In my past life, to maintain her “pure and innocent” persona, my junior colleague Chloe actually screamed during a hostage rescue mission: “Don’t shoot!” Her idiotic stunt completely enraged the kidnapper, resulting in the brutal murder of the hostage. The hostage was a high school senior who had just finished her SATs. She had her whole life ahead of her, but it was violently stolen because of Chloe’s incompetence. “Waaaah, I didn’t mean for this to happen!” “I-I just thought the kidnapper was so pitiful…” Chloe collapsed, weeping dramatically into the arms of our squad captain, Marcus. My eyes were bloodshot with rage. “And that young girl wasn’t pitiful?!” Chloe threw a massive tantrum, threatening to kill herself to atone for her “mistake.” Every single one of my male colleagues rushed to comfort her. To quell the public outrage over the botched rescue, they pinned all the blame on me. The grieving, devastated family stalked my apartment, demanding blood for blood. And then, I was reborn. I opened my eyes on the exact day of that fateful mission. “Don’t shoo—” Just like in my previous life, Chloe, who was supposed to be negotiating and stabilizing the kidnapper’s emotions, suddenly turned and screamed toward my concealed sniper position. Luckily, I was ready this time. Without a fraction of a second of hesitation… BANG. The gunshot echoed. I cleanly and efficiently neutralized the kidnapper. I saved the pale, trembling high schooler from his grasp. Chloe charged toward me, pointing at the kidnapper’s corpse and screaming at me. “Waaaah…” “Elena, how could you be so cruel?!” I shot a cold, disdainful glare at her pathetic, weeping performance and signaled the team to wrap up. But she stubbornly blocked my path. “No! Elena, you just murdered a living, breathing person! You have to explain yourself to everyone!” I shoved her aside so hard she tumbled onto the pavement. “Do you have any idea what the hell you’re doing?” She covered her face, sobbing. “Elena, I…” The other officers rushed over at the sound of the commotion. Seeing them, Chloe instantly cried even harder. “Elena is so heartless!” “Does a kidnapper’s life mean absolutely nothing?!” I turned back, grabbed her by the collar of her uniform, and slapped her hard across the face. Chapter 2 The sharp crack of the slap silenced the area. She stared at me in absolute, horrified disbelief. Seeing this, the other officers quickly shoved her behind them to protect her. “Hey, we can talk this out! Why did you have to hit her?” My face was pitch black. I glared at every single person standing there. “She is a police officer, yet she possesses absolutely zero professional ethics.” “During an active mission, everyone follows orders. Her little ‘pure-hearted’ stunt almost got a child killed!” “Chloe was just…” Julian, who had joined the force at the same time as me, instinctively tried to defend her. “Don’t give me that ‘she’s a rookie’ crap. Did she sleep through four years at the academy?” I cut him off sharply. “These are basic protocols a middle schooler would understand! Who was she trying to get killed with that stunt?!” I glared at the group of spineless cowards who were now too intimidated to speak. “I will be submitting a full, unedited report of everything that happened today to command!” “If you have a problem with me, take it up with the Chief!” Chapter 3 Julian and Liam’s faces turned ugly, but they were forced to swallow their anger. Chloe started hiccuping and crying again. “If Elena says so… then I guess I was wrong.” “Please don’t fight because of me.” Her pathetic, damsel-in-distress act immediately elicited another wave of sympathy from the guys. “It’s just… this mission was supposed to be my big break for a promotion and an accommodation.” “Couldn’t you just show a little mercy, Elena?” The other officers chimed in to back her up. “Even if she didn’t succeed, she tried her best today, Elena. Do you really have to go this far?” “Yeah, everyone has different perspectives.” “Just because she has a different opinion than you, you’re going to go tattle to the higher-ups?” They were always like this. Blindly, unconditionally shielding Chloe. It was exactly this toxic enabling that allowed her to push boundaries and act like the rules didn’t apply to her. I looked at Julian coldly. “As Chloe’s superior officer, it is my absolute duty to provide a comprehensive evaluation of her performance in the field.” “Since when is doing my job considered ‘tattling’?” Knowing he was completely out of line, Julian averted his eyes, muttering under his breath, “Who knows if you’re going to exaggerate things?” The corner of my mouth twitched upward in a cold smirk. “Do I even need to exaggerate?” “Let me remind you, every officer in this precinct earns their accommodations and promotions through rigorous physical skills and fearless performance in the field.” “If you want those things, you have to prove you deserve them.” “And since you all claim ‘everyone has different perspectives,’ I trust Chief Miller will be able to make the final judgment.” Julian turned green with rage. “You…” “Elena, don’t push it!” Chapter 4 Seeing her promotion slip through her fingers, Chloe panicked. She rallied her harem of officers and barged into my office without knocking. “Elena, I just felt a moment of compassion for the kidnapper that day.” “Besides, it didn’t even affect the mission’s outcome!” “We’re colleagues. Can’t you just talk to Chief Miller and tell him you misunderstood my intentions?” She had really put some thought into this, deliberately begging me in front of an audience. She was trying to back me into a corner where refusing her would make me look like a monster. “I admit my skills aren’t up to par, but I promise I’ll work hard to improve. Is that not enough?” My expression didn’t change a fraction of an inch, and my stance was absolute. “Since you admit you lack the skills and are willing to improve, I’ll be submitting your name for every single mandatory remedial training program the precinct offers from now on.” Hearing this, Captain Marcus couldn’t sit still any longer. “Most of those programs are for fresh recruits. Aren’t you just wasting Chloe’s time?” A harsh scoff ripped from my throat. “Her actions the other day were worse than a fresh recruit’s.” “She wants the honors and the promotions, but refuses to put in the time to actually train.” “Do you think this precinct is some country club where you can just network and coast by on favors?” Marcus choked on his words. “If she doesn’t drastically improve her skills, who in their right mind would ever want to partner with her in the field?” As the captain, Marcus was supposed to remain neutral and not directly interfere or show favoritism in a dispute between two officers. But he couldn’t bear to see his precious junior suffer even the slightest inconvenience, completely disregarding his position of authority. “Are you really going to be this ruthless?” His mouth pulled down into a scowl, his expression darkening by the second. “The precinct is a place for justice, not for your little cliques,” I sneered, calling him out directly. “Even if the captain wants to play favorites, my stance will not change.” “She must be formally disciplined for her actions today, or it will undermine the entire command structure!” Marcus couldn’t hold back anymore. He slammed his fists onto my desk. “Elena, I think the first person who needs to be disciplined is you!” “You’re constantly stirring up trouble in the squad and disrespecting the chain of command.” “I am suspending you pending an investigation, effective immediately!” Chapter 5 Chloe, playing the saint, chimed in with fake concern. “Captain, it’s all my fault. Please don’t punish Elena.” Marcus looked down at her, his eyes instantly softening with affection. “Chloe, you’re just too kind. That’s why she always bullies you.” I let out a cold snort, thoroughly disgusted by their pathetic romantic melodrama. “You don’t have the authority to punish me!” “I told you, if you have a problem, take it to the higher-ups!” Hearing me mention the higher-ups, a calculating glint appeared in Marcus’s eyes. “Chief Miller is out of town today, so no one is going to protect you!” “Let’s go. We’re taking this to Deputy Chief Davis!” Our six-person squad marched into Deputy Chief Davis’s office. Before Davis could even process the intrusion, Marcus launched into his attack. “Deputy Chief, we’re here to report on the recent hostage rescue operation.” Davis looked up at us, confused. “Wasn’t that operation a success?” Marcus, vibrating with anger, looked like he wanted to physically throw me out of the precinct. “Elena acted unilaterally and almost got the hostage killed.” “Furthermore, she constantly harasses Chloe and even physically assaulted her.” “I believe her actions constitute a severe violation of precinct protocol!” “I am officially requesting that her accommodations for the past three years be revoked, and that she be suspended pending a full investigation.” Deputy Chief Davis looked at me. “What do you have to say for yourself?” Davis was the mentor who originally trained me. He had always been kind and supportive. I vividly remembered my first time in the field; I was terrified of making a mistake. It was his patient guidance and unwavering support that gave me the confidence to complete the mission successfully. I trusted he would give me a fair hearing. “Sir, Marcus is completely twisting the truth.” “Chloe actively disobeyed direct orders and disregarded the hostage’s safety by screaming…” Before I could finish my sentence, he raised his hand to silence me. “So, you admit to the physical assault?” Chapter 6 My heart violently seized. My thoughts completely derailed. Before I could even attempt to defend myself, Julian and Liam eagerly jumped in to support Davis’s leading question. “Elena’s behavior is destroying squad morale. She needs to be severely punished.” A chilling dread crept up my spine. I had tolerated their blatant favoritism in day-to-day matters, but in a situation this critical, how could they so blatantly ignore the actual crime? “Chloe disobeyed a direct command and almost got a hostage murdered. That is an indisputable fact!” Julian’s eyes darted away for a fraction of a second, but his arrogant sneer quickly returned. “The situation wasn’t nearly as critical as you’re making it out to be. You were just desperate to play the hero and steal the glory.” “Your own conduct is toxic, and now you’re trying to drag Chloe down with you,” he accused, completely ignoring protocol as he pointed a finger directly at my face. “Since the entire squad witnessed it, it’s clear that Officer Elena’s actions have had a severely detrimental impact on the precinct.” “We will proceed with Captain Marcus’s recommendation.” My heart plummeted. He was actually going to close the book on this based on a complete lie. “I object! I demand to appeal to internal affairs!” Davis’s brows slammed together. He glared at me with a cold sneer. “Chief Miller won’t be back until next week. There is no one here to save you.” Marcus grabbed my arm roughly. “Elena, pack your things and go home.” “Stop embarrassing yourself in front of everyone.” Right at that moment, the office door burst open. It was Ryan, a detective from the Investigations Bureau and a good friend of mine. “The victim and her father are here to see Officer Elena.” The victim was the high school student I had saved from the kidnapper. Chapter 7 “Officer Elena!” The second the girl saw me, she ran over and threw her arms around me. “Officer Elena, the knife was literally pressed against my throat.” “I thought I was never going to see my mom and dad again.” “Waaaah…” Recalling the trauma of the kidnapping, she broke down in gut-wrenching sobs. “If it wasn’t for you, I don’t know what would have happened.” Her father rushed forward, gripping my hands tightly, tears in his eyes as he endlessly repeated his gratitude. “Officer Elena, you are a true hero. A real police officer.” “Our family will owe you our lives for the rest of our days.” “…” “It’s okay. Please,” I reassured them. “It’s my duty to protect and serve. You don’t need to thank me.” The girl suddenly pulled back. Her eyes swept the room and locked onto Chloe. “Officer Elena, not all police officers are like you.” She glared at Chloe with pure venom. “If it wasn’t for that officer screaming out of nowhere, the bad guy wouldn’t have suddenly pressed the knife against me.” Her voice carried clearly through the open office door. The bullpen outside went dead silent, then erupted into whispers. “What the hell was Chloe doing?” “If I were Elena, I’d want to kill her.” “And she had the nerve to drag the whole squad in here to beg for mercy?” “Did you forget? She had the worst scores in the academy. Nobody knows how she even passed the psych eval.” “Who knows? Maybe the rumors about her having connections are true.” Chapter 8 Hearing the whispers, Ryan deliberately raised his voice. “Unfortunately, the ‘good officer’ you’re thanking is currently being suspended pending an investigation.” “What?!” The girl’s eyes widened in absolute shock. “How is that possible…?” “What do you think? She offended the wrong people,” Ryan said dryly. Deputy Chief Davis stormed out of his office, his face like thunder. “Ryan, watch your mouth.” But the Pandora’s box had been opened. The gossip was completely out of control. The girl’s father marched right up to Davis, furious. “What exactly did Officer Elena do that warrants a suspension?!” Davis’s face was dark, a muscle ticking in his jaw. He looked incredibly displeased. “This precinct is not a public forum for gossip.” Intimidated by the Deputy Chief’s authority, the father was forced to step back. But he whispered fiercely to me: “Officer Elena, if you ever need anything, anything at all, you just say the word.” Right then, a team from the Public Relations department walked into the bullpen. “We heard there was a citizen commendation ceremony happening today.” “We’re here to take some promotional photos for the precinct’s social media. We really want to highlight our officers’ heroism.” Chapter 9 “Yes, yes, of course…” The father immediately unfurled a massive silk banner. It read, in bold gold lettering: To Officer Elena – A True Guardian of the People. Davis instantly forced a rigid, awkward smile and played along. “What are you waiting for? Let’s get the group photo.” He looked at me. I was standing perfectly still, my arms crossed, refusing to move an inch. “Elena, get over here.” I had a stomach full of rage and nowhere to vent it. This was the perfect opportunity. “Just five minutes ago, Deputy Chief Davis told me that my actions during the rescue had a ‘detrimental impact’ and suspended me pending an investigation.” “So what exactly is this photo op supposed to be?” “I don’t want to embarrass the department. You guys take the photo without me.” With that, I turned on my heel, ready to walk out of the precinct. Hearing me publicly confirm my suspension, the PR team and the gathered officers instantly turned their questioning, burning gazes onto Davis. Their stares were so intense they practically pinned him to an invisible cross. The father angrily rolled up the banner. “If Officer Elena isn’t receiving this, then I’m not presenting it.” The PR team, having wasted a trip, looked incredibly annoyed. “We will be reporting this incident directly to the Commissioner’s office. We expect a full explanation from Deputy Chief Davis.” Chapter 10 The previously lively atmosphere froze instantly. The tension in the room was suffocating. Davis’s face turned beet red, sweat practically dripping from his forehead. “It was just a misunderstanding.” “Surely Officer Elena isn’t going to hold a grudge over a simple miscommunication.” I let out a cold laugh. “If the four of them apologize to me publicly, right now, I’ll pretend this never happened.” “You can’t just hurl baseless accusations at an officer who risked her life, and expect no consequences. I want an apology.” The vast majority of the bullpen began murmuring in agreement. Backed into a corner with nowhere to hide, the four of them were finally forced to step forward. In unison, they bowed their heads. “Elena, we apologize!”

