walked over to shut the computer down. Suddenly, I saw a WeChat window flashing. He probably forgot to log out before he left. The open chat window seemed to be a group chat with his friends. Someone was actively instigating: [I heard Chloe is back for good this time?] [Hey Arthur, you two grew up together, and you’ve both been single forever. Why don’t you guys just get together?!] Chloe sent an “angry” reaction sticker. Arthur replied with two words. [Stop messing around. Chloe can’t handle jokes like that.] I used the mouse to close the application. Then I shut down the laptop. Around 9 PM, Arthur suddenly sent me a message. It was an address, accompanied by a single sentence: [Bring my jacket here.] I didn’t ask why. I obediently hailed a cab and delivered it. Just as I was about to knock on the private room door, I heard his friends bringing up that topic again. “Arthur, she’s devastated. Look how much Chloe has drank because you won’t make a move.” “You’re not getting any younger. Dating isn’t illegal, you know.” “You two already know each other so well.” Arthur looked up, smiled faintly, and didn’t deny it. I pushed the door open and walked in. “Mr. Sterling, your jacket.” The smile on Arthur’s face vanished instantly. He quickly recovered, taking the jacket from me with a stiff, professional demeanor, and carefully draped it over Chloe’s shoulders. Then he turned to me: “Sorry for making you run this errand. Expensing the cab fare to the company tomorrow.” I shook my head. “It’s fine. It wasn’t much.” As I turned to leave… I heard his friends asking. “That’s your employee?! She’s actually really pretty.” “You’re constantly surrounded by women. Have you seriously never been tempted?” Before Arthur could answer, I heard Chloe’s voice. “Arthur would never fall for a woman.” I hid in the shadows, catching a glimpse of the life Arthur deliberately excluded me from. When he stepped outside for a smoke, one of his friends followed him. “That girl who just dropped off your jacket… your relationship with her isn’t exactly professional, is it?” I lowered my head, thinking to myself: Was it really that obvious? When I looked up again, Arthur’s face was blurred by the swirling cigarette smoke. His voice was hoarse. “The very first time I saw her, I noticed her immediately.” “She looks exactly like Chloe did right after her teacher passed away.” “So obedient, so desperate to please… even the way she looks completely lost and helpless when things go wrong is exactly the same.” I couldn’t hear the rest of what he said. Unable to control my tears any longer, I simply turned and walked away. On the way home, I stared blankly at the passing scenery outside the window. I thought to myself: It’s time to break up. 6 That night, Arthur didn’t come home. He went back to the office, texting me that he reeked of alcohol and it was too late; he didn’t want to disturb my sleep. I didn’t reply to his message. The next day, he had a formal gown delivered to me. He said we were attending an auction gala together that evening. After thinking it over, I agreed. I planned to end things with him the moment the event was over. At the auction venue, I entered with my arm linked through his. It was my first time at an event like this, and I was too nervous to speak. He patted my hand gently to comfort me. “Don’t worry. I’m right here.” But right after we walked in, a clear, crisp voice rang out. “Arthur!” I recognized the voice instantly. It was Chloe. The next second, Arthur removed my hand from his arm. He escorted me to a quiet corner. “Wait for me here like a good girl. It’ll be over soon.” “If you want anything, just text me.” I sat there, restless and anxious. Watching him and Chloe sit together. She had a bright, innocent smile on her face. I watched the auction items being sold off one by one. Until they brought out a ring. For the very first time, I initiated contact with Arthur. [I want that.] In my line of sight, I saw him check his phone. Then Chloe grabbed his arm and whispered something to him. Then he replied. [Pick something else. Someone else wants that one.] I thought about it for a moment, suddenly unsure of what exactly I was fighting for. I decided to leave early. It was close to midnight when Arthur finally came home. I had already packed my bags. “Mr. Sterling, some things just aren’t meant to be, and I don’t want to fight for them anymore.” “Let’s end this here. Let’s break up!” Arthur sat down on the sofa, stretching his long legs out. He glanced at me and sighed. “You want to go public, right?” “Stop playing these games. You know perfectly well I don’t fall for that.” But what he didn’t know… Was that this time, I genuinely meant it. 7 “I know you don’t fall for it, and I’ve thought this through.” “Arthur, no one wants to stay hidden in the dark forever.” He didn’t say anything else. I rolled my suitcase out and quietly shut the door behind me. The next second, I heard the violent crash of something shattering inside the apartment. My hand hovered over the door handle, then dropped. Since I had decided to leave, I shouldn’t drag things out. I walked outside with my suitcase but couldn’t get a cab for a long time. Just as I was about to start walking, a car pulled up in front of me. Arthur’s driver stepped out and opened the door. “Ms. Harrison, Mr. Sterling asked me to drop you wherever you need to go.” I didn’t try to be polite. I turned and got into the car. Arthur was always like this. He took care of me in every conceivable way, and he was never stingy with anything he could buy. But the one thing I wanted most, he couldn’t give me. Being a hidden secret made me feel incredibly insecure. I know I should be able to provide my own sense of security. But I couldn’t stop myself from fixating on the fact that he and I would never have a real future. When I got to the hotel, the very first thing I did was write my resignation email and hit send. In that moment, I felt an unprecedented sense of relief. I booked my train ticket home. And completely blocked Arthur on absolutely everything. Lying in bed, memories of our time together suddenly flooded my mind. The hugs, the kisses… he had even looked me dead in the eye and told me he loved me. And I had believed his love was real. But now I knew. Even if I had never found that photo. Even if none of this had happened. He still wouldn’t have chosen me in the end. Alone in the room, I finally let myself break down and cry. I cried until I fell asleep. The next morning, looking at my swollen, red eyes in the mirror, I decided to dig my sunglasses out of my suitcase and wear them. When I arrived at the airport, I unexpectedly ran into the same man who had spoken to me so coldly the day before. Right now, he was pushing a luggage cart, his head lowered as he listened to the girl walking next to him. The moment we brushed past each other, he didn’t recognize me. But I heard Chloe asking him: “Where’s Mia? I’m surprised she’s not shadowing you.” “I always thought she had a huge crush on you! I was honestly a little jealous.” I slowed my pace slightly and heard his reply. “She resigned. We probably won’t be seeing each other again.”

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After I developed insomnia, I could only fall asleep if I smelled a specific scent. Yet, my boyfriend wanted to break up with me. I begged him: “Can you just sleep with me one more time?” After all, his scent was my sleeping pill. With his arms around two gorgeous women, his tone was impatient: “If you’re sick, go see a doctor!” That very night, his college roommate showed up at my door. “Sister, I’ll sleep with you.” 1 It was 2:00 AM. I don’t know if the begonia flowers were sleeping, but I definitely wasn’t. I had a condition, common and widespread— Insomnia. But this wasn’t your average insomnia. My body chemistry was unique. Ever since I became an adult, I could only fall asleep if I smelled a scent that made me feel secure. The feeling of having incredibly heavy eyelids while your nerves are firing off wildly is pure torture. Today was the third day since Nolan proposed we break up. I was so, so, so sleepy. Unable to hold out, I opened his chat and begged: “Can you just sleep with me one more time?” Nolan’s scent was genuinely wonderful. It was like the rich aroma of a latte mixed with the fresh scent of jasmine. It enveloped me warmly and politely. And it was stronger than any sleeping pill. But the man himself wasn’t nearly as polite. Nolan replied almost instantly: “If you’re sick, go see a doctor! “You pass out the second your head hits the pillow every day. Are you a pig??” I could tell he was furious. I wasn’t a pig. …But I was genuinely sick. The key was, it couldn’t be cured. Then, Nolan sent a photo. Judging by the background, he was at a nightclub. He had his arms wrapped around two beautiful women. “You can’t afford me anymore!!” “…” Ignoring his melodramatic teenage-boy quote, I opened TikTok to search for my next sleeping buddy. If I didn’t sleep for five days straight, I would die. Tonight was already the third night. A direct message popped up. It was from my brother, Matthew. It was a video. A incredibly handsome guy, his shirt soaked in alcohol, was being force-fed more drinks by a crowd of jeering people. My brother: [Utopia Club, Booth 8. Come quick.] Me: [?] My brother: [His scent should be exactly what you’re looking for.] I sprang out of bed like a startled carp. 2 By the time I reached Utopia, it was almost 3:00 AM. The lights were dim and flashing, the music was deafening, and the dance floor was packed with wave after wave of people. Sporting massive dark circles under my eyes, I dodged the disposable couples making out everywhere and found Booth 8. I immediately spotted the man from the video. He was too striking to miss. His features were deep and masculine, his lips a dark, moody shade, his eyes tilted upwards at the corners, radiating an undeniable, aristocratic aura. The ambient club lighting hit his face, adding a layer of seduction. Even thrown into a massive crowd, he would be the one person you’d notice instantly. Right now, his eyelids were slightly lowered, his long eyelashes trembling. He looked like the absolute epitome of someone being bullied to their limit. I knew it was my time to shine. The perfect opportunity for a “beauty saves the hero” moment. I massaged my temples, trying to slightly ease my throbbing headache. Putting on a face that was 30% aloof, 30% arrogant, and 40% careless, I slammed my foot onto the table: “Tonight’s tab is on me! “Can we be friends? “Mind if I take my boyfriend home now?” Everyone looked shocked. The man beside me widened his eyes, his intoxicated pupils filled with disbelief. As the physical distance closed, I caught his scent. It was different from Nolan’s. His scent was cedar mixed with the crisp smell of winter. Cool, clean, and incredibly sleep-inducing. In just a few short seconds, my eyelids actually started to feel heavy. The firing nerves in my brain were soothed and slowly began to calm down. Not even specialized medication worked this fast. The next second, someone from across the booth yelled out: “Sister-in-law??” The people around looked somewhat familiar. They seemed to be my ex-boyfriend’s friends. Scanning the room, I finally noticed a highly familiar figure sitting in the corner— 3 Nolan. He sat silently in the corner, twirling his glass, his expression aloof. He wasn’t participating in the drinking games, and the two beauties from the photo were nowhere to be seen. Sitting beside him, keeping him company, was his childhood friend, Chloe. When Nolan and I were together. She always relied on her “innocent little sister” act, constantly spouting manipulative, passive-aggressive nonsense in front of him. I couldn’t be bothered to argue with her. I just asked Nolan: “Aren’t you going to say anything to her?” He looked completely unconcerned: “We grew up together. If something was going to happen between us, it would have happened a long time ago. “I just see her as a little sister. Our parents know each other; I can’t be too harsh with her.” Then he frowned at me: “Could you not be so maliciously suspicious?” I stopped talking. Relying on the fact that I couldn’t live without him, he became increasingly reckless with my feelings. On his birthday, I carried a cake I baked myself and a carefully chosen gift to his party. Just as I reached the door of the private room, I unexpectedly heard my name. My hand, reaching for the handle, paused. “Bro, what are you thinking? Why haven’t you broken up with her yet? “Didn’t you say back then you just wanted to see what it was like to date an older girl? Just playing around? What, did you catch real feelings? “Or could it be… the older girl has a unique flavor in bed?” A chorus of sleazy laughter followed. Nolan’s tone was dismissive: “Whether she’s good or not, you can try her out after I’m done with her. “Someone is desperately throwing money at me. I’m just playing along. “Maybe I just have some magical charm. I can’t even chase her away. It’s just so annoying that she makes me sleep with her every single day.” I felt like I had plunged into an ice cavern. I lowered my eyes, pressed my lips together, and left. Magical charm, indeed. Dating him for almost two years, I would have plucked the stars and moon for him. I firmly believed he was “The One,” perfectly aligned with my soul. But apparently, that wasn’t the case. 4 When I was twenty, my insomnia started. Every day, I fell asleep with the help of