When someone swapped me with her baby, I didn’t cry or fuss; I just closed my eyes and pretended to sleep. I watched helplessly as the life of wealth and privilege that belonged to me was traded away from these frostbite-scarred hands. The tension in the woman’s face finally eased the moment she held me in her arms. She walked away from the opulent mansion behind her, looking back with every step. She thought her daughter had climbed the social ladder and become the child of aristocrats, oblivious to the fact that she had personally thrown her own flesh and blood into an abyss. After all, for the next ten years, being part of the “poor and lower-middle peasants” would be the best possible identity to have. 1 Feeling the large hands gradually tightening around my neck, I opened my big, round eyes and looked at her. I forced the corners of my mouth up, pulling out a silent smile. The woman seemed to deflate, loosening her grip. She held me and crouched by the muddy dirt road, sobbing uncontrollably. Her tears, mixed with the rain, fell onto my face. It tasted sour and astringent, with a hint of salty bitterness. And just like that, I went from Chloe Sterling to Chloe Vance. In my past life, the name that originally belonged to me, along with the identity of the eldest daughter of a wealthy family, became Chloe Vance’s. It was something I had long since discarded like trash, yet I still woke up in the middle of the night, my pillow wet with tears. It wasn’t that I missed what I used to have. It was that I couldn’t forget the humiliation of being called “capitalist scum.” I couldn’t forget the agony of being humiliated by malicious people. And I especially couldn’t forget the ruthless determination of the Sterling family when they pushed me into the fire pit. Later, when the hardships passed and the Sterling family regained its former glory, perhaps out of guilt, they brought me back and granted my every request. I became the eldest daughter of the Sterling family, envied by everyone in high society. But trauma lasts a lifetime; guilt is only temporary. When Chloe Vance and I were kidnapped at the same time, my brother didn’t hesitate to save her, leaving me in the sea of fire. The rising heat scorched my skin. I actually saw a flicker of relief in his eyes. His voice carried a fake apology: “Chloe, I can’t live without her. She’s my only light. If she dies, I won’t survive either. “Then everything you sacrificed for me would have been for nothing. I can’t let your efforts go to waste. Don’t worry, I’ll find someone to save you.” The thick smoke in the room grew denser. He carried the rosy-cheeked Chloe Vance and ran out without a backward glance. Near the end, I never saw the rescuers my brother promised. I breathed my last breath, full of indignation. The moment my soul left my body, I saw Chloe Vance, acting delicate and coy, hiding in my brother’s arms, her eyes shining. “Arthur, I set the fire. I staged the kidnapping too. I admit I’m not a good person. Do you still love me now?” Arthur smiled indulgently and patted her head. “I love you, so naturally I accept everything about you.” Their love finally blossomed, bought with my life, and received everyone’s blessings. What an absolute joke. 2 “Chloe, why are you standing there spacing out?” A booming voice pulled me back from my past memories. The old lady, wearing a ragged headscarf and carrying a hoe on her shoulder, walked briskly toward me, moving like the wind. I grinned, showing my teeth, and ran toward her, my little feet going pitter-patter. I wore ill-fitting cloth shoes and baggy, patched grey clothes. But even that couldn’t hide my delicate, porcelain-doll face. The old lady bent down and scooped me up with one arm, kissing my cheek with a smile. “My precious girl, Grandma will boil an egg for you when we get home.” In this era, having a full stomach was a luxury. A normal meal consisted of watery porridge that went straight through you and scratchy cornbread. Back then, even though Mary, my biological mother, had softened and didn’t strangle me, she never fed me a single drop of milk. I was raised by my grandmother, fed entirely on rice water. Later, when rice water wasn’t enough to fill me up, the old lady asked around the neighboring villages to see whose goat had just given birth. Every day before dawn, she would walk two miles just to trade for a bowl of goat’s milk. She fed it to me drop by drop, and that was how she managed to raise me. The rest of the Vance family was unhappy about it, but they didn’t dare say a word. After all, all three of Grandma’s sons were blindly obedient to her. And Grandpa Vance obeyed her every command too. You could say the entire Vance family was a dictatorship run by Grandma. Since I was raised personally by Grandma, I was naturally favored over the other children. 3 Grandma dug a piping hot egg out of the ashes of the fire. Afraid I’d burn myself, she peeled it before handing it to me. “Here, the egg is ready. Take it inside and eat it, so those greedy ghosts don’t stare at you.” As soon as she finished speaking, a crowd of people poured through the door. It was the rest of the Vance family returning from working in the fields. “Grandma, what are you trying to hide from us?” My eldest cousin, Leo, had sharp ears and was quick-witted. He dropped the basket of grass from his back and hurried over. I quickly shoved the egg into my mouth, biting off half of it, and, while Grandma wasn’t looking, stuffed the other half into her mouth. Grandma was stunned by my sudden action. She gave me a fond, scolding look, but couldn’t hide the pampering affection in her eyes. She swallowed her half of the egg and waved her hand, shooing him away. “Go on, shoo! Stop hovering like a beggar. Go play somewhere else.” Leo didn’t dare argue with Grandma. His eyes scanned me like a radar. When I wasn’t looking, he used his finger to wipe a crumb of egg yolk from the corner of my mouth and quickly popped it into his own. He looked at Grandma resentfully. “Grandma, you’re secretly giving Chloe eggs again.” Grandma didn’t look the least bit ashamed at being caught. She smacked Leo on the back without mercy. “I raised the chickens! I’ll give the eggs to whoever I damn well please!” Leo looked at me, smiling faintly on the sidelines, then looked at Grandma, who was chopping vegetables briskly. He pouted and walked away. During dinner, he acted like he was determined to eat the family out of house and home, wolfing down two massive bowls of watery porridge. Grandma rolled her eyes at his pathetic display. 4 Life went on like this, ordinary and dull. Soon, it was time for the autumn harvest. With the egg Grandma had boiled for me that morning safely tucked in my pocket, I went to the fields to bring them water. But I unexpectedly bumped into Mary talking to Leo. I quickly hid behind a tree, eavesdropping on their conversation like a sneaky little mouse. Leo looked a bit impatient. He asked the person in front of him, “Aunt Mary, what do you want? I’m busy harvesting the rice.” The harvest this year was much better than expected. Barring any accidents, we’d have enough to eat this year. Leo unconsciously licked his lips and swallowed hard. Mary tried to act like a loving aunt, reaching out to pat Leo’s shoulder, but he dodged her. She forced an awkward smile, feigning dissatisfaction. “Leo, I saw your grandma boiling an egg for Chloe again this morning. How does a worthless girl like her deserve to eat something so precious? You’re the one who should be eating it!” A hint of mockery played at the corners of Leo’s mouth, but quickly vanished. He opened his eyes wide, feigning pleasant surprise. “Aunt Mary, you think so too?” Seeing him take the bait, Mary nodded affirmatively. “Of course! Leo, you’re the only boy in the Vance family, the one who will carry on the family name.” “So Aunt Mary doesn’t plan on leaving anything to Chloe? You’re leaving it all to me?” Mary wanted to argue, but didn’t know what to say. But compared to giving it to her fake daughter, giving it to her nephew in front of her really wasn’t a bad idea. She agreed, “That’s right. Your uncle and I don’t have a son, so everything we have will be yours.” Anyway, she and her husband hadn’t saved much. When her real daughter came to take them to live in a big house, would they even care about these meager possessions? Hearing this, Leo smiled even brighter. “That’s great! Aunt Mary, I’ve been wanting to eat that half-bag of brown sugar in your cupboard for ages. I’m going back to get it right now!” With that, Leo ran back to the house without looking back. Mary’s fake smile froze on her face. How did things turn out like this? Her original plan was to make Leo jealous of me, target me, maybe even get violent with me. After all, who can predict a child’s jealousy? But she never expected Leo to play by his own rules and snatch away her only remaining half-bag of brown sugar. She meant she would give him her things later, not now! But Leo gave her no chance to regret it. He immediately boiled the entire half-bag of brown sugar in water and brought it to the fields for the whole family to drink. He didn’t forget to repeat what Mary had said. “Uncle, Aunt Mary said that all your property will go to me in the future, and I’ll be the one to carry out your funeral rites.” My second uncle was a man of few words. He smiled a goofy smile. “I listen to your grandma. Whoever she says gets it, gets it.” Hearing this, Mary’s face turned beet red with anger, but she didn’t dare say a word. After all, she was an expert at reading the room and sucking up to the powerful. Grandma, as the woman at the absolute top of the Vance family’s food chain, was naturally someone she couldn’t afford to offend. But Grandma acted as if she hadn’t heard a thing. She sat on the edge of the field with me, sipping the sugar water in small gulps. She smacked her lips and whispered, “This sugar water doesn’t taste like half a bag. Your brother definitely hid some.” I took a big gulp of sugar water, my eyes squinting from the sweetness, feeling a second of sympathy for Leo. Trying to hide things right under Grandma’s nose was truly like showing off your axe skills in front of the God of War. The next moment, Grandma glanced at me and whispered, “My precious girl, you haven’t had brown sugar eggs yet, have you?” I bared my little tiger teeth and said obediently, “No, I haven’t, Grandma.” 5 Early the next morning, I was woken up by Leo’s tragic, high-pitched screams. With one furious roar from Grandma, Leo went silent. I looked at the bowl of brown sugar eggs on my nightstand and couldn’t help but laugh out loud. Tears rolled down the sides of my nose and into my mouth. It tasted a little sweet. 6 As the bitter winter approached, I finally saw the exiled Sterling family. Chloe Sterling’s hair was a mess, and she wore a tattered, thin winter coat. But her eyes darted around intensely, as if she were searching for something. Arthur Sterling was emaciated, thin as a rail, looking like a strong gust of wind could knock him over. Mr. and Mrs. Sterling, though wearing decent clothes, had sallow, gaunt faces and an aura that screamed they had suffered tremendously. I was a bit surprised. In my past life, the Sterling family hadn’t been this miserable. They had even managed to hide away a considerable amount of money to prepare for their eventual comeback. In this life, had something happened? Their arrival added some gossip to the quiet Mountain View Village. Mountain View Village was flanked by mountains on two sides and a river on the third. There was only one road leading out of the village. After the snow fell and blocked the only road, the villagers’ only form of entertainment was gossip. I often followed the crowd to the Sterling family’s doorstep to watch the show. Following the herd, I threw a few pebbles into the Sterling family’s courtyard. Watching a group of kids chasing Chloe Sterling, calling her “capitalist scum.” A secret thrill of pleasure rose in my heart. In my past life, after learning that Chloe Sterling and Arthur were in love, I confronted her. I asked her why, after calling me “capitalist scum” all those years, she was so eager to become the sister-in-law of that same “scum.” She answered with utter indifference, “It was just kids talking nonsense. You’re holding onto something that small for this long? You’re way too petty.” In this life, I hope she can generously forgive the “nonsense” of these children.

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1 “Don’t worry about me. Just focus on preparing for my wedding with Chloe. As for Mia… I have plenty of ways to get back at her.” “You know, falling in love with your own stepbrother, sneaking into his bed every night to seduce him… when that shameless scandal is exposed at the wedding, do you think she’ll ever have the face to show herself in the Sterling household again? I honestly can’t wait.” The friend sitting across from him looked uncomfortable and offered a sincere warning: “Your parents had been divorced for three years before Mia’s mom even entered the picture. You can’t honestly blame Mia for that, can you? She was just starting college; she had no idea what the situation was with your family. Isn’t doing this to her a little too cruel?” “A girl’s reputation is everything. You’re basically trying to kill her! She loves you so much; if she finds out you only got with her for revenge, I’m afraid she might…” Arthur Sterling pursed his lips impatiently, pulled out his phone, and casually sent me a reaction sticker. “Her life is exactly what I want!” “Don’t talk to me about her being innocent. Was my mother innocent when she was abandoned?” “Coming from that woman’s womb is her own bad luck. She chose to degrade herself!” “If she was really so pure and innocent, she wouldn’t have agreed to sleep with me six years ago. Ending up like this is her own choice. She deserves it.” His friend let out a long sigh, asking one final question: “You can say that, but after six years together, I refuse to believe you haven’t felt anything for her.” “Arthur, I’m warning you as a friend. Once you do this, there is absolutely no turning back.” Arthur’s face instantly turned freezing cold, and he shot his friend a vicious glare. “Fall in love with the daughter of my enemy? What kind of person do you take me for?” “Looking at that face of hers, which looks exactly like her mother’s, makes me physically sick every time I kiss her!” “She was raised by a homewrecker; of course she’s a shameless little slut! Ruining her reputation is already showing her mercy!” Seeing that Arthur refused to listen, his friend sighed helplessly and left the office. Footsteps approached the door. I scrambled frantically to hide, but the bouquet of blue roses in my hands slipped and scattered all over the floor. His friend walked out and ran straight into me. His eyes filled with profound pity. Hearing the noise, Arthur walked out of the office. He saw me scrambling pathetically on the floor, trying to gather the scattered flowers. A flash of raw panic crossed his face, and he immediately rushed over to help me up. “Mia? Why are you here? When did you arrive?” I smiled, but tears fell from my eyes entirely against my will. “I just got here. I wanted to surprise you, but I’m so clumsy I couldn’t even hold the flowers.” He smiled indulgently, tossing the flowers aside carelessly. He pulled me into his office. The moment the door closed. He pinned me against the door. His burning body heat radiated through his clothes, pressing into me. But my entire body felt completely frozen. “I told you, you don’t need to get me gifts. Just having Mia here is the best gift I could ever ask for.” “You must be tired from the trip, right? Rest here for a bit. Once I’m done working, I’ll take you home.” After saying that, he pressed a gentle kiss to my forehead. His actions were as tender and affectionate as always. But I could no longer feel his warmth. I never knew a person could commit so completely to an act just for revenge. When my mother first married into the Sterling family… At the wedding, I was crushed by the horrific insults of being a “homewrecker’s daughter,” unable to even lift my head. I hid in a dark corner and cried hysterically. It was Arthur’s appearance that offered me my only salvation. He silenced the vicious rumors for me. He promised he would protect me for the rest of my life and be my safe harbor. I believed every word he said. I drowned in the gentle warmth he offered, completely unable to pull myself out. I had no idea that everything was a meticulously calculated act of revenge. The so-called “love” was nothing but an illusion. He was the one actively pushing me into the abyss. While Arthur was busy working, I sent a text to my mother. “Mom, I want to study abroad.” “Please don’t tell anyone in the family yet.” On the drive back, he casually brought it up, acting like it was no big deal: “My dad is pressuring me to get married, so I found a friend to act as my fiancé.” “Don’t worry, you are the only person I will ever love. She agreed to help me keep up the facade, so I’ll still be living at home with you.” I stared at the scenery passing by outside the window and nodded silently. Tears fell soundlessly down my cheeks. The moment we got home, while he was in the shower, I unlocked his phone. 2 The pinned contact at the very top was named “Chloe.” I opened the chat. Below the cute, flirty reaction stickers… Were dozens of dense video files. Security camera footage from inside my own bedroom. The messages underneath them were even more devastating. “I told you, I only want revenge against her. I’m going to play these videos at the wedding. After that day, Mia will be permanently erased from the Sterling family. The only person standing by my side will be you.” “Before you officially marry into the family, I’m going to clear every single obstacle out of your way. From now on, you will only know happiness.” “Chloe, I love you.” I looked up at the stuffed animal he gave me six years ago. In the dim light of the room… A tiny, eerie red light blinked inside the toy’s eye. It turned out he had been planning how to eradicate me from the very beginning. It’s hilarious that I was so thoroughly immersed in his fabricated lies. Believing I was actually happy. I opened Arthur’s hidden photo album. It was completely filled with photos of him and Chloe. Dating all the way back to their college years. The photos meticulously documented their entire love story. Every major holiday, when he claimed he was swamped with work… He was actually with Chloe. Every single gift he ever bought me… He bought an identical one for Chloe. The only difference was, Chloe got things that I never did. The second chat thread I opened was with a wedding planning company. Arthur had been meticulously preparing for this wedding for six months. From selecting the venue to choosing the exact style of silverware for the reception. He handled every single detail personally. Even the security camera footage… he edited it himself. All for the sole purpose of utterly destroying our forbidden relationship in front of everyone at the wedding. A second before Arthur walked out of the bathroom… I locked his phone. And I bought myself a plane ticket to leave the country in three days. At the dinner table, Arthur’s father constantly brought up his upcoming wedding. Arthur pretended to be incredibly annoyed by it. But casually agreed to everything. Setting the wedding date for three days from now. The chopsticks in my hand clattered to the floor. The entire meal tasted like ash in my mouth. After dinner, my mother pulled me into my room, looking deeply concerned. “Why the sudden decision to go abroad? Didn’t you insist on joining the company to work with your brother? Did you tell him about this yet?” Looking at the gray streaks in my mother’s hair, my nose stung painfully. “No. I need you to keep this a secret from him.” “Mom, after I leave, just focus on living a good life with Uncle Sterling. Ignore what anyone else says.” I know how incredibly difficult it was for my mother to finally decide to remarry. Regardless of what Arthur believed, my mother had never, ever been the other woman in anyone’s relationship. Having her reputation completely destroyed shouldn’t be how her story ends. When I returned to my bedroom, Arthur was already waiting in my bed. Seeing me walk in, he immediately pulled me into his arms. His lips brushed affectionately against my ear. “Are you mad? You know we can’t go public with our relationship. I’m handling the wedding arrangements; it’s just a cover, an act. Don’t overthink it.” “Mia, I promise, you are the only one in my heart. Stop throwing a tantrum, okay? I bought you a present; it’ll be delivered tomorrow. You’re going to love it.” I swallowed my suffocating grief and smiled, nodding. He didn’t suspect a thing. He let out a sigh of relief and pulled me tighter against his chest. After a long pause, he said hesitantly: “It’s just that… this is a Sterling family wedding, so it has to be a major event. Since you’re my sister, you probably…” “Okay. I’ll be there.” I knew exactly what he was trying to say. Rather than waiting for him to force the issue, I might as well offer it myself. At least I could maintain some shred of dignity. He was shocked by my sudden change in attitude. But since he got what he wanted, he didn’t bother analyzing it. That night, he slept in my bed as usual. The next morning, before anyone else in the house was awake, I slipped out of my room. The second Arthur left the house, I walked out right behind him. I went to process my visa and finalize my university applications. I never expected to run into Chloe there. 3 Arthur was standing right behind her, his eyes overflowing with absolute adoration. The employees nearby were constantly whispering about them: “Is that CEO Sterling’s fiancée? Her aura is incredible! If I’m not mistaken, that bag she’s holding is a limited edition Hermes. You can’t even buy that just with money!” “It has to be her. I heard they started dating in college and have been together ever since. He even bought a private island abroad for their honeymoon! They’re probably here getting visas for a trip around the world, right?” “This is literally a romance novel come to life. I’m so jealous. If my boyfriend was even half as amazing as CEO Sterling, my life would be complete…” In my daze, the clerk processing my paperwork called out: “Ms. Sterling? Ms. Sterling? Your paperwork is finished.” His voice instantly drew Arthur’s attention. As I was shoving the documents into my bag, Arthur appeared right in front of me. His expression carried a microscopic, almost imperceptible trace of panic. “Mia? What are you doing here?” Chloe walked up from behind him, affectionately wrapping her arm around his. “You must be Arthur’s sister! Hi there.” “Since we’re going to be family soon, we should get to know each other.” My eyes swept over where their arms were linked. I smiled and nodded. “Sister-in-law.” “It’s nothing. I just came to help Mom sort out her visa. She’s been wanting to travel abroad for a while.” “I’ll leave you two to it. Have a good day.” I turned to walk away. But Arthur chased after me, grabbing my arm tightly. He frantically tried to explain: “Don’t overthink this. We’re only here today because my dad insisted. You know how seriously he takes this wedding; he practically forced me to take her traveling.” “He also wants Chloe to come over for dinner tonight. I’m just giving you a heads-up so you don’t misunderstand.” Watching him act so desperately anxious about my feelings… I suddenly found the entire situation hilarious. Chloe was his actual girlfriend of several years. The wedding was three days away, and his grand revenge plot was about to reach its climax. Who exactly was he putting this act on for? “Don’t worry, I know my place. Since it’s Uncle Sterling’s arrangement, just do as he asks. I wouldn’t cause a scene over something like that.” “You two go ahead. I’ll wait for you at home.” He let out a massive sigh of relief and personally hailed a cab to send me home. Then he turned around and took Chloe straight to a bridal boutique. 