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In our third year of marrying into the Sterling family as best friends, their childhood sweetheart returned. My best friend and I had promised to run away together, but the night before our escape, she jumped from a high-rise building. I called her husband, Caleb, but he only sneered: “Sister-in-law, my brother said if she jumps off a building today, are you going to jump into a river tomorrow?” … The mockery pierced my eardrums, and my heart sank inch by inch. I looked at Vivian lying in a pool of blood, my voice hoarse. “Caleb, I’m not joking. Vivi… is really dead.” A disdainful scoff came through the phone. “Is that so? She’s really dead? Then do I have to plan her funeral and cry my eyes out?” “Sister-in-law, just because I call you that, don’t think you’re actually the matriarch here. Your and Vivian’s little mind games are incredibly boring.” It was the middle of summer, but I felt freezing cold. Caleb didn’t believe Vivian was dead. I should have known. To him, Vivian was just a tool to appease his family. But at the very end, she had still held onto a tiny sliver of hope that he might change his mind. In the end, she was disappointed again. A woman’s voice came from his end. “Caleb, why are you on the phone for so long? Hang up and come sing with me.” Then came Caleb’s gentle, doting voice: “Alright, alright, my little princess. Hanging up now.” The sky was pitch black, pressing down on me until I could barely breathe. With hollow eyes, I held Vivian’s blood-soaked body. I didn’t understand, and I couldn’t wrap my head around it. Just yesterday, Vivi was determined to escape the Sterling family with me. Why did she jump tonight? She was terrified of heights and hated pain, yet she leaped from the thirty-something floor. Numbly, I followed the police, and then to the crematorium. In less than a day, the vibrant, living Vivian had been reduced to a square box in my hands. As the sky turned a pale gray, I walked out of the crematorium, clutching her ashes. I only snapped back to reality when a passerby called out to me. “Miss, your phone is ringing.” I froze, stiffly pulling out my phone. My vision was blurred with mist; I couldn’t read the caller ID. It wasn’t until I answered that a deep voice spoke: “You didn’t come home last night.” I gave a faint “Hmm.” Liam’s voice grew colder. “What’s wrong with your voice? Are you out fooling around with Vivian again? Chloe, I remember warning you to stay away from her.” The phone wasn’t large, but at that moment, it felt like it weighed a thousand pounds. I took a deep breath, my voice raspy. “Vivian is dead. Liam, you don’t have to look down on her anymore.” The line went dead for a few seconds. Then, a cold voice replied: “You’re playing along with her act now? Chloe, if she ‘dies’ today, is it your turn to ‘die’ tomorrow? Or do you just think faking your deaths is a fun game? What a pity, we don’t have time to entertain your drama.” The call was ruthlessly disconnected. I let out a sigh of relief. If he didn’t believe it, so be it. If Vivian could jump from such a high building, she must have been utterly and completely disappointed in the Sterling family, and in Caleb. I wiped the tears from my face and took Vivian to the beach. She had no family, no place to return to. When we were planning our escape, she once said that besides the mountains and rivers, the place she wanted to go most was the ocean. So, I scattered a portion of her ashes into the sea. Just as I let go, a gust of wind swept by, carrying her ashes deeper into the ocean. My eyes suddenly grew hot. “Vivi, is that you?” The wind seemed to understand, brushing gently against my face. I smiled through my tears. “Go on. When all this is over, I’ll take you to walk the paths we never got to finish.” The wind stopped. Just like how Vivian would never be by my side again. It was noon by the time I returned to the Sterling estate. Surprisingly, both Sterling brothers were home. As soon as I walked in, two sharp gazes locked onto me. The next second, Caleb scoffed: “Sister-in-law, you’re back. Where’s Vivian? Is she still rolling around in some hotel bed?” I clenched my fists, suppressing my heaving chest, and said coldly, “She’s never coming back.” Caleb smiled, but his eyes were ice-cold. “Really? Did she hook up with some rich sugar daddy and decide the Sterling family isn’t good enough for her anymore?” So, even now, Vivian was nothing more than a cheap, despicable existence in Caleb’s heart. I gave a tragic smile, grieving for the years Vivian wasted loving him. “Caleb, since you look down on her so much, you might as well divorce her. It’s better for you, and for her.” Caleb let out a light chuckle. “Looks like she really did find a sugar daddy.” “Sister-in-law, why don’t you enlighten me? Who is this guy?” At this moment, Caleb looked like a lone wolf, his eyes emitting a deep, predatory green light. One wrong move and he’d bite my throat out. I turned my head away and walked briskly upstairs. I didn’t come back to argue with them. I just wanted to find the truth behind Vivian’s fall. I didn’t believe she committed suicide. She valued her life so much. But before I could even reach the second floor, a powerful force pinned me against the wall. Caleb’s warm breath hit my face, carrying a suffocating pressure. “Chloe, tell me, who the fuck is Vivian with?” “Tell me!” Caleb, who always had a smile plastered on his face, finally snapped. In that moment, I suddenly felt a twisted sense of satisfaction. If he realized too late that Vivian was actually dead, would he go even crazier? “What are you laughing at? Chloe, don’t think that just because you’re my sister-in-law, I won’t do anything to you. Ask my brother—does he even care about you?” “So, be a good girl and tell me. Where is Vivian?” I laughed out loud, the corners of my eyes damp. I enunciated every word: “She really is dead. Last night, she jumped from a thirty-something story building. She hit the ground so hard she was unrecognizable. Covered in blood.” “If you don’t believe me, go investigate. Caleb, you have the resources to do that, don’t you?” The hand gripping my collar suddenly tightened, but I didn’t flinch, meeting Caleb’s glare head-on. His furious rage and my dead calm were like two uncrossable chasms. Suddenly, a large hand clamped down over Caleb’s. “Enough, Caleb. If you really want to know where she is, go look into it. Don’t take your anger out on her for no reason.” The grip on my collar loosened, and Caleb took two steps back. His eyes were dark. He nodded repeatedly, then flashed another fake smile. “Fine. I’ll go check right now. Sister-in-law, if I find out you and Vivian teamed up to play me, I might not touch you, but she’s going to have a very bad time.” I twitched my lips into a small smirk, watching Caleb’s angry back retreat until he disappeared out the front door. “Have you looked enough?” A gloomy voice sounded by my ear. I pressed my lips together, ignoring Liam, and walked toward Vivian’s room without a word. But before I could take two steps, a strong force yanked me in the opposite direction. Liam’s strides were long, and I stumbled to keep up. “Let me go, Liam. Let go of me.” “You stayed out all night, came back looking like a ghost, and claimed Vivian is dead. Chloe, I think you’ve genuinely lost your mind.” As soon as we entered his room, I was thrown violently onto the bed. Then, Liam’s tall figure leaned over me, his fingers gripping my chin so hard I had to look up at him. He parted his thin lips, his tone vicious: “Chloe, have I been too lenient with you? Didn’t I warn you to stop hanging out with Vivian?” It was no secret that Liam disliked Vivian. Three years ago, Vivian’s family faced a crisis. As the sole heir, she had to drop out of college and bounce between elite cocktail parties, desperately trying to secure investments. Liam thought she acted like a cheap socialite and always looked down on her. Even after Vivian married Caleb, his opinion of her never changed. In Liam’s words: “She just went from servicing many to servicing one.” But for Vivian, this marriage was like a moth drawn to a flame. The free-spirited prince she had fallen in love with was actually a monster wearing a tailored suit. I looked at Liam for a long time. His face hadn’t changed at all, but I could no longer see the man I once loved. “Liam, let’s get a divorce.” I had known Liam for five years and been married to him for three. I used to think I’d spend the rest of my life with him. But ever since Harper came back six months ago, that dream slowly ground to dust. I just wanted to leave him, to sever all ties with him. Liam froze, a flicker of suspicion crossing his handsome, cold features. “What did you say?” “I said, let’s get a divorce.” Perhaps I had accumulated enough disappointment, because when I said the word “divorce,” my heart felt completely at peace. The room was dead silent. I quietly waited for Liam’s answer. There was no reason for him to refuse. Harper was back. Once we divorced, he could pursue her without any hesitations. He wouldn’t have to worry about explaining it to our families, nor would he face any media backlash. Just then, a ringtone broke the silence, and a flash of panic crossed Liam’s deep eyes. It was Harper’s custom ringtone. He didn’t even hesitate to answer it right in front of me. Because of that, I heard every word of the woman’s voice on the other end. “Liam, I think I caught a cold. Could you take me to the hospital? I called Caleb, but he didn’t pick up.” Harper’s voice dripped with pathetic grievance. I saw the sharp ache of concern in Liam’s eyes, and my supposedly numb heart still gave a painful throb. Harper had a minor cold, and he was beside himself with worry. But when I had a 104-degree fever and begged him to take me to the ER? He had just answered a call from Harper, tossed a careless “call an ambulance” over his shoulder, and impatiently rushed off to be with her. Even now, when I brought up divorce, his priority was still Harper. Liam almost tripped over his own feet in his rush, not forgetting to comfort the woman on the phone. “Harper, I’m coming right now. Hang in there.” Once Liam’s presence vanished from the room, I understood clearly. As long as Harper existed, I was nothing more than thin air to him. After three years, I finally realized that some hearts are just too cold to be warmed. I searched Vivian’s room for a long time. But I found nothing. Except for a journal, filled entirely with Caleb. From infatuation, to disappointment, to absolute despair. On the last page, she had written only one sentence. “From this moment on, I will not love Caleb anymore.” My chest heaved violently, a dense, agonizing pain spreading through my heart. One night three years ago, Vivian suddenly sent me a flurry of texts. She said: “Chloe, guess who I’m marrying!” “It’s Caleb.” “I told you about him. My free-spirited prince.” “He said he wants to marry me.” “My family is saved.” Reading between the lines, her excitement was palpable. I knew she wasn’t just thrilled about saving her family. She was ecstatic because she was marrying Caleb, the man she had secretly loved for three years. That night, Vivian and I texted until 3 AM. Yet all that excitement and joy had dissolved into disappointment and despair over these past six months. Holding the journal, I felt dizzy and somehow drifted off to sleep. I had a bizarre, fragmented dream. Vivian was in it. We were climbing a snowy mountain. A bone-chilling cold swept through my entire body. But Vivian was dressed in thin layers, as if she couldn’t feel the cold at all. She ran joyfully toward the summit, like a free, radiant sun. “Chloe, I finally made it to the top! I can’t hear the voices from the bottom anymore! I’m free!” The sunlight beamed down from above her, casting a golden halo over her entire body. Before I could even feel happy for her, Vivian suddenly tilted backward. In a flash, her body disappeared off the blindingly white, snowy peak. “Vivian!” I reached out desperately to grab her, but my hand didn’t even brush the hem of her clothes. I woke up with a violently start, my body drenched in cold sweat, a deep chill wrapping around me. The sky outside was completely dark. I set the journal down, planning to revisit the building where Vivian had jumped. Just as I opened my bedroom door, a tall figure stood blocking the way. Caleb’s face was terrifyingly dark, his eyes filled with absolute frost. “Why did Vivian jump?” His voice was hoarse and heavy, carrying an interrogating tone. It seemed he really did go investigate, and finally believed that Vivian was truly dead. “Chloe, tell me. Why did Vivian jump? And what is the deal with that flight ticket out of the country?” “She wanted to leave me?” I sneered, “More than that.” Caleb’s brows knitted tightly. The face that usually wore a mocking smile was now frighteningly grim. Yet, I felt absolutely no fear, only a soaring sense of vindication. “Caleb, in about two days, you should receive a divorce agreement in the mail. That was the very last thing Vivian left for you.” “It’s just a shame that whether you sign it or not doesn’t matter anymore, because Vivian has already left you completely.” “Chloe!” My name seemed to be squeezed through Caleb’s gritted teeth. He violently grabbed me by the throat, pinning me against the wall. His dark eyes were so deep and stormy they looked like pooling ink. “Tell me, why did she want to leave me?! Why?!” “Did you manipulate her into doing this?!” I met Caleb’s fury-filled gaze expressionlessly, a cold smile never leaving my lips. “Caleb, do you seriously still not know why Vivian wanted to leave you?” “You are such a massive failure.” “Answer me!” he roared, grinding his teeth, his grip on my neck tightening. I had no doubt he actually wanted to strangle me to death. I let out a cold laugh. That journal was filled to the brim with all the misery Vivian suffered over the past three years. Whenever I thought of those words, those events, I wanted to murder Caleb myself. My eyes turned icy, and I said, word by word: “Caleb, I should be asking you. When Vivian’s parents passed away one after another, what were you doing?” “When Vivian was cornered and harassed in an alleyway, where were you?” “When she was sick in the hospital and just wanted you to keep her company, what did you say to her?” “Can you remember any of that?” I only knew about these things from reading her journal. For three years, I knew Caleb was cold to her, but I never knew she endured so much abuse. When her parents died, I asked Caleb where he was, and Vivian covered for him, saying he was abroad on a business trip. Now I know he wasn’t on a business trip. He was on vacation with Harper. When she was cornered in an alley, Caleb was sleeping with another woman, and dismissed her call for help as just another one of her ‘tricks’. But Vivian never said a word, swallowing all her pain and grievances. The expression on Caleb’s face slowly froze. The hand gripping my throat gradually loosened its pressure. “I… I was…” He muttered to himself, unable to form a complete sentence. Suddenly, a figure sprinted over and violently shoved Caleb away. Caleb lost his balance and stumbled hard onto the floor. “Caleb, I told you, stop losing your temper for no reason.” I looked at the broad back shielding me, my heart completely devoid of any emotion. It wasn’t until a petite figure hurried into my peripheral vision that I realized Liam hadn’t returned alone. Harper gasped, rushing to Caleb’s side and reaching out to help him up. But this time, Caleb simply swatted her hand away blankly. Harper bit her lower lip, looking aggrieved. When she looked up, her eyes were already brimming with tears. “Liam, what’s wrong with Caleb?” Liam frowned and said coolly, “Ignore him. When he sobers up, he’ll tell you.” Then he turned his attention back to me. “I don’t feel comfortable leaving Harper to live alone right now, so I’m bringing her here to stay for a while. Chloe, go prepare a nice guest room for her.” I kept my eyes fixed on Caleb’s defeated face on the floor, not even sparing Liam a glance. His voice deepened, heavy with authority. “Chloe, I’m talking to you.” I cast a lazy, indifferent glance at him. But I didn’t do what he ordered. Instead, I calmly walked over to the corner, picked up Vivian’s journal, and dropped it right in front of Caleb. “Vivian left this behind. Caleb, take a good look. See exactly how much pain you’ve caused her over the last three years.” I used to think Caleb didn’t love Vivian. But his reaction now gave me the illusion that he actually cared about her. If he didn’t care, this journal would be nothing more than a joke to him, something to mock her with. If he did care, this journal would haunt him for a very long time. Vivian died an unjust death, and I refused to let the person who hurt her live in peace. But surprisingly, when Caleb reached out to take the journal, his hands were violently shaking. He was terrified, yet desperately eager to hold onto the last piece of Vivian he had left. He cradled the journal against his chest like it was a priceless treasure. No matter how Harper called out to him, he ignored her completely. I smirked, but I still couldn’t suppress the heavy, suffocating anger in my chest. I felt suffocated. I needed fresh air. But suddenly, a large hand clamped down on my wrist. “Chloe, what did you do to Caleb?” Liam narrowed his eyes, the air around him dropping a few degrees. Honestly, Liam wasn’t much better than Caleb. We were a corporate arranged marriage. The first two years were respectful, but over the last six months, he had done plenty of crossing the line. He even used my family’s company to threaten me. If I hadn’t suddenly woken up to reality and demanded a divorce, Vivian wouldn’t have suggested we run away together. And maybe she wouldn’t have jumped off that building. My heart suddenly ached. I even had the delusional thought that I had killed Vivian. My face went pale. I violently yanked my hand free and said coldly, “You should ask him what he did to Vivi.” “Chloe…” “Liam.” I cut him off. He definitely wasn’t about to say anything nice, and I refused to let Vivian’s name come out of his mouth again. It was an insult to her. “Liam, let’s get a divorce. An amicable split. It won’t affect our families’ businesses.” Originally, I planned to mail him the divorce papers after I left, purely to avoid an argument that he might use to threaten my family’s company. But now that he had actually moved Harper into the house, he should be thrilled to agree to a divorce right away. The argument I worried about wouldn’t happen. I didn’t bother looking at Liam’s expression. There was absolutely nothing in this house I needed to take with me. So, I didn’t even pack a bag. I walked out of the mansion empty-handed. Before I could even clear the front gates, Caleb chased after me, his voice totally hoarse. “Sister-in-law.”