melatonin and sedatives. Gradually, even the medication stopped working. It wasn’t until the freshman orientation, when I, as a senior, was sent by the department to give advice to the incoming students on planning their four years of college. That day, I smelled something different. The fresh scent of jasmine. Mixed with the aroma of coffee. I can’t describe the feeling. It just felt like my entire body was wrapped in clouds, soft and fluffy. Without realizing it, my eyelids started to droop. When it was my turn to take the stage, I forced myself to stay awake and shared my advice with the underclassmen. But my eyes scoured the vibrant faces below the podium. Finally locking onto the very last row. The rich scent was emanating from there. But there were too many people, and the smells were mixed. I couldn’t pinpoint the specific target yet. After the session ended, I waited by the door. Until the very last person walked out— That night, my brother gathered all the information on him. Nolan, 18 years old, a freshman in the Physics department, 6 feet tall, 155 lbs, single. The report even detailed his family background, upbringing, and dietary habits. I read it over and over, but couldn’t find anything special about him. Yet this was the person who possessed that unique scent. A scent no one else could smell but me. That night, I went to a coffee shop and bought a latte, then went to a florist and bought jasmine, trying to recreate that unique fragrance. After all that effort, my mind was only more stimulated, completely devoid of sleepiness. The next day, I paid a top-tier perfumer to create a custom scent, but it was absolutely useless. I accepted my fate. And so, I launched a fierce pursuit of Nolan. Limited edition sneakers, expensive in-game skins… I showered him with gifts like running water. A month later, we made it official. My attitude toward relationships has always been straightforward: either don’t start one, or take it seriously. Clearly, in this relationship, I was the only one taking it seriously. 5 The club was chaotic, a mix of all sorts of people. Unless I got close, I couldn’t smell Nolan clearly. Besides, I had a “sleeping pill” radiating its scent right next to me. He looked up, staring straight at me. Our eyes met. My eyelids felt heavy. I was the first to look away. Since everything was out in the open, and I had a new sleeping buddy. There was no need for me to hang myself on this one tree. I grabbed the handsome guy’s hand, turned around, and prepared to leave. “Maya—” Nolan called my name. The atmosphere was tense and explosive. Everyone turned to look. I paused for a second but didn’t look back. My sleeping pill was right beside me. I just wanted to sleep. Nolan’s gaze fell on my hand holding someone else’s. He frowned, his face looking awful: “What is the meaning of this? “Do you think doing this will make me want to get back together with you?” The next second, his expression turned icy: “Save it.” I thought he was acting completely bizarre. I had a new sleeping buddy. Why would I care about him? “You’re overthinking it. “Where do you get your confidence? Do you think I have that much free time? “I’m genuinely pursuing him.” Hearing this, Nolan stood up. His face looked even worse, his jaw tight, speaking through gritted teeth: “He’s my roommate!!!” “…” Well, if you put it that way, I guess I am being a little bizarre. I looked in shock and uncertainty at the person beside me, who was obediently letting me hold his hand. Noticing my gaze, he paused for a moment, then slowly nodded. And rubbed his nose, looking a little guilty. Regardless, in front of an ex-boyfriend, you can’t lose the verbal battle. “So what if he’s your roommate? “The dark ages are over. We advocate for free love now. Even if he was your dad, I could date him!” The guy next to me nodded, seeming to agree completely, and immediately echoed: “Yeah, free love! Even if I was your dad, she could date me!” Nolan stood in silence, his jaw tight. I thought about it for a second; that didn’t sound quite right. After a brief pause, I added: “Of course, I wouldn’t cross that moral line.” The guy next to me repeated: “Of course, wouldn’t cross that moral line!” His parroting made me accidentally let out a small laugh. Nolan’s face was livid, his eyes dark as he glared at us. A few seconds later, he suddenly laughed out loud. Nolan shifted his gaze to the person beside me: “Asher, she’s my ex-girlfriend. She was so obsessed with me she practically begged to sleep with me every single day.” He pulled out his phone, pulled up our chat history, and showed everyone: “Just a minute ago, she was begging me to sleep with her one more time.” In the chat window, my pleading words were exposed for everyone to see. The looks directed at me were laced with malice. “Asher, she’s just using you to get back at me. Are you sure you want to go with her?” My heart clenched, and my grip tightened. I looked at the person beside me. 6 My newly calmed nerves spiked with anxiety once again. Quietly waiting for his answer. He looked at Nolan, then looked at my hand gripping his tightly. Everyone around us held their breath, watching the scene unfold. He lowered his gaze to my face and said slowly: “Unless I’m mistaken… this is the first time we’ve ever met, right?” Nolan let out a sigh of relief. It made sense. Ditching your roommate to leave with your roommate’s ex-girlfriend was definitely crazy. I started calculating in my head whether I should have my brother throw a sack over his head and drag him to my bed, or if I should just knock him out and carry him away myself. The next instant, my pinky finger was gently hooked. He blinked, the corners of his mouth curving up. A huge, dazzling smile appeared on his handsome face as he said— “Okay. “I’m sure I want to go with her!” ??! Nolan stopped breathing for a second. He looked like he had worked himself to death all day, only to come home and find out he was being cheated on—a completely foul expression. He couldn’t believe it: “Asher??” This time, no one tried to stop us. I shot a careless glance at Nolan. Holding Asher’s hand, I held my head high and walked right past him. Before leaving, I didn’t forget to let out a cold snort in his direction. Then I remembered myself just moments ago, begging my ex-boyfriend to sleep with me. I couldn’t help but mentally spit on myself twice. How can a person have so little backbone?

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After my ex-boyfriend dumped me for a master manipulator, I furiously hunted her down. She was fully made up, cowering and begging me not to hit her in the face. I slapped my hands together in a pleading gesture: “Sister, what kind of dark magic did you use to make that cheapskate buy you designer bags and clothes, when I couldn’t even get him to buy me a cup of boba tea?!” She let out a long sigh of relief and proceeded to teach me exactly how to hook a wealthy “sucker.” Later, I brought a man to her to show off my homework. She stuttered, “B-brother? You’re the sucker?!” 1 Lately, my best friend and designated dating strategist had descended into a state of severe cognitive dissonance. She would exhibit two violently contradictory attitudes toward the exact same behavior. It all started when she and I simultaneously entered the “dating” phase of our lives. My boyfriend’s name was Arthur Sterling. He was shy, introverted, gentle, and incredibly rational. I had never met Chloe’s brother, but based on her descriptions, he was a stingy, short-tempered, absolute idiot. Chloe was currently incredibly annoyed. Her foolish—but undeniably wealthy—brother had been ensnared by a highly skilled gold digger. “Can you believe this? That woman literally just sends my brother links and demands he buy her gifts.” When I saw that message, my eyes went wide. Because just two days ago, for my birthday, I had asked Chloe for advice. She had specifically instructed me to just send my boyfriend links and demand gifts. Me: “Uh… Chloe, but that’s exactly what I did.” Chloe replied instantly: “Sister, how can you possibly compare yourself to that scheming bitch?” I stared at my phone screen, genuinely questioning where Chloe’s moral compass actually pointed. Then came Valentine’s Day. Arthur and I were out on a date, and Chloe started aggressively spamming my WeChat. “You’ve only been dating for three months! Do NOT spend the night with him!” “I’m begging you! If you do, it’s all over! AHHHHH!” My phone wouldn’t stop buzzing. Arthur looked down, gripping his knife and fork. The sound of him cutting his steak suddenly seemed incredibly loud and grating. On Valentine’s night, getting relentlessly bombarded with messages while on a date made it look exactly like I was juggling multiple guys. I frantically tried to explain: “It’s a female friend! She might have an emergency, she needs me to go back and help her.” Under Arthur’s scrutinizing, analytical gaze, I awkwardly grabbed my phone and practically sprinted away from the terrace restaurant. As I speed-walked, I sent Chloe a voice memo: “Baby, I promise, I am sleeping in my dorm tonight. I’ll video call you later, okay?” Just as Arthur drove past me, he happened to hear me say that. His hands froze on the steering wheel. His expression wasn’t great, but he managed to keep his emotions relatively stable. “I’ll drive you back.” A few days later, Chloe came to me with more gossip. “Oh my god, my brother is so pathetic. He spent a fortune on that woman, and she actually cheated on him on Valentine’s Day.” “Her game is terrifyingly advanced. She scams them for their money and their hearts, but she never actually sleeps with them.” I stared at my phone, letting out a long, heavy sigh. I had absolutely zero interest in Chloe’s unlucky brother. I was much more concerned with my own disastrous situation. “Chloe, ever since you made me go back on Valentine’s Day, my boyfriend has completely ignored me.” Chloe sent a shocked reaction sticker: “Tsk. A man like that is absolute trash.” She launched into a creative tirade, explaining how typical it was for men to expect women to throw themselves at them, and then throw a tantrum when they don’t get what they want. “Dump him immediately. The next one will be more obedient.” Huh? Dump him just like that? We hadn’t even been dating for that long! 2 The only reason I even knew someone like Chloe existed was entirely thanks to my ex-boyfriend, Liam. When Liam and I dated, he insisted on splitting the bill for everything—even two cups of boba tea. My friends constantly mocked me for being hopelessly, blindly in love. Right as I was finally preparing to dump him, he beat me to the punch and initiated the breakup. He claimed he had found “true love.” That true love was Chloe. I heard he bought Chloe designer bags, expensive clothes, and even maxed out his credit cards to buy her a Van Cleef & Arpels bracelet. Liam broke up with me because Chloe firmly stated she refused to be pursued by a man who already had a girlfriend. Bad news travels fast. I quickly became the biggest laughingstock on campus. That little master manipulator, Chloe, had delivered a fatal, humiliating blow. Furious, I tracked Chloe down at a nightclub. She was leaning toward the bathroom mirror, touching up her makeup. She was wearing a full Chanel suit, radiating the scent of expensive camellia perfume. Even her hair looked impeccably, meticulously styled. She looked incredibly expensive. “Sister, I’m Liam’s ex-girlfriend.” Chloe frowned slightly, thinking for a long moment before it finally clicked. She parted her lips slightly: “Oh, you mean that grad student from University A?” She turned off the faucet, looking straight into the mirror without even glancing at me, and asked lazily what I wanted. I didn’t say a word. I just slowly walked toward her. Chloe was petite and delicate. If a physical fight broke out, she definitely wouldn’t stand a chance against me. She backed into the corner, covering her face with her hands, slowly sliding down the wall. “Sister, I swear I didn’t lead him on! If you’re going to hit me, please don’t hit my face!” Uh… why was she so easily terrified? I grabbed her arm and yanked her up. She stood frozen against the wall for a second. I slapped my hands together in a pleading gesture, looking at her with desperate, puppy-dog eyes. “Sister, what kind of dark magic did you use to make that cheapskate buy you designer bags and clothes, when I couldn’t even get him to buy me a cup of boba tea?!” Chloe bent over, letting out a massive sigh of relief: “Sister! Why didn’t you just say so?! Is that all this is about?!” “Waaaaah, I seriously want to know so badly!” 