4 My mother and Uncle Sterling knew Chloe was coming over for dinner. They started preparing the meal right around noon. The moment Arthur and Chloe walked through the door… They handed her a red envelope containing ten thousand dollars. I used feeling unwell as an excuse to hide in my room. But Arthur walked in carrying a gift box. As he slipped the bracelet onto my wrist, he pulled a warm blue rose from his jacket pocket. He dropped to one knee on the floor. His eyes were filled with absolute devotion. “I know that being with me in secret, without a real title, is incredibly unfair to you. But after the wedding, I’ll still be your brother. I’ll still live here and spend time with you, exactly like I always have.” “Mia, please don’t be mad at me, okay?” I looked down at the Hermes logo on the bracelet. It was the complimentary gift that came with the bag Chloe was carrying. “Okay. I won’t be mad at you.” “Go eat dinner. They’ve been preparing it all day.” The sounds of joyous congratulations drifted up from downstairs. My mother stood awkwardly by the dining table, looking exactly like a hired maid. Arthur naturally and casually ordered her around, demanding she serve the food and dish out the soup. The suffocating weight of my grievances finally exploded. I gathered every single gift he had given me over the past six years and threw them all into the trash can. As the trash can tipped over, Chloe suddenly appeared in my doorway. Looking at the mess on the floor, a triumphant, arrogant smirk spread across her face. “What, you can’t handle it anymore?” “Mia, you are even more pathetic than I thought.” “Makes sense. What kind of decent person could a homewrecker possibly raise? Watching your own mother scurry around like a maid, not even allowed to sit at the table… that must hurt, right?” I stared at her with freezing apathy. “What exactly are you trying to say?” Chloe smirked, her face dripping with vicious mockery. She pulled out her phone, opened her chat log with Arthur, and waved it directly in my face. “Oh, right, you don’t know, do you? Every single night when you’re being intimate with Arthur, he sends the videos straight to me so I can watch.” “If I sent these videos to your mother’s phone, do you think she’d lose her mind entirely?” “Her own biological daughter and her second husband’s son, secretly screwing each other every single night right under their noses…” “Don’t you dare!” Unable to suppress the explosive rage in my chest a second longer… I raised my hand and delivered a brutal slap across her face. The sharp crack echoed loudly. Chloe fell hard onto the floor, shattering a glass picture frame. Blood instantly began pooling from her palm. Arthur charged into the room and immediately pulled her into his arms. He glared at me with pure, unadulterated fury. “Mia! What the hell are you doing?! Are you insane?!” “Chloe came up here to nicely ask you to come down for dinner, and you attack her?!” Uncle Sterling stood in the doorway, his face instantly turning dark. My mother panicked, desperately trying to explain: “Mia definitely didn’t mean to! There must be some misunderstanding!” “Mia, apologize to Chloe right now!” Chloe’s eyes were red as she buried her face in Arthur’s chest. “I’m so sorry. I just came up to invite Mia to our wedding. I have no idea why she suddenly attacked me…” “Arthur, please don’t blame Mia. I’m sure she didn’t mean it.” A cold sneer curled my lips as I stared directly at the embracing couple. Arthur ignored my expression, his eyes radiating a freezing, venomous hatred. “Mia. Apologize!” My nails dug so deeply into my palms that droplets of blood fell to the floor. “I didn’t do anything wrong. Why should I apologize?!” “You two are the ones who owe me an apology!” A look of profound disappointment flashed across Arthur’s eyes. “Mia, when did you become like this? You are being completely unreasonable!” Before I could respond, Uncle Sterling stepped forward and pulled Arthur up. “Take Chloe to the hospital first. I will handle things here.” Arthur carried Chloe out of the house. My mother followed behind Uncle Sterling, apologizing profusely and pathetically. Six years of deep, profound love evaporated into nothingness in that exact moment. I grabbed my suitcase and went to a hotel. Before leaving, I ripped the hidden camera out of the stuffed animal. And mailed it to Arthur. Doing the math, it would arrive on the exact day of his wedding. I thought my departure would officially end this twisted play. But that night, Arthur sent me a text explaining everything: “Chloe agreed to act as my bride for the wedding. I already owe her a massive favor, and you physically hurt her. It looked terrible in front of everyone. I only made you apologize so my dad wouldn’t get suspicious. Please don’t overthink it.” “Get some rest. I had a custom dress made for you to wear to the wedding. Be a good girl. I am your brother, and that will never, ever change.” But I knew perfectly well that this performance wasn’t for Uncle Sterling. It was entirely for me. My departure was the only thing that could finally end it. For the next two days, I didn’t go home. He didn’t go home either. He was busy organizing the wedding venue. He was busy picking out expensive jewelry for Chloe. I never received the gift he promised me. The only news I received was that he had casually dropped millions on a luxury yacht for Chloe. All so he could take her to the private island named after them. On the morning of the wedding, I called him. He was busy giving instructions to his friends and didn’t really have time for me. “Are the videos ready? Remember, start playing them the exact second she walks into the venue. I want absolutely everyone to see them.” “Are you sure about this? Once that video plays, there is absolutely no turning back.” “Just do exactly what I said. I have been waiting for this day for six years.” “Keep an eye on her mother. Make sure she doesn’t try to cause a scene.” His friend walked away, and Arthur finally remembered he was on the phone. “Mia? The wedding is about to start. I’ll come pick you up myself in a little bit. Wait for me at home.” “I’ll let you in on a secret: usually, the groom only picks up the bride. It’s almost like I’m marrying you, isn’t it?” “Stop being unhappy.” I stared at the boarding pass in my hand and let out a cynical laugh. “Brother. Happy Wedding Day.” He froze for a second, then chuckled softly. “Why are you calling me ‘brother’ today? I prefer it when you call me by my name.” “Be a good girl and wait for me. I’ll be right there.” I hung up the phone, turned around, and boarded my flight. And permanently deleted every single piece of his contact information. The wedding began. Arthur’s mind kept replaying that phone call, a profound sense of unease settling in his chest. Right as he was preparing to leave to pick me up… His friend rushed in from outside, carrying the shattered camera lens. “We have a massive problem. Mia found out about the hidden cameras!” “She took a flight out of the country early this morning. But that specific flight… the news just broke that it crashed into the ocean!”

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1 When the car crash happened, my CEO brother and my movie-star fiancé instinctively shielded the sweet, innocent ingénue, Mia. I was sent flying hundreds of feet. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day before my debut press conference. In my past life, all I did was step a little closer to my fiancé, Liam. He immediately stepped back to avoid any association, publicly mocking me for trying to ride his coattails. My brother looked down on me too, claiming I relied on our family’s capital and wasn’t worthy to compete with Mia, who had no backing. But now, they stood flanking Mia, left and right, propping her up. Backed by the CEO and partnered with a top actor, she became an overnight sensation. I was completely done. I bought a plane ticket and went abroad to start a new life. Three years later, Mia had swept all the major acting awards. At the awards ceremony, I happened to be seated next to Liam. He mocked me: “Even though you lost me, you shouldn’t just let yourself go. No man will ever look at you now.” My brother also looked at me and shook his head. “You left with such pride, but didn’t you still have to come crawling back to beg me in the end?” But when I walked onto the stage to give a speech as the wife of the event organizer, both of them panicked. … “Mia is only twenty-one, and she’s already swept the top three acting awards. She’s the first person in the entertainment industry to do that. Her future is boundless.” “I heard she’s getting engaged to the movie star, Liam. They’re both so beautiful; it’s a match made in heaven!” “Don’t be so sure! The CEO of the Vance Group, Ethan Vance, chartered every helicopter in the city and is preparing to give Mia the proposal of the century! It’s still up in the air who she’ll choose!” The interior of the awards ceremony was buzzing with voices. Just as I found my seat, I turned and saw the cold, aloof, and arrogant Liam. He was a bit surprised to see me take the seat next to him, but that surprise quickly morphed into undisguised disgust. “Don’t sit here.” I was a little confused and asked: “Why?” Liam tilted his arrogant chin up, his impatience peaking. “I’m going to propose to Mia today. If you sit next to me, I’m afraid she might get the wrong idea.” “Why did you have to come back right at this exact time?” I looked down at the invitation card in my hand, but before I could speak, a reporter beside me interrupted. “Mr. Sterling, there are rumors that you’re going to propose to Ms. Mia today. Is it true? Can you give us a hint?” The swarm of reporters completely blocked me from view. Liam’s voice sounded somewhat playful. “It’s a secret.” Those two words were more suggestive than a direct confirmation, and the reporters immediately went into a frenzy. But amidst the excitement, a few sharp-eyed reporters began to study me. A young girl wearing a red hat blurted out: “Isn’t this the Vance family heiress who used to obsess over Liam? I heard she insisted on debuting just to chase him and spent a fortune to co-star with him. Then she suddenly disappeared. Why did she show up today of all days?” “Could it be she knew Liam was going to propose today and hasn’t given up? Is she still trying to win him back?” As soon as she finished speaking, all the cameras and eyes focused on me. Facing the dark lenses of the cameras, I just smiled faintly and waved my hand. “You’ve got it all wrong. I have nothing to do with what you’re talking about. I was just invited to attend the event.” Liam scoffed coldly beside me. “Stop pretending. You specifically arranged to sit next to me. Everyone knows exactly what you’re plotting.” He turned to look at me, his voice stern. “I’m warning you one last time. If you dare do anything to hurt Mia, I absolutely will not go easy on you again.” Gasps erupted from the crowd. Liam’s words were entirely captured by the cameras. The reporter in the red hat sounded thrilled. “The movie star aggressively protecting his woman! This is huge news! I’m totally shipping them!” Before I could retort, my hand was grabbed viciously. “Chloe Vance, who told you to come here?” 2 The familiar voice belonged to my older half-brother, Ethan Vance. He gripped my hand tightly, his face dark with anger. “This is not a place for you to make a scene. Come with me!” A sharp pain shot through my wrist, and I instinctively struggled. “I’m here for official business, let go of me!” My resistance only angered Ethan more: “Do you think I don’t know what you’re planning? I warned you a long time ago, you can’t buy love with money! Are you really going to keep making the same mistake? Stop embarrassing the Vance family!” He didn’t care at all that the strapless top of my mini dress was being pulled to the point of near-exposure, nor did he care about the countless cameras eagerly documenting every second. “I let you throw your tantrums before, but not today.” “This honor is something Mia earned through immense hard work. I will not allow anyone to ruin it. Chloe, be reasonable. Stop this nonsense, okay?” Meeting his bloodshot eyes, a dull ache tightened my chest. He was supposed to be my brother, yet he was completely disregarding my dignity, humiliating me in public like this. All for his beloved Mia! On the other side, Liam stood with his hands in his pockets, watching me like a spectator enjoying a show. “Why put yourself through this? No matter how pitiful you act, I still won’t like you.” “Just because you can’t have my love doesn’t mean you should give up on yourself. Making a scene like this in public… no man will ever look at you again.” My dress was already pulled dangerously low, but my brother still refused to let go. Hearing Liam’s words seemed to embolden him further. “If you don’t want to be completely humiliated, leave right now.” I could only hold my collar tightly and argue with all my might: “I am a specially invited guest, here as the family member of the event organizer. Neither of you has the right to kick me out!” As soon as I said that, everyone froze for a moment. “Family member of the organizer? The organizer of this ceremony is the legendary tycoon from the capital, Alexander Price! His international trade business spans the globe, and his assets are immeasurable. He is a truly powerful figure.” “But I heard Mr. Price is an orphan without any relatives. Could she be… his wife?” The reporter in the red hat widened her eyes in gossip-fueled shock. Ethan, who was still pulling on me, froze. Before he could react, Liam, who had been enjoying the show, suddenly stood up, walked over, and looked down at me. He frowned, a trace of inexplicable anger in his voice: “Chloe, what do you mean by that?” “Have you been messing around with other men during the few years you’ve been away from me?” His tone carried an inexplicable, incredibly ironic jealousy. In my past life, I entered the entertainment industry without hesitation just for him, fighting tooth and nail just to catch up to him. When his investments resulted in massive losses, I sold the shares my parents left me and gave everything I had to help him. Because of that, he accepted my confession and we got engaged. I originally thought my genuine devotion had moved him, but it turned out he just wanted my money to finance a movie for Mia! A ten-million-dollar mega-production tailored specifically for Mia. When I found out, he just confidently told me: “She has potential; she just lacks an opportunity. Someone like you, born with silver-spoon connections, could never understand the struggles of a small actor. I have to help her.” I cried to my brother about my pain, failing to notice his face turning green with jealousy. It turned out Mia was a student he had personally sponsored. Because of her stunning looks, my brother had pulled strings to get her into film school. Listening to my complaints, his only concern was that the woman he loved was going to be stolen from him. He advised me: “No matter what happens between you and Liam, do not let it affect Mia.” Furious, I confronted Mia, demanding she stay away from my fiancé. I never expected her to cry, slap herself, claim she was sorry, and say she wanted to atone for her sins, all while running out into the street. My brother and Liam quickly chased after her, and I followed them. Mia ran onto the road. When the accident happened, my brother and Liam instantly shielded her with their bodies. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the night before my debut. My brother had immediately notified the staff, changing what was supposed to be my debut press conference into Mia’s. Liam also attended dressed to the nines, just to support Mia. They both felt they owed Mia in our past life and decided to overcompensate her in this one. My heart turned to ash, and I decided to go abroad alone. The night I left home, my brother just thought I was throwing a tantrum, playing the runaway game. He dismissed me entirely, mocking: “The outside world isn’t as gentle as you think. I’ve spoiled you too much; you’re too naive. It’s time you go out and experience some real hardship.” “Only then will you understand how difficult things were for Mia before, and you won’t always try to target her.” That departure lasted for three years. Until today, when I returned as an invited guest, only to run into them. I never expected our reunion to be such an ugly scene. 3 “Liam, Ethan, you’re both here. I feel so much safer with you two.” “This event is so huge, it’s a little overwhelming. I hope I don’t mess up later. Come give me strength!” Wearing a long, trailing black evening gown, Mia still retained a girlish playfulness. She extended her hands, making a “cheer up” gesture toward the two men. Both men’s eyes lit up instantly. Liam, who had just been interrogating me, quickly distanced himself and his voice softened. “You’re already a Best Actress winner, and you still get nervous? Don’t worry, whatever happens, I’m here.” He reached out and placed his hand over Mia’s. “Ethan, what are you spacing out for? Come here!” Called out by name, my brother’s face flushed with an unnatural red, and he stammered. “I’m… I’m here.” The way he looked at Mia was full of undisguised admiration. I remembered in my past life, when I saw he saved Mia’s contact as “Little Flower,” I didn’t understand and asked why he used such a cheesy nickname. He just chuckled and didn’t say anything. But now I understand. Mia was the flower he had carefully nurtured. He watched her grow, bloom, and shine, becoming a dazzling star. His gaze upon her was too blinding; I couldn’t help but look away. Mia seemed not to have noticed me yet. After finishing her little cheer, she kept talking: “Just now backstage, I accidentally twisted my ankle. Thank goodness someone caught me.” She deliberately turned her delicate profile toward the reporters’ cameras. “After thanking him, I found out he was the mysterious investor, Alexander Price from the capital! He even told me… he said I was the first leading lady of his banquet tonight.” She lowered her head shyly, her smile picturesque, drawing a wave of cheers from the crowd. “As expected of our superstar, easily capturing the attention of a capital tycoon! It seems another man is about to fall head over heels for Mia! Now the movie star and the CEO should be worried!” “Exactly! If Mr. Price enters the competition, he’ll effortlessly crush the other two! After all, it’s an international enterprise based in the capital! The scale is much larger than the Vance Group. If Mr. Price makes a move, the entire entertainment industry will tremble.” The onlookers whispered among themselves, while the two men present looked increasingly grim. “Mia, did he do anything else to you? You must keep your eyes open and recognize who truly treats you best.” Liam couldn’t wait to intervene. My brother, Ethan, however, watched lonely from a distance. “I only wish for your happiness.” Leaving that sentence behind, he turned as if to leave. Mia’s eyes fluttered, and she coyly waved her hands. “What are you saying?! You’re all exaggerating! He just helped me with a small favor, how could he randomly fall in love with me?” As she spoke, her gaze suddenly cut through the crowd and landed squarely on me. “It’s just that I heard someone spreading rumors about Mr. Price. He helped me, so I must repay him somehow.” “After all, someone of Mr. Price’s status isn’t someone any random stray cat or dog can latch onto. Chloe, wouldn’t you agree?” 4 Mia strutted over to me triumphantly, the crowd’s cameras following her every step. “Long time no see, Chloe. Ever since you ran away from home three years ago, I’ve been so worried about you. I blamed myself so much. If Liam hadn’t fallen in love with me and broken your heart, you wouldn’t have left without a word. That’s why, for all this time, I never dared accept either of their proposals.” “But it’s fine now. I heard you have a new lover, so I can finally put my mind at ease.” She gave me a playful wink, and a business card slipped from her dress and fell to the floor. She deliberately bent down to pick it up, perfectly displaying the contents of the card. It was Alexander Price’s business card. She looked at the cameras, offering an apologetic smile. “Just now, Mr. Price specifically reminded me to contact him when I have free time to discuss a collaboration.” “Oh, right, Chloe, who did you say you were here as a family member for?” All eyes converged on me, and the crowd suddenly erupted in laughter. “I didn’t expect the slap in the face to come this fast. This woman wanted to act like a big shot, but ended up making a huge fool of herself. Hilarious.” “Exactly! Unless Mr. Price is blind, he’d never look twice at her. How does she compare to our Mia in any way?” “You guys are laughing at the poser, but I’m just feeling bad for Liam and CEO Vance. Having such a powerful rival suddenly appear, I can’t even imagine how devastated they must be!” Meeting Mia’s provocative gaze, I slowly spoke up. “I thought I made myself perfectly clear earlier. I am an invited guest, attending this banquet as the family member of the organizer.” I stared fearlessly into her eyes, and she let out a scoff of disbelief. “Chloe, watch what you say. Tonight’s organizer isn’t some ordinary person you can just claim to be related to.” Liam also stepped forward, looking at me with disgust. “Chloe, I told you long ago, I hate liars the most! Did you think pretending not to care would make me look at you differently? It only makes me despise you more!” My brother, Ethan, tried to persuade me with a look of exasperation: “If you don’t want the Vance family to completely lose face, please just leave right now.” I ignored their mockery and disdain, calmly taking my designated seat. Soon, staff members stepped forward to disperse the crowd. The awards ceremony was about to begin. The host took the stage, and after introducing tonight’s guests, suddenly changed his tone. “Tonight’s awards ceremony features a visit from a very mysterious guest.” In the audience, those in the know had already started cheering. “I believe many of you already know this news. He is our organizer tonight, the tycoon who has never appeared in public, Alexander Price!” Screams almost tore through the venue; everyone was intensely curious about this mysterious tycoon. The host’s tone suddenly shifted again. “However, our Mr. Price has a very peculiar temper. No matter how much I pleaded, he refused to come out.” “When I asked why, I found out that Mr. Price can only be invited out by the future Mrs. Price.” As the host playfully hyped the crowd, an inexplicable chant erupted from the audience. “Mia! Mia!” Soon, many others joined in. “Mr. Price’s unique way of confessing is so romantic!” “Isn’t our Mia the future Mrs. Price?! Love at first sight is so cute!” “Mia! Mia!” The deafening cheers drowned out the host, and no one noticed his slightly awkward expression. “Please, everyone, calm down for a moment!” The host flipped the cue card over and over in his hands, as if repeatedly confirming it. Finally, with a hint of hesitation, he continued. “Next, please welcome the future Mrs. Price, Ms. Chloe Vance, to the stage to give a speech.”