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My boyfriend left me to die in a burning building so he could save his first love. Consumed by the roaring flames, I was reborn on the exact day he confessed his feelings to me. Amidst the roaring cheers of the crowd, I rejected him. I turned and walked toward the lonely, quiet boy standing at the edge of the crowd. But my boyfriend tightly grabbed my wrist, his voice trembling: “Didn’t you say you were going to marry me when we grew up?” 1 “Say yes! Say yes!” When I opened my eyes, Caleb was holding a massive bouquet of red roses, looking at me with a confident smile. Yet, my mind was flooded with the agonizing memory of being swallowed by the fire. I remembered watching Caleb firmly scoop up his first love, Chloe, into his arms. He walked away so decisively, without leaving even a single glance for me. In my despair, I begged the heavens: If I am ever given another chance, I will never choose him again. I will stay as far away from him as possible. Suddenly, a voice echoed in my head: “Are you sure?” I answered with absolute unwavering conviction: “Yes.” And just like that, I actually returned to the day Caleb confessed his love to me. 2 Caleb and I were childhood sweethearts. The whole world knew I loved him. At the beginning of our senior year of high school, he confessed to me after evening study hall. That night, I thought the paper-thin barrier between us had finally been broken, and that our feelings were mutual. It was only much later that I found out his confession was just a petty act of retaliation against Chloe. Throughout college, and even after graduation, he remained endlessly entangled with her. Every time he had to choose between us, I was always the one left behind. I finally woke up, asked for a divorce, and unexpectedly had Chloe show up at my door to provoke me. Then, the fire broke out. I waited for a rescue that never came, watching Caleb carry Chloe out without looking back. In that moment, my heart completely died. So, this time, amidst the cheering crowd… I rejected him. The noisy school courtyard instantly fell dead silent. It made sense. In my past life, I had always been Caleb’s shadow. I chased after him, catered to his every need, brought him breakfast every morning, handed him water during P.E., bought his school supplies, organized his test papers, and waited for him after study hall so we could walk home together. Anyone with eyes knew I was madly in love with him. Caleb’s face instantly darkened. “Harper, say that again?” I looked at him and sneered. “I could say it a hundred times, and it would still be the same. Caleb, I don’t want to be your girlfriend, and I don’t like you. I’m a senior now; I just want to focus on my studies.” The entire crowd gasped collectively. Whispers rippled through the onlookers: [I’d believe I was the Queen of England before I’d believe Harper doesn’t like Caleb.] [She’s probably just playing hard to get.] [But getting rejected in public… Caleb looks like he’s about to explode.] I didn’t want to be the center of attention, so I turned to leave. But Caleb grabbed my wrist, suppressing his rage. “Harper, what kind of crazy act is this?” What kind of crazy act? Maybe he should ask himself that. When Chloe came to me in my past life, she smugly told me that he only confessed to me because he was mad at her. They had gotten into a fight, and Chloe started flirting with another guy in her class. Furious, Caleb turned around and confessed to me. He did it because he was absolutely certain I loved him and wouldn’t reject him. He wanted to force Chloe to yield, so he weaponized my feelings. I looked down at my wrist, which was turning red, and peeled his fingers off one by one. I pointed at the girl standing at the very back of the crowd. “Aren’t you in love with her? You two get into a lover’s spat and use me as a pawn to make each other jealous. What, do I look like a willing sacrifice to you?” 3 For a split second, Caleb froze in place. He watched Chloe turn and walk away, then snapped his gaze back to me, a warning in his eyes. “Harper, are you done throwing this tantrum? This is between us. Why are you dragging other people into it?” I’m throwing a tantrum? His defensive posture only confirmed the absolute truth of my words. I shook off his hand and stared at him, enunciating every word. “Caleb, do you not speak English? I said, I do not like you.” He sneered. “If you don’t like me, who else could you possibly like?” Seventeen years of history gave him the blinding confidence to believe I could never live without him. But I had fought tooth and nail to return to my senior year. I only wanted to live for myself now. I walked past Caleb, heading straight toward the quiet, lonely boy standing behind him. It was Liam, the valedictorian of our grade. I stood next to him and looked back at Caleb. “I like studying. I want to get into MIT.” Then, I turned to Liam. “Hey, academic god. I might need to ask you for a lot of tutoring from now on.” 4 After I rejected Caleb, we entered a cold war. Everyone was placing bets that I wouldn’t last a single day before crawling back to him. I just laughed. And placed a bet myself. [Forever.] [No way, did Harper take the wrong meds?] [Just quietly, Caleb is practically foaming at the mouth. Harper didn’t bring him breakfast, and he’s already thrown a fit three times during morning homeroom.] That was none of my business. All I wanted to do was study. All I asked was for him to stop bothering me. I actually had excellent grades in high school. But in my past life, after getting together with Caleb during senior year, I purposely slacked off so I could stay in-state with him. I found out later it was because Chloe was staying in-state too. He did it on purpose. Opening my backpack, I realized I still had the expensive matching stationery set I had prepared for Caleb. As I pulled it out, I heard Caleb’s desk-mate snicker, “See? I told you. She couldn’t even last the morning.” Caleb wore a smug, arrogant expression, clearly waiting for me to walk over and hand-deliver it to him. Instead, I took all the supplies out. And turned to my desk-mate, Liam. “Hey, valedictorian. A little preemptive bribe. I’m going to be relying on you a lot.” Honestly, in my past life, I didn’t interact much with Liam. He seemed to spend every waking second studying. I occasionally asked him a question or two. But since I knew my score was more than enough for the local college I aimed for, I eventually stopped trying. I faintly remembered him asking me once where I wanted to apply. Back then, my heart and soul were entirely consumed by Caleb. I pointed in Caleb’s direction and said, “Wherever he goes, I go.” Liam hadn’t said anything else. Now, as I handed him the stationery, he lifted his eyes to look at me. His cool, distant gaze held a hint of quiet observation. I smiled openly. “Sorry if this is too forward. If you don’t like it, I’ll just throw it away.” Hearing the words “throw it away,” Caleb’s face turned incredibly ugly. He aggressively kicked the leg of the desk in front of him. But to my surprise, Liam simply said, “Thank you,” and accepted it. 5 Only after I decided to study hard and distance myself from both of them did I realize how far my current level was from my dream university. But I absolutely loved the feeling of wrestling with a brutal math problem until midnight, feeling like I was dying and coming back to life. I loved discussing different ways to solve a problem with the top students, and the rush of clarity when it finally clicked. It turned out that a life not centered around Caleb was actually incredibly fun. Soon, the Senior Pep Rally arrived. In my past life, I was pushed onto the stage and encouraged to publicly confess to Caleb. What did I say back then? Oh, right. I said that youth should be lived without regrets, that you should love whoever you want to love, and that I was confident Caleb and I would get into the same college, so we should spend the rest of our time enjoying the beauty of our school days. The whole school was in an uproar, and our parents were even called to the principal’s office. Thinking back on it now, I wanted to punch my hopelessly romantic, idiotic past self. This time, I stood quietly in the crowd, silently memorizing vocabulary flashcards, trying to make myself invisible. But during the open-mic segment, a girl in my class suddenly shouted, “Harper took broadcasting classes! Let her go up and say a few words for our class!” Others immediately chimed in: “Hilarious, is she gonna go up there and confess to Caleb again? So embarrassing.” “Didn’t she reject Caleb? Is she trying to use this to make peace and confess her feelings?” “I bet she doesn’t have the guts, haha.” “Yeah, she definitely wouldn’t dare.” “It’s so annoying. She placed a bet herself that she wouldn’t crawl back, but she’s still just a desperate lapdog.” I took a deep breath. I knew this was coming. They all wanted to see me make a fool of myself. I understood why—after all, the “old me” revolved entirely around Caleb. Even Caleb himself probably thought I was just throwing a prolonged temper tantrum. But only I knew how incredibly precious this second chance at life was. I turned to look at Caleb, who was standing a short distance behind me. Our eyes met. Wearing his school uniform, he looked arrogant and self-assured, his chin tilted up slightly, seemingly waiting for me to step onto the stage and publicly declare my devotion to him, washing away the humiliation of my previous rejection. Out of the corner of my eye, I also caught Liam’s gaze. For some inexplicable reason, I actually felt a little guilty. Encouraged by the teachers, I stepped out and slowly walked up to the podium. Behind me, the whispers continued: “If Harper doesn’t confess to Caleb today, I’ll lose all respect for her.” “My boy Caleb always wins. You just can’t spoil women.” “…” Looking out at the massive sea of students, I adjusted the microphone and spoke with bright, confident clarity: “Respected teachers, dear classmates, good morning! I am Harper from the Senior 1 AP Class.” “The September osmanthus is blooming. As we begin our senior year, carrying the hopes of our teachers and the weight of our own dreams, standing before the dawn of our college admissions exams, I solemnly pledge: The sharpest sword is forged in the hottest fire, and the sweetest plum blossom blooms in the bitterest cold. We have sharpened our blades for years, waiting for the moment to conquer the peak. I will give it my all and not waste my youth. I hope everyone here perseveres to the end, fights hard for this one year, and lets your dreams set sail!” I was greeted by a thunderous standing ovation. In my past life, when I finished that embarrassing confession, all I heard were whistles, mocking laughter, and boos. I had finally changed the trajectory of the story. But to my surprise, after the rally was dismissed, Caleb cornered me. “Harper, we need to talk.” 6 “I have nothing to talk to you about.” I didn’t even give him a second glance. I walked straight toward the classroom. Caleb chased after me, grabbed my arm, and ignoring my resistance, dragged me toward the edge of the football field. “What is wrong with you?” He frowned, interrogating me. I didn’t back down. I shook his hand off. “How many times do I have to say it before you understand? I just want to study.” I turned to leave. He threw his arm out to block me, his eyes filled with disbelief. “If you want to study, fine! But why aren’t you bringing me breakfast? Why did you give the things you bought for me to someone else? Why aren’t you waiting for me to walk home after study hall? Why did you rej—” He didn’t finish the last word. So I finished it for him. “Why did I reject you? Do you think you’re a hundred-dollar bill? Why wouldn’t I reject you?” He was furious. He gritted his teeth so hard his jaw jumped, struggling to keep his temper in check. Right. In the past, he was always the one rejecting me. He stood on his high horse, caring only about his own feelings. He soaked up all my unconditional love, and then gave all his love to someone else. And as for me, as long as he tossed me a crumb of affection, I would gratefully eat it up. I used to be such an idiot. An idiot who acted like every other man in the world had died except him. After a long silence, Caleb finally spat out, “Harper, you never used to be like this.” I looked up at him. “Caleb, I was blind to ever like you. Go ahead and fly off into the sunset with your precious Chloe. Stop buzzing around my face like an annoying fly.” I walked away. From behind me, I heard Caleb’s low, angry shout: “Fine, Harper! Don’t regret this.” 7 Ever since our bitter fallout by the football field, every morning, Chloe would walk up three flights of stairs just to deliver Caleb breakfast. During the main recess, she would thoughtfully bring him drinks. During our combined P.E. classes, she would even wipe his sweat and feed him water while he played basketball. Soon, the whole school was gossiping that they were a couple. And Caleb never denied it. Some nosy classmates still came up to ask me what I thought about it. I was in the middle of a brutal battle with a physics problem. Hearing the question, I just replied flatly, “That’s great. I hope they lock it down so they don’t ruin anyone else’s life.” Unable to solve the problem, I used my pen to poke Liam in the arm. I pushed my test paper over. “I only got the first step down, I have no idea how to do the rest.” Liam glanced at the problem, and his long, elegant fingers picked up a pen. Seeing he was about to explain it, I quickly grabbed my notebook and leaned closer. I thought I saw a fleeting smile cross his lips. “For this problem, we need to use this formula. Let’s break down the prompt first…” I had to admit, Liam truly lived up to his valedictorian title. Coming from him, these insanely difficult problems suddenly made perfect sense. In a few sentences, he completely untangled my logic. I took the opportunity to slide my entire notebook of mistakes over to him. “Could you look at these too? I understand some of them now, but I still can’t find the underlying pattern.” He took the notebook from my hands, our fingertips brushing. His hand was so cold. I quickly pulled mine back. He looked at the problems I had copied down with intense, focused seriousness. I suddenly remembered my past and realized what an absolute fool I had been. The academic god was literally my desk-mate, and my brain was entirely occupied by a high school romance. I deserved to fail! Just as he was about to speak, I leaned in a little closer. Without warning, a basketball came flying out of nowhere and slammed into me. The next second, a blinding pain exploded in my nose, and warm liquid started gushing down my face. Before I could even see who threw it, a gust of wind rushed toward me. Caleb forcefully grabbed my head, tilting it upward. He rapidly yanked some tissues from a pack and pressed them against my nose. His voice was laced with an indescribable panic. “Does it hurt?” Then he grabbed my arm, trying to drag me toward the restroom. I violently yanked my hand out of his grip and glared at him coldly. “Caleb, what the hell is wrong with you?” 8 I picked up the basketball by my feet and hurled it as hard as I could right into his chest. He didn’t dodge. He stood perfectly still, looking down at me, then glanced at Liam sitting beside me. He sneered, “Harper, is your love really this brief?” Brief? I almost laughed in his face. In my past life, I revolved around him for over twenty years. When we got married, he cried and swore he would be with me for eternity, promising he’d never let me suffer. I believed him every single time. I enabled him every single time. Because he had been a part of my entire existence. I naively thought growing old with him would be the most romantic thing in the world. But I overestimated him, and I underestimated my own feelings. My heart felt a sudden, sharp ache. But I still met his gaze head-on. “Caleb, everyone knows you and Chloe are dating. Date whoever you want, but why are you dragging me into it? Am I just a prop in your little couple’s game?” My voice wasn’t overly loud, but it was loud enough for everyone in the classroom to hear. A wave of muffled laughter rippled through the crowd. Caleb panicked. He reached out to grab my hand to explain, “I am not dating her.” I dodged him, turning my body away. “Oh, so you’re just stringing her along too? You’re absolute trash.” “I’m not! She’s the one who keeps initiating it.” Just as the words left his mouth, a loud thud echoed from the doorway. Chloe stood there, her eyes rimmed with red. The drink she had brought for Caleb was spilled all over the floor. She wiped the corner of her eye, turned around, and ran. I saw Caleb’s hands clench into tight fists. The next second, he sprinted after her. 9 After I sat back down, Liam pulled a wet wipe from his bag and handed it to me. “Do you want to go to the restroom?” I shook my head. “No, it’s fine.” Some blood had dripped onto my pants. It was already drying into dark red spots. I took the wipe and carefully tried to clean it, but the stain wouldn’t come out. It was strange. I