3 Chloe and I instantly clicked, bonding over our mutual frustration. She held nothing back, teaching me everything she knew. She said this kind of thing required intuition; it couldn’t just be explained with words. But since I was her very first disciple, she promised to provide full, hands-on guidance. She told me to go find an experimental subject first. “Sister, are there any specific requirements for this experimental subject?” A confident smirk curled Chloe’s lips. She shook her head mysteriously: “Just make sure he’s handsome. The more handsome, the better.” It’s that simple?! I added Chloe on WeChat and decided to head back and hunt for a suitable subject. The moment I walked out the door, I spotted the perfect candidate. A man stepped out of a car. He was tall, lean, and radiated an aura of aloof impatience. Seeing him from a distance, Chloe’s voice immediately echoed in my head: The more handsome, the better. This was clearly a gift from the heavens. I sprinted over and blocked his path. “Brother, can I get your WeChat?” Hearing me call him “brother,” the man’s brow immediately furrowed in deep annoyance. He flatly stated he didn’t use WeChat and tried to walk past me. I quickly grabbed his arm. I couldn’t let him escape! “Well, I see you have a mouth. Can we make out then?” I tried my absolute best to force an innocent, harmless smile. His eyes widened in absolute shock, clearly wondering if he was hallucinating: “Uh… I do have WeChat. You can add me.” He seemed to be in a rush. While repeatedly apologizing, I dutifully scanned his QR code and added him. He actually found my flustered apologies amusing: “It’s fine. Take your time.” He was surprisingly gentle. I couldn’t stop myself from blushing, my head spinning slightly. Getting a handsome guy’s WeChat was step one. That night, I started chatting with him. “Hi. Did you have fun today?” After a very long time, he finally replied. “I wasn’t there to have fun. I was looking for my sister.” The silence in my room was deafening. This guy seemed like a complete creep. I mean, honesty is great, but generally speaking, it’s advised not to be that blatant about looking for a hookup. But I replied instantly anyway. “So, did you find her?” “Of course I found her. I even brought her home.” I hesitated for exactly three seconds before blocking him. This one was a dud. All style, absolutely zero substance. 4 The next day, I ran into this handsome creep right at the gates of my university. He stood there in a fully tailored suit, sticking out like a sore thumb among the sea of college students. Girls walking by kept stealing glances at him, but he seemed completely oblivious to their stares, muttering constantly to himself. “Remember, I was looking for my actual sister, not a ‘sister’.” (T/N: In Chinese slang, “sister” or “meimei” can mean a young woman one is casually dating or hooking up with, similar to “baby” or “shawty”.) When he spotted me in the crowd, I immediately turned to run, but he sprinted over and blocked my path. “I’m sorry. I phrased it poorly yesterday. I was looking for my actual, biological sister. We share the same parents.” He tapped his phone screen, pulling up our chat history. “You blocked me. I thought about it for a long time, and I even asked my sister. She told me you probably misunderstood. Can you please unblock me now?” I stared at him blankly, pulled out my phone, and removed him from my block list. His eyes lit up slightly. He reminded me to keep in touch, and then turned to leave. I was speechless. He came to my campus first thing in the morning just to demand I unblock him so we could ‘keep in touch’? I called out to him: “Um, it’s lunchtime. Do you want to grab something to eat?” I suddenly realized I didn’t even know his name. “I’m Mia. What’s your name?” “Arthur Sterling.” Arthur had seen the background photo on my WeChat profile, which happened to be the iconic landmark of University A. Arthur intended to take me out to eat, asking if I preferred Japanese, Korean, Thai, or Chinese cuisine. I took him to a cheap hotpot joint. Chloe had specifically taught me: Take rich guys to eat cheap food, and take broke guys to eat expensive food. The key is providing a highly differentiated experience. Based on Arthur’s outfit, he definitely wasn’t broke. I ordered a super spicy beef tallow broth and looked at Arthur expectantly. He pressed his lips together tightly, then looked back at me. Under my eager gaze, he carefully used his chopsticks to pick up a single slice of meat, rinsed it three times in a glass of plain water, took one bite, and instantly started coughing uncontrollably. I had no idea he couldn’t handle spicy food. I watched helplessly as he coughed so hard he triggered a severe stomach cramp, and I ended up having to rush him to the hospital. While I was at the nurses’ station paying Arthur’s medical bill, I unexpectedly ran into Chloe. Her brother happened to be hospitalized here too. Chloe asked me conspiratorially: “Wasn’t that guy from last time a total creep? My brother is currently single. Want me to introduce him to you so you can practice?” Who sets their own brother up like that?! And why did she call it ‘practice’?! Chloe sighed helplessly: “My brother is an absolute idiot with way too much money, he’s just a bit on the older side. But he’s still a prime target. Better to let you benefit than some random stranger.” I declined Chloe’s offer: “Never mind. That handsome guy from before wasn’t a creep; it was just a misunderstanding on my end.” Chloe looked deeply confused: “How do you ‘misunderstand’ someone being a creep? Is your brain malfunctioning again?” “Sister, I really feel like this one is different.” After all, even when Arthur was clutching his stomach in absolute agony, he still aggressively insisted on paying the hotpot bill before we left. Chloe severely criticized my judgment, then demanded I take her to see this supposed creep. “Mia, you are completely hopeless. I need to see what kind of guy has you this mesmerized.” I sighed. “Shouldn’t you go check on your brother first?” Chloe smiled and gestured for me to lead the way: “It’s a chronic issue; he won’t die. Your situation is much more urgent. Lead the way.” Unable to argue with Chloe, I led her to Arthur’s room. “Just take a quick look from a distance. Don’t scare him; he’s very introverted.” “Mia, feeling sorry for a man is the quickest way to guarantee a lifetime of misery.” I brought Chloe to the door of the hospital room. She peeked her head in to look. Suddenly, she gasped: “Holy shit! I see my brother!” 5 Chloe immediately ducked out of sight in a panic. I was intensely curious about what her brother looked like, but there were four people in the shared room. Which one was her brother? Arthur was sitting on his hospital bed, clutching a thermos, quietly drinking water. Ah, he’s so cute. Meanwhile, Chloe was crouching on the floor, muttering: “What is wrong with him? Why is he staying in a shared room?” Hearing that, I looked at the patient in the bed furthest inside. He looked significantly older and was loudly complaining and expressing his intense dissatisfaction. His yelling even startled Arthur in the adjacent bed, making him look visibly uncomfortable and anxious. I glanced down at Chloe: “Aren’t you going to go in and calm your brother down? He seems incredibly irritable.” “You think he’s irritable too, right? If I go in there, I’m just asking to get yelled at. Let’s just pretend I was never here.” Chloe wanted to bolt, but I wasn’t about to leave. I rolled up my sleeves, fully prepared to go teach her brother a lesson in basic human decency. Chloe whispered frantically: “Don’t, don’t! My brother absolutely despises it when people create loud noises in public spaces!” Excuse me? He has the audacity to complain about that?! What a hypocrite! I raised my foot, kicked the door open, and marched right in. Chloe’s face drained of color. She let out a tiny shriek and sprinted away in absolute terror. I pointed directly at the older man: “You! Yeah, you! If you don’t like shared rooms, go pay for a private suite! What the hell are you yelling about?! Everyone else can handle it, why can’t you?!” Dead silence fell over the room. After a long pause, the man muttered weakly: “I wasn’t yelling… my IV infiltrated and the vein swelled up. I was trying to call the nurse.” Arthur was staring at me in absolute shock. Actually, everyone in the room was staring at me in absolute shock. Well, this was incredibly awkward. I blame the hospital doors for being too soundproof. I pressed my lips together, forcing a painfully awkward smile, and took large strides toward the man’s bed. He looked terrified and scooted backward. I reached out and pressed the call button above his bed. “It’s fine, sir. Just press this button next time.” The man swallowed hard, pulled his blanket up to hide his face, and mumbled: “Thank you.” I turned around. SWISH! Every single patient violently yanked their privacy curtains shut. Except Arthur. I looked at him. He hesitantly held up his thermos: “You must be thirsty. Do you want some water?” I wanted to cry. I took a few deep breaths: “I am so sorry. I misunderstood the situation. I thought he was complaining about being in a shared room…” Arthur looked incredibly uneasy, avoiding my gaze: “I don’t think anyone is going to dare complain about anything anymore.” I sighed, took the thermos from him, and took a sip. Arthur’s hand holding his paper cup froze mid-air. I immediately started coughing violently. 6 Ever since the hospital incident, things between Arthur and me had become even more awkward. There was absolutely zero romantic tension. But he definitely had some level of interest in me. In the chaotic, noisy food street near the university, Arthur sat across from me, eating his noodles with elegant, aristocratic restraint. This was already the third time this week he had come to find me for lunch. And it was only Wednesday. He came every single day, but he barely spoke. The few sentences we exchanged proved we had absolutely nothing in common, and our tastes in food were entirely opposite. But he was wealthy, handsome, and we were a perfect match. I sighed internally. It was just so incredibly difficult to make any progress. Suddenly, someone pushed open the door, marched directly over to our table, and slammed two cups of boba tea down in front of us. I looked up from my noodle bowl in complete shock. It was my recently acquired ex-boyfriend, Liam. I immediately started coughing violently. Does anyone understand the lethal, agonizing level of second-hand embarrassment I was experiencing?! Liam was the type of ex who made you feel profound, intense shame for ever having dated him. Before Liam could even open his mouth, I grabbed him and sprinted wildly toward the door. Arthur froze, frowning slightly. I peaked back to check Arthur’s reaction, while Liam spoke up beside me: “Mia, let’s get back together.” I waved my hands frantically: “Absolutely not necessary. If you never show your face in front of me again, I’ll be eternally grateful. You don’t need to feel guilty; it was an amicable breakup. If there’s nothing else, please leave.” Liam followed my gaze and saw Arthur, immaculately dressed in a tailored suit, paying the bill at the counter. He let out a cold scoff: “Mia, the second you broke up with me, you immediately found a rich guy, didn’t you? You never actually loved me. You just hated that I didn’t have the money to buy you expensive gifts. Pretending to be a good girlfriend must have been exhausting for you, huh?” It was glaringly obvious. Liam had failed to win Chloe over and was now trying to crawl back to me. Normally, I wouldn’t waste a single second engaging with him, but his passive-aggressive tone, combined with him aggressively playing the victim, instantly ignited my temper. “Liam, I gave you an easy out, and you’re refusing to take it, huh?! What the hell are you pretending to be so noble for?! You liked Chloe! Why don’t you admit it was because you liked her money?! Look at yourself! Stop acting like you’re the victim here! I didn’t like you because you’re a massive, hypocritical cheapskate! When we were dating, you insisted on splitting the bill for two cups of boba tea, and we had to take turns paying for meals! Do you honestly think everyone else is an idiot?!” “So what?! You agreed to it! I didn’t force you! At the end of the day, my only ‘crime’ is not having money, right?! The only reason you’re sitting here keeping this guy company is because he’s rich!” Liam was descending into a state of impotent, pathetic rage. I immediately fired back: “Tsk, tsk, getting defensive? I love rich guys! And it’s absolutely none of your fucking business!” Arthur happened to walk out the door at the exact moment I shouted that. His footsteps faltered, his expression growing thoughtful. Liam looked incredibly smug: “Well, now you have to explain yourself to your personal ATM.” Crap. I’m doomed. Arthur and I had barely just started to establish a connection, and his impression of me was tanking lower and lower. We walked down the tree-lined path in complete silence. Arthur kept glancing at me, clearly wanting to say something. I accepted my fate: “Mr. Sterling, if you have something to say, just say it.” “Do you… truly love wealthy men? Approximately what net worth are we talking about? Do you have specific requirements? Could you elaborate on your criteria for a partner?” I genuinely thought I was hallucinating. I stared at him blankly. What the hell did he mean? Arthur’s eyes darted away, looking completely out of his depth: “I’m not astronomically wealthy, but I have a decent amount. I was wondering if I… fall within your range of consideration?” This time, I understood perfectly. He was utilizing an incredibly bizarre method of confessing his feelings. Or, more accurately, engaging in a very formal courtship ritual. I had never experienced anything like this. If I told him I didn’t actually care about money right now, it would probably break his heart. “Uh… I think… your net worth is exactly perfect.” God knows what his actual net worth is, because I was 100% focused entirely on his face. Arthur’s eyes lit up brightly: “So, does this mean we’re officially in a relationship?” I cupped my cheeks, nodding twice rapidly, my face burning bright red. He is so incredibly cute. Ah—I’m literally dying.