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1 My brother was drugged, and I was forced to unbutton my own shirt. After I got pregnant, our parents told us we weren’t biological siblings and told him to marry me. My brother nodded, then went out street racing that same day and got into a terrible car accident. I didn’t care that both his legs were paralyzed; I was absolutely determined to be his bride. I thought he would be moved by my devotion, and that we would grow old together. On our wedding night, the villa caught fire. When I choked awake from the smoke, my very first thought was to drag him out of the inferno. Instead, he smashed a heavy vase over my head. Right before I lost consciousness, I heard his freezing, emotionless voice. “You and our parents destroyed my true love. I’ve already legally transferred all my assets to Chloe as compensation.” “Since you people ruined my life, you can all burn in hell with me.” … I was jolted awake by my brother, Arthur Sterling’s, agonizing, heavy panting. I opened my eyes to see my familiar old bedroom. There were no red wedding decorations, and there was no suffocating, rolling black smoke. I had been reborn. The sheer shock and overwhelming joy made me dizzy. “Mia, get me a glass of water.” Arthur’s low, raspy voice drifted through the wall from the next room, sending a violent shiver down my spine. I glanced at the watch on my wrist, a cold sweat instantly breaking out across my back. I had been reborn on the exact night my brother was drugged. The sticky, horrifying sensation of blood blinding my eyes from my past life, and the agonizing pain of burning alive, seemed to physically hit me all over again. My immediate instinct was to run. To get as far away from Arthur as possible. Before I could even put my shoes on, he was already standing in my doorway. “Mia, I just called Chloe Sinclair. I need you to drive over and pick her up right now.” Even though the drugs were heavily amplifying his lust, I still caught the distinct, unmistakable look of guarded disgust in his eyes when he looked at me. A terrifying, bold thought suddenly bloomed in my mind. My brother had also been reborn. I nodded frantically, grabbed my car keys, and squeezed past him, practically sprinting out the door. Even as I stepped out the front door of the villa, I could feel the intense discomfort of Arthur’s gaze burning into my back. The address Arthur gave me was an apartment near his company headquarters. So, Arthur and Chloe had moved in together this early on. When he said I ruined his true love, he actually meant it. The second Chloe saw my car, she yanked the passenger door open and slid in. “How is your brother doing right now?!” Chloe looked incredibly anxious, but I couldn’t tell if it was just my imagination or if there was a hidden, eager thrill of getting exactly what she wanted dancing in her eyes. “You’ll see when we get there.” I had zero desire to make small talk with Chloe. Not because I was jealous, but because neither my mother nor I had ever liked her. Chloe was an impoverished student whose education was sponsored by my family. Initially, my parents adored Chloe because she was incredibly hardworking, driven, and had phenomenal grades. She was the top scorer in her entire city’s college entrance exams. My parents personally drove her to the capital to start university. My mother was especially happy. Since Chloe was a year ahead of me and had exceptional grades, she could tutor me during my crucial senior year of high school. She was incredibly responsible with me. Every week after our tutoring session, she would give my father a highly detailed progress report. Even after I explicitly told her that my mother was the one managing my academics, she completely ignored me and kept reporting directly to my father. I always felt her eyes radiated a calculating, manipulative shrewdness, but at the time, I just assumed I was being overly sensitive. Until one night, she called my dad, sobbing hysterically that a drunk man was harassing her. When my dad rushed to the scene, she threw herself directly into his arms. My dad was so terrified he threw his hands up in the air, his face turning a sickly shade of green. My mother, who had just parked the car and arrived at the exact same moment, saw the entire thing. Chloe sobbed pathetically, claiming she viewed my dad as a father figure and was just so terrified that she reacted instinctively. My parents verbally comforted her, but after that incident, she was never allowed inside our house again, and my dad never personally handled any of her issues. After graduating college, she wanted to study abroad. She showed up at our house with a basket of fruit, looking incredibly pitiful, and begged my parents for a massive loan. My mother wasn’t stingy. She had her secretary wire Chloe fifty thousand dollars. Right before Chloe left, she came to say goodbye and ran straight into my brother, who had just returned from completing his master’s degree overseas. The very next day, Chloe returned the fifty thousand dollars to my mother. She claimed she had an epiphany: a person should be grounded and practical. She decided to work first and earn her own money to fund her studies abroad. My brother, who was just leaving the house at the time, looked at the plainly dressed but incredibly resolute Chloe. His eyes were entirely filled with deep admiration. 2 A month later, Chloe officially joined our family’s corporation and became my brother’s personal secretary. I warned my brother that Chloe had ulterior motives and was intentionally targeting him. “Mia, not everyone’s brain is completely consumed by childish romance like yours.” Yet, within a year, he moved Chloe directly into his private apartment. I drove like a maniac the entire way. Chloe gripped the “oh shit” handle with a death grip. “Mia, I know you’re upset, but please consider our physical safety!” When Chloe rushed into the villa, I didn’t follow her. Instead, I just sat in the car, zoning out completely. I knew exactly what was about to happen between my brother and Chloe better than anyone. I wasn’t jealous. My horrific, agonizing death in my past life—and the fact that my parents were dragged down to a miserable end because of me—made me realize with absolute clarity that my love for my brother was nothing but lethal poison to him. And the comment Chloe made in the car just now completely validated that brutal truth. “Mia, he’s your brother. Your twisted, disgusting obsession with him is what drove him to flee the country to study in the first place. Now that he has me, you need to give up.” So Arthur had known for a very long time that I was in love with him. He went abroad to study entirely to escape me. If I had known that sooner, in my past life, when I handed him that glass of water and saw him suffering so agonizingly, I never would have unbuttoned my own shirt. Before getting out of the car, Chloe threw one last sentence at me. “You’re a grown woman now. It’s time you found someone appropriate to date and marry.” She was probably terrified I would keep obsessing over Arthur. Don’t worry. I have absolutely zero lingering fantasies about Arthur Sterling. I sat in the car for the entire night. It wasn’t until dawn broke that I finally opened the front door and went upstairs. Arthur, wearing a bathrobe, was walking out of his bedroom. “Where the hell were you last night?” His neck was covered in undeniable, dark hickeys, and his voice was thick, raspy, and languid. “I went to hang out with Lily.” Lily was my best friend; Arthur had met her before. The fact that he still possessed the mental bandwidth to casually ask about my whereabouts made me feel a surge of relief. Maybe he had finally let go of his resentment, and we could cleanly revert back to a normal sibling dynamic. “I know you look down on Chloe’s background and think she’s poor, but let me make this incredibly clear: she is the woman I am absolutely going to marry. Show her some respect from now on.” When did I ever look down on her background? I couldn’t stop a genuinely confused frown from crossing my face. “Wipe that arrogant, superior look off your face. She literally sacrificed herself to clean up the catastrophic mess you caused.” I was even more confused now. “What are you talking about?” Arthur’s patience evaporated. “Are you honestly going to stand there and deny you spiked my drink last night?! Do you have any idea how pure and innocent Chloe is?! She wanted to wait until our wedding night to give herself to me, and you ruined everything!” “I didn’t do it!” I yelled back defensively. Yes, I had been in love with Arthur for years, but I would never, ever resort to such cheap, disgusting, underhanded tactics. “Chloe and I went out for dinner, came straight home, and the only thing I drank was the glass of milk you left on my nightstand! If it wasn’t you, who the hell was it?!” In my past life, I always wondered why my brother never investigated who drugged him. I always assumed he fell for a trap at some business dinner and was too ashamed to bring it up. It turned out he believed I was the one who drugged him. No wonder he hated me so intensely. Hated me so much that he dragged the very parents who gave us their blessing down to hell with him. Hated me so much that he refused to even let the six-month-old child growing inside me take a single breath in this world. My heart tasted like bitter ash, and my eyes burned. “Believe whatever you want, but I am telling you, it absolutely was not me.” Right at that moment, Arthur’s bedroom door cracked open. Chloe, wearing one of Arthur’s oversized dress shirts, peeked out like a terrified, fragile little rabbit. “Arthur, is Mia mad at me?” Arthur shot me a look loaded with intense warning. “Mia would never be mad at you. She’s going to offer us her full blessing.” “You’re absolutely right, brother. Sister-in-law.” I forced a bright smile onto my face. “You saved him. I’ll advocate for you both and convince Mom and Dad to agree to the wedding.” A flash of barely concealed triumph crossed Chloe’s face, while Arthur looked at me with intense, analytical suspicion. What was there to be suspicious about? He was literally willing to die for her. Even if I knew she was a manipulative snake, I absolutely refused to let my parents risk even a single hair on their heads. “Please don’t put Uncle and Auntie in a difficult position. I know I’m not worthy of Arthur. I just want to stay by his side.” Ah, so Arthur has a fetish for manipulative ‘green tea’ victims. No wonder he never loved me. 3 Arthur wrapped his arms around her, looking incredibly heartbroken for her. When he wasn’t looking, Chloe shot me a look of absolute, smug victory. “Mia, my clothes got… torn by your brother. Could I borrow an outfit from you?” Chloe asked with manufactured shyness. “Didn’t I buy you a dress last month? I haven’t seen you wear it once. Since you clearly don’t like it, just give it to Chloe.” That was the dress he bought me for my birthday. Did I not like it? He knew perfectly well I treasured it too much to actually wear it. He was actually taking back the gift he gave me. My heart gave an involuntary, painful squeeze, but it settled almost immediately. Chloe put on my dress and did a beautiful, dramatic twirl. Completely ignoring my presence, she threw her arms around Arthur, acting incredibly coquettish as she asked him if she looked pretty. But none of this triggered me anymore. This time around, my only goal was for my parents and me to stay alive and well. My parents were on a two-week vacation. The very first day they returned, Arthur aggressively and impatiently announced his intention to marry Chloe. When I walked through the front door, the floor was covered in the shattered remains of my father’s teacup. My mother’s face was dark as she rubbed my father’s back to calm him down. Arthur sat directly across from them, his face completely devoid of emotion. “Mom! Dad!” I ran over and threw myself into their arms, fighting with everything I had to hold back my tears. Their expressions instantly softened into absolute warmth and tenderness. “Why are you still acting like such a little kid? You’re all grown up and still throwing yourself at us like this.” My dad affectionately ruffled my hair, and my mom pulled me down onto the sofa next to her. “Your brother wants to marry Secretary Sinclair. What do you think, Mia?” My dad had always favored me, and Arthur immediately shot me a look that was utterly devoid of warmth. “I think it’s wonderful. Chloe and Arthur are a perfect match.” My mom’s brow furrowed deeply. “Do you honestly believe that?” “Mom, Arthur is 26 years old. He has the right to choose his own happiness. All we need to do is support him.” What was the point of not supporting him? We couldn’t stop him anyway. Seeing that my parents still refused to relent… “It doesn’t matter if you like Chloe or not. Arthur likes her. After he gets married, we can just live separately. I’m going to stay with you and Dad forever.” My words visibly softened their expressions. I quickly shot Arthur a pointed look. This was our unspoken, childhood routine. Whenever Arthur wanted to do something my parents disapproved of, it was my job to butter them up and put them in a good mood before he asked. “Mom, Dad, after Chloe and I get married, we will be incredibly filial to you. I am begging you, please agree to this marriage.” Seeing Arthur drop solemnly to his knees, I piled on the persuasion as hard as I could. Realizing there was no room for negotiation, my parents finally nodded and agreed. Arthur got exactly what he wanted—he was going to marry Chloe. The tragedy of my past life definitely wouldn’t repeat itself this time. I slowly uncurled my tightly clenched fists. After my parents went to their room to rest, I went back to my own bedroom. I had just opened my diary, preparing to write, when the door suddenly swung open from the outside. I looked up. It was Arthur. He glanced at my notebook, his face instantly turning a dark, furious shade of green. I had barely stood up when his hand shot out and clamped violently around my neck. “Mia, are you writing down all your filthy, disgusting fantasies about me again?!” His hand was massive, and as his grip tightened, I felt like I was suffocating. “What the hell are you talking about?!” I struggled to force out a few syllables. Arthur snatched my diary off the desk. “When you were a teenager, didn’t you use a diary exactly like this to document your sick, incestuous obsession with me?!” So he really had read my diary. What right did he have to violate my privacy like that?! A mixture of absolute fury and profound injustice exploded in my chest. I used all my strength to violently pry his fingers off my throat. I snatched the diary back and slammed it hard against his chest. “What exactly is your problem?! I gave you and her my full blessing, isn’t that enough?!” “Yes, I used to have feelings for you, and that was my mistake! But I absolutely do not like you anymore! What more do you fucking want from me?!” I rarely ever lost my temper with him. He looked completely stunned. “You love reading my diary so much? Then look at it! I did write about a man in here, but it absolutely isn’t you!” With that, I shoved past him and sprinted out of the house. Sitting in the coffee shop with Lily, she was vibrating with absolute excitement. “Did you really agree to date my brother?! Are you actually going to be my sister-in-law?!” In her overwhelming joy, her voice spiked, drawing stares from the other tables. I quickly reached over and clamped my hand over her mouth. “I… randomly ran into him a couple of days ago, and we just really hit it off.” My face felt incredibly hot. Lily excitedly rubbed her hands together. 4 “Confess right now! My brother asked you out six months ago and you rejected him! How did you guys hook up again?!” Lily’s older brother, Julian Thorne, had indeed confessed his feelings for me six months ago. At the time, my entire universe revolved around Arthur, so I rejected him. After being reborn and desperately trying to fix my mistakes, Chloe and Arthur started aggressively flaunting their relationship in my house every single day. Chloe took every available opportunity to aggressively mark her territory and assert her dominance over him. Even though I backed down completely and repeatedly swore I had absolutely zero interest in Arthur, it didn’t matter. I had no choice. I had to avoid them. Feeling incredibly depressed, I went to a bar to drink. After downing a few too many and feeling incredibly dizzy, a random guy cornered me outside the restrooms and tried to get handsy. I was terrified, tears springing to my eyes, when Julian suddenly appeared out of nowhere. He threw a single, brutal punch that dropped the guy to the floor, completely unconscious. When Julian pulled a literal handkerchief out of his pocket to wipe my tears, I couldn’t stop myself from bursting into laughter. “Julian Thorne, are you an ancient relic? Who even carries a handkerchief anymore?” He helplessly shook the expensive piece of plaid fabric. “Do you have any idea how much this tiny square of fabric costs?” “I don’t care how much it costs, it’s definitely not as convenient as a tissue.” He nodded in reluctant agreement and tossed the outrageously expensive handkerchief straight into the trash can. “Whatever Mia says, goes.” Lily always complained that her brother wasn’t as aloof and aristocratic as my brother. She said he acted like a cynical, irresponsible playboy. But that “irresponsible playboy” had become a terrifying, ruthless titan in the city’s business world. Since taking over the Thorne family corporation three years ago, he had nearly doubled its market value. A tiny handkerchief instantly bridged the gap between us. Whenever I was in a bad mood, I would text him, and he always managed to say something incredibly bizarre and weird that hit my exact sense of humor perfectly. Since being reborn, the only times I actually felt completely relaxed were when I was texting Julian. “I thought elite CEOs were supposed to be swamped with work. How do you have the time to text me all day long?” Julian replied almost instantly. “Because it’s you on the other end, and I absolutely refuse to make you wait a single second. I’ve basically had my phone glued to my hand 24/7 for the past few weeks.” Is this what it feels like to be loved? Arthur never, ever made me feel this way. This time, I wanted to experience what it actually felt like to be loved. I agreed to give it a shot with Julian. I’ve kept a diary since I was a little girl. Lately, the man filling its pages was him. I had no idea if Arthur had actually read it, but the next time I went home, the diary was sitting perfectly aligned on my desk. Arthur hadn’t been home for days, so I took the opportunity to finally tell my parents about me and the Thorne family heir. I held their hands and made them promise that they would always live with me. My parents smiled and nodded, treating me like a child. I didn’t care; they nodded, which meant they were officially bound to stay by my side. That evening, Arthur brought Chloe home for dinner. Dressed head-to-toe in luxury brands, she actually managed to project a decent aura of high society elegance. At the dinner table, my parents weren’t exactly thrilled, but thankfully, they didn’t make a scene. After dinner, we all sat together in the living room. “Arthur, Chloe. We absolutely do not oppose your marriage, but there are a few fundamental things we need to establish upfront.” Arthur had been occasionally glancing at me all evening, his eyes carrying an unreadable, deeply uncomfortable weight. Chloe sat perfectly straight, her eyes practically shining as she stared at my father. “Arthur is getting married, and Mia has a serious boyfriend now too. To avoid any future conflicts, I am telling you both right now: regardless of who is getting married or moving out, our family’s assets will be split exactly 50/50 between the two of you.” Before Arthur could even open his mouth, Chloe blurted out: “That’s completely unreasonable! Mia is a daughter; she’s going to marry into another family! Giving her half is literally just handing your wealth over to outsiders!” My mother hadn’t looked Chloe in the eye the entire night. “You haven’t even married into this family yet, and you’re already trying to dictate our finances? Don’t you think you’re getting a little ahead of yourself?” I looked at Arthur. He looked back at me, the corners of his mouth suddenly curling up into a smirk. “Mia, is your new boyfriend only with you because he’s after our family’s money?” He pulled Chloe into his side. “I agree. Splitting it 50/50 is completely unreasonable.” Chloe leaned heavily into Arthur’s chest. “Mia is just an adopted daughter. Honestly, I wouldn’t mind supporting her financially for the rest of her life. She can just find a random guy to marry and they can both keep living here.” My parents’ faces turned terrifyingly dark. Looking closely, I could see my father’s shoulders trembling slightly. “Who the hell told you Mia was adopted?! You are the one who was adopted!”