hadn’t been thinking about anything at all. Yet, my eyes uncontrollably began to burn. I quickly lowered my head. Even though I was the one abandoned in every choice he made in my past life… Living through it again still hurt. But I figured it was just an involuntary reflex from the twenty-something-year-old Harper inside me. So I dug my fingernails hard into my palm until a sharp pain shot through me. I silently repeated to myself: Seventeen-year-old Harper, this time, you have to win. A moment later, Liam’s clear, calm voice broke the silence. “There are a few different ways to solve these problems. Do you want to hear them?” I quickly wiped my face with my hand, lifted my head, and flashed him a massive, toothy grin. “Yes!” That night during study hall, Liam pushed his meticulously organized physics notes in front of me. “You might need these.” I opened the notebook. It was filled with his neat, elegant handwriting, summarizing every core concept and its classic application problems. In his past life, he got into MIT. I heard he moved back to our hometown after graduating. I didn’t know why. I wrote a note and slid it over to him: “Liam, do you think if I start trying hard right now, I can get into MIT?” He unfolded the note. The warm white light from the desk lamp illuminated his face, casting thick shadows from his eyelashes. Below his straight nose, the corners of his lips curved upward. He picked up his pen. My heart was in my throat. I was terrified he would write back: “At your level? Highly doubtful.” But when he slid the note back, there was only one word. “Yes.” 10 Maybe it was because my desire to change my fate in this life was so overwhelming, or maybe it was the validation from the ultimate academic god. A blazing fire of determination ignited inside me. I started organizing notes for every subject and breaking down the core concepts. In the past, I relied on being somewhat naturally smart, so I only ever half-understood a lot of problems. Now, I started from the absolute basics, chewing through the textbook material until I truly understood it. Taking full advantage of sitting next to Liam, I ruthlessly exploited my access to this genius resource. I even added his contact info so I could conveniently ask him about difficult problems after hours. He rarely posted on social media, but the only thing that kept appearing on his feed was a potted sunflower. Maybe that sunflower held a special meaning for him. Just like how Caleb used to post vague pictures of white gardenias—which translated to “Zhi” (Chloe’s Chinese name) in my past life. I eventually understood it meant Chloe. Come to think of it, Chloe hadn’t come to bring Caleb breakfast lately. But surprisingly, a carton of yogurt and a pastry appeared on my desk. I asked Liam, “Is this yours?” He shook his head. The girl sitting behind me poked my back and whispered, “I got here early. Caleb dropped it off.” Tsk. They get into a fight, and he comes running back to me to validate his existence. I didn’t even turn to look at him. I walked straight to the back of the classroom and threw it in the trash can. When I walked back, Caleb stuck his foot out into the aisle to block me, his eyes harboring dark anger. “Harper, what is your problem?!” “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He pointed at the trash can. “I bought that breakfast.” “Oh.” “Oh? That’s your only reaction?” It actually made me laugh. “Caleb, did you get possessed by an alien? It’s just breakfast. What kind of reaction do you want? Do you want me to get on my knees and bow to you?” His eyes widened in fury, completely exasperated. “Harper, haven’t you thrown this tantrum long enough? What do I have to do to get you to talk to me?” I crossed my arms, shot him a sideways glance, and threw the exact words he used in our past life right back in his face: “Are you ever going to stop? Go find a hobby. I’m busy.” Then I stepped over his leg and sat down at my desk. Caleb lowered his voice. “Fine, Harper. Have it your way!”

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I fell completely in love with my best friend’s older brother. To make him love me back, I did a lot of incredibly stupid things. My best friend sighed and warned me: “Give it up. My brother is cold-blooded. He’s a complete jerk.” Even he told me straight to my face that we would never happen in this lifetime. Then, I got into a car accident. When I woke up, I had completely forgotten everything about chasing him for years. When he came to visit me in the hospital with my best friend, I smiled sweetly and called him “Brother.” Later, I brought my new boyfriend to his birthday party. That night, he cornered me, gripping my chin, glaring at me like a feral animal. “Stop calling me ‘Brother’.” 1 Harper still found it baffling that I had ever fallen for her brother. So, even after I woke up from the crash, she wouldn’t stop nagging me. “Since you have amnesia now, make the most of it. Don’t go falling for someone who isn’t worth your time.” She handed me a peeled apple. I took a bite. It was pretty crisp. Just then, the hospital room door opened, and a handsome face walked in wearing a white coat. It was my attending physician, Dr. Liam Sterling. His eyes narrowed slightly in a smile, bringing a comforting warmth, like a gentle spring breeze. He looked at me, beaming. “Looks like someone is ready to be discharged.” I had been stuck in this hospital for almost a month. My body felt numb from lying in bed so long. Hearing those words was like being handed a pardon. I let out a cheer just as the door was pushed open again. This time, the man who walked in was wearing a tailored black business suit. His features were sharp, his aura cold, aloof, and aristocratic. Every step of his leather shoes on the tile radiated unquestionable authority and pressure. Looking at him, a sudden spike of fear rose in my chest. I instinctively looked at Harper. Instead of greeting him happily, she sighed, stood up, and introduced him. “Carter, you’re here.” The apple slipped from my hand, rolling across the floor until it stopped right at his feet. I swallowed hard and offered an awkward smile. “Harper, you never mentioned your brother was this hot!” Harper covered her face with her hands, clearly mortified by my behavior. The man, hearing my comment, merely furrowed his brow slightly. Somehow, that made him look even more brooding and attractive. I couldn’t help but feel a pang of regret. If only a brother this handsome was my actual brother. While I was busy lamenting internally, the handsome brother spoke up. “Ava, I heard you lost your memory. That’s probably for the best. I’ll treat you just like a little sister, same as Harper.” My eyes instantly lit up. “Thank you, Brother!” Harper dropped her hands, staring at me with a completely blank expression. And he just frowned even deeper. 2 Thanks to Harper’s extensive explanations, I finally learned just how pathetic and obsessive my pursuit of her brother had been. To put it simply, I had been an absolute, unapologetic simp. His name was Carter Hayes, and he was three years older than us. He was in the prime of his career, building his empire. One time, I went with Harper to his office building to find him, and it was love at first sight. Harper sighed, taking a bite of her cake with a tiny spoon. “Honestly, I really have no idea why you were so obsessed with him.” She trailed off, looking like she was holding something back, something too difficult to say out loud. I didn’t really care. She had already said this was all before the amnesia. Maybe my time chasing him was so agonizing that my brain took this accident as a perfect excuse to wipe the slate clean. And that was fine by me. I had forgotten him anyway. “Don’t worry, I promise I’ll treat him exactly like a real older brother from now on.” Seeing her eyes, which looked exactly like Carter’s, I cautiously floated an idea. “Do you think… is it possible that the person I actually had a crush on was you?” Harper rolled her eyes so hard I thought they might get stuck. “I think you need another brain scan.” We joked around, and the topic was quickly brushed aside. But they say when your luck is bad, even drinking cold water will crack a tooth. Right after I swore to the heavens that I harbored absolutely zero romantic thoughts about her brother, Harper spotted him. He was sitting not too far away from us. Just two tables down. He was wearing a casual button-down shirt, the top two buttons undone, his dark hair falling slightly over his forehead. He was staring intently at us. There was a faint, unreadable smile playing in his eyes. I think I realized why I fell in love with him at first sight. Just sitting there, he had the power to make your heart hammer against your ribs. His entire vibe was a mix of effortless wealth and lazy arrogance. The sharp lines of his face were softened by a cool, untouchable detachment. But this time, my heart didn’t flutter. I was just terrified that what we had just been talking about might cause a misunderstanding. I didn’t know why, but right now, looking at him just made me want to run away. The lingering effects of the car crash were seriously no joke. 3 Harper instinctively stood up. She seemed to be genuinely intimidated by her brother. She walked over obediently, keeping her head down, and mumbled, “Hey, Carter.” Seeing her, I quickly tagged along. Hiding behind Harper, I offered a soft, timid greeting: “Hi, Carter.” “Oh? Why isn’t the little sis calling you ‘Carter-bear’ this time?” A guy sitting next to him laughed out loud. He grabbed his drink, took a huge gulp, looking like a total playboy. Harper instinctively threw her arm out, shielding me behind her. That subconscious, protective gesture sent a wave of warmth through my heart. Carter was apparently at a business dinner. Besides the guy who just spoke, the other people at the table were also looking at me with calculating expressions. “She probably realized playing the desperate stalker wasn’t working, so now she’s trying reverse psychology.” One of the women at the table chimed in with a smirk. Then, the woman next to her leaned in and whispered something in her ear. They exchanged a knowing, mocking smile. That kind of behavior was incredibly annoying. But I didn’t take it to heart. Let them talk. I couldn’t hear what they were whispering anyway. And even if they gossiped until the sky fell down, it wasn’t going to take a piece of flesh off me. Harper, on the other hand, was glaring daggers. Just as she opened her mouth to snap back, Carter cut her off. “Why are you here?” His eyes locked onto me, piercing right through me. He was asking me. Did he think we were stalking him and followed him here? I shivered involuntarily and spoke in a tiny voice. “We just read some good reviews online. We’ve never been to this restaurant before.” The implication being: running into him was a pure accident. Harper gathered her courage too. “Carter, you don’t need to be so tense. Ava really did forget all about you.” He let out a low chuckle, his gaze drifting upward, landing on the small square of gauze covering the wound on my forehead. He said cryptically: “Forgetting is a good thing.” I didn’t know if he meant forgetting him. Or forgetting that entire pathetic history of chasing him. But none of that had anything to do with me anymore. Loving him was in the past. Living my life was the present. Starting a new chapter was the future. I flashed a sickeningly sweet smile: “You’re absolutely right, Carter!” The smirk on Carter’s face vanished, settling into a dead, emotionless mask. His dark eyes practically radiated a freezing, biting chill. 4 After that day, I didn’t leave my apartment for almost half a month. When Harper came over to check on me, I was glued to my iPad, completely engrossed in a TV show. It was one of those wildly popular, super-sweet romance dramas. The chemistry between the male and female leads was perfect, and I was absolutely obsessed. The only downside was the agonizingly slow release schedule—only four episodes a week. “Your brain is going to rot watching this garbage.” Harper looked at me with absolute exasperation. “Are you just giving up on life because of what my brother said?” I lay on my stomach on the bed, staring at her with question marks floating around my head. The video was paused right at the exact moment the leads were staring into each other’s eyes, about to kiss. I lazily rolled over. “Giving up on life? What the hell are you talking about?” Harper lay down next to me and asked, “Are you sure it’s not because of my brother?” “You’re making zero sense.” This time, it was my turn to roll my eyes. I shoved the iPad toward her. “Look at this new show I just invested in.” Harper was confused. “Since when did you start investing in TV shows?” “I have no idea.” I scratched my head. “When I woke up in the hospital, the producers were already messaging me. It must have been something I set up before the crash.” Harper nodded. TV production cycles were long; my explanation made perfect sense. Soon enough, she was sucked into the plot, too. When I woke up from a nap, she was staring at me with massive dark circles under her eyes. My mouth twitched. “Don’t tell me you stayed up all night watching that.” She grabbed my arm and shook it aggressively. “Never mind that! Can you please, please take me to the wrap party?!” That was when I found out Harper had not only binge-watched the latest episodes but also gone online to hunt for spoilers and behind-the-scenes gossip. She had found out there was going to be a wrap party for the cast and crew next week. The production team had already sent me an invitation. Since she wouldn’t stop begging, I had no choice but to take her with me. On the night of the party, Harper dressed elegantly and beautifully. She wore a soft, butter-yellow flared dress, her hair styled in loose, glamorous waves cascading down her back. She was naturally gorgeous, and with a touch of light makeup, anyone who didn’t know better would have assumed she was the leading actress. “Tell me the truth. Do you have a crush on the male lead?” Harper slapped my accusing finger away, making a solemn vow. “I can completely separate the character from real life, thank you very much!” If she hadn’t practically sprinted toward him the second we walked in, I might have actually believed her bullshit. But given her net worth, falling for a celebrity wouldn’t be a huge issue anyway. I grabbed a glass of champagne and mingled through the crowd. The instinct for high-society networking was practically baked into my bones; even amnesia couldn’t erase it. But I finally understood why my brain had completely blocked out the memory of investing in this show. Because I spotted the primary, massive financial backer of the series. It was Carter Hayes. I guess the old me saw him investing and threw money at the project just to have an excuse to be close to him. After all, according to Harper… Before the crash, I had the ultimate, terminal case of ‘love-on-the-brain’. His eyes found me through the crowded room. He offered a distant, knowing smirk. He looked so smug and self-assured, as if he was saying: See? I knew you were faking the amnesia. 5 A wave of panic hit me, and I instinctively turned to walk away. I didn’t expect to crash directly into someone. “Careful.” Hearing that familiar, warm tone, I couldn’t help but look up. “Dr. Sterling?” He smiled. “What a coincidence. Are you involved with this production, Ava?” I shook my head. “No, I just invested in it.” Liam’s smile froze for a fraction of a second. “Ava, you certainly throw your money around.” His reaction made me laugh. The little interruption eased my tense nerves significantly. It turned out that because the female lead in the show was a doctor, they needed a professional medical consultant on set. Liam’s grandfather was a highly respected figure in the medical field. But since his grandfather couldn’t make it, he sent Liam in his place. That was how I learned that this seemingly ordinary, unassuming man actually came from a prestigious medical dynasty. The very hospital where I had stayed was owned by his family. “I didn’t realize Dr. Sterling was hiding his light under a bushel.” I raised my glass to toast him. Liam chuckled awkwardly. “I’ll take that as a compliment.” His long, elegant fingers held the crystal flute, the golden liquid swaying inside. The chandelier light hit the glass, making it sparkle. His hands were incredibly slender and refined. I don’t know if it was the alcohol going to my head, but I blurted out, “Dr. Sterling, has anyone ever told you that you have really nice hands?” Liam paused for a second, completely unfazed. Instead, he stepped a fraction closer. “Is it just my hands that are nice, or is it everything else too?” He was standing quite close. His eyes were locked onto mine. A strange, inexplicable feeling started to bloom in the pit of my stomach. My breath hitched for a second. Just as I was about to speak, someone clamped a hand around my wrist and forcefully dragged me out of Liam’s personal space. I looked up and saw Carter’s tightly clenched jaw. His eyes were lowered, his voice rough and gravelly. “This is a public event. Show some restraint.”