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I was tangled up with Arthur for seven years, only for him to fall in love with my adopted sister. Exhausted, I finally gave up and decided to be with Liam, the man who had been relentlessly pursuing me. Liam loved me to the bone. He got into fights for me, street raced for me, crawled up the steps of a holy mountain on his knees to pray for my health, and even won the world’s only “Heart of the Ocean” necklace at auction just to give it to me. But, seven days before our wedding, I overheard someone ask him: “Liam, you don’t even love Chloe. Why put on this fake act? Why sacrifice your whole life to marry her?” Liam’s face was hidden in the shadows. He toyed with the ring in his hand, his tone freezing cold: “As long as I’m alive, I will never allow Chloe to hurt Mia.” Mia. The name of my adopted sister. With a trembling hand, I answered the call from my professor and finally agreed to go abroad for further studies. Later, I heard the wedding was a complete disaster. Arthur and Liam got into a vicious brawl, all just to find the whereabouts of the runaway bride. 1 When I stood outside the doors of that bar, it felt like all the air had been sucked from my lungs. If I hadn’t heard Liam say those words with my own two ears… I would never have believed that his love for me was nothing but a massive, elaborate lie. “But Liam, you’ve loved Mia silently for so long. Are you really content just being her secret knight in shining armor?” “My feelings for Mia have nothing to do with her.” “You insisted on getting married on the exact same day as Arthur… is it because you’re afraid Chloe will try to steal her sister’s man?” “Every time I look at Mia, my heart skips a beat. I’m terrified Chloe hasn’t let go of her past with him either. “She and Arthur were tangled up for years. Even though she gave me her first time and gave up her career for me, it’s far from enough. “The only way to truly protect Mia is to keep Chloe tied to my side forever, like a dog.” Not long ago, Liam rented an entire luxury cruise ship just to propose to me. He knelt on the deck, kissed my hand, and cried uncontrollably. He almost passed out from the overwhelming emotion. I thought he loved me so deeply that he was overcome with gratitude that our five-year relationship was finally resulting in marriage. I was wrong. He was celebrating the fact that he had finally locked me in a cage, ensuring I could never hurt Mia ever again. It’s hard to describe exactly how I felt in that moment. After what felt like an eternity, I clutched my agonizingly painful chest and stumbled out into the torrential rain. 2 Liam didn’t get home until midnight. Taking off his coat, he walked over to the bed and found me lying there, completely soaked, burning with a fever. “Baby, when did you go out? Your fever is so high!” I was shivering violently from the cold. My jaw was clamped shut. I couldn’t make a single sound. It was an acute stress reaction triggered by the shock of betrayal and deception. Liam was terrified: “Chloe, stop biting your lip so hard, it’s bleeding.” Without hesitation, he shoved his index finger into my mouth, his face a mask of pure terror and concern. The memory violently dragged me back to that year. My parents, prioritizing Mia, had abandoned me in the mountains. I fell off a cliff and almost lost my life. Liam braved a torrential storm, kneeling and bowing every three steps, crawling all the way up a holy mountain just to pray for my recovery. Seeing his forehead covered in bloody gashes, his knees scraped raw, and his severe limp… I let go of the resentment I held toward my parents and Mia, and agreed to be with him. But tonight, I heard Liam tell his friends: “Back then, I crawled up that mountain step by step to show God my absolute sincerity, begging Him to heal Mia’s heart condition. “Chloe just got lucky and survived her fall.” I used every ounce of strength I possessed to viciously bite down on Liam’s long, slender finger. The thick, metallic taste of blood instantly filled my mouth. Liam didn’t pull away. He acted as if he couldn’t feel the pain, looking at me with frantic anxiety: “Chloe, bite harder. Just please don’t hurt yourself. I’d gladly lose a finger for you.” I still let go. His blood was too filthy. 3 Liam rushed me to the hospital overnight. He held my hand, staying by my bedside for the entire night. How touching! I heard the young nurses whispering to each other: “Mr. Sterling loves his fiancée so much! He hasn’t closed his eyes all night just to take care of her.” In the eyes of the public, the heir to the Sterling empire was aloof, arrogant, and entirely uninterested in women. Only I knew the truth. He was worried. Worried that if I couldn’t attend the wedding as planned, it would introduce a variable into Mia’s perfect happiness. Seeing me wake up, Liam carefully fed me porridge, spoon by spoon. His bitten finger was wrapped in thick layers of gauze. Yet, his only concern was me: “Chloe, I wish I could take this sickness from you. Please, get better quickly, for me. Can you do that?” I swallowed the porridge expressionlessly. Suddenly realizing that this would be our last breakfast together. Countless sorrows fluttered wildly in my subconscious. I wanted to scream, to tear things apart, to demand answers. The old Liam used to stand just one step away, patiently waiting for me to even look at him. He would go out in the middle of the night to buy my favorite spicy crawfish, beat up the thugs who bullied me, and bring me warm brown sugar water when I had my period. Slowly but surely, I had fallen into the trap of his indulgent devotion. Only to discover overnight… That he was merely using the illusion of true love to lock me inside a prison of romance. I finally broke down and cried. Liam frantically pulled me into his embrace, wiping away my tears: “Chloe, does it hurt a lot? I’ll get the doctor.” He pulled out his phone. A message popped up, and his face drastically changed. “Chloe, there’s an emergency at the company. Take your medicine and get some sleep. I’ll be right back to stay with you.” Before I could even speak. He pushed the door open and rushed out. 4 I stared quietly at my phone. Mia had just posted a status: “My heart feels a little uncomfortable.” The background was a stark white hospital room. Thinking of how Liam looked like his soul had left his body when he rushed out, a sharp pain pierced my heart. My phone buzzed with a succession of provocative messages from Mia: [Sister, Arthur managed to snatch your favorite wedding dress for me.] [Mom and Dad managed to secure the church you wanted for your wedding for me instead.] [And that “Heart of the Ocean” necklace up for auction? Guess if my dear brother-in-law will deliver it right into my hands?] A woman’s intuition is a strange thing. When trapped in the maze of love, it seems to completely fail. But the moment she wakes up, all the clues become glaringly obvious. Over these past few years, the businesses of the Vance and Arthur’s families had been completely surpassed by Liam, who had ridden the wave of the AI boom. His progress was astronomical. Yet, whenever something of mine was snatched away, Liam always feigned helplessness: “That Arthur is too cunning. Don’t worry, Chloe, I’ll find you an even more beautiful wedding dress.” “Your parents are too biased. I will definitely convince them to attend our wedding.” With the power he wielded now, it wasn’t that he couldn’t compete. It was clearly that he couldn’t bear to see Mia sad. 5 The sky was a dull, hazy grey. I walked toward the VIP hospital room. When I was nine, I was kidnapped by our nanny and sold into a remote, mountainous region. Three years later, I was rescued and brought home. There wasn’t a single patch of unbruised skin on my entire body. When my mom saw me, she was so heartbroken she wanted to rush forward and hug me. But standing next to her was a new daughter she had adopted. Mia was terrified by my scars, crying even harder than I was. My mom panicked, hugged Mia tightly, and turned to say to me: “Chloe, Mia’s heart isn’t very strong. The doctor said she can’t be subjected to any shock. We’re going to take her home first.” Arthur, who had rushed over to see me, gave me a quick glance and then left with them. Only Mia looked back, giving me a triumphant, victorious smile. 6 I stood at the door of the hospital room. My mom was feeding Mia an apple, saying affectionately: “Mia, Chloe is just spoiled, that’s why she insisted on having her wedding on the same day as yours.” My dad was furious: “Don’t worry. Your mother and I are only preparing a dowry for you, and we will only attend your wedding!” Their tone—so full of disgust for their biological daughter and fierce protectiveness over their adopted one—made my stomach churn. I felt like throwing up. Mia tugged on Liam’s sleeve: “Sister is so willful. It must be so exhausting for you, Liam.” Suddenly, she clutched her chest in pain. Liam’s face instantly went pale: “Mia, is your heart hurting? I’ll find the best specialists abroad for you.” “It’s nothing. I just had a dream last night… I dreamt that if I wore the ‘Heart of the Ocean,’ my illness would be cured.” He didn’t hesitate for a second: “Mia, if you like it, I’ll get it for you immediately.” My parents looked at him with immense gratitude. “It’s our fault for spoiling Chloe too much in the past. She’s always trying to steal Mia’s things.” My heart felt numb beyond measure. When someone doesn’t love you, even your breathing is a sin. What does twisting the truth even matter to them? 7 Mia sent me a photo. She was wearing the blue sapphire “Heart of the Ocean” that Liam had supposedly won at auction for me. I clenched my jaw tight, fighting desperately to stop the burning sting in my eyes from spreading. Liam had told me: “Chloe, there is only one of these necklaces in the entire world. It represents my unwavering, eternal love for you.” His blatant favoritism had once made me so intoxicated I couldn’t extricate myself. Only to wake up one morning and realize it had been a scam from the very beginning. In the adult world, does everything just come down to who’s the better actor? I covered my mouth, swallowing the bitter taste of a broken heart. When I lowered my hand, my face was wet with tears. When my professor called, I almost dropped my phone. I promised him: “In seven days, I will book a flight and leave.” The hospital room door was violently pushed open. A man’s anxious voice rang out: “Chloe, where are you going?” Seeing who it was, the heart that had been in my throat finally relaxed. It wasn’t Liam. I spoke coldly: “Arthur, starting five years ago, you lost the right to ask about anything I do.” 8 Silence consumed Arthur tonight. His mother and my mother were best friends, and they had arranged our marriage when we were babies. Growing up, I loved following behind my “big brother Arthur.” And he always took good care of me. My first lipstick, my first pair of sparkly high heels, my first Chanel bag—they were all gifts from Arthur. Growing up to be his bride became my most cherished dream. But during the three years I was kidnapped. My dad brought Mia home from outside. She looked about thirty percent like me. Arthur’s disappointment, my mom’s grief, my dad’s overwhelming stress… All of it was perfectly filled by this pitiful little orphan. There was no place for me in that house anymore. It took all my strength just to keep myself from drowning in the pain. Arthur had been watching my face closely, and said indignantly: “Liam actually gave the ‘Heart of the Ocean’ to Mia! “Do you have any idea what that means?!” Of course I did. Where the heart longs to be, that is home. Seeing my lack of reaction, Arthur simply couldn’t believe it: “Liam’s heart isn’t with you, and you still want to marry him?!” He was incredibly agitated. I suddenly felt utterly exhausted: “Arthur, Liam isn’t the first person to abandon me for Mia.” First it was my parents, then the fiancé I had loved since childhood. If I had to fight for every single one of them, could I even win? Arthur’s face turned deathly pale. He himself didn’t even know why he had come to tell me this. Perhaps Mia’s ecstatic joy upon receiving the necklace made him uncomfortable. Perhaps the Sterling family’s growing power, which made my father treat Liam with increasing reverence, gave him a sense of crisis. But it was more likely that he had finally tasted what it felt like for me to be neglected. Only then did he realize that the little girl who used to follow him everywhere had probably suffered a great deal. For a moment, Arthur didn’t know what to say. 9 When Liam saw Arthur sitting by my hospital bed, his face drastically changed: “What are you two doing?” Arthur clenched his fists, unwilling to speak. I said flatly: “He came to deliver the news that you gave the ‘Heart of the Ocean’ to Mia.” Arthur looked at me, his expression full of hurt. He couldn’t believe that the little girl who used to fiercely protect him was now stripping away the pride he refused to lower, laying it bare in front of his rival. It made him feel like I truly, completely didn’t care about him anymore. Liam glared viciously at Arthur. Once Arthur left, he hugged me tightly, explaining frantically: “Chloe, it’s not what you think! “Mia is your sister, and your parents are really worried about her health. “Her heart condition acted up, and she begged me to give her the ‘Heart of the Ocean’ as a talisman. “It’s exactly the same as when I crawled up the mountain to get that peace amulet for you.” I remained completely silent. Liam started swearing and making promises: “If you like it, I’ll go to the auction house right now and buy you an even more expensive set of jewelry.” “Forget it. I didn’t really like that kind of stuff anyway.” Sincerity mixed with shards of glass hurts even more. Liam wasn’t having it. He ordered his secretary to keep a close eye on the auction houses, demanding they secure an even more brilliant ruby necklace. He swore to make me the most dazzling presence at our wedding. But, we had no future anymore. What wedding?