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My high school nemesis, Lucas Vance, became my younger brother’s direct supervisor. He recognized my brother and frequently asked him about me, both intentionally and unintentionally. My brother knew perfectly well that Lucas and I hated each other’s guts back in school. To avoid getting caught in the crossfire and facing Lucas’s wrath, my idiot brother panicked and told him I died in a car crash. That entire day, Lucas took the elevator to the wrong floors, burned himself pouring hot water, and stapled his own hand. He practically had “distracted and terrified” stamped on his forehead. My brother saw right through it. “Sis, he’s just scared you’re gonna haunt him tonight.” Yet, that very night, a message from him popped up on my long-abandoned Facebook account. [If there’s a next life, I will definitely tell you I love you sooner.] Me: “?” Is he insane? 1 When Leo got home from work, he was holding my favorite strawberry shortcake. Seeing me mopping the floor, he eagerly rushed over. “Sis, let your little bro handle this. You rest.” He snatched the mop from my hands and started vigorously mopping the floor. He hadn’t even taken off his briefcase yet. I leaned against the wall, eyeing him suspiciously. After he finished mopping, panting heavily, and put the mop away, I dashed forward and put him in a headlock. “Tell me the truth, kid. What kind of lies have you been feeding Lucas about me now?” Leo patted my arm, his eyes rolling back. “Let go, Sis, let go first.” I released him. Leo took a massive gasp of air. Then, under my intense glare, he dropped to his knees with a loud thud. I jumped, startled. Just as I was about to speak, I heard his incredibly soft voice: “Sis, for the sake of your brother’s future career, could you maybe… die for a little bit?” Me: “?” Leo’s direct supervisor, Lucas Vance, was my high school classmate. But not just any classmate. We were sworn enemies, completely incompatible. We couldn’t stand the sight of each other. In high school, we had a minor argument every three days and a major blowout every five. Everyone knew it. Leo looks a lot like me, and since he’s only a year younger, we went to the same high school. He came to find me for lunch every day, so most of my classmates had seen him at some point. Therefore, the moment Lucas was transferred from headquarters, he recognized him immediately. He constantly asked Leo about me. Even though I explicitly forbade Leo from revealing a single detail. But my idiot brother let everything go in one ear and out the other. To suck up to his boss, he sold me out a long time ago. And over time, he figured out a pattern. Lucas and I didn’t get along, so naturally, hearing that I was doing poorly would put him in a good mood. The last time I caught him, I overheard Leo talking to Lucas on the phone. He thought I wasn’t home and had him on speaker. “My sister has been in a terrible mood lately.” Lucas’s interest peaked. “Oh? What happened?” “Ah, it’s hard to say, but it’s you, Lucas, you’re not an outsider.” Leo feigned hesitation, then let out a long sigh. “My sister broke up with her boyfriend.” The other end was silent for a few seconds. His tone couldn’t hide his curiosity. “Oh? How did that happen?” “My sister has terrible taste in men. The guy she was dating was absolute trash. They hadn’t even been together a month, and he cheated on her. She caught him in bed…” He really knew how to spin a tale. When I pushed the door open and glared at him, he still had a smug look on his face. The result was entirely predictable: I beat him so badly he couldn’t get out of bed. So this time, the moment I saw Leo’s sycophantic behavior, I knew he had definitely done something to wrong me. Under my relentless interrogation. Leo’s head almost touched the floor. “Sis, my brain short-circuited… I said you died… in a car crash.” Pfft— I spat out a mouthful of water. My eyes went wide as I turned to look at him. Leo scrambled two meters away. “Sis, I’m sorry! But don’t get mad yet! There are two sides to every story! Lucas thinks you’re dead, so he won’t ever ask me about you again! And…” His eyes darted around. “Maybe in the dead of night, he’ll feel so guilty about bullying you that he’ll slap himself!” I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. Lucas? If he didn’t pop champagne at midnight to celebrate, it would be a miracle. 2 In high school, Lucas and I were the perfect storm: I was the tomboyish troublemaker, and he was the fist-swinging school bully. My feud with Lucas started on the very first day of freshman year. Back then, I had short hair, wore the unisex school uniform, had a slightly deep voice, and an overly energetic personality. I was popular with both the guys and the girls. But sometimes, being too energetic can make you seem like a… well, a real creep. On the way to the cafeteria, I spotted my childhood best friend. Without thinking, I sneaked up behind her and smacked her butt. My friend let out a startled yelp. She turned around to look at me, but before she could say a word, I was violently kicked to the ground by a flying foot. A guy stood over me, looking down with pure disgust. “Where did this little pervert come from? Disgusting.” I lay on the ground, completely stunned. My friend stood nearby, frozen in shock. Two seconds later, I snapped back to reality, jumped up, and kicked the guy hard in the leg. “Are you insane?!” The guy instinctively started defending himself and fighting back. We started brawling, and my friend couldn’t even pull us apart. And so, on the very first day of school, Lucas and I became famous. Because it was lunchtime, there was a huge crowd, and the incident had a terrible impact. We were forced to make a public apology at the first school-wide assembly. That day, two new names were added to the disciplinary record book for the new semester at Skyline High: Lucas Vance and Chloe Price. For the next three years, we had countless arguments and tried to trip each other up countless times. If he didn’t pour vinegar in my water bottle, I’d put a fake cockroach in his textbook. I made friends with everyone Lucas hated. When Lucas played in basketball games, I brought a megaphone to cheer wildly for his opponents. Though harmless, it was incredibly annoying. He and I were like two opposing magnets; the moment we got close, there was a violent clash. All these years later, that reaction hadn’t weakened one bit. Otherwise, Lucas wouldn’t be constantly asking Leo about me. Hearing that I was unlucky or doing poorly probably made him eat an extra bowl of rice that day. Well, this is just perfect. Leo told him I was dead. I took two deep breaths, forcing myself to calm down. Furious, I demanded, “And that idiot actually believed you?!” From what I knew, Lucas wasn’t easily fooled. “He didn’t believe me at first.” Leo didn’t quite dare to look at me. “But you know that family in the building next to ours is having a funeral, right? When I was at work today, I heard the mourning music, got a little sentimental, and posted a status update…” I froze, grabbing my phone to check. His latest status update: [Life is unpredictable. May the departed rest in peace. 🕯️] I laughed out of sheer anger. Talk about perfect timing and location. Exhausted, I asked my final question. “Is that bastard gloating right now?” “Actually, no.” Leo perked up, leaning in closer. “On the contrary, Lucas has been acting really weird all day.” “He had a meeting this morning, got in the elevator, hit the top floor, then went from the top floor down to the basement. He was totally spacing out.” “During his lunch break, he burned himself in the breakroom. He poured boiling hot water right onto his hand without even blinking.” “This afternoon, while organizing files, he stapled his own hand.” “Tsk, tsk, tsk. He basically has ‘distracted and terrified’ stamped on his forehead.” I was surprised. “Because of me?” “Most likely.” Well, that was truly bizarre. My death hit him that hard? Leo thought for a moment, then slapped his thigh. “I got it, Sis!” I gave him a side-eye. Leo: “Lucas is definitely scared! He’s afraid that now you’re dead, you’ll turn into a vengeful ghost and come after him!” My temple throbbed. Unable to hold back any longer, I smacked him upside the head. “Get lost!” 3 After giving Leo a good scolding, I went back to my room. Maybe it was because Lucas’s name had been brought up so many times today. The moment I lay down on my bed, my mind uncontrollably started replaying my high school years. But for some reason, almost all the memories I could recall prominently featured Lucas. Undeniably, he truly left a “heavy, colorful stroke” on my high school life. But there was a brief period when our relationship actually softened. It was the second semester of our junior year. Our homeroom teacher, Mr. Yang, was diagnosed with cancer and was in his second week of hospitalization. While I was getting some fresh air on the roof, I heard a group of guys smoking and chatting in the corner. “Did you hear? Old Yang has terminal cancer.” “Really?” His tone was gleeful. “Serves him right!” “He confiscated three of my phones! He even called my parents to complain, and I got the beating of a lifetime!” “Exactly, he’s done so much petty, annoying crap, he finally got his karma.” “I hope he dies soon, I can’t wait.” My face darkened, and I started walking toward them. Mr. Yang was strict, but he was a genuinely good teacher. He would use his own money to buy school supplies for students struggling financially. When a student was facing domestic abuse, he did home visits every single day for a month to protect them. On snowy winter mornings, he was always the first to arrive at school, turning on the heat in the classrooms, and clearing the snow from the hallways by himself… So, a good teacher like him shouldn’t be cursed so viciously. But before I could even reach them, I heard a scream. Rounding the corner, I saw the guys brawling. Lucas was taking on three of them by himself, and he was clearly winning. He shoved a filthy, stinking rag into one of the guys’ mouths. “Your mouth is so dirty, I’m cleaning it for you!” Right. Lucas was one of the underprivileged students Mr. Yang had sponsored. The commotion eventually drew the attention of nearby teachers. There were no security cameras on the roof, so as a witness, I was called to the office too. The guys’ faces were bruised and swollen. I stared quietly at Lucas for a few seconds, then raised my hand and pointed at the others. “Teachers, they started it, and they were insulting Mr. Yang.” Lucas looked up in shock. I didn’t meet his gaze. Because I was terrible at lying, my hands were shaking nervously behind my back. Lucas couldn’t help it; he let out a laugh. For a long time after that, our relationship was actually okay. At most, we’d exchange a few sarcastic remarks when we saw each other. It was practically harmonious. But later, our relationship deteriorated rapidly again… Ding-dong. A sudden notification sound pulled me from my thoughts. I picked up my phone to check. It was a Facebook notification. [You haven’t been here in a while! Come see who sent you a message!] I froze, and as if possessed, I clicked on it. I hadn’t used Facebook in a long time. Most of my friends on there were from middle and high school. After refreshing for a few seconds, a flood of messages popped up. Over the years, quite a few classmates had actually sent me messages. Most were generic holiday greetings, with a few scattered ones asking how I was doing. I scrolled through, picking a few to reply to. Just as I was about to exit, a red notification dot suddenly appeared at the very top. I froze. Who is sending me a message right now? I scrolled to the top, and Lucas’s name jumped out. The message he sent… was a little creepy. [If there’s a next life, I will definitely tell you I love you sooner.] I let out a shriek and practically threw my phone across the room. Either my phone was possessed, or Lucas had suffered a traumatic brain injury! What kind of garbage is he sending?! Still shaken, I grabbed my phone again. I clicked into the chat, frowning and thinking hard for a long time. Then, it hit me. He probably still doubted Leo’s story, so he decided to use this disgusting, cheesy line to test if I was really dead. Realizing this, I couldn’t be bothered to reply to him. 4 I scrolled on my phone for a bit and was just about to go wash up when Leo sprinted out of his room. He slid on his knees right in front of me. “Sis, save me!” I stared at him blankly. “Lucas said he wants to come over to our house and pay his final respects to you.” I continued to stare blankly. “Sis, could you please hide for a bit? Just help me get through tonight! My probation evaluation is the day after tomorrow! Once I’m a permanent employee, I’ll clarify everything immediately, I promise!” I sneered. “What does that have to do with me?” “Clean up your own mess.” With that, I turned and headed for the bathroom. Leo lunged forward and hugged my leg. “Sis, I’ll buy you the newest tablet and phone! And that trip to Hawaii you’ve been wanting? I’ll book it for you!” He said those words as if his heart was physically breaking. I stopped walking and looked down at him. Three seconds later, I crouched down and affectionately patted his head. “Why didn’t you say so earlier? Look at this misunderstanding.” “Get up, the floor is cold.” “Tell me, where do you want your sister to hide?” “The toilet? The rice cooker?” Leo’s mouth twitched, clearly shocked by how fast my attitude changed. He pointed to my bedroom. “Just don’t come out.” “You got it.” I walked into my room, put my phone on silent, and started playing games. Half an hour later, there was a knock at the front door. I paused my game, crept out of bed, and pressed my ear against the door to eavesdrop. Who could resist being curious? Certainly not me. “Lucas, you’re here.” “Yeah.” Lucas’s voice was deep. “Leo, your sister…” Leo: “We already shipped her back to our hometown.” Even though I knew he was lying, hearing it still felt incredibly weird. I clenched my fists and kept listening. “My condolences.” “I know, Lucas. Time heals all wounds.” The two of them sat outside chatting, their voices dropping low. I couldn’t really hear what they were saying. “Your sister’s… photo…” “In her room… afraid it would trigger bad memories…” What are they saying?! Mumble, mumble, mumble. A surge of inexplicable annoyance flared up inside me. Just then, there was another knock at the door. Leo paused, then got up to answer it. “Hello, delivery.” Leo went to the door to get the package. But why did I hear… another set of footsteps heading straight for my bedroom? I panicked and instinctively started looking for a place to hide. The closet? No room. Under the bed? Couldn’t squeeze in. I looked at the wide-open window, my eyes narrowing in determination. When Leo returned with the package and saw what was happening, his soul almost left his body. He sprinted over at record speed and grabbed Lucas’s arm, his voice trembling. “Lucas, what are you doing?” Lucas already had one hand on the bedroom doorknob. His voice was heavy, carrying a faint sadness. “You said her memorial photo was in her bedroom. I just wanted to see her.” As he spoke, he turned to look inside the room. The light was still on. Leo said stiffly, “My sister was afraid of the dark.” “You’re very thoughtful.” Lucas walked in naturally. “Oh my, why is this window still open?” Leo said as he walked briskly to the window. He made a show of closing it, leaned out, looked down, and instantly gasped. I was crouching on the small balcony outside, mouthing words to him. [Get him out of here!] Leo slammed the window shut. He turned and pushed Lucas’s shoulder. “Lucas, let’s go back out. Being in here really makes me want to cry.” “I didn’t see your sister’s photo.” “The photo editors made her look too ugly, so I sent it back to be redone. I forgot.” “…Is that so?” “Yeah!” Click. The door was shut. I waited quietly for a few seconds, then pushed myself up on the windowsill and agilely flipped back into the room. After graduating high school, I went to the police academy. Now, I’m a police officer. I never stop training, which is the only reason I have this kind of agility. I was supposed to be on vacation for a few days, but then this ridiculous mess happened. Lucas didn’t stay much longer. After he left, Leo knocked on my door. I threw the door open, but before I could start yelling, he shoved his phone in my face. “Sis, I’ve already picked out the newest phone model. You just need to choose a color.”