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I’ve been married to my best friend’s brother for six months, and we still haven’t consummated our marriage. Furious, I called my best friend. “I can’t take it anymore! I’m divorcing your brother.” To my shock, my best friend started wailing on the other end of the line: “I can’t take it anymore either! I’m divorcing your brother tomorrow!” 1 Hearing her say that, I froze. I almost forgot—my best friend and I had married each other’s brothers. Thinking about it, her situation was actually a little more tragic than mine. They’d been married for six months, and she hadn’t even had the chance to look at her man’s body, let alone touch it. Unlike me. At least I’d gotten a peek. I sighed, speaking with the solidarity of two women trapped in the same miserable boat. “Babe, meet me at the club.” “Let’s go find some hot male models and actually feel something.” … I arrived before she did, secured a table, ordered some snacks, and started eating pistachios while waiting. Five minutes later, my best friend, Mia, swaggered in, wearing killer stiletto heels and sultry “feline” makeup. Without a word, she raised her hand and ordered a round of shots. I leaned in, desperate for the gossip. “What happened with you and my brother?” We were best friends for a reason. The moment I asked, she raised an eyebrow and shot the question right back. “What about you? What happened with my brother?” It was a classic standoff. Neither of us wanted to break first. I let out a heavy sigh. “He won’t sleep with me!” Mia and I got married exactly one day apart. Initially, I only knew she had a brother who was a doctor, but I had no idea what he looked like. Until one day, a toxic client stressed me out so badly I developed a painful lump in my breast and had to go to the hospital. Terrified I’d get some creepy old male doctor, Mia specifically called in her “young, handsome” brother to examine me. I was skeptical about how handsome he could really be, but the reality hit me like a truck. The moment I saw Liam’s face, my heart went into overdrive. It was the first time in my life I actually experienced love at first sight. Even with a surgical mask covering half his face, leaving only a pair of stunning, aloof eyes visible… I knew perfectly well that every single inch of him hiding under that white coat was exactly my type. After the appointment, I immediately demanded Mia give me his number. She warned me he was pretty cold and distant. I confidently declared that no man could resist my flawless, aggressive charm. And then, I was brutally humbled. While pursuing him, I sent a cute, flirty text: [Dr. Liam, did you have anything delicious today? ✨] He replied a full day later: [I had a salad.] Me: […] Frustrated, I decided to take the offensive in person. I forced Mia to set up a movie date for us. We went to a horror movie. While Liam watched the screen with absolute stoicism, I let out a dramatic gasp and “accidentally” shrank back into his chest, trembling in fear. When he looked down at me, I blinked innocently, delivering the line I had rehearsed: “My chest still hurts a little… Dr. Liam, could you examine it again?” I thought my tone was perfectly calibrated—the ultimate, helpless damsel in distress. But instead of falling for it, he just stared at me heavily. Behind his silver-rimmed glasses, his eyes were like deep whirlpools, pulling me in and making my heart flutter wildly. The atmosphere was so intense, I was absolutely certain he was going to kiss me. But the next second, he rigidly pushed me away. His Adam’s apple bobbed. “Ms. Davis, please focus on the movie, or you’re wasting the ticket price.” “…” 2 How can I even describe the look on my face at that moment? It was utterly humiliating. I had totally played myself! “I can’t take it anymore, I seriously can’t! Your brother is either completely asexual, or his plumbing is broken!” I lost my appetite for the pistachios. I grabbed the bottle of tequila, determined to drink until I forgot my name. Mia groaned in frustration and clinked her glass against mine. “I can’t take it with your brother either! What a waste of a gorgeous face! His mouth must be infected with venom, it’s so toxic!” “Remember that dress I bought a few days ago? The one you said looked amazing? I took a picture and sent it to him, and he literally replied that it was so tight it looked like it was tailored for a praying mantis! Has he ever seen a praying mantis with curves like this?!” I burst out laughing. Mia was just as superficial as I was. She fell in love with my brother, Ethan, at first sight too. We both basically forced our way into their lives and manipulated our way down the aisle. We thought married life was going to be a non-stop, steamy romance novel. Instead, it was drier than a monastery. “And I don’t get it! Your brother is a lawyer—does he really have that many cases?! He practically lives in his home office! The only place we ever talk is on iMessage! I’m starting to suspect he has a side chick!” As Mia’s accusations grew louder, I stared at the swirling liquor in my glass and nodded in aggressive agreement. “I think your brother has someone else too! I literally paraded around in front of him wearing lingerie, and he managed to resist pouncing on me! Just the other day, I asked him what flavor of condoms he liked, and he completely deadpanned, ‘There’s no rush’! “You know what they say: if a man has no desire for a woman, it means he has zero interest! It’s infuriating! We’re married and I haven’t even gotten a taste of the goods!” “They’re both absolute dogs.” Mia patted my shoulder with profound, shared hatred. “Let’s divorce them. I’ll file tomorrow, you file the day after. We’ll take half their assets and go live our best lives.” That sounded exactly like my plan. 3 Mia and I were women of action. The very next day, we went back to get our marriage certificates and essential documents. Since she was divorcing first, I went with her to the Vance family estate. The estate was in the neighboring city, and we arrived completely unannounced. We assumed the massive mansion would be empty except for the staff. But when we walked in and saw a group of wealthy socialites playing Mahjong, we froze. I leaned in and whispered to Mia, “Didn’t you say your mom was out of the country on vacation?” She looked just as panicked. “She posted vacation photos on Instagram yesterday! We’re screwed. What if she figures out what we’re doing?” Me: “Keep a low profile. Do you know where the documents are?” “I know exactly where they are!” she declared confidently. Mia’s mom noticed us and her eyes lit up. “Oh my goodness! What a wonderful surprise!” Mia, sweating bullets, muttered a vague greeting and immediately dragged me toward the elevator. However, after tearing her old room apart, we couldn’t find the documents anywhere. I couldn’t just sit on the bed waiting, so I got up to help her search. Right then, Liam sent me a text. [Mom told me you went to the estate?] I thought for a second, then sent back a cute, nodding cartoon bunny sticker. Liam: [Have fun. I’ll come pick you up after work. I’ll ask the chef to make your favorite sweet and sour spare ribs.] I stared at that text for a solid minute. What was going on? Was Liam in an exceptionally good mood today? But last night, he had literally rejected me again… Thinking about it just made me angry. Last night, after Mia and I got blackout drunk, both our husbands showed up to drag us home. One for each. Mia threw a massive, drunken tantrum, while I was dead quiet. I had originally planned to demand a divorce right then and there, but I accidentally passed out in the car. When I woke up, Liam was carefully taking my makeup off with a wipe. In my eyes, his face was an absolute 10/10. The alcohol was fully in my system, and I was completely mesmerized by his long, elegant fingers. I grabbed his hand, pressed it against my chest, and drunkenly tried my old trick again. “Dr. Liam, my heart beats so fast when I see you. Could you soothe it for me?” I mumbled, leaning heavily against his chest. His breathing hitched. He told me to lie still and quickly finished wiping my face. When he spoke, his warm breath brushed against my ear, making my entire heart tingle. So, I started taking my clothes off. I pulled off my sweater, leaving only a thin silk slip, exposing my bare, pale shoulders. Drops of water from a damp cloth trailed down my collarbone, soaking into the silk. I was completely oblivious, feeling totally liberated, and lunged at him with hazy, seductive eyes. “Dr. Liam, we still haven’t consummated our marriage, have we?” We were inches apart. The tension was thick enough to finally cross the finish line. Liam was sitting on the rug, and I straddled his lap. I thought we were finally going all the way. But he just pinched the bridge of his nose, and his large hands gently but firmly stopped me from unbuttoning his shirt. “Elena, you’re drunk. Be a good girl and stay here. I’m going to make you some hangover soup, okay?” I froze instantly. I completely missed the gentleness in his tone. All I saw was that his deep, dark eyes were completely devoid of lust. Liam really, truly had zero sexual attraction to me. I burst into tears on the spot. “…” Remembering that humiliating scene, and now looking at his text, I frustratingly locked my screen and ignored him. Just then, the bedroom door opened slightly, and Mia’s mom poked her head in. “What are you girls looking for?” Mia’s brow was deeply furrowed. She was so frustrated from searching that she blurted it out without thinking. “We’re looking for my marriage documents!” “…” 4 Chaos erupted. The entire house went into lockdown. The Mahjong ladies were immediately ushered out. In the living room. Mia’s mom forced us to sit on the sofa, glaring at Mia with extreme suspicion. “You’re getting a divorce?!” Knowing she couldn’t hide it, Mia nodded with the grim resolve of a martyr. “Yes. I’m done. It’s pointless.” Mia’s mom ground her teeth, furiously scolding her for being an idiot. “You were the one crying and screaming that you had to marry Ethan! Didn’t you say you couldn’t live without him?! Now what kind of stunt are you pulling?!” I couldn’t help but feel a little guilty. To be fair, I had used every trick in the book to seduce Liam, too. But how was I supposed to know he was practically a monk?! I wished I had been born a man, then I could have just married my best friend! “Mom, you can’t force a square peg into a round hole,” Mia whined defensively. “Ethan doesn’t love me at all.” “I’m staying in the city. The city is full of hot male models! I can grab a random guy off the street and he’d be better than that cold-blooded bastard Ethan!” As soon as she finished her sentence, a tall, imposing figure walked into the room. My brother, Ethan, had rushed over. The usually immaculate, perfectly styled elite lawyer looked exhausted, his tie slightly askew, his face tight with anxiety. “Mia.” He walked over to her, his tone stiff. “You want a divorce?” “Everything was fine. Why do you suddenly want a divorce?” Mia had sent a message to the family group chat, and everyone rushed over in a panic. Seeing Liam striding into the room, I pressed my lips together tightly. He radiated a cold, aloof energy. He walked over to me, and I subtly took a step back. “Not feeling well?” Seeing my pale face, he leaned in to ask. I didn’t answer. I’m feeling sick because I’m looking at you! The atmosphere was incredibly tense. Ethan frowned deeply. He reached out to hug Mia, but she violently shoved him away. “Save your breath. I’ve already made up my mind.” She glared at him with pure venom. “You can spend the rest of your life married to your court cases! Toxic lawyer!” With that, she grabbed my arm and tried to drag me out of the room. Liam quickly caught my wrist, his tone deep and serious. He finally spoke up. “Mia, marriage isn’t a game.” “And don’t drag Elena into your mess.” Mia looked at her brother like he had lost his mind. “Why are you trying to lecture me? You’re getting divorced too.” “…” The moment the words left her mouth, every single eye in the room snapped directly to me. …

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Arthur has always been a devoted husband. But the day his high school sweetheart was diagnosed with cancer, he handed me a pill designed to induce amnesia. “Mia, Claire is going to die soon. Give me three days. I just want to fulfill her dream of having a wedding.” “I don’t want to break your heart. This pill causes temporary amnesia. In three days, after her wedding is over, you can take the antidote. You’ll fall right back in love with me, and we’ll get remarried.” Looking at his determined face, I took the pill and swallowed it without a second of hesitation. What Arthur didn’t know was that I was the one who invented this amnesia drug. There was no antidote. In three days, I would forget him completely. Forever. 1 Stepping out of the courthouse after finalizing our divorce, Arthur checked his watch. “The pill will kick in in exactly two minutes. Over the next three days, you’ll forget every single memory of loving me. When you take the antidote, you won’t remember anything that happened during these three days. You won’t have to suffer at all.” “This divorce is just temporary. Once everything is over, we’ll get remarried. Don’t worry, my one and only true wife will always be you.” I stared at him in silence. There won’t be a remarriage. As the developer of this drug, I knew exactly how it worked. It didn’t erase memories instantly. It eroded them slowly, piece by piece, until you completely forgot the person you loved. And the antidote? I had never finished developing it. But Arthur obviously didn’t know that. I asked him softly, “Are you absolutely sure you won’t regret this?” He smiled, affectionately ruffling my hair. “Claire has loved me for years. Her only dying wish is to have a wedding with me. I can’t refuse her. Since I’ve made my choice, I won’t regret it.” “Mia, I know you’ve always been understanding and empathetic. There’s no need to hold a grudge against a dying woman. Once this is all over, we’ll go right back to our happy life together.” I forced a bitter, self-deprecating smile. I let the overwhelming, sour pain in my chest spread through my entire body, but I didn’t say a word. During the peak of our love, I drank myself into the hospital with a bleeding ulcer just to secure a crucial business deal for him. He, in turn, stayed up for days, his heart rate dangerously erratic, just to reclaim my stolen research data. Later, I joked with him, asking what he would do if we got old and I forgot who he was. His eyes immediately turned red. He kissed me fiercely. “Mia, I love you. Please, never forget me. I would lose my mind.” And now? The moment he found out his precious ‘white moonlight’ had cancer, he proactively divorced me. He demanded I take an experimental drug to forget our entire history. I guess he wanted to give her three perfect days of love. A love without flaws. Without the awkward presence of a ‘superfluous’ wife. His complete, undivided love. If he was bold enough to change his heart so openly and feed me this drug… why even bother with the charade of remarrying me later? I laughed aloud, a sharp, bitter sound. Suddenly, a blinding, needle-like pain shot through my head. I swayed, my body pitching forward. Arthur caught me with lightning speed. His deep eyes were filled with endless concern. “Are you feeling sick? If you’re really that scared… if you’re worried I won’t come back to you… you can keep the divorce decree and all the paperwork.” I forced myself to stand up straight, looking at Arthur in confusion. “What divorce decree?” Arthur froze. Then, he cautiously tested the waters. “Mia, we just got divorced. Do you remember?” “Divorce?” Seeing the blank look on my face, a barely perceptible flash of joy crossed his eyes. I looked down and saw the divorce papers clutched tightly in my hand. Suddenly, it all made sense. The drug was kicking in. The very first thing it erased was the memory of our divorce. Arthur quickly snatched the papers from my hand, terrified I would read his name on them. His voice softened dramatically. “Mia, I’m your brother. You’ve been very sick and lost some of your memories. I’m going to hold onto these important documents for you.” I looked up, meeting his evasive gaze, but I didn’t expose his lie. Fine. If he wanted to play a role, I would play along. Just then, a sickeningly sweet voice cut through the air. “Arthur, there you are!” I turned and saw Claire jogging toward us. Suddenly, she tripped over a crack in the pavement and stumbled forward. Without thinking, Arthur shoved me aside and reached out to catch her. Thrown off balance, I crashed hard into the brick wall. My head, already throbbing with agonizing pain, hit the stone with a sickening thud. Claire fell into Arthur’s arms, blushing coyly. “Thank you for catching me, Arthur.” Realizing what he had just