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My son and I were kidnapped. The kidnappers live-streamed our ordeal online, threatening to chop my son into pieces and feed him to dogs if the ransom wasn’t paid. Instantly, the entire internet was searching for my husband. But what they didn’t know was that at the exact same moment, trending alongside our kidnapping, was the city’s wealthiest billionaire announcing his new relationship with a famous actress, looking like the picture-perfect, happy family of three. That billionaire was my husband, the father of my child. Seeing those two trending topics side-by-side was truly laughable. Later, taking pity on my son, the kidnappers only took one of his hands. Dragging his bleeding, empty left sleeve, he crawled all the way home, only to stumble upon my husband celebrating the birthday of his “first love’s” child. My husband frowned. Looking at my son’s curled-up, trembling body, his eyes were ice-cold: “Truly Chloe’s child. You only know how to play the victim, just like your mother.” My son looked up. Using his only remaining hand, he tugged at my husband’s pant leg. “Mister… could you please lend me some money so I can bury my mom?” 1 It was the twenty-third hour since my son and I were taken and tortured by the kidnappers. Arthur Sterling, the wealthiest man in the city, was busy celebrating the sixth birthday of his “first love’s” child. I had dialed his number for help eighty-eight times. Every single time, I got a busy signal. Furious, the kidnapper grabbed me by the hair and dragged me in front of my son, his face contorted with rage. “Isn’t Arthur Sterling your husband?! Why the hell won’t the call go through?!” “Are you dialing the wrong number on purpose to stall for time?!” As he yelled, he violently ripped out clumps of my hair, taking patches of scalp with them. The sheer agony contorted my face instantly. Tossing the bloody hair onto the ground, the kidnapper sneered, spat in my face, and threatened: “I’m giving you one last chance. If the call doesn’t go through this time, don’t blame me for being ruthless.” He pointed at my son, who was pale with terror. It was a clear warning: if the call failed again… The next victim would be my child, who had just turned six. The excruciating pain made my body tremble uncontrollably, but I didn’t dare fight back. I had to protect my child. Picking up the phone, I dialed Arthur’s number for the eighty-ninth time. Beep… beep… “Hello?” Arthur’s deep, magnetic voice finally came through. The moment I heard his voice, tears immediately streamed down my face. A mix of overwhelming relief and terror tangled in my heart, making me blurt out desperately: “Hubby, Tommy and I have been kidnapped! You need to—” Before I could finish, the man on the other end cut me off with clear disgust: “Enough, Chloe! I don’t care what kind of act you’re pulling this time, but leave Tommy out of it!” “If you have any conscience left, stop using our son as a pawn to get my attention.” With that, he hung up without a second of hesitation. The kidnapper’s face darkened, his gaze shifting ominously toward my son. Ignoring my despair, I immediately called back, terrified that a second’s delay would cost my son his life. The call connected again. I begged through my sobs: “Arthur, I’m not lying! We’ve really been kidnapped! Please, I beg you, save our child!” Silence stretched on the other end for two seconds before Arthur’s voice, so cold it chilled me to the bone, rang out: “Then wait until you’re dead. I’ll come collect your bodies.” The line went dead. Arthur had turned off his phone. At the exact same moment, I received a video message from Mia. In the video, Arthur, dressed in a bespoke suit, held Mia’s son and spoke confidently to the media. “Yes, that’s right. This is Mia’s and my child.” “We were forced apart previously due to some misunderstandings, but now we have decided to get back together.” “From now on, I will be a good father and take excellent care of Mia and Leo.” Mia stood beside him, smiling sweetly. Attached to the video was an electronic invitation. [Chloe, you and Tommy are welcome to attend our wedding on the 5th of next month.] [We’d love for Tommy to be our ring bearer.] It felt like my heart was being shredded into pieces. The pain was so intense I could barely breathe. In my daze, my son suddenly screamed. “Mommy!” Having lost all patience, the kidnapper dragged my son up from the floor, grabbing him by the throat and lifting him into the air. “You little bastard! I didn’t expect you to be completely useless!” My son’s face turned a purplish blue as he desperately slapped the kidnapper’s massive hand with his tiny ones. “M-Mommy…” Rage eclipsed my fear. I screamed and lunged forward, desperate to save my son. Before I could even reach him, another kidnapper pinned me down and punched me brutally several times. “Bitch! You dare fight back?!” As he spoke, he picked up a rusty piece of rebar from the floor and jammed it into my mouth, churning it violently. The rough, jagged ridges tore my mouth apart, churning up bloody foam. My gums and tongue were shredded to a pulp. The agony was so intense I could only let out muffled whimpers. Only after completely venting his rage did the kidnapper throw my son to the ground. He ordered someone to open a live-streaming app on a phone. “Since he doesn’t believe the phone calls, we’ll live-stream the kid being tortured.” “I refuse to believe Arthur Sterling can be that heartless, completely abandoning his own flesh and blood.” 2 The kidnappers’ live stream of the abuse and the news of Arthur’s new relationship skyrocketed to the top of the trending lists simultaneously. In front of the media, Arthur affectionately placed Mia’s son on his shoulders and smiled at the reporters: “Alright, that concludes today’s interview. Mia and I need to go celebrate our child’s birthday.” Mia gave the man a coy, playful look. “Arthur is just like this. He’s always been such a good father.” Meanwhile, on the other side, the kidnappers shoved my son into a burlap sack, kicking and beating him mercilessly like a ragdoll. I was tied tightly to a chair, forced to watch this horror unfold with my own eyes. My son’s cries of pain, initially heart-wrenching screams, slowly faded into the weak whimpers of a dying kitten. The comment section rolled by in a blur: [I can’t watch this! The kid’s screams are too horrible!] [Didn’t they say they’d let the kid go as long as the dad connected to the stream? Where is the dad?!] [Can anyone contact the kid’s father?! Save the child!] The kidnapper dragged my son out of the sack, his eyes filled with sinister cruelty: “You little bastard. It seems your dad really can hold his nerve. He still refuses to show up.” “Fine. Don’t blame me for what happens next.” With that, he picked up the piece of rebar and began to move. My eyes nearly burst from their sockets in sheer terror. Dragging the chair with me, I threw myself to the floor, kowtowing frantically toward them like a madwoman. “I beg you, please don’t hurt my child! I’m not afraid of pain! Do whatever you want to me, just let my child go! I beg you!” My forehead slammed heavily against the concrete floor, quickly dyeing it red. My son opened his eyes, looking at me, and kept shaking his head. “No, Mommy. Tommy doesn’t hurt… Tommy doesn’t hurt at all.” My son’s voice was like an ice pick plunging deep into my heart. But I couldn’t afford to be afraid. He was only six. His life was just beginning. Tears mixed with blood slid down my cheeks as I gave him the same gentle smile I always did. “Tommy, Mommy is an adult. Adults don’t feel pain.” My son looked confused, still shaking his head continuously. The kidnapper, completely out of patience, gripped the rebar and stepped menacingly toward my son. “You little bastard, let’s see you cry now!” In that split second, I lunged forward with all my might, shoving my son out of the way. The rebar plunged down, impaling my body. The agonizing pain caused my body to convulse uncontrollably, but I didn’t want to terrify my child. Even as the kidnapper yanked the rebar out, I fought desperately to keep the smile on my face. I wanted to tell my child not to be afraid. I wanted to tell him how much Mommy loved him. But when I opened my mouth, all I could manage was a smiling whisper: “Tommy, don’t cry. Mommy doesn’t hurt.” In the moments before my death, countless memories flashed through my mind. I thought of our wedding day, how Arthur’s hands trembled so much holding mine that it took him ages to slip the ring on my finger. I thought of the day I found out I was pregnant, how Arthur’s eyes were rimmed with red as he asked me, “Am I really going to be a dad?” I thought of my son’s fifth birthday, the grand, extravagant celebration Arthur threw for him. But soon, those memories were replaced by the countless times Mia framed me and my son after her divorce. By Arthur’s suspicion, his disappointment, and finally, his cold, heartless glare. My vision began to blur. I could hear my son’s voice. He was saying: “Mommy, don’t go to sleep. Tommy will be good. Tommy will listen.” “Mommy, don’t sleep!” I used my last ounce of strength to raise my hand, wanting to stroke my son’s hair. But all I felt was sticky, warm blood. I’m sorry, Mommy couldn’t protect you. I’m sorry, Tommy. My consciousness sank entirely into darkness. My son stretched out his tiny hands, desperately trying to plug the bleeding wounds on my body. But it was all in vain. The comment section couldn’t take it anymore, scrolling frantically: [These monstrous kidnappers! Where are the police?! Hurry up and save them!] [Where is the child’s father?! Why hasn’t he shown up yet?!] [Does anyone know this child?! Please help them, I’m begging you!] … Even the kidnappers began to panic. One nervously turned to his accomplice: “What do we do? She’s dead.” The accomplice narrowed his eyes, his voice chilling: “It’s fine. We still have the little one, don’t we? We can still get the ransom.” He ripped my son away from my body and shoved him in front of the camera. Revealing his small face, covered in dark bruises. “Look closely, everyone! This child’s father is the CEO of the Sterling Group, Arthur Sterling!” The rapidly scrolling comment section paused for a split second. Then it absolutely exploded. [How is that possible? Didn’t CEO Sterling just announce his relationship with that actress?] [Yeah, they have a kid, but isn’t his name Leo?] [Are the kidnappers insane? They’re trying to extort him?] [Exactly! Did they kidnap the wrong person?!] Just as everyone was debating furiously, someone suddenly commented. [I was at the announcement event! I saw CEO Sterling check his phone!] [Just wait a second, everyone! CEO Sterling definitely saw the news! He’ll be here any minute!] As soon as that comment dropped, a bold, enlarged message was pinned to the top of the chat. It immediately caught the kidnappers’ attention. [Connect with me! I am Arthur Sterling!] My son didn’t recognize many words, but he knew the characters for “Arthur Sterling” meant his dad. His eyes instantly lit up. “Daddy…” 3 The connection was established, but it wasn’t Arthur on the other end. The kidnapper’s expression twisted. He violently pinned my son to the floor, raising a knife to sever his left hand. The voice on the other end frantically tried to stop him: [Wait! Don’t do anything rash! I’m CEO Sterling’s personal secretary!] [I just want to tell you that you’ve kidnapped the wrong person. Everyone in the company knows our CEO has always kept his personal life clean and never had any children.] [The only child he acknowledges is the