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I picked up a deaf boyfriend. I lied to him, saying I worked three jobs a day just to pay for his medical treatment. In reality, I’d just wander around outside all day before coming home. After all, I was only in it for his body. There was no need to actually exhaust myself. One day, at an exclusive club, I unexpectedly saw him sitting in a private VIP room. My pitiful little puppy had suddenly transformed into an aloof, wealthy young master. Someone asked him how much longer he was going to keep up the act. He smiled carelessly. “Once Mia gets back to the States, she’ll naturally have to disappear.” “Worst case, I’ll just throw her a few million as compensation.” Only then did I realize that I was nothing more than a stand-in for his “first love.” Heartbroken, I prepared to turn around and leave. But as I turned, his even more handsome friend sneered at me: “Stop acting. The corners of your mouth are practically touching your ears.” 1 “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I eyed him warily. But secretly, I was admiring the tight, defined muscles visible beneath his black dress shirt. Asher Sterling’s jaw tightened under my gaze, his expression growing even colder. “You probably didn’t expect this, did you? Liam had people reporting your whereabouts so he could go out and play the field.” I gasped. “You…?” The corners of his lips curved up, his clear, sharp eyes tilting upwards with a hint of mockery. “Your so-called ‘working three jobs a day to support the family’ consists of window shopping all morning, lounging in a cafe all afternoon, and then jumping rope for two hours outside before going home?” Cold sweat broke out on my back. He found out about all of that? The persona I maintained in front of Liam was that of a poor, resilient girlfriend who loved him to the bone. Handing out flyers in the morning. Working at a coffee shop in the afternoon. Collecting recycling at night. When I got home, I’d be drenched in sweat, so exhausted I couldn’t lift a single finger. Working myself to death just to scrape together a measly two thousand bucks a month for his “treatment.” Liam ate it up. Not only would he do all the household chores, but he’d also “serve” me at night to help me relax. Damn it. I thought I could keep this fairy-tale life going a little longer. I looked up, testing the waters with Asher. “What do you want?” He leaned in close, his flawless face filling my vision, and let out a low chuckle. “Liam really isn’t a good guy. But I’m not here to judge you, and I won’t tell him.” I snapped out of my daze caused by his overwhelming good looks and swallowed hard. “Then what are you trying to say?” “Chloe Vance. Dump him, date me. If you’re worried, you can take me to get a full physical too.” I was speechless for a long time. “Wait, what’s in it for you?” A smile spilled into Asher’s eyes as he raised an eyebrow. “I’m in it for your looks, your youth, and your talent.” Well, that makes sense. It’s just human nature, after all. 2 The day I picked up Liam, it was raining harder than a monsoon. Historically speaking, randomly picking up men off the street never ends well. But that day, my heart felt like a damp, moldy corner. And it perfectly resonated with Liam’s pitiful aura. After graduating college, I lived alone in the city. My parents tricked me into coming back to our hometown for a “family dinner,” only for me to realize halfway through that it was actually my own engagement party. Sure enough, I never should have harbored any illusions about them. I decisively flipped the table and went scorched earth on everyone. My mom cried and stomped her feet, cursing me for being an ungrateful wretch. My dad was even angrier, running to the kitchen to grab a meat cleaver to threaten me. I just smiled disdainfully. I told them that if they dared touch a single hair on my head, I would absolutely make sure their precious golden boy became a girl. Perhaps they had never seen me act so tough and fearless before. They backed down, told me to get the hell out of their house, and disowned me. After all, in their eyes, I was just a girl with no value other than the bride price I could bring in. I got the hell out immediately. The day I returned to the city, I took Liam in. According to his story, he had a gambling-addicted father and a cowardly mother. At 3:00 AM, he had been kicked out of his house. He claimed he had suffered years of domestic abuse, which resulted in acquired deafness, and needed a massive amount of money for treatment. Honestly, even back then, I thought his story was full of holes. His skin was smooth and refined, without a single callus on his hands. Even though he was wearing cheap clothes from a street stall, they had that distinct “new clothes” smell. Not to mention his looks. With a face like that, where couldn’t he make money? At worst, he was a rich kid down on his luck. But who told him to be exactly my type? It was a classic case of one willing to beat and one willing to take the beating. I half-heartedly agreed to start dating him. The very day we got together, I took him to the hospital for a full physical. That night, I used a flashlight to examine every single inch of his body. Liam’s body was tense. Blushing furiously, he typed on his phone to ask me what I was doing. Checking to see if you have any diseases, obviously. After repeatedly confirming he was clean, I bit his lip. I whispered endless dirty talk into his ear. Anyway, he “couldn’t hear” it. Liam’s body went incredibly stiff, his ears and neck flushing bright red. That night was incredibly wild. A fantastic experience. From then on, it became me working outside and him taking care of the home. I actually had savings, and I had even bought an apartment. I started drawing original comics in college and gradually gained some fame. After a few of them got adapted into shows, I made quite a bit of money. But you shouldn’t flaunt your wealth. I didn’t tell anyone. Even my parents thought I was barely surviving. Liam obviously approached me with some ulterior motive. I just treated it as a transactional exchange. But if he thought I was going to invest more than necessary, he had another thing coming. Anyway, neither of us was exactly a saint. 3 It was late at night by the time I got home. The moment I opened the door, Liam hugged me. He was wearing the loungewear I had bought him. His eyes were red, and he held up his phone for me to see. [Why didn’t you answer my calls? Do you know how worried I was about you?] Covered in exhaustion, I looked up with dead, lifeless eyes and scrutinized him. His expression slowly morphed into confusion. [What’s wrong?] I suppressed my voice, making it sound strained. “Mr. Sterling, are you having fun? How much longer do you plan on lying to me?” “Playing me like a stand-in… it must be really entertaining, right?” Liam froze. [Chloe, did you misunderstand something?] My smile shattered. I looked at him as if I had never truly seen him before. “I saw it with my own two eyes at the club today. Are you still going to lie to me?” After a long time, he took a step back. His expression was complex, his voice slightly hoarse. He instantly transformed from a pitiful puppy back into an aloof, wealthy young master. “…What were you doing at the club?” See? Even at a time like this. His first reaction was to interrogate me. My shoulders slumped in defeat. I pulled a pale yellow envelope from my bag and threw it at his face. “I was trying to earn that thousand bucks for your medical bills! Are you satisfied now?!” The envelope fell to the floor, revealing the red corners of the cash inside. His jaw tightened, his pupils trembling slightly. He looked moved, yet also annoyed. I shoved past his shoulder and headed for my room. Liam grabbed my wrist, his tone freezing over. “I never planned on lying to you forever.” “Right. Once your ‘first love’ comes back, a stand-in like me can naturally just get lost. I understand.” “I will compensate you.” Hearing those words, I violently yanked my hand away. The tears pooled in my eyes fell without warning. “Compensate? Is my genuine love just something you rich people can measure with money?” “Then tell me, Young Master Sterling, how much do you think my devotion is worth?” He lowered his eyes and didn’t say another word. I pointed at the door. “Now, please leave.” After entering my room and locking the door, I instantly dropped the act. I think I played the tragic, innocent victim pretty well just now, right? I wonder if he’ll give me a little extra. Not long after, I heard the sound of the front door closing. He was gone. I hurriedly ran out and, sure enough, found a bank card on the coffee table. Underneath it was a piece of paper. [There’s ten million on the card. Take good care of yourself.] Ten million. A whole ten million! Asher’s call came through with impeccable timing. “He’s gone, right? I’m coming over to help you move.” My forehead was covered in imaginary black lines of frustration. “There’s no need to rush, is there?” Asher’s tone was ominous. “You don’t want him to change his mind and take it back, do you?” “Moving right now!” 4 A few days later, holding his physical exam report, I looked a bit dazed. “So… we’re together now?” Asher sat on the sofa reading some documents. He didn’t even look up. “Obviously.” I said quietly, “Shouldn’t we at least get to know each other first? Even Liam and I didn’t move this fast.” “Heh. You call that plastic relationship built on mutual deception ‘getting to know each other’?” “Hey, don’t talk about my sugar daddy like that!” “What do you want to know? I went to college abroad, came back to inherit the family business, had one previous relationship, my private life is clean, and I’ll give you five hundred thousand a month. Any other questions?” I was speechless. “Nope.” I could have just taken the ten million and run. But Asher is truly the most handsome man I’ve ever seen in real life. My entire life is going to be ruined by the word “lust.” As for why he chose me, a girl with nothing but beauty and talent? I didn’t really care. It was probably just like Liam—some hidden, ulterior motive. Maybe his kink is cucking his best friend? Or maybe he also likes that “first love,” and I’m just a recycled stand-in. But he’s giving me five hundred thousand a month. That’s a million times better than Liam, who I had to subsidize! What more could I ask for? I should just thank the heavens for this gift! Asher stood up. “Then let’s rest. It’s getting late.” He pointed to a room. “Your room is over there.” I instinctively grabbed him, a bit confused. “We’re not sleeping together? A platonic relationship?” The muscles in Asher’s arm instantly tensed. He tried his best to look calm, but his reddening ears betrayed him. “…It’s too fast.” This time, it was my turn to sneer. “Since you know I’m a manga artist, you should know that creators need a proper outlet to relieve stress. “Some people like going to clubs, some people like watching gore movies. I’m different. I like…” As I spoke, my gaze drifted down to his lower abdomen. “Don’t tell me… the reason you haven’t dated in all these years is because…” He suddenly grabbed my wrists and pinned me down onto the soft sofa. “Why don’t you try it and find out?” My gasp was entirely swallowed by him. His scorching body heat roamed over every inch of me. That pure cotton nightgown fell softly to the floor. Just as things were getting heated, the doorbell rang. Liam’s voice came from outside. “Asher, I need to talk to you.”

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Julian Thorne kept thirty “canaries,” and I was one of them. He imprisoned us on a deserted island, his laughter bordering on the psychotic: “Only one of you is my true love. The rest of you must die if you want to live.” Suddenly, a black subtitle floated across my vision: [The short-haired girl in the red dress is his true love.] Instantly, the other girls lunged at her. It seemed everyone had awakened the ability to see these subtitles. I didn’t move. Because… A red subtitle flashed quickly past: [Julian absolutely hates short hair.] Because I was the only one who could see the true subtitles. 1 I woke up to the agonizing jolt of an electric shock. I was lying on the floor of a pristine, white church. Around me, other girls were beginning to stir. I did a quick headcount. Including myself, there were exactly thirty people, and without exception, we were all women. Like me, they were all girls Julian had lured to this island. The church echoed with their screams and sobs, the cacophony sounding particularly terrifying in the dead of night. Suddenly, a string of black subtitles floated before my eyes: [So pitiful. These girls have just been reduced to toys for the psycho male lead.] [If only someone could see the subtitles, I want to help them so badly.] For some reason, the crying gradually subsided. As my senses fully returned, I lowered my head and tried desperately to remember everything that had happened over the past few days. 2 I was an employee at Julian Thorne’s company, and also his secret, unofficial lover. I got involved with him right after graduating from college. The reason was simple: I needed money, and Julian happened to be the wealthiest man in City S—young, loaded, and devastatingly charming. He had a face that women found nearly impossible to resist, so even though I knew perfectly well he had many girlfriends, I really didn’t care. What good is love, anyway? Only money and a pretty face won’t lie to you. I enjoyed everything Julian provided, and within a mere six months, I was promoted to the core, most highly classified project team at Thorne Group. A week ago, the project hit a milestone, and Julian invited me to play on his private island. I was thrilled. Everyone knew the wealthiest man in City S owned an unbelievably luxurious island, rumored to be filled with exotic animals and paved with solid gold. Of course, those were just rumors. The imagination of poor people is pretty limited. Aside from gold, silver, and jade, I couldn’t really fathom what else could be described as “unbelievably luxurious.” I had curiously asked Julian about it, but he just gave me a mysterious smile and said: “You’ll see when you get there.” Filled with overwhelming excitement, I boarded Julian’s private jet three days ago and landed on this island. The moment I stepped off the plane, I was dumbfounded. Because I wasn’t the only woman Julian had brought. Over a dozen stunning women, all with completely different styles, were lined up for the security check. It was quite a spectacle. I recognized the woman standing near the front of the line; she was a beautiful maid who worked at Julian’s mansion. No wonder… Whenever I stayed the night at Julian’s place, she always looked at me with open hostility. It turned out she was also one of his kept canaries. “We can’t even bring our phones? Are we here for a vacation or going to prison?!” A sharp voice rang out from the front of the line. It belonged to a tall woman wearing black pantyhose and hot pants, her arms crossed defensively, looking thoroughly unapproachable. The security staff, however, didn’t flinch. Maintaining a blank expression, one of them gestured back toward the plane and said: “Ma’am, the island has its rules. If you find them unacceptable, you are welcome to go home.” Hearing this, the woman’s arrogant demeanor instantly deflated. Under the scorching sun, her face flushed bright red. Finally, with no other option, she sullenly surrendered her phone and dragged her luggage inside. Seeing this, the other women kept their mouths shut, obediently submitting to the inspection and handing over all communication devices. I stood at the back of the line, my right eyelid twitching violently. A deep sense of unease settled in my stomach. When it was my turn, the staff member repeated the exact same spiel: “Ma’am, if you find this truly unacceptable, you are welcome to take the plane back.” I looked back at the tarmac. After a moment of hesitation, I gritted my teeth and stepped onto the island. But later… I never would have imagined that that was my one and only chance to survive. 3 Desire is the greatest anesthetic. After two days of indulging in a lifestyle of sheer decadence, the girls completely dropped their guard. At last night’s pool party, everyone drank heavily. When I woke up, I was already in this church. Only… I frowned. Where did that electric shock come from? Suddenly, the eerie crackle of static echoed through the room, followed by Julian’s voice, bordering on psychotic glee: “Only one of you is my true love. Kill the rest, and you can live.” The moment Julian finished speaking, a black subtitle floated across my vision: [How do I tell the girls that the short-haired one in the red dress is his true love?] The girls looked at each other, sizing one another up. The next second, every single gaze locked onto the woman in red cowering in the corner. She was deathly pale, hugging herself tightly and trembling as tears streamed down her face like broken pearls. Unfortunately, there would be no pity here. Almost simultaneously, the crowd lunged at her. It seemed everyone present had awakened the ability to see the subtitles. I didn’t move. Because a distinctly different, red subtitle flashed rapidly by: [Julian absolutely hates short hair.] And it seemed I was the only one who could see this red subtitle. Should I believe it? While I hesitated, the black subtitles started scrolling again: [The girl with the pigtails is clearly Julian’s true love!] The two girls in the room sporting pigtails instantly froze. They stared at each other awkwardly, and the others stopped in their tracks as well. A red subtitle immediately followed: [Julian despises women who act overly cute.] I discreetly observed the room, noting that absolutely no one reacted to this red text. At this point, I was certain: I was the only one who could see the red subtitles! My heart pounded in my chest, a thin layer of cold sweat breaking out on my forehead. Could this be… the right answer? “Julian, what you’re doing is illegal. Let everyone go, please?” A woman in an elegant, flowing dress stepped forward. I recognized her. It was Mia, a highly popular, rising star in the entertainment industry. She was Julian’s childhood friend, their lives intertwined for many years. Tears welling in her eyes, Mia gripped her dress and pleaded: “Julian, I know I’m the one you love. I’m willing to quit acting and marry you! Please, don’t drag innocent people into this! Okay?” Wait, did that mean… Mia was Julian’s true love? I exhaled slightly, feeling a wave of relief. Maybe this was all just a sick prank by Julian. We canaries were probably just props in their twisted little roleplay. But the next second, the massive church doors collapsed with a deafening crash. Sunlight poured in, illuminating Mia’s face. Weeping tears of joy, she lifted her skirt and ran toward the light: “Julian, I knew you’d listen to me! I’ll help you ask the others for forgiveness, I…” Before she could finish, a red laser dot settled dead center on her forehead. “No…” I barely had time to utter a single syllable before a deafening BANG echoed through the church. The bullet tore through her left eye. In an instant, blood and gore exploded outward. Mia froze for a microsecond. Half of her skull was gone. Her body instantly lost all tension and crumpled limply to the floor. Warm liquid splattered across my face. The searing heat of the flying shrapnel made me shudder violently, rooted to the spot. A cold, mechanical voice echoed across the island: [Mia eliminated. The game continues.] After a long, suffocating silence, one of the pigtail girls was the first to snap back to reality. She smirked mockingly: “Tch, ‘true love’? Where did she get that confidence?” Hearing that, I felt like I’d been plunged into an ice bath. I looked around the room, numb. The other girls’ eyes were filled with either terror or pure contempt. That’s when I realized there were far more people like the pigtail girl than I thought! They simultaneously rejected the identity of the “true love” while ruthlessly guarding the title against anyone else. Even Mia, who had stepped forward offering to save everyone, couldn’t earn an ounce of their sympathy. “I despise repeating the rules. It makes me feel like… you’re all incredibly stupid. Look closely, this is what happens to stupid people.” “So…” Julian’s tone shifted, becoming aggressively enthusiastic: “My darlings! Show me what you’ve got! Show me your passion! On my island, abandon everything and slaughter to your heart’s content! There’s no time limit, it’s 1 against 29! Oh, wait… it’s 1 against 28 now! Let’s see which side gets wiped out first! Simple, right? Alright, darlings, the first supply drop has been deployed to the church plaza. A friendly tip: there’s only one gun! First come, first served!” Before his voice even faded, the crowd scrambled over Mia’s corpse, frantically rushing outside. Halfway to the door, a red subtitle drifted gently by: [At nine o’clock, the green backpack contains the gun.] I instantly changed direction, but just as I reached for it, a brunette with tight curls beat me to it. She pulled the gun out, laughing maniacally, and swept a murderous glare over everyone in front of her. Shit! I’m the closest to her! I immediately executed a combat roll, tumbling behind her. Snagging a khaki supply bag on my way up, I bolted away from the crowd, diving into the dense woods nearby and sprinting into the depths. Faster! I kept urging myself! Run faster! Behind me, the agonizing sounds of crying, gunshots, and terrified screams pierced the air, endless and horrifying. I gasped for breath, branches tearing at my arms and face, leaving a web of bloody scratches, but I couldn’t afford to care about the pain! I didn’t dare stop for a single second! It wasn’t until the sounds faded into the distance that I finally collapsed against a tree, utterly exhausted. Terror robbed me of my voice. My stomach churned violently, and I couldn’t stop dry heaving, the metallic taste of blood filling my mouth. I wiped the sweat from my face. The sweat-drenched redness on my palm served as a constant, horrifying reminder—just minutes ago, I had witnessed a girl’s head explode. Bzz. Bzz. A tingling sensation crawled up my arm. The sudden vibration from inside my jacket almost made me scream. It was the supply bag. I cautiously scanned my surroundings… This was terrible. The woods looked dense from the outside, but once inside, the trees were spaced too far apart, leaving the area dangerously exposed. Especially in broad daylight; there was nowhere to hide. Calm down. Renee, calm down. No one is coming here right now. I desperately tried to compose myself. Praying silently, I opened the supply bag with trembling hands. Unfortunately, God wasn’t listening. My weapon was a dull knife, barely the size of my palm. The tip wasn’t sharp, and the blade was already chipped. Forget killing someone; I probably couldn’t even cut grass with it. But thankfully! God hadn’t entirely abandoned me! Because the bag also contained a smartphone, a canteen of purified water, two packets of compressed biscuits, and… a coil of rope! For someone hiding in the woods, rope was undeniably the most useful tool. Without hesitation, I secured the supply