done, Arthur’s face paled. He immediately turned to me. “Mia, did you get hurt? Claire is sick. If she falls and starts bleeding, it might not stop. That’s why I caught her first. I’m sorry.” I had already steadied myself. Suppressing the pain, I brushed the dust off my clothes. “I’m fine.” Claire clung to Arthur’s arm, pouting softly. “Arthur, it was just a quick divorce, why did it take so long? I was waiting for you forever.” Seeing me staring directly at them, Arthur coughed awkwardly. He looked at me guiltily, but he didn’t push her hand away. “It’s done now. We can focus on the wedding.” Claire beamed with joy, shooting me a triumphant, gloating look. “Mia, Arthur and I have been dating for five years, and we’re finally getting married! The wedding is in three days. You absolutely have to come.” I smiled politely. “Of course I’ll come to my brother’s wedding.” The smile on Claire’s face widened. “Then you have to be our official videographer! Make sure you record the exact moment Arthur and I kiss at the altar…” “Claire.” Arthur’s face darkened suddenly, silencing her. He stared at me intently, desperately searching my eyes for even a hint of sorrow. Finding none, a strange, suffocating discomfort settled in his chest. “She doesn’t need to attend the wedding.” My expression remained perfectly blank. Seeing Arthur take my side, Claire immediately frowned and collapsed weakly against his chest. “Arthur, my heart suddenly hurts so much. I can’t breathe.” Arthur’s eyes filled with panic. He wrapped his arms around her tightly. “Is it acting up again? Just hold on, I’m taking you to the hospital right now.” He looked up at me, asking in a low voice, “Mia, do you still remember how to get home? Do you need me to have someone drive you?” I shook my head. “No, I remember.” Arthur fell silent. The lab technicians had told him the drug only erased memories of the person the subject loved most; it wouldn’t damage any other cognitive functions. Knowing that he was the person I loved most, Arthur’s expression finally relaxed. “Okay, head home then. I need to get Claire to the hospital.” With that, he scooped Claire up into his arms and carried her to his car. Nestled against his chest, Claire spoke weakly, “Arthur, being able to be openly held by you like this… even if I die right now, it would all be worth it.” Arthur scolded her gently, “Stop talking nonsense.” Through the car window, I watched as Arthur leaned over to buckle her seatbelt. Claire suddenly wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed a soft kiss to his earlobe. Witnessing this incredibly intimate moment, a freezing chill and a sharp, stabbing pain pierced my heart. The agonizing sting of betrayal. As his car sped away, my phone rang. “Dr. Sterling? The Paris Research Institute has prepared your welcome reception. We look forward to your arrival in three days.” 2 I hung up the phone and went back to the house. Only then did I realize that the place was completely empty. It was nothing but a hollow shell. This was the house Arthur and I had renovated together. Back then, he swore he wanted to live in this cozy little home with me for the rest of our lives. But now? The tea set we designed together, the decorations we picked out—everything related to him had been completely scrubbed from the house. He was probably terrified that seeing them would trigger my memories. He even had the landscaping crew dig up and turn over all the soil in the balcony planters where we used to grow flowers together. Looking at the barren, empty house, I let out a mocking laugh. Arthur, you planned all this out so meticulously. Are you really doing this to spare me pain? Or are you just terrified that I’ll remember everything, lose my mind, and ruin your perfect wedding with Claire? If you knew there was no antidote, and that I would never regain my memory… would you regret this? I took off my wedding ring, wrote him a letter, sealed them both in an envelope, and wedged it into a hidden gap between the empty flower pots. Just then, my phone rang frantically. It was my best friend, Avery. She hesitated for a long time before finally speaking: “Mia… I need to tell you something. I think Arthur is cheating on you. I’m outside the hospital right now, and I just saw him hugging and holding some woman.” I just said, “Mm. It’s fine. Let him be.” Avery was shocked by my reaction. “Mia… are… are you okay?” Hearing the sheer panic in her voice, I actually laughed. “Why wouldn’t I be okay? Arthur and I are already divorced.” “DIVORCED?!” I briefly explained the whole situation. When she heard that I had taken the pill, she exploded with a string of vicious curses. “That cheating bastard! He is unbelievable! Feeding you an experimental drug just so he can marry that bitch without feeling guilty?!” “Five years ago, you gave up a fellowship at the Institute just to stay with him! Half of his success is built on your hard work! And now he’s tossing you aside for another woman, claiming he’s doing it so ‘you won’t suffer’?! Who the hell does he think he is?!” A profound, agonizing ache finally surfaced in my eyes. My face turned ashen. Five years ago, when Arthur was at his absolute lowest, I married him without a second thought. I leveraged every single connection I had to drag his failing company back from the brink of bankruptcy. Back then, he would hold me every single night, whispering in my ear that I was his one and only, his forever love. But then, slowly, everything changed. His heart started wandering. He gradually forgot all the sacrifices I made. He demanded that I be ‘understanding’ and ‘obedient’. He demanded that I accept his ‘merciful charity’ toward Claire. Is it really that hard to just love one person consistently? I did it. Why couldn’t he? Avery ranted furiously for another five minutes. Finally, exhausted, she caught her breath and declared: “I guarantee you, Arthur is going to regret divorcing you and feeding you that pill! He’s going to regret it until it destroys him!” “Hah, he definitely doesn’t know you never actually finished the antidote! Let him suffer! And you? You get to finally move on.” I looked over at the gap between the flower pots where I had just hidden the letter. After living with Arthur for so many years, I knew his habits inside and out. Whenever he felt stressed or depressed, he would stand on the balcony and drink alone. If he truly regretted his decision on the day I left, he would definitely find that letter. Late that night, Arthur came back to the house. I heard him tearing through the closets in the bedroom. “What are you doing?” Arthur froze. He turned around and saw me standing in the doorway in my pajamas. He frowned and quickly draped his coat over my shoulders. “It’s freezing tonight. Why are you wearing so little?” I ignored his question and asked again, “Are you looking for something?” “Yeah. I need to borrow your wedding dress. Claire wants to wear it for the ceremony.” Arthur explained, “You probably forgot this too, but it’s the one you wore when you got married.” I stared at him in silence. Of course I hadn’t forgotten. He had designed that dress for me himself. From sketching the blueprints to the final tailoring, it took him two entire months. And he did all of it just because I had casually mentioned, “I want a wedding dress that is completely unique.” And now, he was taking the dress he designed specifically for me, to make another woman’s wedding perfect. I found the absurdity of it all almost funny. I asked him intentionally: “Is this dress really that important? Why does it have to be this exact one?” My question seemed to trigger a memory for Arthur. His hands stopped moving. The day the dress was finished, he had told me, “This dress will only ever belong to you.” I watched him closely. He hesitated for only a fraction of a second before smoothly lying. “It was designed by a master. It’s the only one of its kind in the world. Claire loves it, and her only dying wish is to get married in this dress.” Seeing my eyes lower, he quickly added, “Don’t worry, as soon as the wedding is over, I’ll bring it right back. And then, whatever you want, just name your price.” It was the same flawless, airtight lie as always. But my heart took another brutal, heavy hit. On the day of our wedding, Arthur’s eyes never left me for a single second. After the ceremony, he carefully, meticulously preserved the dress and locked it in the closet. I had teased him, “Why are you treating a piece of fabric like it’s a religious artifact?” He had looked at me with total seriousness. “Because you are the one who gave this dress its unique, irreplaceable beauty. I’m going to preserve this memory forever.” But now? Just because Claire said she liked it, Arthur handed it over without a second thought. The dress lost all its sacred meaning. It was just a tool to make Claire happy. “It’s late. Go to sleep. I have to go.” Arthur, completely oblivious to my internal devastation, grabbed the dress and left. I let his coat slip off my shoulders and fall to the floor. I looked down at the empty closet, my heart drowning in disappointment and grief. “It’s fine. It’s fine. Just like the house, once he finishes sweeping everything out, it will all be over.” It was just an abandonment. Once my memory was wiped clean, I could finally, truly let it all go. Just as the thought crossed my mind, another agonizing spike of pain drilled through my brain, and another massive chunk of my memory vanished. I was violently yanked out of my grief. 3 The next day, Avery told me that Arthur was running around like a madman preparing for the wedding. The scale of the event was rivaling the one he threw for me. I nodded thoughtfully. Arthur was so busy, yet he still managed to have someone deliver three meals a day to my empty house. He really was trying to balance everything. It must have been exhausting for him. On the day of the wedding, Avery brought me to the venue. Before the ceremony began, we sat in the darkest, most secluded corner. In the distance, we saw Arthur and Claire acting incredibly intimate, surrounded by her group of bridesmaids. “I remember Arthur threw a massive wedding for Mia too. Tsk, tsk. I never thought our Claire would end up being the lucky one.” Hearing my name, Claire tightened her grip on Arthur’s arm. Arthur quickly clarified, “Mia and I are already divorced. Today is Claire’s wedding. There is no need to bring up the past.” Hearing Arthur proactively distance himself from me, the bridesmaids immediately sneered, “Our Claire is young and beautiful. How could Mia ever compare?” “Arthur, Claire is entrusting the rest of her life to you. You better not let her down.” Arthur offered a gentle smile, looking exactly the way he did when he made his vows to me. “Don’t worry. I will never let her down.” My eyes dimmed. Avery gritted her teeth in fury. “What kind of toxic garbage is this? Since when is the mistress the victim?!” Nearby, someone suddenly shouted. “It’s a beautiful day! Why don’t the bride and groom give us a kiss?!” The bridesmaids immediately started chanting. “Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!” Claire blushed furiously and looked up at Arthur, playing the shy, innocent bride perfectly. Urged on by the crowd, Arthur reached out and gently brushed her hair behind her ear, then leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to the corner of her lips. The cheering erupted, reaching a fever pitch. Amidst this chaotic, joyful scene, I felt absolute, deafening silence. I couldn’t hold onto his heart, and now, I couldn’t hold onto him physically either. I smirked mockingly. Thank god the drug had already erased so much. I wasn’t in agonizing pain anymore. My phone screen lit up. It was a boarding notification for my flight. “Avery, it’s time for me to go.” Avery gave me a tight hug, her eyes completely red. “Go! Leave this trash behind and go shine! I’ll be waiting for you to become famous and conquer the world!” “As for this place… I’ve got a massive going-away present for them!” “I’m off.” I smiled and tapped her nose, not really caring what her ‘present’ was. After all, in less than thirty minutes, every single memory of loving Arthur would be gone forever. I dragged my suitcase toward the exit. Arthur, holding Claire’s hand, casually glanced over. He seemed to spot my silhouette and froze in panic. But thinking about it, he probably convinced himself it was impossible. Even if I did show up at the wedding, I would be there as his ‘sister’. I wouldn’t be avoiding him, and I certainly wouldn’t be dragging a suitcase. He must have assumed he saw wrong. The lights in the venue dimmed. Arthur and Claire stood center stage. They exchanged rings and gazed lovingly into each other’s eyes. The crowd erupted again, screaming for them to kiss. Suddenly, a massive banner unfurled from the ceiling. Avery stood beneath it, holding a megaphone, a wicked smirk on her face. “Congratulations to the homewrecker, Claire, and the cheating scum, Arthur! May you live a long, miserable life together, suffer from infertility, and give birth to eight useless sons!” Claire’s face instantly went paper-white. She instinctively shrank behind Arthur. Recognizing Avery’s face, Arthur grew furious. “What the hell are you talking about?! Mia and I are legally divorced! Claire is not a homewrecker!” Avery let out a chilling laugh. “You want to have your cake and eat it too. You can’t let go of your ex-wife, but you’re throwing a massive wedding for your mistress. You kept telling Mia to wait for you so you could remarry. Do you have any idea how much agony she’s been in these last three days?!” Arthur’s eyes turned lethal. “That is none of your concern. I gave Mia a drug. She won’t remember any of this.” “You absolute idiot. The drug doesn’t cause instant amnesia. It takes three full days to completely erase the memory of the person she loves. Everything you’ve done over the past three days… Mia watched every single second of it.” Avery tilted her chin up, glaring at him with pure disdain. “Do you even know who the lead developer of that drug was? It was Mia. Your ex-wife.” “And let me tell you one more thing. There is no antidote. Mia has completely, permanently forgotten you. She will never remarry you. You can live out the rest of your miserable days with your feral mistress in peace!” 4 All the color drained from Arthur’s face. He looked absolutely terrified. He marched over to Avery, his brow deeply furrowed as he tried desperately to maintain his composure. “Are you lying to me?!” “Lying?!” Avery sneered. “Do you think I have nothing better to do than come here and lie to you? You are so unbelievably arrogant. No wonder Mia wanted to leave you.” “Do you know what she told me? She said she hated herself for being so weak. She hated that she loved you too much to leave you. She told me she was actually grateful that you forced her to take that pill. It finally gave her an escape.” Her words completely pulverized the final psychological barrier in Arthur’s mind. His voice trembled violently. “Where… where is she right now?” Avery’s eyes were filled with mockery. She lifted her chin provocatively. “Weren’t you just bragging about how much you loved her? If you love her so much, go find her yourself.” Arthur clenched his fists. He threw the bridal bouquet onto the floor, turned around, and sprinted toward the exit. “Arthur! Arthur! Don’t go! Our wedding isn’t over yet!” Claire hiked up her wedding dress and ran after him in a panic, reaching out to grab him. But his jacket slipped right through her fingertips, leaving her with nothing but his rapidly retreating back. When Arthur frantically rushed back to the house and pushed open my bedroom door, he was met with absolute emptiness. All my clothes were gone. “Mia?!” He called out several times. Silence answered him. The bed was perfectly made. The desk was spotless. I had a habit: whenever I packed for a trip, I always deep-cleaned the room. And now, my room was so clean that every trace of my existence had been erased. It looked as if no one had ever lived there. He slid down the doorframe, collapsing onto the floor. According to his original plan, as soon as the wedding was over, he would give me the antidote. Everything would go right back to normal. Claire would get her dream wedding, and I wouldn’t have to suffer. But why… why did everything turn out like this? Arthur clenched his fists and punched the wall violently. Then, he immediately dialed his assistant. “Find out exactly where Mia went. Right now.” After receiving confirmation from his assistant, Arthur hung up. Frustrated, he poured himself a glass of whiskey and downed it. He walked out onto the balcony, staring into the night, slowly trying to calm his racing heart. He poured the remaining liquid from his glass into the dirt of a planter. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a small envelope wedged tightly in the gap between the pots. He pulled it out. Seeing my familiar, elegant handwriting on the envelope, his fingers froze. Inside the letter was the love I had painstakingly held onto for five years. “The drug doesn’t cause instant amnesia. It slowly erases you. Over these past three days, I watched you give Claire your entire heart. I watched you lie to me for her.” “I know you still love me. But your heart cannot beat for two people at the same time. Arthur, what I wanted was absolute, unwavering loyalty.” “Thank you for forcing me to take that drug. You severed my indecision. This time, I choose to leave.” Arthur stared blankly at the letter. A memory from long ago suddenly flashed through his mind. It was our very first major argument, and the first time he had ever seen me lose control. Just because he had stayed at the hospital to keep Claire company while she received an IV, he had accidentally missed our anniversary. I had exploded in a furious rage. He didn’t understand. He couldn’t understand why I was being so petty and unreasonable with a sick woman. But now, reading my words, his heart trembled violently. He had always convinced himself that his feelings for Claire were nothing more than pity and tolerance. It was absolutely not something as heavy as ‘love’. But now, even he had to admit the truth to himself. His emotions did fluctuate because of Claire. That was why, when he saw her red, swollen eyes, he agreed to throw her a massive wedding without a second thought. When exactly did he start caring so much about Claire? And when exactly did I give up on him? Arthur’s mind was a chaotic, tangled mess. He crushed the letter in his fist until it was crumpled and ruined. His knuckles turned white as he muttered hoarsely, “Mia, I was wrong.” Meanwhile, I was sitting on an airplane, checking the time. In exactly two minutes, my memories of Arthur would be completely erased. By now, he had probably already seen the letter. Would he regret his decision? I looked down and let out a soft laugh. Whatever. Whether he regretted it or not, it had nothing to do with me anymore. From now on, our paths would never cross again. After deleting his final contact number from my phone, I suddenly clutched my chest. The very last fragment of my memory of him shattered completely. When I looked up again, a flight attendant was handing me a cup of hot water, asking gently: “Miss, are you alright? You looked unwell, so I brought you some water.” I shook my head and smiled. “I’m fine. Thank you.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “391548”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