actress’s son, Leo. Please don’t hurt an innocent child!] The kidnapper sneered, pressing the cleaver against my son’s neck, his tone freezing: “I’ll give you ten minutes to get Arthur Sterling on the phone. Otherwise, I’m going to use this kid’s head as a soccer ball!” Helpless, the secretary had no choice but to call Arthur’s number. “Hello? Who are you looking for?” A young, childish voice answered, filled with joy. The next second, an indulgent male voice could be heard. “Leo, the paper airplane is ready. Come here, Daddy Arthur will play with you.” The boy cheered, laughing happily: “Okay! Daddy Arthur, someone is looking for you.” Arthur took the phone, sounding displeased: “What is it? Didn’t I tell you today is Leo’s birthday, and that I’m not to be disturbed no matter what happens?!” The secretary froze for a second before immediately asking: “Mr. Sterling, do you have another son named Tommy? He…” “Enough!” Arthur angrily cut the secretary off: “I don’t know how much Chloe paid you, but I’m warning you, stop using children as a pathetic ploy to get my attention.” “I only have one son right now, and that’s Leo.” “Don’t ever mention anyone else to me again!” With that, the line went dead again. His voice echoed throughout the entire live stream, completely extinguishing the light in my son’s eyes. Perhaps he didn’t understand what “paid you” meant, but he knew one thing for sure: his dad had abandoned him. Muttering that realization, my son closed his eyes, his heart turning to ash. In that moment, he stopped struggling. The live stream was automatically shut down due to suspected violations. Furious and humiliated, the kidnapper raised the cleaver, ready to strike, but his accomplice stopped him. Looking at my son’s innocent, bruised face, he suggested: “Forget it. Since Arthur Sterling refuses to acknowledge him, this kid is useless now.” “Just chop off one of his hands and dump him at Arthur’s villa.” “Since he wants his mom so badly, give him a chance to collect her body.” The kidnapper scoffed, moving the cleaver to my son’s left arm. As the cleaver fell, my son’s agonizing screams echoed through the entire warehouse. Meanwhile, Arthur, who was busy helping a child cut a birthday cake, suddenly felt a sharp jolt in his heart. 4 When he woke up again, my son, now missing a hand, had been dumped by the kidnappers outside Arthur’s sprawling villa. In the courtyard sat a massive, elaborate toy castle. Arthur and Mia were playing games with Leo. The continuous sound of joyful laughter drifted over, reviving my son’s consciousness. He painfully rolled over, staring blankly at the happy scene in the courtyard, his eyes welling with tears. Soon, he remembered what the kidnappers had said. Collect Mommy’s body… Right. I have to collect Mommy’s body. Even though he didn’t fully understand what “collecting a body” meant, his instinct told him it was incredibly important to Mommy. With that thought, he didn’t even have time to process the agonizing pain in his shoulder. Using his only remaining right hand, he dragged himself across the rough ground. Inch by inch, he painfully crawled toward the massive gates of the villa. Sharp stones sliced his palm; gravel dug deep into his raw wounds. Every single movement was sheer torture. This was the same child who used to cry and hide in my arms over a minor scrape. This time, he only whimpered a few times silently before immediately continuing his agonizing crawl. He stared at the increasingly closer gates of the villa, muttering to himself: “It doesn’t hurt… Tommy doesn’t hurt… I have to collect Mommy’s body…” When he finally touched the gate, my son let out a sigh of relief. He raised his head and used his very last ounce of strength to scream. “Daddy!” Hearing the sound, Arthur instinctively turned his head. When he saw the tiny, curled-up figure outside the gate, the man froze, a flicker of heartbreak flashing in his eyes. Just as he was about to step forward, Mia interrupted him. “Arthur, is that Tommy? Why is he here? Didn’t Chloe say they were kidnapped?” Mia’s expression briefly twisted, but her voice remained soft and gentle as water. “But then again, it makes sense. Chloe has always been jealous of how well you treat me and Leo. Trying to ruin Leo’s birthday is exactly her style.” “It’s just pitiful for Tommy. Being used like this at such a young age.” Hearing Mia’s words, Arthur’s heart hardened once more. He looked at my son from a distance, his voice cold and merciless: “What? Your mom’s calls didn’t work, so she sent you here to play the victim?!” “I can’t believe I have a son like you. You’re an embarrassment. From now on, without my permission, you are not allowed to call me ‘Daddy’.” “I’ll count to three. Get up right now, or don’t blame me for what happens next!” My son moved his pale lips, trying to explain, but the pain had long since drained him of all strength. Seeing no reaction, Arthur’s anger flared. He turned, grabbed a heavy model airplane from the yard, and hurled it viciously at my son. “I told you to get up! Stop acting!” The model shattered against my son’s forehead with a loud crack. Blood dripped into his eyes, dyeing his vision red. He wanted to tell his dad that he wasn’t acting. That Tommy was in so much pain. But he had no strength left. Seeing his son still unmoving, Arthur’s fury peaked. He shook off Mia’s hand and marched toward my son: “You’re still refusing to listen, aren’t you?! Believe it or not, I’ll—” Before he could finish, a harsh ringtone pierced the air. “Hello, is this Mr. Arthur Sterling? We received a report that your child was live-streamed by kidnappers this morning, and the mother was killed on the scene.” “We need you to come to the police station immediately to assist with our investigation.” Clatter! The phone slipped from his grasp. Arthur saw the blood covering my son, and his eyes instantly turned blood-red. My son finally found a sliver of strength. He raised his head and, using his only remaining right hand, feebly tugged at Arthur’s pant leg: “Mister… could you please lend me some money… to help me bury my mom?”

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Right before handing out the year-end bonuses, my boss pulled me aside and whispered: “Your bonus is still the highest in the department, but keep it quiet. We don’t want to affect team morale.” I believed him, feeling a sense of comfort. The amount wasn’t huge, but at least the boss recognized my hard work. My year of grinding hadn’t been in vain. But that night, I accidentally overheard my boss drunkenly confessing the truth: “Gullible, unconnected employees like Chloe are the easiest to manipulate. “Just feed her a few lies, and she’ll work harder than a mule.” A sudden clarity hit me. For the past three years, my bonus had actually been the lowest. 1 Right before the year-end bonuses were distributed, my boss, Mr. Vance, suddenly called me into his office. After making sure the door was closed tight, he lowered his voice: “Chloe, I need you to mentally prepare yourself for something. “You know the market is tough right now, clients aren’t paying on time, and the company’s cash flow is tight… I’m afraid the year-end bonuses this year will just be a token gesture.” He looked deeply pained as he said this, his eyes even looking a little red. My heart sank with his words. At the beginning of the year, to motivate everyone, the boss promised extra bonuses based on the projects we completed. I worked myself to the bone, exceeding my quota by completing over a dozen projects—literally double the output of anyone else in the department. Even calculating with the lowest bonus percentage, I should have received tens of thousands of dollars. But now… any expectations I had for my bonus vanished completely. Mr. Vance finished sighing, then suddenly gave me a conspiratorial smile: “But as the boss, I see how hard a core employee like you has worked this year. “Don’t worry, just like the past two years, your bonus is still the highest in your department. “But please, keep this an absolute secret. I don’t want to affect team morale.” Hearing this brought me some comfort. Even if it wasn’t a lot of money, the boss was fair. My year of working day and night hadn’t been completely wasted. The industry was suffering, the company couldn’t afford to pay out, and no one could do anything about it. When I first graduated and struggled to find a job, I accidentally stumbled into this company. From a clueless rookie to a competent lead designer, Mr. Vance had indeed given me many opportunities. When benefits were severely slashed, I thought about quitting, but my loyalty to the company kept me here. Seeing him so distressed, I even offered some kind words of comfort: “Mr. Vance, don’t be too sad. We’ll all work harder next year, and we’ll definitely make a lot of money.” Mr. Vance looked slightly awkward for a moment, but quickly put on a touched expression: “Chloe, with employees like you looking out for the big picture, how could Elegance Interiors not succeed and grow?! “Next year, we’ll all roll up our sleeves and work hard! When the company’s cash flow improves, you’ll be the first one I compensate!” I offered a bitter smile and nodded. Just as I was about to leave, Mr. Vance stopped me again. “Actually, there’s an opportunity right in front of us. “Right after the holidays, there’s an urgent, high-priority project. Mr. Price needs his manor renovated. Over a dozen competitors are eyeing this massive opportunity. The contract is worth five million dollars! “Look… since you’re getting the highest bonus, taking on this tough project for the company shouldn’t be a problem, right?” 2 To be honest, the moment I heard “after the holidays,” “urgent,” and “high-priority,” my head started ringing. My family lived out of state. Factoring in travel time, I could only spend four or five days at home for the Lunar New Year. If I had to work overtime on a project, I’d only get one or two days of rest. My holiday would basically be ruined. I was just about to decline when Mr. Vance cut me off: “Chloe, I’ve always favored you when it comes to bonuses! At a critical moment like this, you have to step up for the company! “Mr. Price was very satisfied with the model home design you did for his real estate development last time. That’s the only reason he’s giving our company a chance. “Besides, the timeline is too tight. I really don’t feel comfortable handing this to anyone else!” I let out a long sigh. With him putting it like that, I had no choice but to bite the bullet and agree. The design market is so distorted these days. Deadlines are always immediately after holidays. And these are projects where no contract has been signed, yet the boss still bends over backwards, demanding multiple design proposals for the client to choose from. Designers have long been numb to it. Seeing me nod, Mr. Vance beamed: “Great! Then on the eighth day of the New Year, the day we get back to work, you bring five different design proposals. I’ll go with you to present them to Mr. Price, and we’ll fight to win this massive project! “Don’t worry, if we land this, I’ll personally give you a hundred-thousand-dollar bonus at the end of the year!” I forced a smile, not daring to hold out much hope for the bonus. In this economy, just getting my regular salary on time was enough to satisfy me. Before I closed the door to leave, he reminded me one last time. “Remember, absolutely keep the bonus a secret!” 