bag, chose a thick, sturdy tree, and threw the rope over a high branch. Using the momentum, I hoisted myself up into the canopy. Everything has pros and cons. I was hidden up here, but if I were discovered, I’d have no escape route. If they had ranged weapons—even just a handful of sharp rocks—I’d be a sitting duck. Because I had absolutely no way to fight back. A dull knife wouldn’t even let me commit suicide quickly and painlessly. The thought made me laugh bitterly. Bzz. Bzz. Two more vibrations. I pulled out the phone Julian provided. It only had two functions: a map and a chat app. Opening the app, the pinned conversation was a massive group chat titled: “Julian and His Canaries.” Hah. He really does see us as nothing more than toys. I practically ground my teeth to dust, suppressing my rage as I tapped on it. The announcement board showed four more people were dead. Followed by—The game continues! Anxiety and terror surged back into my heart. I licked my dry, cracked lips and gripped the phone tightly. In less than twenty minutes, five people had died! This wasn’t a reality show, and it wasn’t a prank. It was a genuine, brutal Battle Royale! Looking at the grayed-out avatars in the group list, my feelings were incredibly complex. Should I cry for them? It didn’t feel like we were close enough for that. We had merely crossed paths, all knowingly enjoying the benefits provided by the same man. Should I feel relieved? Relieved that I wasn’t the one who died. I clicked on their profiles, enlarging their photos one by one. I realized that the two pigtail girls were among the casualties of that initial bloodbath! It was probably the work of the curly-haired girl, considering she had the only gun. The fact that she didn’t shoot me—the closest person—immediately meant she probably used those bullets to test the validity of the black subtitles. And that gun, exactly as the red subtitle predicted, was in the green backpack at nine o’clock. All of this proved that only the red subtitles were accurate. And I was the only person who could see them. Having a “cheat code” right from the start should have made me optimistic, but feeling the sting of the countless scratches on my body and staring at my pathetic supply bag, I really couldn’t muster any optimism. I pulled out the canteen and stared at it for a long time. 300ml. That wasn’t even enough to cover an adult’s daily hydration needs. Even if my only goal was to avoid dying of thirst, this wouldn’t last me more than a few days. After agonizing over it, I just pressed the spout against my cracked, peeling lips to moisten them, then reluctantly screwed the cap back on. Bzz. Bzz. A new announcement! This time, it wasn’t a death notice! It was a public clue about Julian’s “true love”! [She’s like a fluffy little animal.] Animal? I remembered… Julian once described me as a cat—a black cat in the dead of night. Dangerous, mysterious, and an expert at landing a fatal blow. My eyes darkened at the thought. I immediately opened the phone’s notepad and started organizing all the information I had so far. [Julian hates short hair.] [Julian dislikes women who act overly cute.] [Julian once described her as a fluffy animal.] Uh… how should I put this? These were all incredibly broad, practically useless concepts. [True Love?] I slowly typed a question mark in the notepad. Would the “true love” even know she was the “true love”? Thinking back to three days ago, on the night I arrived, Julian had whispered in my ear: “Baby, you’re the only one I love.” I just brushed it off as him flirting. But now… could that have been a clue he gave me? I was overwhelmed with anxiety, the excessive stress making me nauseous. Honestly, Julian and I were absolutely not some deeply passionate, star-crossed lovers. At best, it was a transactional relationship. He wanted me for my youth and beauty; I wanted him for his money and status. Calling me his “true love” was a ridiculous stretch. But then again, if she really was his true love, why would he make her a target in a death game? Rather than calling her his “true love,” it was more like she was the unlucky bastard who drew the Joker card. In that case, it wasn’t entirely impossible that I was the… ugh… true love. Okay, those two words actually made me sick to my stomach. I decided to refer to the target as “Joker” from now on. Trying to decipher Julian’s thoughts using normal human logic was completely delusional! And searching for the Joker among the remaining twenty-four people was like finding a needle in a haystack. Not just for me, but for everyone else, because none of us knew each other. I could count the people I vaguely recognized, like Mia, on one hand. So, the real question was… did we actually need to know who the Joker was? My answer was—no. Julian’s objective was to make us slaughter each other. He wanted us to show our “passion” and deliver a perfect performance for his entertainment. The absolute best-case scenario of finding the Joker was that slightly fewer people would die. It would also allow the survivors to form an alliance instead of fighting alone. But the cruel reality was, we weren’t just fighting the rules of the game. We were fighting… this incredibly harsh environment! We were stranded in the wilderness with severe supply shortages. Even meeting our most basic physiological needs was nearly impossible! Furthermore, a brutal firefight had already broken out. The fragile balance of trust had been completely shattered. The arrow had left the bow; achieving a mutually beneficial outcome was practically impossible now. Rather than risking everything to find the Joker, it was much safer to simply kill everyone. That was the most secure strategy, and the one both the Joker and the regular players would ultimately choose. What better way to ensure your own survival than shooting anyone you see on sight? Unfortunately, I raised my dull, rusted knife and sighed softly. That “safest route” was completely unavailable to me. Right then, a third announcement popped up in the group chat: [A clue about her identity is hidden at these coordinates.] I clicked on the GPS pin for the clue. My heart instantly seized, terror shooting through me like an electric current. Massive drops of sweat fell onto the screen, blurring the text that clearly read: [Distance from your current location: 800 meters.] 4 It seemed the clue regarding the Joker was hidden right here in these woods. This meant that everyone else was currently en route to my location. Right now, I had two choices. First, I could stay hidden in the tree and pray no one spotted me. Second, I could relocate, abandoning this area as fast as humanly possible. Both options were incredibly dangerous. The red subtitles floated by right on cue: [The True Love has amber eyes.] Reading that, I gritted my teeth and made a third choice. I was going to get that clue! Because… I locked my phone, the dark screen reflecting a pair of amber, almond-shaped eyes. Who the Joker was didn’t matter to me, but if it was me… that changed everything. If this new, localized clue wasn’t just another vague concept, but precisely targeted like the red subtitle… once the others checked the group roster, wouldn’t I instantly become public enemy number one? The announcement was posted two minutes ago. I should still be the closest person to the drop zone. With that thought, I strapped the supply bag to my chest, used the rope to rapidly rappel down from the tree, and sprinted toward the coordinates. When I was a hundred meters away, I spotted the blue box hanging from a tree branch. I was right! I was the first one here! Overjoyed, I picked up the pace! Eighty meters! Fifty meters! Thirty meters! When I was mere feet away, my body went rigid and I slammed on the brakes. A gentle breeze blew, and the leaves a short distance away rustled ominously. Shit… I slowly lowered my head, a profound sense of dread washing over me! I never expected Julian to be this psychotic! I focused all my attention on listening, not daring to move a single muscle, only raising my eyes to look for an opening. Suddenly! An arrow whistled through the air like lightning! With a sickening thwack, it drove straight through my shoulder! Blood erupted from the wound, the coppery scent of iron instantly filling the air. “Haha! Chloe, your aim is slipping!” “What’s the fun in a one-shot kill? The real entertainment is playing with your food!” “Can’t believe someone actually beat us here! And we were just complaining about not having a target to practice on!” I turned my head. Four women were laughing and joking together, looking like they were genuinely enjoying this Battle Royale. I rolled my eyes and shook my head, sighing: “Idiots!” Hearing that, they froze for a second. The woman called Chloe, humiliated and enraged, instantly drew another arrow, aiming to teach me a lesson! But before she could loose it, the ground began to shake! The arrow slipped from Chloe’s grasp! A pack of wolves came surging forward! Over a dozen wolves swarmed them, knocking them to the ground! Amidst the violent tearing and snarling, one of them ripped off Chloe’s left arm. “AHHHHHH!” Her agonizing scream tore through the sky. Ignoring the gaping wound in my shoulder, I gritted my teeth and sprinted toward my objective—the clue box. By the time I grabbed the box, two wolves had already broken away and were chasing me! They were incredibly fast. With a few terrifying snarls, their powerful, razor-sharp claws ripped away half my skirt. Agony crashed over me like a tidal wave, invading every nerve in my body. But I didn’t dare stop! Running entirely on adrenaline, I pushed myself faster and faster! But how… how could a human outrun a wild beast? In mere seconds, they were right on my heels! I glanced back and saw the larger of the two leaping toward me, its jaws opened wide! Now! Judging the distance, I locked my eyes on the nearest sturdy tree and threw my rope with everything I had! Using the momentum, I launched myself into the air! Ignoring the excruciating pain of the impact, I wrapped my arms around another thick branch and scrambled upward, using both hands and feet! Below me, the two wolves kept slamming into the trunk, desperately trying to knock me down! Once I reached a high enough point, I quickly pulled up the rope and lashed myself securely to the tree! At that exact moment, the four women’s location erupted in the horrifying sound of wolves howling! The two wolves below me immediately abandoned my tree and sprinted back toward the commotion! Only then did I finally let out a long, ragged breath! I survived! My clothes were completely soaked in sweat, clinging to my body as if I’d been thrown into a lake. I looked absolutely pathetic. Ultimately… I only escaped the jaws of those wolves thanks to those four women! If they hadn’t drawn the pack’s aggro, there was no way I would have made it out alive. I had no idea if I’d be this lucky next time! Bzz. Bzz. The death announcements arrived exactly on time. But unlike what I expected, only the archer, Chloe, had died from that group. This meant… the other three possessed some serious firepower. Not that it mattered to me anymore. I shook my head, dismissing thoughts of their survival, and opened the clue box I had literally bled for. Inside was a single card that read: [She has a head of flowing black hair.] Combining this with the previous clues: long black hair, amber eyes, and fluffy like a small animal… a mature woman. Speechless, I realized I met every single criteria perfectly! I checked the group roster. There were five other people who fit this description. If you didn’t factor in hair length, over half the remaining girls had black hair. So this clue… wasn’t entirely impossible to share. But… I needed to wait for the perfect moment. Hiss. As I raised my arm, the movement pulled at the wound in my shoulder, making me wince in pain. Once the adrenaline wore off, the agonizing pain became impossible to ignore. Stranded in the wilderness, I had no choice but to pull the arrow out with my bare hands. As I gripped the shaft of the arrow, I let out a self-deprecating laugh. With this level of exposure, hoping to avoid infection was a complete fantasy. Pray. Pray to my God. You’ll protect me… right? I’ll survive this… right? Until I—find you. My consciousness began to slip away, my eyelids growing impossibly heavy. The next second, I pitched forward uncontrollably. Right before I completely blacked out, I thought I… saw… my God waving to me. Wait for me, please. I will survive this! After all… I chose to come here, didn’t I?

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1 At the end of the year, I spent $150 taking a potential business partner out to dinner. When I took the receipt to reimburse it, my boyfriend’s childhood friend, Mia, transferred me exactly $8. I asked her if she had made a mistake. Mia instead pointed a finger at me and started screaming. “Have you no shame?! Two people can get full on eight bucks! You just want to scam the company!” I tried explaining to Mia that this project was worth ten million dollars. I couldn’t take the client to a cheap fast-food joint; otherwise, the negotiation would fail before it even started. But Mia refused to listen. I called my boyfriend, Arthur, down to vouch for me. Arthur glared at me coldly. “Business is about capability. What does a single meal have to do with it? You’ve been using ‘business dinners’ as an excuse to scam the company for years. Don’t push your luck.” The next day, I took a major client out to eat from a street vendor. When the hundred-million-dollar deal fell through, my boyfriend lost his mind. … “Venmo transfer received: $8.00.” Hearing the payment notification on my phone, I looked at Mia. “Mia, did you make a mistake? I spent $150 taking Mr. Davis out to dinner yesterday. Here’s the receipt.” Mia glanced at me, her face full of impatience: “It was just the two of you eating, right?” I nodded. Mia scoffed, her tone dripping with sarcasm: “Then there’s no mistake. Two people can get full on eight bucks. How on earth did you spend $150? You just want to scam the company.” I was speechless, fighting to suppress my anger. “Mia, the project I was discussing with Mr. Davis yesterday is worth over ten million dollars. I can’t even start a negotiation over an eight-dollar meal.” Mia rolled her eyes dismissively. “Excuses, excuses. If you want to steal from the company, just say so. Don’t use business as an excuse. Be grateful I even gave you the eight bucks.” With that, she threw the receipt right in my face and yelled. “Get out! Stop bothering me while I’m working.” I exploded with anger. I pulled out my phone and called my boyfriend, Arthur. Seeing me call Arthur, Mia let out a cold laugh. “Have some shame. Do you really think just because you’re Arthur’s girlfriend you can steal from the company?” I couldn’t be bothered talking to Mia anymore. Arthur was the CEO; he would understand. A few minutes later, Arthur walked into the finance office looking irritated. When he saw me, he immediately started scolding me in a displeased tone. “Chloe, can you stop causing trouble over nothing? Mia is very busy. Why do you have to create problems for her? Why are you always so difficult?” Hearing this, I froze. I never expected Arthur to say something like that. I held up the receipt and the transfer notification for Arthur to see. “How am I causing trouble? I spent $150 taking Mr. Davis to dinner, and she only reimbursed me $8. Not even a fraction of it.” Arthur glanced at Mia. Mia’s eyes instantly filled with tears, and she started sobbing: “Arthur, I don’t know how I offended Chloe. She’s slandering me in front of the whole company. I was just trying to protect the company’s interests! If I’m wrong for doing that, then I should just quit!” Arthur immediately pulled Mia into a comforting hug, speaking to her softly. “Mia, you didn’t do anything wrong. Don’t be sad.” Arthur then grabbed my phone and threw it at my face. My cheek instantly swelled up, burning with pain. Then, he ripped the receipt to shreds and threw the pieces at me. “Chloe, do you really have to be this petty over such a small amount of money? Two people can eat for eight dollars, but you insisted on spending $150. Scamming the company is bad enough, but threatening Mia? Do you have no shame?!” “Stop using business as an excuse. If Mr. Davis chooses to work with us, it’s because of our company’s capabilities, not some dinner. Stop flattering yourself.” Clutching my throbbing face, my heart felt like it was going to explode. I forced down my fury and demanded: “Two people for eight dollars means four dollars per person. Is the company’s new entertainment allowance four dollars per person?!” 2 Arthur frowned, seemingly realizing something wasn’t quite right. Just as he was about to speak, Mia cut in: “What’s wrong with four dollars a person? Don’t you usually spend like ten bucks ordering takeout? Why are you suddenly trying to scam the company? Besides, if a single meal could secure a contract, we should just open a restaurant instead.” Arthur nodded in profound agreement. “Mia is right. We won’t hold you accountable for the past, but from now on, the standard allowance is four dollars per person. Don’t even think about scamming another cent from this company.” My heart turned completely to ice. I smiled coldly and nodded. “Fine. In that case, from now on I will strictly follow company policy. I guarantee I won’t spend a single cent extra.” Arthur nodded in satisfaction. “Chloe, even though you are my girlfriend, you have to separate personal and professional matters. Mia works hard; stop finding reasons to cause trouble for her all day.” I gave a curt reply, indicating I understood. Mia shot me a triumphant, condescending look. I turned and left. That afternoon, Arthur suddenly called me. He said the Sterling Group was considering investing $15 million into one of our projects. Since I had dealt with the Sterling Group before, he wanted me to arrange a dinner and secure the investment at all costs. I agreed. After thinking for a moment, I asked: “How many people total for this dinner?” Arthur paused for a second. “Mr. Sterling, you, and me. Three people total.” I said “Got it” and hung up. Three people. Twelve dollars. What should we eat? I thought of the food trucks down the street next to our office. They had food and drinks. Twelve bucks wouldn’t be enough to get full, but we could scrape by. That evening, I took Arthur and Mr. Sterling to a street-side barbecue stand. I asked the owner for two cheap plastic stools and gestured for them to sit down. “Mr. Sterling, please, have a seat. What would you like to drink? Is cheap beer okay?” Mr. Sterling stood frozen in place, a look of pure disgust on his face. Arthur frantically pulled my arm. “Chloe, what is the meaning of this? Didn’t I tell you to arrange a dinner? How did you arrange this?” I looked at him with innocent eyes. The stall owner happened to bring over three small plates of appetizers, saying they were on the house. I immediately thanked him happily before casually answering Arthur. “Arthur, the allowance is four dollars per person, right? For three people, that’s twelve dollars. This is the best deal in town! The owner even gave us free appetizers!” Mr. Sterling let out a cold laugh. “A fifteen-million-dollar project, and you think it only warrants a street vendor?” Arthur hastily tried to explain that wasn’t the case. I cut him off: “Mr. Sterling, our boss didn’t mean that. He believes that negotiating a project relies on the strength of both companies, not a meal. As long as we get full, it’s fine. Or are you trying to take advantage of our company for a free meal, Mr. Sterling?” Arthur shoved me. “Chloe, stop talking nonsense!” Mr. Sterling, his face dark, delivered his final verdict. “You guys are something else. Don’t worry, I won’t take advantage of your company for a single cent. And our partnership is hereby canceled.” With that, Mr. Sterling turned and stormed off. Arthur desperately tried to explain, but Mr. Sterling got into his car and drove away. Arthur turned to me, furious, and kicked over the folding table. “Chloe, did you do this on purpose?! Do you know how important this partnership is to the company?!” I widened my eyes, the picture of innocence. “But Arthur, I was just following company rules! Didn’t you and Mia say the allowance was four dollars per person? Spending more is scamming the company! Last time, I had to pay the $142 difference out of my own pocket. I learned my lesson this time.” Arthur pointed at me, speechless with rage. He turned on his heel and stormed off. The next morning, as soon as I arrived at the company, I ran into Mia. She glanced at me, speaking with a superior tone: “Chloe, you ruined such a massive project! How do you even have the face to show up here?” 3 I was unbothered. “How did I ruin it? I was clearly just following company regulations. Besides, weren’t you the one who said the allowance was four dollars?” Arthur walked out of his office. Mia instantly put on a pitiful face and ran to hide behind him. “Arthur! I just said a few words to Chloe, and she’s trying to blame the whole thing on me!” Arthur hugged Mia protectively, then threw a termination notice right in my face. “Chloe, you’re fired. You don’t need to come back. Mia will be taking over your position as General Manager.” I let out a laugh. “Fine. But according to my employment contract, you owe me three times my salary as severance.” Arthur agreed immediately, looking down at me arrogantly. “Chloe, did you really think I wouldn’t dare fire you?” I was actually quite surprised. After all, the majority of the company’s active projects were in my hands. Mia clung to Arthur’s arm, looking incredibly smug. “I happened to meet the General Manager of the Vance Corporation. Their multi-billion-dollar Westside project is going to bring our company on board! That one project is worth more than the hundreds of little deals you ever negotiated!” Ah. So he thought I was useless and decided to toss me out. I thought about it for a second. The Vance Corporation… if my memory served me right, that was my grandfather’s company. A few days ago, my grandfather had actually asked me to come work for him, with the intention of having me inherit the company eventually. After Arthur transferred the severance pay to my account, he couldn’t wait to kick me out. “Chloe, as of today, we are broken up. You have absolutely nothing to do with me anymore.” I replied calmly, “Okay.” Arthur didn’t seem too happy that I wasn’t crying and begging him to stay. After leaving the company, I called my grandfather. “Grandpa, I got fired. I want to come work for your company.” My grandfather was so thrilled he couldn’t stop laughing. “Wonderful! The Vice President position happens to be open. Come straight over.” The next day, I packed my things and headed directly to the Vance Corporation headquarters. But right at the entrance, I ran into Arthur and Mia. Arthur looked annoyed the moment he saw me. “Chloe, have you no shame? You stalked us all the way to the Vance Corporation?” Mia also gave me a smug, triumphant look. “Chloe, Arthur already broke up with you. Stop acting so desperate.” I couldn’t be bothered with them and tried to walk straight in, but I was blocked. “Chloe, are you here to cause a scene and sabotage our deal today?” I was completely exasperated. “I’m here for my first day of work.” Arthur and Mia burst out laughing. “Chloe, someone like you? Working at the Vance Corporation? Impossible.” Mia checked the time and pulled Arthur toward the entrance. “Arthur, let’s go inside. I heard the person we’re meeting with today is the Vice President of the Vance Corporation—the future heir to the entire conglomerate!” Arthur nodded. Before walking in, he instructed the security guards: “That woman is a disgruntled ex-employee of our company. She’s here to cause trouble and ruin our meeting. Make sure you don’t let her in.” The guards nodded and blocked my path. I tried to explain, but they wouldn’t listen. I laughed in sheer frustration and went to the coffee shop next door. Let’s see how you negotiate when I’m not even there. Inside the office, an hour passed. Arthur still hadn’t seen the project lead. He asked the manager nervously: “Manager Xu, is the Vice President still not here?” The General Manager checked the time. “The Vice President called me a while ago saying she had arrived. Why isn’t she here yet? Let me call and ask.” When I answered the phone, he asked where I was. “Oh, I’m being blocked and they won’t let me into the building. I’m at the coffee shop next door. Come meet me here.” Ten minutes later, Arthur and Mia appeared before me, sweating profusely. 