When my stepsister caught a cold, my brother’s heart ached so deeply that he forced me into the bottom freezer, sealing it shut with heavy iron chains. “Mia is in so much pain. As her older sister, how could you not suffer alongside her?” Inside the deep freeze, my fingers stiffened from the biting cold. Trembling uncontrollably, I cried and begged for mercy, only to be met with his cold reprimand: “If you can’t even endure this little bit of hardship, you don’t deserve to be my sister!” He ignored me after that, dedicating all his warmth, care, and attention to Mia. I felt my limbs go numb inch by inch, my blood solidifying, until my despair in our shared bloodline was absolute. A week later, Mia recovered, and my brother finally remembered me. “Since Mia is better, you can come out now.” He didn’t know that my body was already encased in a layer of white frost, never to emerge again. 1 “That troublemaker hasn’t bothered me these past few days. It’s truly a miracle!” “Looks like she finally learned her lesson this time.” “I still remember her swearing to cut ties with me, only to cling back onto me like a leech not three days later.” “It’s been a week this time, hasn’t it?” Arthur twisted the prayer beads around his wrist, a hint of confusion in his voice. The butler stood nearby, his head bowed, his voice trembling: “Sir, the young miss… she seems to still be locked inside.” Arthur’s fingers paused, a fleeting moment of unease flashing across his mind. He brushed it off. “Let her suffer a bit longer.” The butler’s expression tightened. After a brief internal struggle, he advised: “Sir, the freezer where the young miss is locked… there’s been no sound from inside.” “Would you like to open it and check?” Arthur’s face instantly darkened. “No need! She’s definitely pretending to be pitiful again!” “It’s just one of her cheap tricks to get my attention. If I check on her, she’ll just throw another tantrum.” The butler opened his mouth to speak, but Arthur coldly cut him off. His tone carried undisguised disgust toward me. “Enough. I know what I’m doing. I’ll unlock it and let her out tonight.” “This time inside will have taught her how hard Mia has it. As long as she promises not to target Mia anymore, we’ll let this go.” “After all, she is my biological sister.” As he said those last words, his expression remained as cold as ice. A second later. Mia walked over. His icy demeanor instantly melted into a warm, spring-like breeze. He smiled gently and asked with deep concern: “Mia, are you still feeling unwell anywhere?” “Don’t worry, I’ve locked Anna up. She’ll pay tenfold for every bit of suffering you endured!” Mia gratefully hugged Arthur’s arm. “Brother, you’re the best.” “Silly girl, as your brother, of course I should be good to my little sister.” Arthur smiled affectionately, curling his finger to gently tap Mia’s nose. Mia giggled sweetly. After a moment, she lightly bit her lip: “It’s been a week. Anna must have realized her mistake by now. I just want to spend time with you, Brother. I never wanted to take anything from her. Why won’t she believe me?” If this were the past… Hearing Mia’s manipulative, syrupy words, I would have exploded like a firecracker, harshly calling out her fake act. And then Arthur would have sternly warned me. But now… I stood right in front of them and laughed out loud. Yet, I drew absolutely zero attention. Because… I was already dead. In the final moments before the white frost completely covered me, my soul finally separated from the bone-chilling freezer. I saw my own body, frozen into a mottled purplish-blue. Right before I died, I was still desperately pushing against the freezer door with whatever strength I had left. The entire freezer was wrapped in heavy iron chains. As if worried I’d escape, a massive padlock had been added, ensuring not a single sliver of a gap remained. Even though I was now just a spirit… The sight of those heavy chains still made me tremble with terror. Meanwhile, Arthur, who was as cold and hard as iron toward me, turned soft as silk when facing Mia. He said gently: “Anna just has a dark heart. It has nothing to do with you.” He wrapped an arm around Mia’s shoulders, patting her comfortingly. “I still haven’t done enough for you, Mia.” “Anna is manipulative and calculating, stopping at nothing to get what she wants.” “It would be one thing if she targeted outsiders, but she shouldn’t have aimed at you. She brought this lockup on herself!” The blood ties that were once so intimate now morphed into sharp blades, slicing my heart piece by piece. I truly was, as Arthur claimed, someone who would stop at nothing to achieve my goals. At first. When I was forced into the bottom freezer, I struggled violently. Realizing it was futile, I curled up tightly, trying to conserve body heat. But minus twenty-four degrees Celsius was simply too cold. My hair and eyelashes quickly frosted over. Feeling my body stiffening further, I used all my might to slam against the door. Only to hear Arthur’s cold voice from outside: “Can’t take it already?” “Because of you, Mia is bedridden. Today, I’ll discipline you on behalf of our late parents!” I submitted. I apologized. I confessed to things I had never even done, begging him to just let me out. Until the frost locked my fingers, and with a slight movement, they snapped away from my wrists. The dripping blood froze into icicles… Before my consciousness faded completely… I heard him order the butler: “Find some iron chains. Wrap the freezer and lock it tight!” “Without my explicit command, no one is to open that lock. This time, I must teach her a painful lesson!” Absolute despair washed over me as I listened to the heavy chains clanking around the freezer. Death, too, tightened its grip around my neck. 2 “Unlock Anna.” “Tell her that if she has even a shred of conscience left, she’ll apologize to Mia voluntarily. Tell her not to disappoint me again.” Arthur commanded coldly. The butler hesitated several times, eventually letting out a sigh before nodding and leaving. Mia leaned against Arthur’s chest, whining softly: “Brother, once Anna apologizes, let’s put this behind us. You have to make it up to her. Don’t break her heart.” “If she leaves, you won’t have any family left.” A flicker of disdain crossed Arthur’s eyes, but he affectionately ruffled Mia’s hair. “It’s better if she leaves. A vicious person like her doesn’t deserve to be my sister!” “If she hadn’t deliberately hidden the AC remote, you wouldn’t have caught a cold in the dead of winter. You’ve lost so much weight while you were sick.” “Mia, you’re just too kind, which is why she bullies you over and over.” His eyes blazed with intense anger. But when Mia looked up at him, he concealed it flawlessly, as if afraid the mere sight of his anger would hurt her. I thought that being dead meant I wouldn’t feel pain anymore. Yet, watching this, my eyes burned uncontrollably. A week ago. I was painting. Arthur’s birthday was approaching, and I had painted a family portrait to surprise him. Mia, however, threw a bucket of paint over it. She provocatively sneered, “Don’t think painting two dead people will help you steal Brother Arthur away from me!” Furious, I slapped her. I didn’t expect what happened next. She immediately drenched herself in freezing water. In the freezing, sub-zero winter temperatures, she hid the AC remote and slept on the floor all night. When Arthur found her the next day… She was burning up with a fever, near the point of fainting. “I know Anna hates me.” “She thinks I stole everything that belonged to her.” “I can leave. As long as Brother isn’t caught in the middle, I don’t care what happens to me.” “Brother Arthur, after I’m gone, make sure you rest and eat on time…” That day. Arthur canceled several crucial meetings and rushed Mia to the hospital like a madman. The diagnosis was an acute cold caused by severe chilling. I stood at the door of the hospital room. I watched him grip Mia’s hand, pleading repeatedly: “Mia, please, don’t leave me alone…” I found it laughable. My biological brother, who shared my blood and bone. The head of the Sterling family, who commanded absolute authority in the business world. Here he was, acting out a melodramatic life-and-death scene over a minor cold, holding the hand of an outsider. Yet, when Arthur gripped my neck… And shoved me into the bottom freezer… I finally understood that in his heart, he only had one sister: Mia. As for me— I was nothing. “How could I have such a vicious sister!” “Mia almost developed pneumonia. Even when she recovers, she’ll be weak for a long time.” “Anna, let me tell you, don’t think sharing my blood gives you the right to act recklessly!” “For every day Mia is sick, you’ll stay in there for a day, until you admit you were wrong!” To teach me a profound lesson, he locked it. Until now. He decided enough time had passed, and reluctantly ordered the lock to be opened, allowing me out. He didn’t know. I could no longer come out. “Sir, Sir, something’s wrong!” “The young miss, she… she’s frozen to the freezer. We can’t open it.” Arthur paused. I leaned in closer, wanting to see his reaction. After all, blood is thicker than water; surely, he’d feel something. But I was disappointed yet again. He scoffed: “The freezer isn’t even plugged in. How could she freeze to death?” “You can’t open it? She’s probably holding the door from the inside, putting on another show!” “Have someone drag the freezer to the junkyard. Since she loves staying inside so much, let her rot in there forever!” The butler stood there nervously, immobile. Silence hung heavy for a long moment. Arthur snorted coldly, his tone dripping with fake magnanimity: “Go tell her that if she keeps this up, it won’t just be a simple lock-in. If she doesn’t want worse punishment, she better know when to quit.” The butler still didn’t move. Arthur’s patience evaporated. He barked, “What are you standing around for? Go!” A second later. He comfortingly stroked Mia’s hair, gently advising her: “Mia, when Anna comes out later, don’t believe a word she says.” “I’m going to make her kneel for three hours first, to see if she’s really learned her lesson this time.” “This is a test for her. You can’t be soft-hearted and warn her.” Mia, acting like a delicate, helpless flower, nodded weakly. “I’ll listen to you, Brother…” Suddenly, I felt exhausted, unable to bear watching any longer. But my spirit seemed bound by the power of our bloodline, unable to leave Arthur’s side. I could only masochistically watch him coddle Mia while trampling me into the mud. 3 Arthur was born three minutes before me. Although we were twins, he matured early. Alongside our parents, he pampered and protected me as I grew up. I was always my brother’s little shadow, the person closest to him. When our parents suddenly passed away, the inheritance they left behind drew the greedy eyes of our uncles and relatives. Arthur was forced to step up and take the position of family head, suppressing those who lurked in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity to strike. But I forgot that he was only twenty-one at the time. Stubbornly believing him to be too cold-blooded, I said many hurtful things. When turning away, I accidentally fell down the stairs and slipped into a coma. When I woke up, I saw his bloodshot eyes. He held my hand tightly, his voice trembling as he asked: “Anna, Mom and Dad are gone. Are you going to leave me all alone too?” In that moment, I understood. Arthur wasn’t heartless. He just wasn’t allowed the luxury of weakness given the responsibilities on his shoulders. So I grew up overnight. I stopped being picky with food, started exercising, and studied hard—all so I could share his burdens and keep him company. Later. He said the company was too busy, so he found me a playmate. Initially, I genuinely treated Mia like a younger sister. When she had her period, I clumsily boiled brown sugar water for her, burning several blisters onto my hands. But right after drinking it, she suffered severe diarrhea and dehydration. Because of this, Arthur yelled at me for the first time. After that. Similar incidents occurred frequently. The look in his eyes grew colder and colder. All the gentle care he once gave me was now devoted entirely to someone else. Strange. My heart had stopped beating, so why did it still ache so deeply? It was as if reliving these memories killed me all over again. As time ticked by, Arthur’s face grew darker and darker. “It’s been five minutes, and she still refuses to come out!” “Anna, it seems you’re determined to be stubborn to the bitter end!” He spun the prayer beads faster and faster, his brows furrowed tightly. An intense unease was welling up inside him. “Mia, Anna is too ungrateful.” “The butler doesn’t dare touch her. I’ll go myself. Sit here and wait for her to come kneel and apologize.” Arthur stood up and walked away with quick, long strides. His retreating figure revealed a poorly concealed panic. Arriving at the kitchen, he saw the butler trembling and asked in displeasure: “What are you shaking for?” “Sir, I… I…” The butler stuttered, cold sweat beading on his forehead. I stood to the side, unsure of how I should feel watching this unfold. Perhaps the pain had been too great; I couldn’t even remember how I looked when I died, but it surely wasn’t pretty. Arthur pushed the butler aside in disgust and stood before the freezer. The wrist-thick iron chains had been tossed aside, and the freezer’s power cord had been unplugged. The ice in the lower compartment had begun to melt, the water seeping out carrying a faint tint of blood. He ordered, “Anna, the lock is open. Why aren’t you coming out? Do you really enjoy being in there that much?” I smiled bitterly. It was freezing and pitch-black inside. It was far from enjoyable. I had tried so hard to get out, wanting to feel the warmth of the world one last time. It was my closest sibling who had locked the door. And now. My body was covered in frost, never to emerge again. “Are you done?! Do you really think I’m going to coddle you like before?” He pulled the handle twice but couldn’t open it. In a fit of anger, he kicked it. “If you’re not dead, roll out of there!” The full-force kick of an adult man carried immense power. Ice crystals from the gap shattered and fell. The freezer door dropped to the floor, exposing the cramped, freezing compartment to the air. I watched as my frozen, stiff body tumbled out of the freezer. As