3 With complicated feelings, I walked back to my desk in silence. Colleagues around me were chatting in small groups about the year-end bonuses, but I had zero interest in joining them. Not long after I spaced out at my desk, the continuous sound of text message notifications echoed across the entire office floor. “Holy shit, the bonuses are deposited!” Someone shouted. Startled, I remembered my boss’s warning. I discreetly lowered my phone under my desk and carefully opened the message. With just one glance, the glaring number “$2,000” burned into my retinas. My vision went dark. This was completely absurd! I counted the zeros several times to confirm the amount. The sliver of hope I had been holding onto completely died. So the boss’s “token gesture” really was just two thousand dollars! Last year, I got at least eight thousand. This year, it was only a quarter of that. What was most laughable was that my meager amount was actually the highest in the department? At that moment, I even worried that my colleagues might storm the boss’s office in protest. But when I scanned the room… I found that the other colleagues in the department were surprisingly calm, packing up to leave for the day. “Sigh, less and less every year. Be content; it’s better than getting nothing.” “Yeah, the market is bad. We all have to weather the storm together.” “Are you still not satisfied? The economy out there is trash. It’s a blessing to get paid at all. Go ask around, how many companies just handed out a bag of rice for the holidays?” 4 That last comment came from my colleague, Mia. She was the boss’s niece, an art major who had just graduated and joined our design department six months ago. The other colleagues usually sucked up to her, and no one cared when she made passive-aggressive comments. A few who were close to her even went over to chat. “Now that we’ve got our bonuses, I’m going all out this weekend. That new trendy seafood buffet is really good, only $600 a person. Who wants to go?” “I’m finally going to bite the bullet and buy that mink coat I’ve been eyeing for my New Year’s outfit.” “Mia, what are you buying with your bonus?” Mia lifted her chin, adjusted her Gucci bag, and replied lazily: “Whether it’s a little or a lot, it’s the company’s gesture. Anyway, I’m going to the Maldives for a vacation… If it’s not enough, I’ll just ask my family to chip in.” Everyone praised her wealthy family background and marveled that a rich heiress would actually deign to work. Hearing their conversation, I silently clicked my tongue. With the tiny amount we received, it wouldn’t even cover the cost of a decent coat at the mall… Girls from big cities with wealthy families really know how to spend money. For some reason, Mia, surrounded by her sycophants, suddenly looked at me. “Chloe, you got your bonus, why aren’t you happy? “I just saw you come out of the boss’s office. What secret were you discussing with the door closed, afraid we’d hear?” As soon as Mia spoke, the others chimed in: “Yeah, Chloe works so hard, the boss must have given you a huge bonus, right?” “Chloe became a lead designer at such a young age. She’s the backbone of the company. It’s perfectly normal if she got more than us.” “Exactly. Chloe is a famous workaholic. Our department’s ‘A’ rating this year was practically carried by her alone. So many big clients requested her by name.” Faced with their teasing, I had to reply, just offering a smile: “It wasn’t just my effort; it was everyone’s hard work. “Everyone knows how hard it is to collect payments right now. My bonus is probably the same as everyone else’s.” Truthfully, given the base amount was so low, I genuinely thought everyone got roughly the same. I didn’t know what the boss was thinking, worrying that I wouldn’t keep it a secret. To be frank, I’d be too embarrassed to even say the amount out loud. While we were talking, I wasn’t paying attention, and Mia had quietly slipped behind me. Before I could react, she suddenly snatched my phone right out of my hand: “Chloe, your bonus is definitely bigger than ours, right? Let me see how much it is!” 5 The others also gathered around curiously, all wanting a look at my phone. I reacted immediately, trying to grab my phone back. But I was blocked by the crowd and couldn’t reach it. Mia scrolled through my phone for a moment, then handed it back to me, looking disappointed. “Tch, you actually deleted the text notification. You’re way too cautious, Chloe. How boring.” I was so angry I almost hit her. I snatched my phone back and glared at her coldly: “Is snatching someone else’s phone fun? Don’t go too far.” Seeing I was angry, Mia softened her tone and reached out to grab my arm. “Okay, okay, Chloe, I’m sorry. It was just a joke, you’re not actually going to hold a grudge, are you?” The others also tried to smooth things over. I wasn’t in the mood to argue. I gave a perfunctory response, grabbed my bag, and stormed out. The boss had arranged a company dinner tonight at a restaurant owned by one of his relatives. I couldn’t muster any enthusiasm all night; my mind was entirely focused on that pathetic bonus. Perhaps noticing my sour expression, when Mr. Vance came to toast our table, he specifically patted my shoulder: “Sigh, it’s been tough for you all this year. “Even though it’s not a lot of money, your old pal Vance really tried his best. Suppliers were literally at my door demanding payment, and I had to grit my teeth and hold off paying them just for you.” My colleagues raised their glasses and offered polite pleasantries; I didn’t say much. As the dinner drew to a close, I left with the main group. Mr. Vance, however, hadn’t had enough. Acting like a typical drunk, he pulled a few of his closest cronies back into the room to keep drinking. When I got outside, I realized I had forgotten my scarf and went back to the restaurant to get it. Just as I reached the door of the large private room, I heard a piercing, girlish laugh coming from inside. “Uncle, why is my bonus only a hundred thousand dollars? You’re too cheap. I heard the company just collected two million dollars yesterday.” 6 Mia’s words froze me in my tracks. Before I could even process it, the clearly intoxicated voice of Mr. Vance drifted out. “Mia, you’re still not satisfied? You already got the most out of everyone in the design department. “Just look at… those employees with more seniority than you, they only got ten or twenty thousand. “And that Chloe… Look at how many projects she completed this year… How much did she get? You know perfectly well.” Mia laughed happily: “You’re terrible, Uncle. She is a lead designer, after all, and you dismissed her with a measly two thousand dollars… “She got the lowest amount in the entire company, aren’t you afraid she’ll find out and quit?” Mr. Vance scoffed: “This is what you don’t understand. This is called… the art of management. You give people the treatment they deserve. “Gullible, unconnected employees like Chloe are the easiest to manipulate. “Just feed her a few lies, and she’ll work harder than a mule.” Hearing this, my mind went almost entirely blank. “Don’t worry, she won’t quit, and she can’t quit, hahaha.” The laughter from the few people inside grew louder. Standing outside the door, I was so angry I felt like I was plunged into an ice bath, trembling uncontrollably. So all these years, the boss had been lying to me. I was the clown who always got the lowest bonus. 7 I had been with the company for five years. The first two years, I was a rookie, so getting paid less made sense. From the third year on, I was leading projects on my own and helped the company survive a major crisis. Without any false modesty, I contributed the most to the entire design department. But in the end, my bonus was the lowest! And I foolishly believed the boss appreciated me, burying myself in work and giving my all. Those colleagues who were always late, leaving early, and slacking off got more than me; The seasoned veterans who shirked responsibility and threw others under the bus got more than me; Even the new hire who spent her days reading novels and watching dramas at work, and had only been here for six months, got more than me! I wanted to storm in right then and there and demand an explanation from Mr. Vance. What gave the company the right to treat me this way? Do honest, hard-working people deserve to be bullied? But a second before I pushed the door open, a thought struck me. Knowing him, even if we had a falling out, he definitely wouldn’t admit it, and even if he did, he absolutely wouldn’t compensate me. I wanted to make sure he faced severe retribution! With a plan in mind, I quietly left the restaurant without alerting anyone. Early the next morning, just as I boarded the high-speed train to go home, I received a call from Mr. Vance. “Chloe, I had Mia send you the villa details and design requirements for Mr. Price’s project. Make sure you check them as soon as you get home. “Don’t forget, the deadline for the designs is the eighth day of the New Year. “If we don’t land this contract, the company will probably face an even tougher year next year. You absolutely cannot betray my trust!” Without a moment’s hesitation, I cheerfully agreed: “Don’t worry, Mr. Vance. I will definitely have five design proposals ready by the eighth. I guarantee we’ll secure Mr. Price.” Mr. Vance laughed happily on the other end of the line. I was very happy, too. Smart boss, just wait for this ‘gullible employee’ to give you a massive surprise on the eighth. 8 I went home for the holidays completely broke. My parents didn’t say anything and were still incredibly happy to see me. They were honest, hardworking people all their lives, only worrying that I was too exhausted working out of state. They often advised me to listen to my leaders at work and perform well. Every time they said this, I agreed out loud, but my hatred for Mr. Vance only grew deeper. Fortunately, my plan was progressing step by step. Right after New Year’s Eve, early on New Year’s Day, Mr. Vance sent me a message. Reminding me not to forget the overtime project. I replied instantly, telling him I had already started drafting the proposals and was overflowing with inspiration. He was very satisfied and replied with a thumbs-up emoji. On the second, third… for several days in a row, he messaged me daily to check on my progress, like clocking in. Every time, I was incredibly cooperative, telling him to put his mind at ease and just enjoy his holiday. Mr. Vance had no suspicions. After all, he knew me too well after all these years. As long as I promised to take on a job, I would never drop the ball. I would finish it even if I were in the hospital hooked up to an IV. But I guess this project was just too important. On the fifth day, he actually called me via video chat to confirm my progress. I complained, sounding a bit wronged: “Mr. Vance, why don’t you trust me? I told you I’m working overtime drafting the proposals. Please, just relax.” Mr. Vance laughed awkwardly: “Of course I trust your work. I just wanted to see how the progress is going. “You should have three or four of the five proposals done by now, right? Let me take a quick look, and I can give you some advice.” I sneered internally and pointed the camera directly at my computer screen. I gave him a quick, blurry glance. The screen was indeed filled with stacks of folders and design blueprints. Before he could see clearly, I turned the camera away. Mr. Vance beamed brilliantly: “See? I told you I have complete faith in your skills. “So many designs in just a few days! I’ll be waiting for your masterpiece on the eighth. Elegance Interiors is going to shine in front of Mr. Price again!” “Absolutely, absolutely,” I said with a smile and hung up. The proposals were indeed being worked on, but I created two versions.