4 I was leisurely sipping my coffee. Seeing their panicked expressions, I said provocatively: “What a coincidence.” Arthur’s face was dark. Seeing me, his eyes filled with impatience. “We are here to meet the Vice President! What are you doing here? Do you have no dignity left?!” Arthur glanced around the coffee shop. Seeing that I was the only person there, he frowned deeply. “Where is the Vice President? Did she lie to me or something?” Mia grabbed Arthur’s arm, looked at me, and said sarcastically: “The Vice President said she was waiting for us at the coffee shop, and Chloe just happens to be at the coffee shop too. Could it be…” I glanced at Mia. At least she wasn’t completely stupid. But the very next second, Mia said: “Chloe, even if you hate me, you can’t just chase away the Vice President to ruin our deal!” I rolled my eyes so hard it hurt and massaged my temples. Manager Xu and his team, who were standing behind Arthur, finally realized what was happening after looking at the photo the Chairman had sent them. He shoved Arthur aside, rushed up to me, bowed, and shook my hand. “Vice President Vance! I am so sorry! The security guards didn’t recognize you. I will severely reprimand them later!” I stood up and introduced myself. “Hello, Manager Xu. I’m new here; I hope we can work well together.” The manager and his team nodded fervently. Arthur stood frozen in place. Mia stared at me in absolute shock. Arthur’s hand trembled as he stammered: “Is… is there a mistake? How could she be the Vice President?” Manager Xu glared at him. They had clearly seen that Arthur and I didn’t get along, so naturally, they weren’t going to be polite to him now. “The Chairman personally sent me her photo. How could I be mistaken? But more importantly, how dare you speak to the Vice President like that earlier?!” Arthur’s face looked incredibly ugly, but the shock only lasted a few seconds. Then, an expression of extreme excitement overtook his face, and he grabbed my arm. “Chloe! Why didn’t you ever tell me you had connections to the Vance Corporation?! And that you could be the Vice President?!” Mia’s eyes were filled with jealousy and resentment. She offered a strained, fake smile and reached for my arm too. “Exactly, Chloe. Since you had this kind of connection, why didn’t you say anything before? If you had, our company would have gone public ages ago! Why would we have to beg for a meager fifteen-million-dollar project?” Hearing this, I couldn’t help but laugh out of anger. Mia was actually blaming me for not using the Vance Corporation to pull strings for their company! They clearly had no idea how insignificant their company was. They couldn’t even handle the smallest project the Vance Corporation offered! Furthermore, many of the projects I had previously secured for them were only possible because of my own personal network. Otherwise, why would anyone look twice at a tiny company like Arthur’s? Arthur also looked at me with a resentful expression. “Mia is right. Chloe, since you have this connection with the Vance Corporation, why did you never think about helping our company? If the company went public sooner, I could have married you sooner! But it’s not too late. Give this project to our company, and from now on, if there are any good projects, make sure our company gets them first. I won’t hold the past against you.” With that, Arthur practically shoved the contract into my hands, urging me to sign it quickly. I was speechless. I genuinely didn’t know where Arthur got the sheer audacity to say something like that out loud. Seeing me just smile without moving, Arthur grew impatient. “Chloe, hurry up and sign it! I still have to take Mia to lunch! Her stomach is sensitive; she can’t go hungry.” I threw the contract right back in Arthur’s face and looked at them coldly. “If that’s the case, go eat. We won’t be collaborating on this project anyway.” Arthur just thought I was throwing a tantrum. “Chloe, stop being so unreasonable! Mia wasn’t feeling well, which is why I accompanied her. Fine, if you must, you can come eat with us later. Is that enough? Now hurry up and sign the contract!” 5 I was completely exasperated, wondering if Arthur was literally incapable of understanding human language. Thankfully, Manager Xu saw my stance and stepped in front of me to make things clear to Arthur. “Mr. Sterling, I have reviewed your company’s profile. Your company does not meet the requirements to partner with the Vance Corporation. Therefore, this collaboration is canceled.” Mia started to panic. “Manager Xu, how can that be? Secretary Jiang told me previously that our company was perfect for this project.” I frowned, not entirely familiar with this “Secretary Jiang.” Manager Xu quickly turned to me to explain. “Secretary Jiang is the CEO’s secretary, and also his girlfriend.” The CEO… currently, the CEO of the company was my cousin. I pulled out my phone and sent him a text. My cousin replied quickly, telling me to handle it however I saw fit. I put my phone away and laughed. “Manager Xu, tell me. Who decides who gets the company’s projects? The secretary, or me, the Vice President in charge of projects?” Manager Xu shot Arthur a cold glare. “Naturally, you have the final say, Vice President Vance.” I shot Mia a provocative look. “I’m deeply sorry, but your company’s qualifications are pure garbage. You don’t even meet the minimum threshold to work with the Vance Corporation. For the sake of the Vance Corporation’s interests, I must remain strictly professional. Your project is canceled.” Seeing how serious I was, Arthur finally panicked and quickly grabbed my arm. “Chloe, let’s talk this out! Can you stop messing around? This project is incredibly important to our company!” I rolled my eyes at him dismissively. “Important to your company? What the hell does that have to do with me? It’s not my company. I am now the director for the Vance Corporation. I have to prioritize the Vance Corporation’s interests. Understand?” With that, I shoved the stunned Arthur and Mia aside and walked out of the coffee shop. As I walked toward the Vance Corporation building, Arthur ran after me, trying to stop me. I glanced at the security guards and said with a smile: “This man is trying to cause trouble at our company. Stop him, chase him away, or just call the police.” Watching an infuriated Arthur being blocked outside the doors, I felt incredibly satisfied. The next morning, I woke up and was heading to work when, right outside my apartment, I was blocked. I looked at Arthur and massaged my throbbing temples. “Move.” Ignoring me, Arthur held up a cheap bouquet of plastic flowers, blocking my path. “Chloe, I thought about it all night. I realize my mistakes. I neglected you too much before. You’re my girlfriend, but I didn’t take good care of you. I know you’re angry with me because of Mia, but I swear, I have only ever treated her like a little sister! You are the person I love most! If you want to come back, you can return to the company anytime. I would welcome you with open arms.” Hearing this, I burst out laughing. I threw Arthur’s flowers onto the ground and looked at him coldly. “Arthur, who the hell do you think you are? Your pathetic little company can’t even get a foot in the door at the Vance Corporation! Furthermore, we are broken up. If you keep harassing me, I will call the police and file a restraining order.” Arthur’s face turned ugly. “Chloe, stop messing around. We were together for so long! Aside from me, who else would even want you? You desperately chased me to be my girlfriend. I was just being a little nice to Mia! Can’t you just be understanding and stop being so petty? As long as you give this project to our company, you can still be my girlfriend.” I rolled my eyes at him. I truly had no idea who gave him the monumental confidence to think I couldn’t live without him. I pulled out my phone and dialed 911 right in front of him. Seeing me calling the police, Arthur looked embarrassed and ran off. “Chloe, don’t regret this! When the day comes that you’re begging me to marry you, I won’t want you!” Watching Arthur leave, I sighed, unable to comprehend how I ever fell for a guy like him. Arthur and I were together for five years. I was the one who pursued him. During my junior year of college, during the final exams, my physical health wasn’t great. During the 800-meter run for PE class, the combination of low blood sugar and the blazing sun made my vision go black, and I collapsed. When I woke up, the first person I saw was Arthur. He was wearing a faded, much-washed dress shirt, shyly holding out a piece of chocolate to me.

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I was secretly the “kept woman” of the most powerful young tycoon in the capital, too scared to tell my family. But when he insisted on driving me back to my rural hometown for the Lunar New Year, my brother caught us. Panicking, I blurted out that he was just a rideshare driver. My brother scoffed. “You’re full of it. What kind of rideshare app sends a six-million-dollar Rolls-Royce? “He’s your boyfriend, isn’t he? “Tell him to get out here and fight me!” I went silent. And mumbled three little words. “He’s my sugar daddy.” 1 Having been with Arthur Sterling for three years, I knew perfectly well that our relationship was purely transactional. I was in it for his money and power. He lusted after my body. We had an unspoken agreement to never cross those lines. Until our last intimate encounter before the New Year. The man hovering above me suddenly spoke, his voice husky: “I’ll drive you back to your hometown tomorrow?” The clamor within me hit an immediate pause. I blinked my unfocused eyes, my thoughts slowly returning. My gaze landed on his sharp, composed features, trying to figure out what this sugar daddy of mine was thinking. Hmm. He didn’t seem to be joking. I couldn’t fathom why he would suddenly make such a bizarre request. But I knew the first rule of being a good canary was obedience. “Okay, sorry to trouble you, Mr. Sterling.” I offered my usual polite response. Even though we were currently in an ultra-thin, zero-distance situation. But a man’s heart is a deep ocean. I don’t know which word in that sentence offended this usually tight-lipped eldest son of the Sterling family, but the hand gripping my waist suddenly tightened its hold. “Hiss—” I couldn’t help but cry out in pain, trying to ask him to be gentler. Instead, he leaned down, pressed his lips against my earlobe, and said through gritted teeth: “No trouble. No trouble at all. “Ms. Vance.” 2 Arthur seemed angry. He wore a cold, stony expression the entire drive back the next day. Terrified that speaking would only make things worse, I kept my mouth shut. I just turned my head and stared at his reflection in the car window. His side profile was flawless. The cuffs of his sweater were rolled up halfway, revealing a strong, tanned forearm and the silver Montblanc watch on his wrist. It was a gift I had impulsively bought him with the first hundred thousand dollars he gave me during our first month together. To Arthur, it was practically cheap junk. Yet, it was the watch he wore most often. Back then, I was still naive and harbored some secret hopes, so I beat around the bush asking why he liked that watch so much. I wanted his answer to be about me. But the very next second, I heard him gently burst my little bubble. “Why do you ask? Do you think I wear it so often because you gave it to me? Chloe, you—” Arthur didn’t finish his sentence. But I had already filled in the blanks based on the cold indifference in his eyes. He probably wanted to say: “Chloe, have you forgotten your place?” My face flushed instantly, and a layer of cold sweat broke out on my back. “I’m sorry, Mr. Sterling. I overstepped.” I apologized, inexperienced and subservient. He didn’t answer. He just quietly read the documents his assistant had brought over, not even sparing me a glance. That was the first, and last, time I ever overstepped my bounds. 3 “Don’t you know how to say a few nice words to coax me?” The man’s sudden, aggrieved complaint snapped me back to reality. I stared at him blankly. I had no idea why he needed coaxing. But my mouth moved faster than my brain. A basketful of compliments poured out. “Mr. Sterling, it’s so weird! Even with my anti-addiction system fully activated, I still fell for you! “You look incredibly handsome from this angle! Hold on, let me take a picture of you!” These were lines I had specifically learned online to flatter men with high emotional intelligence. Arthur seemed to like them. Every time I praised him like that, he stopped being mad at me. I skillfully pulled out my phone, ready to take his picture. But a message from Leo popped up on the screen. [Mia is back. How much longer do you plan on taking up her spot?] It felt like fine silk threads were tugging at my heart, bringing a wave of unidentified pain. Mia was Arthur’s arranged childhood fiancée. They were supposed to get married three years ago, but Mia refused and ran off abroad. Leo said Arthur wanted to go after her, but his male pride wouldn’t let him. So, he ended up keeping me—someone who looked a bit like Mia—as a mistress instead. Yes, I was also a stand-in. Arthur noticed my sudden stillness. “What’s wrong?” “Nothing. My family just messaged me asking when I’d arrive.” I made up an excuse, raised my phone, and casually snapped a picture of him. I praised him with absolutely zero emotion: “Wow! Even a candid shot looks this handsome! Can I use this as my lock screen?” Arthur coughed lightly and gave a nonchalant, two-word reply. “Up to you.” If you’re going to put on a show, you have to go all the way. After changing my lock screen, I stared blankly at the increasingly barren landscape passing by the window. I momentarily forgot to tell him to stop at the village entrance. 4 Arthur’s car parked smoothly right in front of my house. My brother, wearing a navy-blue puffer jacket, was squatting by the door doing chores. “Thank you, Mr. Sterling. Drive safe on your way back.” With that, I turned around, feigning calmness, and greeted my scowling brother, Caleb, deliberately blocking his view of the car. “Hey, big bro, peeling peanuts at home?” Caleb stood up, his gaze landing on the black car that was turning around. He asked in an unfriendly tone: “Who’s that?” I pursed my lips, thinking fast. “I couldn’t get a bus ticket, so I hailed a rideshare.” Caleb let out a cold laugh, mercilessly exposing my lie. “You’re full of it, Chloe. What kind of rideshare app sends a six-million-dollar Rolls-Royce? “He’s your boyfriend, isn’t he? “Tell him to get out here and fight me!” I choked, not knowing how to answer. Being a kept woman wasn’t exactly something to brag about, and given Arthur’s incredibly superior status, I never dared tell my family about him. I just told them I worked as a salesperson at a company with good benefits. But the car Arthur drove today was simply too eye-catching. I couldn’t find a good excuse. I could only pray that Arthur would finish turning around quickly and speed away out of my brother’s sight. But it was like he was deliberately trying to mess with me. He was taking his sweet time turning the car around. The road wasn’t even that hard to navigate… Seeing my brother marching forward aggressively, determined to force a greeting, I panicked and grabbed his jacket. And mumbled three little words. “He’s my sugar daddy.” My brother froze completely. He thought I was joking. “Hey, friend! You can’t just go around saying things like that! Otherwise, your brother here will beat you like a lion chasing a gazelle!” I blinked, offering a slight smile under his scrutinizing gaze. “Guess I couldn’t fool you! He’s my boss. He’s interested in me and is currently pursuing me.” Sugar daddy and boss… Uh. To me, they were pretty much the same thing, right? This answer was clearly much more believable. My brother visibly relaxed. Just as he was about to say something, the man’s unhurried, clear voice sounded from behind me. “Chloe.” My whole body jolted. Why hadn’t Arthur left yet? Did he hear what I said? I turned to look at him timidly. The tall, broad-shouldered man stood a few feet away. His black, fitted turtleneck sweater highlighted his muscular build. His deep brown eyes stared right at me. “I’m out of gas.” My brain short-circuited for a second, and I let out a dumbfounded “Ah.” My brother instantly realized what was happening. He spread his arms like a mother hen protecting her calf, shielding me behind him. “We’re both men here, so cut the act! You just want to stay here, confuse us, and force us to pressure my sister into being with you, right? Well, let me tell you, no way! My sister is a top-tier beauty; she’s seen plenty of scheming suitors like you! They could line up from our village all the way to France! Do you even know where France is?!” “Bro, stop talking…” I grabbed a handful of peanuts and shoved them into his mouth, looking at Arthur awkwardly and nervously, terrified he’d reveal our true relationship. Thank goodness. Arthur merely narrowed his eyes slightly, then stared at me with a half-smile. “I know where it is. I’ve even taken Ms. Vance there.” I pursed my lips. Memories flooded my mind. During that trip to France, I barely left the hotel. Every corner of the presidential suite bore the marks of Arthur and me. He was an untiring madman. Seeing my reddening ears, Arthur knew exactly what I was thinking and asked maliciously: “Ms. Vance, did you enjoy that trip to France?” He paused deliberately. “Was it fun?” Even though I was incredibly embarrassed, I nodded frantically, desperate to flip the page on this subject and send this giant Buddha on his way. “Yes, very fun! Mr. Sterling, you’re out of gas, right? Let me drive the convertible and take you to a hotel in town!” Now it was my brother’s turn to be confused. “Our family is so poor, when did we get a convertible?” I calmly raised my hand and pointed to the three-wheeled utility cart in the courtyard. “Isn’t that it right there?” Arthur actually laughed out of anger. This young master, born with a silver spoon in his mouth, probably never expected to face such an ordeal nearing thirty. Even my brother couldn’t stand it anymore. “Taking that three-wheeler six miles to town in sub-zero weather? Tsk, Sis, do you have a vendetta against him?” “What else can we do? We only have a two-wheeled electric scooter and that three-wheeled ‘convertible’.” My brother looked at Arthur, hesitated for a few seconds, and finally said: “Since you look somewhat decent, we’ll reluctantly let you stay the night. But you’re getting out of here first thing tomorrow morning! You hear me?” Seeing my plan succeed, I quickly blinked at Arthur. He glanced at me, a smile rippling in his eyes, and nodded obediently. “Understood, Brother.” “Who the fuck is your brother?! Um… could I maybe take a couple of pictures with your car later?” 5 That night, my parents specifically prepared the upstairs room for Arthur. Right between my room and my brother’s. Before going to bed, my brother glared fiercely and pointed a finger at Arthur’s chest. “You better sleep quietly tonight! I’ll be doing random room checks!” Arthur nodded obediently, looking like the perfect honor student. But in the middle of the night, he knocked on my door. The dim yellow light from the streetlamp filtered through the curtains. Arthur pinned me behind the door, loosely resting his hand around my neck, using the web of his thumb against my chin to force me to look up at him. “A suitor?” Great. He’s here to settle the score. Feeling his somewhat oppressive gaze, I nervously started biting the dead skin on my lips. “Listen to me explai—mm.” Before I could finish my excuse, his finger pressed against my lower lip. “Don’t bite. “It’ll start bleeding again.” Arthur frowned, the genuine concern and gentleness in his eyes leaving me stunned. Honestly, I got everything I wanted from Arthur in less than a year. I should have left a long time ago. But maybe he had grown accustomed to my company. The initially cold and arrogant Arthur gradually retracted his thorns, occasionally showing flashes of tenderness like today. They were like tiny vines, quietly wrapping around my heart. By the time I realized it, they had already integrated into my flesh and blood, impossible to separate. But now, Leo’s message forcefully ripped them apart. It hurt so much I almost cried. This secret, unspeakable relationship between Arthur and me was finally coming to an end. “Thanks,” I whispered. Arthur raised an eyebrow in confusion. “Thanks for what?” “Thanks for not exposing me in front of my family.” I smiled self-deprecatingly. “If my brother knew I was a kept woman, he’d skin me alive.” Arthur looked down at me quietly, his thoughts unreadable, his eyes a swirl of emotions I couldn’t decipher. Suddenly, he leaned down and kissed me. He kissed me domineeringly, fiercely, as if trying to mold me into his own body. His chilling hands slipped under the hem of my pajamas, so cold that I instinctively leaned into his chest. “So cold…” Arthur pulled his hands back, gripping my waist over the pajamas instead. Seeing the situation getting out of hand, I pressed against his chest, struggling to push him back a little. “What if my brother comes in?” “His snoring is shaking the house; I doubt he’ll wake up anytime soon.” As if to prove his point, the moment Arthur finished speaking, I heard my brother’s pig-like snoring. If you didn’t know better, you’d think someone was revving a motorcycle. Speechless. I held onto the edge of the bed, reminding Arthur: “My house doesn’t have good soundproofing…” He gave a knowing smile. “I know.” The next second, he pinched my cheek, kissed my lips lightly like a dragonfly touching water, and smiled wickedly. “I won’t make a sound.” “You might not, but I will!” Arthur affectionately nudged his nose against mine: “So, you’ll just have to hold it in.” This man! He’s completely evil!

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After I started dating the school’s bad boy, I realized I was actually the poor, wicked villainess in a romance novel. The girl he was supposed to love with all his heart was the wealthy, beautiful school queen bee, perfectly matched to his status. Coincidentally, the queen bee had just accused me of putting thumbtacks in her dancing shoes, crying her eyes out to my bad boy boyfriend. Feeling wronged, I bit my lip and broke up with him on the spot. His face instantly turned as black as thunder. “A simple slap across her face would solve this! Why are you breaking up with me?” He then shot a look of pure disgust at the queen bee. “Her skin is so thick… I’m really worried she’ll hurt my baby’s hand if she slaps her.” 1 Everyone gasped in shock. The queen bee, Mia, was stunned too. The next second, she pointed at me and screamed: “Chloe, you just look innocent! You’re actually incredibly manipulative!” I shook my head helplessly, tears welling in my eyes. Arthur gently lifted my chin, his voice raspy with heartache. “Don’t cry. I’d give you my life.” I knew it! I finally confirmed that I was living inside a melodramatic, possessive high school romance novel. The bad boy, Arthur, was domineering and aggressive; the queen bee, Mia, was wealthy, delicate, and radiant. He would constantly pin her against the wall with bloodshot eyes and kiss her fiercely. She would always bite her lip, unable to push him away. And me? I was the poor, wicked villainess, constantly hurting the female lead out of jealousy. In the end, I even stole Arthur’s sports car, trying to kill all three of us in a fiery crash. But instead, my actions would force them through a life-or-death ordeal, bringing them closer together and cementing their happy ending. The plot’s gravitational pull was supposed to be absolute and unchangeable. While I was zoning out, a large, warm, dry hand enveloped mine. Arthur, clearly too lazy to deal with the drama, checked his expensive watch. “It’s time. Let’s eat first.” As expected of the school’s bad boy—doing exactly what he wanted, even in the middle of a public confrontation. Mia immediately blocked Arthur’s path, her expression three parts shattered and seven parts stubborn. “How can you be so blind to the truth?!” I thought to myself: Ah, yes. Beautiful romances always begin with conflict. Arthur laughed. He fixed a dark, sinister stare on Mia, looking like he wanted to bore a hole right through her. He squeezed a few words through his sexy, thin lips: “Don’t worry, she’s not going anywhere.” Mia froze, a sudden shiver running through her body. She immediately shifted to a more pitiful tone: “My finale performance for the school’s anniversary gala is ruined! Do you really not care?!” Arthur clicked his tongue in annoyance. “I wasn’t the one who told you to slack off every day and practice like you were performing an exorcism. What does that have to do with me?” The crowd inhaled sharply. Arthur grabbed my hand and swaggered off, humming a tune as we walked away. 2 “Eat more. You’re too skinny.” When I snapped back to reality, Arthur and I were already sitting inside a high-end, exclusive private restaurant. Even though it was just the two of us, a lavish array of dishes covered the entire rosewood table. The cost of this single meal could easily cover my living expenses for a month. I stared blankly at Arthur as he carefully picked the bones out of a piece of fish for me. He had a poor appetite himself, just picking at a few vegetables and sipping some soup before declaring he was done. But he constantly urged me to eat more meat, claiming it was nutritious. I was afraid of fish bones, so he personally served me. The corners of his thin lips curved up slightly. He treated this minor task with the seriousness of a state affair. I bit my chopsticks, feeling a little greedy for this kind of warmth. Because my mother only ever favored my brother, treating me like a burdensome chore. She dumped all the housework on me, and even the slightest mistake earned me a beating or a scolding. She told me I wasn’t some rich heiress and needed to face reality early on. “Those daughters of wealthy families are born to enjoy life!” She would say it with a look of intense jealousy and animation. When I was eight, simply because a bowl was too hot and I dropped it… She made me stand outside in the freezing winter night as punishment. Sometimes I even wondered if I was actually her biological daughter. Thinking of this, I smiled to myself. I guess it makes sense that I’m the wicked villainess. Arthur and I didn’t start dating because he liked me, either. It was just because I was dragged to a class party once. While playing Truth or Dare, Arthur was forced to confess to me. He was the bad boy, rich and powerful. I couldn’t afford to offend him, and I certainly didn’t dare laugh at him, so I just silently nodded. Early the next morning, he was waiting downstairs for me to go to school together. The arrogant, dazzling rich kid wearing limited-edition sneakers. His tall, lean figure looked completely out of place in my run-down, dirty apartment complex. I was startled. Arthur’s face looked terrible, and the tips of his ears carried a faint, almost imperceptible flush. “What’s so surprising about coming to walk my girlfriend to school?!” I looked up, confused. “I’m the girlfriend?” His face grew even darker. “If you don’t want to be, I can just legally change your name to ‘Girlfriend’.” My ears twitched, and I quickly shut my mouth. 3 Honestly, besides being a bit domineering about the whole “dating” thing, Arthur was actually quite distant in our daily interactions. He wouldn’t casually hold my hand, and he certainly wouldn’t kiss me fiercely. He never did anything that would scare my timid self. Probably because I wasn’t the female lead. The only thing he was enthusiastic about was feeding me. Milk, bread, snacks, full meals. As long as it was delicious, he wanted to stuff it all into my mouth. He made me step on the scale every week. If I lost even a pound, his face would turn incredibly sour. He would grab my waist, easily lifting me to gauge my weight. He’d even mutter to himself in frustration: “How did she lose weight?!” Just then, Arthur dropped a perfectly deboned piece of fish into my bowl. Looking at the bowl piled high with meat, I thought for a moment and offered him a suggestion. “Maybe you should try volunteering at an animal shelter? Feeding stray cats?” I really couldn’t eat another bite… Arthur’s brain must have been wired completely differently, because he suddenly slammed his chopsticks down and demanded: “Do you have another man?!” My eyes went wide. He started listing his grievances. “Monday morning during the run, that four-eyed loser from Class 3 told you ‘keep it up’. Tuesday during lunch break, the vice-president of Class 4 spoke to you for a full seven sentences. Wednesday…” I stared at him in disbelief. “Arthur, did you plant a hidden camera on me?!” He snorted coldly. “Chloe, remember this: with me, there’s no such thing as a breakup, only widowhood.” He pulled out his phone, scrolled for a bit, and looked at me with an arrogant, slightly raised gaze. “I’ll give you exactly 937 more days of freedom.” I did the math in my head. That was exactly the day he would reach the legal age of marriage. Does he still want to marry me? Thinking of the plotline, I gripped my chopsticks tightly. And tentatively tested the waters: “I don’t like guys who are too fierce.” Arthur smirked coldly and leaned in close. “You know I’m fierce, and you still dare say that?!” I was so scared my ears twitched, and I lowered my head, looking helpless. Arthur suddenly laughed out of pure annoyance. “You… you really think so…” He took a deep breath, stood up, and called the waiter for the check. I was a little surprised he wasn’t making a big deal out of it and still wanted to take me home. “Don’t you have tutoring?” Although Arthur was in my class, his family had long ago planned for him to study abroad. Once he returned, he would take over the family business. The first time I heard him mention tutoring, I was actually a bit surprised. Because he was always so cocky. “Ivy League or the top five UK universities? To me, getting into those is like passing a kindergarten entrance exam.” Seeing him act a bit childish now, he might actually have to test into kindergarten. But I also knew Arthur still remembered the time I was almost harassed by some street thugs. When we arrived at my apartment building, I looked at him sincerely. “Thank you for bringing me home.” Arthur’s expression finally turned pleasant. His handsome, sharp eyes glanced at me sideways. “Is ‘thank you’ all you have to say?” The night breeze blew gently, and the distant city lights twinkled like stars. I froze for a moment, the pleasant scent of him filling my nose. Our breaths mingled, and his eyes grew darker and deeper. I pressed my lips tightly together, finally managing to struggle out the words: “Your zipper is down.” 4 Before falling asleep that night, my mind kept replaying Arthur’s incredibly embarrassed face before he left. And how he still tried to act tough, muttering, “Consider yourself lucky.” I slept soundly. When I got to school the next day, the first thing I heard was laughter practically blowing the roof off the classroom. The first thing I saw was Arthur wearing a bright pink hoodie, sitting at his desk with a terrible expression, not saying a word. His terrible friends didn’t care at all that he was the bad boy, pointing at his pink hoodie and laughing until they couldn’t breathe. “Oh my god, I’m dying! Our boss Arthur tried to be trendy and asked an AI how to soften his vibe. He got scammed by a fake AI app, paid for a subscription, and actually believed the bullshit when it said ‘real men wear pink’!” I froze for a second. I couldn’t help but imagine Arthur going home last night, first feeling depressed about his unzipped pants. Then overthinking my comment about him being too fierce. Scratching his head, tossing and turning, and finally deciding to ask an AI for help. Messing around until he unknowingly subscribed to a bootleg AI. Staring at the answer, “real men wear pink,” having an intense internal struggle. And finally, resigning himself to becoming a pink, pastel bad boy. “Pfft.” I accidentally laughed out loud. Arthur, who had been completely ignoring all the mocking around him, instantly locked onto me. He dragged me into an empty hallway, shoved his hands in his pockets, and asked with a tight throat: “Did you just laugh?” I covered my mouth with the back of my hand. “I did not.” Arthur narrowed his eyes. “I saw you.” I feigned innocence. “I have professional training. I absolutely will not laugh under normal circumstances, unless…” Arthur’s face was as black as ink. Terrified he was going to hit me, I instinctively stood on my tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek. Before he could react, I fled back to the classroom. What I didn’t know was that after I left, Arthur touched the spot I kissed in a daze. Then he pulled out his phone, deciding he had to get some value out of the $500 he spent on that bootleg AI. He asked the AI: [What does it mean when my girlfriend, who usually keeps her distance, kisses my cheek?] The AI buffered for three minutes before giving an answer: [100% a provocation.] Right then, Arthur’s friends, noticing he hadn’t returned, came looking for him. Arthur gripped his phone and told them, “Chloe actually provoked me. I have to teach her a lesson.” 5 After school, I was cornered by Arthur in a deserted alleyway outside the school. He undid the top button of his shirt, stuck one hand in his pocket, and acted like a total delinquent. “Your action this morning—kissing me—explain yourself.” Seeing him trying so hard to act aloof while his face was completely red… Considering his domineering, aggressive persona, he was probably blushing from sheer anger. I didn’t dare make a sound, looking surprisingly confident despite the situation. Arthur’s face turned even redder. Just then, Mia appeared nearby and called out in surprise, “Arthur!” She complained playfully, asking why he didn’t take the same car home with her. “We live in the same gated community, there’s no need to treat me like a stranger.” Only after she finished speaking did she catch me in her peripheral vision. Her smile instantly faded. “Oh, I heard them say you were going to teach Chloe a lesson? Then I understand.” Arthur hadn’t expected anyone else to show up, so he could only give me a stiff warning. “Chloe, don’t you ever do that to me again!” After saying that, he frowned, looking annoyed with himself for some reason, and licked his lips awkwardly. “Of course, if you insist on doing it, I can’t really stop you.” “But I’m the only one you’re allowed to do it to.” “Otherwise… otherwise I’ll do it to you too!” Mia seemed to understand, gritting her teeth and cursing me: “You’re scheming to seduce Arthur again, aren’t you?!” Arthur’s eyes lit up. “Seduce?!” He looked at me, his eyes narrowed. “Is it like she said?” Mia, not expecting Arthur to agree with her so readily, let a sweet smile curl onto her lips. I instinctively wanted to shake my head. Arthur cut me off darkly. “Provocation or seduction. Pick one.” “…I pick provocation.” Something shattered in Arthur’s eyes. I decided to use this opportunity to break up with him. “Why don’t we just…” The rest of the sentence hung heavily in the air. Arthur let out an angry laugh. “You just want to break up with me, don’t you?! “Fine, I agree!” I didn’t expect it to end so easily. Mia quickly grabbed Arthur’s arm. “Then let’s go home together.” Unexpectedly, Arthur firmly swatted her hand away. He frowned. “Who said I was going with you?!” He called out to me as I was hunching over, trying to sneak away from the scene. “Chloe.” My neck stiffened, and I let out a confused “Hmm?” He grabbed me by the strap of my backpack and hauled me in front of him like a little turtle. “I fulfilled your wish to break up. Courtesy demands reciprocity. Shouldn’t you fulfill one of my wishes?” I accepted my fate. “Name it.” Shockingly, Arthur said, “Get back together.” I stared at him in disbelief. “How can you be so shameless?” Arthur chuckled softly. “Being shameless isn’t illegal, so what if I am? “Maybe it’s because my brain got fried when you kissed me. “Anyway, the breakup was your call, getting back together has to be mine. Otherwise, I’m going to make a scene!” Could you be any more childish? Seriously?

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