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My childhood best friend and I accidentally drank spiked drinks at a banquet. When I woke up, I stared blankly at the messy bedsheets. My hands were shaking so badly I couldn’t clasp my bra. He fastened it for me, his tone pleading: “Please don’t tell my girlfriend, okay? There was something wrong with the drinks. What happened between us was just an accident.” His girlfriend… is my best friend. 1 My best friend, Mia, a wealthy heiress, is celebrating her birthday today. She specifically told me to bring my childhood friend, Liam, along. “With the dreamy crystal chandeliers and the pink balloon bubbles at the party, the atmosphere will be perfect. Why don’t you confess your feelings to him again?” Everyone knows I confessed to Liam once. Mia, who has only known him for two weeks, knows it too. I lowered my eyes, quietly stirring the latte art in my coffee cup with a spoon. “Better not. He told me never to confess to him again, or we wouldn’t even be friends.” Even though that’s what I said out loud, another voice was clearly ringing in my head—Confess to him again. That evening, Liam drove to pick me up for the party. Sitting in his flashy red Maserati, he let out a low whistle. “Wow, Chloe, you look so beautiful today. If people didn’t know better, they’d think you were the birthday girl.” Wearing a cocktail dress, I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “Do I really look good today?” “Yeah.” Receiving Liam’s affirmative answer filled me with joy. Liam stepped out of the car and opened the passenger door. One hand rested on my shoulder, while the other hovered protectively over my head. I was a bit surprised. Whenever I rode in his car before, he never got out to open the door for me. Let alone make any extra, protective gestures. Sitting in the passenger seat, I kept stealing glances at him while he drove. Sensing my gaze, he seemed a bit distracted himself. He even took a wrong turn. When we finally arrived at the party, the birthday girl, Mia, spotted us the moment we walked through the door. “Chloe, Liam, you’re finally here!” She skipped over to us. I had been holding onto Liam’s arm. But he suddenly pulled his arm away. My hand hung awkwardly in the air. For a second, I almost thought he pulled away specifically because Mia came over. But the very next second, he took my hand again and led me into the party. 2 Before the party officially started, a few close friends gathered to play a card-drawing game. The cards were all filled with questions and games related to love and relationships. Exactly what was weighing heavily on my mind. When it was Liam’s turn, the card he drew read: “Is the person you like present right now?” My fingertips trembled, and I held my breath waiting for his answer. If he said “yes,” I was going to muster a lifetime’s worth of courage and confess to him again tonight. “Yes.” His tone was very light. But the moment that magnetic voice reached my ears, it was as if the lock holding Pandora’s box shut clicked open. He said his type was here. He complimented my looks when he picked me up. He held my hand when we walked in. My palms started sweating, and I gripped the fabric of my dress tightly. Mia gently nudged my arm. I shot her a “stop messing around” look. When it was my turn, the card I drew read: [How long did your longest relationship last?] “I’ve never been in a relationship.” I smiled bitterly, a sharp pain in my chest. “But I’ve loved someone for seven years… no, even longer.” Sitting across from me, Liam looked up and stared at me intently. Everyone knows that my first—and only—confession to Liam was seven years ago. The people around us fell silent, their eyes darting back and forth between Liam and me. Someone bold enough couldn’t resist chiming in, “Is this person here right now?” A question to which they already knew the answer. I closed my eyes. When I opened them again, my gaze collided straight with Liam’s. “He’s here.” This was practically a complete confession. I had always listened to Liam. Back then, when he rejected me, he added, “If you ever confess again, we won’t even be friends.” I obeyed for seven years. I never breathed a word about my feelings. But I didn’t expect him to constantly bring it up as a joke. Maybe it was just his way of stopping me from confessing again. But I love him. So, through this winding, indirect method, I laid my heart bare to him once more. 3 A new round of drawing cards began. The card Liam drew read: [Pick a girl, give her a princess carry, and walk a lap around the room.] My heart pounded like a drum. The next second, Liam stood up and walked straight toward me. Fireworks exploded in my heart; I was thrilled. He’s coming toward me. He’s coming toward me. By the time I silently repeated that twice, Liam was only two steps away. I looked up, studying his sharp, defined features. I wanted to lean close to his ear and solemnly tell him again, “I love you.” That way, everything that just happened wouldn’t seem so frivolous. Liam’s figure was right in front of me. Having sat nervously for so long, my body was stiff, and my feet stood up on their own accord. And in that moment— Liam brushed right past me. And stopped in front of Mia, who was standing beside me. I stood there helplessly, feeling as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over my head. The silent gazes of the people around me were practically screaming about how pathetic my wishful thinking was just a moment ago. “I wonder if I have the honor of carrying our lovely birthday girl today?” I turned sideways, staring at Liam in disbelief. But his eyes weren’t on me at all. Mia looked hesitantly at me, standing right next to her. I forced an awkward smile. “I need to use the restroom.” Muttering a random excuse, I hurried out of the room. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Liam already bending down, scooping Mia up into his arms. I hid in a bathroom stall. I leaned my head against the wall and covered my eyes with my hands. It’s fine. It’s just another failed confession. It can’t possibly be worse than seven years ago. Good thing I didn’t say it out loud this time. When I finally snapped out of it, my palms were wet with tears. My phone suddenly buzzed with a message from Liam. [The party is about to start. Mia’s looking for you. Where did you go?] I wiped my cheeks and walked out of the stall. The reflection in the mirror had lost all its vibrant color, looking like a completely different person from the one who had carefully applied makeup that afternoon. The tears had ruined my eye makeup. I just used a tissue with warm water to wipe away all the eyeshadow and false lashes. Then I faced the mirror, forced a somewhat lively smile, and finally dared to open the door and go back out to celebrate my best friend’s birthday. 4 In the dazzling hall, a massive, multi-tiered cake stood right in the center. People were crowded around it, three layers deep. “They’re so perfect for each other. A match made in heaven.” “When he confessed just now, I think I was more excited than she was.” The people around me were clicking their tongues, marveling at the perfect couple. A sense of unease washed over me. Following their gaze, I saw Mia and Liam. Liam was holding Mia’s hand, cutting the cake layer by layer. “Confess? Who confessed?” I grabbed a stranger next to me, asking frantically. “The main couple tonight, obviously. Hey, who are you? Let go of me.” The person pushed me away in disgust. The crowd started chanting, “Kiss! Kiss!” Liam wrapped his arm around Mia’s shoulders, cradled the back of her head, and kissed her passionately. My mind went completely blank. Even though it was incredibly noisy around me. It felt like I was trapped in a vacuum, suffocating any chance I had to scream. Standing in the middle of the crowd, I stared blankly at the two people under the spotlight. Tears fell unconsciously down my freshly wiped cheeks. “Ah, Chloe’s finally here!” Mia, the center of attention, called out in surprise when she saw me. She walked toward me with a bright smile. Liam followed right behind her. “If it weren’t for Chloe, I never would have met Liam! You’re our Cupid.” She handed me the biggest piece of cake. “What Cupid? What are you talking about?” I didn’t believe it. I didn’t believe a single word that stranger or Mia said. “Chloe.” Liam suddenly spoke up. “I just confessed to Mia, and she said yes.” … A long, agonizing silence. “Liam… stop joking.” “After you introduced us, I’ve been pursuing Mia for two weeks.” Liam’s voice even trembled slightly with excitement. “She just accepted.” Tears, tasting faintly of blood, slid down my throat. A bitter, salty taste. “So for these past two weeks, when the three of us hung out… was I just the monkey you were both playing with?” I heard my own voice, harsh and strained. “We didn’t mean to hide it from you, we just didn’t know how to tell you…” “Listening to me share my feelings about liking Liam, and then sneaking around behind my back… treating me like a clown—is that fun for you?” I said, staring right at Mia. “Chloe, I…” Two weeks… I was played for a fool for two weeks by the two people I trusted most. So the arrow shot by Cupid… Only ended up making me bleed. 5 A group of friends we knew gathered around. They all knew I had confessed to Liam. Liam had told them himself. A few of them spoke up to break the awkward silence. “Chloe, today is Mia’s birthday, don’t make a scene.” “Liam rejected you seven years ago. You can’t expect him to never date anyone.” “Why don’t you give me a try? I’m single too.” The group chimed in one after another, their words cornering me. These people sucked up to the Sterling family’s power. Even their previous politeness toward me was entirely because of Liam. And there were definitely a few who were just waiting to watch the drama unfold. As long as we started fighting, everyone would think I was just a jealous, bitter woman who couldn’t handle rejection. I let out a self-deprecating laugh. I snatched a wine glass from someone next to me. The crowd gasped, thinking I was going to throw the wine or start pulling hair. Liam rushed forward and grabbed the glass from my hand. “What are you doing?” he demanded, his tone hostile. The wine in the glass spilled onto my dress in the struggle. I don’t know how I found my voice. But I managed to compose myself and speak. “Congratulations.” I took the glass back, downed the remaining dregs in one gulp, and tilted the empty glass toward him. “Wishing you a lifetime of happiness.” I turned around. And walked out of the hall. Leaving the glass by the door. From beginning to end, I never looked back inside once. I didn’t want this filthy friendship and relationship anymore. But then again, they were never mine to begin with. 6 I blocked Liam and Mia on everything. I stayed home and slept for days. Then I suddenly received an invitation from the Sterling Corporation. I had almost forgotten about this. My grandfather intended to gradually hand over the company’s management to me, and I was the one assigned to negotiate our bid for the Sterling Corporation’s new project. Which meant I had to see Liam again. After the Sterling Corporation’s bidding conference, my family’s company, Terry Machinery, successfully won the bid. While signing the letter of intent, Liam’s eyes kept lingering on me. As soon as I signed, I wanted to leave immediately. Liam held out his hand: “Congratulations on winning the bid.” I pressed my lips together, hesitated for a moment, but still reached out my hand. But the moment my hand touched his, I instinctively dropped it and turned to walk out the door. Liam blocked my path: “Are we just throwing away years of friendship like this?” “If there are no issues with the bidding proposal, I don’t think we have anything else to discuss.” I turned to leave again. “There are some issues.” Liam reached out to block my exit. “Stay for the business dinner after this; it’s the perfect time to go over the details of the contract.” “Can’t I go over the details with your secretary?” “Some things need to be made clear today.” This project was crucial, and there was no room for error. I had no choice but to stay and wait for Liam to finish his subsequent meetings. His secretary led me to the banquet hall downstairs. Mia and I saw each other almost simultaneously. I looked away, walked over to a sofa on the side, sat down, and turned my back. But Mia walked over to me, smiling brightly. “Chloe, about me and Liam… are you still mad?” “I should have smashed your birthday party that day, to save you from asking such delusional questions.” I lifted my eyelids and gave her a cold look. Mia’s expression shifted several times before she finally looked at me with a wronged expression. “Chloe, I apologize.” Mia picked up a glass of wine, downed it in one gulp, and handed another glass to me. “But there will be many opportunities for collaboration between the Vance family and the Sterling Corporation in the future. There’s no need to make things so hostile, right?” “Business collaboration” was the polite way of putting it. The ugly truth was that a single project thrown our way by the Sterling Corporation was enough to cover the Vance family’s revenue for half a year. I knew this perfectly well. “Are you threatening me?” I forced a tight, insincere smile, took the glass from Mia’s hand, and drank it. “What are you talking about? A glass of wine washes away all grudges,” Mia smiled, tapped her glass against my empty one, and was then called away by another group of people. 7 Back when Liam and I were close, I didn’t think much about the business implications. Now, it was time to carefully calculate them. But the more I thought about it, the tighter my chest felt. A waiter walked by, and I intercepted a glass of wine from his tray and placed it in front of me. Glass after glass, I forcefully drank until only one glass remained on the tray. I drank the last glass too fast, choking until the corners of my eyes turned red. Suddenly, a hand reached out from behind me and took my glass away. I turned around. It was Liam. “You’ve had too much.” “None of your business. Give it back.” I unsteadily held onto the sofa, trying to snatch the glass back from him. Liam dodged me and downed the remaining wine in the glass himself. Standing up too fast caused the alcohol to hit my brain, and my consciousness began to blur. Liam supported me. I instinctively felt annoyed and tried to shake off his hand. The commotion drew the attention of Mia and a group of people. “Should I find someone to take her home?” Mia offered. “No.” Liam pondered for a moment. “There are executive suites upstairs. I’ll just take her up to rest. We still have contract details to discuss.” Except, after Liam took me up to the room, he never came back down. Because the wine was tainted. It was spiked. My complete memory ends at the banquet hall. After that, I only remember fragmented, shattered pieces. When I woke up again, I looked at myself in the mirror. My body was covered in mottled red marks. Liam’s lean, muscular back bore several bright red scratches. There was skin under my fingernails. I looked at Liam, utterly lost. “How… how could we?” He fastened the clasp of my bra for me, bringing his hands together in a pleading gesture. “Please don’t tell Mia, okay? The wine we drank had something in it. What happened between us was an accident.” I stared at Liam blankly. Broken phrases floated vaguely in front of my eyes. But I distinctly remembered what he said when he pinned me to the bed: “When we were doing it… didn’t you say you broke up with her?” “I only said that so you wouldn’t feel guilty,” Liam scoffed, jumping off the bed. “I couldn’t just let you find some random guy to handle it. I should have recorded you, so you could see how incredibly wild you were acting.”

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