it hit the ground, it snapped cleanly in half at the waist. The frozen organs met the warm air and began to slowly thaw. A pungent stench and the metallic smell of blood filled the room. The prayer beads in Arthur’s hand suddenly snapped, scattering across the floor. …………………… In the deafening silence, his voice trembled with panic and helplessness. “What is this thing? It’s disgusting. It stinks…” Arthur covered his nose and mouth, taking several steps back in sheer revulsion. The butler, his face twisted in agony, said, “Sir, this is the young miss. The young miss… she’s dead!” “Impossible!” He immediately denied it, his eyes sweeping over my corpse, looking sick to his stomach. His voice turned chillingly cold: “Evil endures. How could Anna possibly die?” “I know. She definitely ran away and deliberately left this disgusting thing here to sicken me.” The butler looked like he wanted to cry but had no tears left. “Sir, this is the young miss’s home. Where could she run to? You… you need to face reality.” But Arthur just snorted coldly. With confident certainty, he declared, “Mom and Dad left her so many properties. Check them one by one. We must find her!” Hearing his words, I laughed in sheer frustration. But the smile didn’t reach my eyes. Arthur seemed to have forgotten. Before our parents died, they did leave a will. Arthur got the majority of the shares, while I was given numerous properties. But later on. Arthur made a catastrophic error in a corporate decision. Our uncles and older relatives, who already resented being subordinated to someone younger, seized the chance to attack him, intent on dragging him down from the CEO’s seat. It was I who unconditionally transferred all my shares to Arthur. I helped him become the largest shareholder in one fell swoop, stabilizing his position. As for the financial losses he caused. It was I who sold off every single one of my properties to barely cover the deficit. The butler let out a long sigh and recounted this very history. Arthur stood frozen, stunned for a long time. Until time passed, and as the corpse continued to thaw, the putrid smell became impossible to ignore. The butler gently reminded him, “Sir, should we send the young miss to the crematorium?” Arthur snapped back to reality. Hearing the butler’s suggestion, his face darkened. “Send what? Since Anna had the nerve to leave this thing here to sicken me, she can clean it up herself!” Having said that. Arthur turned and left without looking back. The butler had watched Arthur and me grow up. He knew better than anyone how much I cherished this villa after our parents passed away, because it was my home. Even when Arthur and I had our worst fights. I had never run away from home. I couldn’t even bear to break a single item in the house. Because. This was my home, my roots. The place where I was born. And also— The place where I died. 4 Arthur hurried back to the living room. Mia giggled and was about to throw herself into his arms when she caught a whiff of the foul odor clinging to him. Her face scrunched up as she asked, “Brother, where did you just go? It smells terrible.” Arthur, who had always maintained a perfect image in front of Mia, now acted like a beast suppressing its rage. He pushed Mia aside and headed upstairs without a backward glance. “Brother, Brother…” A flash of panic crossed Mia’s eyes. Biting her lip, she chased after Arthur. Arthur didn’t return to his bedroom. He went straight to the study. Here. He could access the security cameras for the entire villa. I stood behind Arthur. I watched as he skillfully entered the password, selected the time frame, and the surveillance footage from a week ago began playing on the computer screen. From a third-person perspective, I watched myself being dragged by the hair and shoved into the freezer by Arthur. My screams, pleas, and wails… echoed through the study. Even though Arthur had orchestrated this with his own hands, he now seemed unable to accept it. His face grew increasingly grim as he repeatedly clicked fast-forward. Soon. The freezer in the video was bound in iron chains, secured with a heavy lock, entirely trapping me inside. Then. It was as if the video had been paused. An empty room. No one entered. No one checked on me. And I— Never walked out of that freezer. “Impossible… this is impossible…” Arthur’s brows furrowed. As if struck by a sudden thought, he sneered coldly, “If you’re going to fake it, you should make it look real. Using a still image for the rest of the footage? Do you think I’m an idiot?” In the silent study. The screech of a chair scraping against the floor echoed sharply. Arthur stood up, walked to the study door, and opened it, only to see Mia waiting outside. “Brother, you looked awful earlier. I was so worried…” Mia looked up at Arthur, her wide, doe-like eyes brimming with concern. The anger Arthur had harbored towards me suddenly evaporated. He chuckled softly, “It’s nothing.” “Anna ran away from the house just to avoid apologizing to you.” “I’ve made my decision. Since she chose to leave the Sterling family, I’m striking her name from the family registry!” “Perfect timing.” “Next week is your birthday. At your birthday banquet, I will officially announce that the Sterling family has only one daughter!” Mia’s eyes lit up with wild joy. She threw her arms around Arthur’s neck, burying her face in his chest with a sweet laugh. But I… I was shaking with fury. I knew Arthur cared about Mia. But I never expected him to erase my very existence for her! How dare he! What right did he have? A year ago. On the anniversary of our parents’ death, I ordered flowers early in the morning, planning to ask Arthur to go pay our respects together. But the butler told me he had gone to the office. At the time, I was a bit resentful. No matter how important company business was, it shouldn’t take priority over our parents. But soon after, I saw posts from company employees on social media. “Mr. Sterling said today is a special day. He wrapped up work early and gave everyone the day off! Thank you, Mr. Sterling. May all your wishes come true!” My resentment instantly vanished. I assumed Arthur had done all this to clear his schedule so he could spend time honoring our parents. So I didn’t rush him. Instead, I took the two bouquets of flowers and waited quietly at the cemetery alone. I waited until the sun set and the stars filled the sky. But Arthur never came. Perhaps our parents’ spirits in heaven pitied me. A news notification popped up on my phone. “Sterling CEO Illuminates the City with Fireworks to Celebrate His Sister’s Birthday!” Oh. I had forgotten. The anniversary of our parents’ death was also Mia’s birthday. Everything Arthur did wasn’t to honor our parents, nor was it for me. It was all for Mia. The rain poured down in sheets. I couldn’t tell if it was tears or rain sliding down my face. After that day. I fell severely ill when I returned home. Arthur, uncharacteristically, nursed me back to health himself. During those few days, it felt like we had returned to the time when our parents were still alive. I was still the little princess of the family. To keep me from getting punished by my teachers, Arthur stayed up all night doing my homework. When I had menstrual cramps, he rubbed my stomach. When I had a crush on a boy, he strictly forbade me from dating early, yet simultaneously helped me hide it from our parents. We were twins. We shared a bond that ordinary siblings could hardly comprehend. But Arthur’s once unconditional devotion was completely withdrawn the moment Mia appeared. Because of the extreme contrast. Seeing Arthur show concern for me again ignited a fierce sense of hope. I begged him, begged him to send Mia away. He didn’t get angry. He didn’t argue with me. He just looked at me calmly. He said, “Anna, why are you so unforgiving?” He said, “Mia’s father was my driver. He died protecting me. I can’t just abandon her.” He said, “Don’t worry, I know the difference between a benefactor and a family member.” But Arthur. For her, you even forgot the anniversary of our parents’ death. You forgot the difference a long time ago.

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In the seventh year of our marriage, Arthur Sterling’s true, playboy nature was finally exposed. He tricked me into taking an experimental drug designed to induce temporary amnesia, making me forget him entirely. While I was “forgetting,” he brought another woman into our marital home, flaunting their affair. He even threw her a massive, lavish wedding. But what he didn’t know was that my memory had already completely returned. I continued to fake my amnesia, playing along with his elaborate performance. When I quietly bowed out to let them be together, Arthur lost his mind trying to find me. He broke down, sobbing hysterically: “Chloe, it was all my fault! Will you please just take the pill one more time?” “This time, I promise I’ll make you forget all the pain, and you’ll fall in love with me all over again.” 1 In the third month of my supposed amnesia, my memories finally came rushing back. I was just about to push open the study door and share the good news with Arthur. When I accidentally overheard his best friend talking: “Arthur, where the hell did you get that drug?” “When my wife and I hit the seven-year itch, I need to give her a dose of that amnesia pill too. You get to have a mistress without getting caught, and it keeps the marriage perfectly intact.” I froze outside the door, my trembling hand pulling back from the handle. The casual banter inside sent a violent chill down my spine. My amnesia wasn’t from a car crash… it was intentional! And my own husband, Arthur Sterling, was the one who did it. I clenched my fists so tightly my nails dug into my palms, but I couldn’t even feel the pain. Arthur was leaning lazily against the leather sofa, holding the antidote in one hand, while kissing a sexy woman sitting next to him with the other. “In a month, I’ll give Chloe the antidote.” “Then I’ll dedicate myself to taking care of her. I’ll be the perfect husband and a great father from then on.” One of his friends gave him a thumbs-up, looking at him with a smirking, entertained expression. “Arthur, just don’t get addicted to the thrill. You might find it hard to give up the entire forest just for one tree.” Arthur chuckled mockingly. “The only woman I truly love is Chloe. The rest are just for fun.” “Careful, Artie.” “If that drug fails, and Chloe finds out you’ve been messing around… with her personality, she’ll definitely divorce you.” “Yeah, man. You’ve had your fun tonight. Go home and slip her another pill. The more she forgets, the safer you are.” His friends were eagerly offering terrible advice, but Arthur looked incredibly confident. “Her dad died three months ago. Chloe still doesn’t even know.” “She’s an orphan now. No one in the world loves her as much as I do. She will absolutely never leave me.” He twisted the wedding band on his finger, his eyes full of absolute certainty. The men in the room were completely envious, practically begging Arthur for a few pills to slip to their own wives. I stumbled backward, barely able to keep my balance. Arthur and I had known each other for ten years. High school sweethearts. For me, the notoriously lazy bad boy had studied relentlessly to get into a top-tier university. For our future, he gave up his passion for racing to start a grounded, practical tech company. All so I wouldn’t have to struggle. When Arthur’s company went public, he held my hand and we rang the opening bell on Wall Street together. Right there on the trading floor, he dropped to one knee and proposed: “Marry me!” “I, Arthur Sterling, offer the entire Sterling empire as your dowry.” I truly believed he was my forever. Yet here he was, intentionally erasing my memory, deceiving me. 2 Three months ago, my memory started getting hazy and chaotic. Arthur lied to me, saying it was trauma from a minor car accident, and pretended to take me to endless doctors. It turns out, the “medication” he was giving me to “cure” my memory loss was actually the drug causing it. The man I trusted most in the world was playing a sick, twisted game with my emotions. The heartbreak was so severe I could barely breathe. Coupled with the devastating news of my father’s passing, a heavy, crushing weight settled deep in my chest. Freezing rain began to fall. Memories flooded my mind like a surging tide. During my amnesia, Arthur would often smile and gently test me: “Chloe, what do you think our relationship is?” I would shake my head. He would say, “Chloe, we’re best friends. I’m helping your husband take care of you.” Friends? I laughed bitterly at myself. The rain soaked me down to my bones. 3 I returned home like a walking ghost, quickly filled out the application forms, and ran straight to my former professor’s office. “Professor, can I still join the classified research project?” “Someone with your talent? Anytime. But…” After his initial excitement, the professor looked slightly hesitant. “Arthur has always been so protective of you. He didn’t want you working because he was afraid it would be too hard on you.” “Once you enter the secure facility, you’ll be working under an alias. You might not see your family for ten, maybe even twenty years. It’s nothing like living the life of a billionaire’s wife. Do you want six months to think about it?” I didn’t hesitate. “No need. I’ll be ready to join in one month.” If the rest of my life had to be dedicated to a husband like Arthur. I would rather burn out the rest of my days in a lab, dedicating myself entirely to biomedical research. The professor respected my decision and didn’t press further. “If you’ve truly made up your mind, we would be honored to have you join the project.” My gaze was unwavering. “I don’t have any attachments holding me back anymore.” Right now, I was exactly what Arthur called me: an orphan. I had no family, and I certainly didn’t need a husband. 4 “Where are you?” Arthur called me. I quickly suppressed the chaotic storm of emotions in my chest before forcing out the words, “Artie.” Hearing that I still hadn’t “woken up,” the man on the other end let out a clear sigh of relief. “Chloe, come home early. It’s time for your medicine.” “Okay.” Hearing him arrange for me to take the drug again sent a violent chill through my entire body. I was completely, utterly disgusted by this husband. I had told him once, long ago, that if the day ever came when he didn’t love me anymore, he just had to be honest, and I would gracefully bow out. But clearly, Arthur confused the desire for control with actual love. I refused to settle for a love that was tainted. I didn’t even have the energy to expose his sick game. I just had to play along for one final act. Then, we would be completely, permanently done. 5 When I pushed open the front door, Arthur was sitting leisurely on the sofa, looking impeccably handsome in a tailored black suit. For a split second, I felt a familiar flutter in my chest, but then he walked over, holding a glass of water and the pill. “Chloe, take your medicine. You’ll remember everything soon.” Taking the pill from him, I stared directly into eyes that used sincerity to mask absolute deceit. “How soon is ‘soon’?” Having never questioned him before, my sudden inquiry made Arthur’s eyes dart away evasively. “…I’m not a doctor. But I would never hurt you.” “Don’t you trust me, Chloe? We’ve been best friends since we were kids.” I gave a bitter, mocking smile. I swallowed the pill right in front of him. I saw the flash of immense relief wash over his face. What he didn’t know… Was that the second I turned my back, I spit the pill I had hidden under my tongue directly into the toilet. 6 Looking at my reflection in the mirror, I wiped away the tears of sheer heartbreak. “Arthur Sterling, you will never lie to me again.” Taking advantage of Arthur going out on a date, I walked into our old master bedroom. I dug through his drawers and found our marriage certificate. He had wrapped it in several layers of newspaper and hidden it deep in the back. During my “amnesia,” he had set me up in the guest bedroom. Arthur had taken all our photos together and hidden them in the basement, creating the perfect illusion that I was just a temporary houseguest. All so he could openly bring different women home. And sleep with them… right in front of me, in our marital bed. I gathered everything from the basement and the hidden spots in the master bedroom—anything that proved I existed—and hauled it all to the empty fire pit in the backyard, ready to burn it. A sleek, customized Lotus sports car pulled into the driveway. This was the tenth woman Arthur had brought home. He had been seeing her for three months; a significantly longer run than the previous ones. He pressed a kiss to the girl’s blushing cheek before strolling over toward the glow of the fire. “Chloe, what are you burning?” I was burning everything face down. Arthur couldn’t tell that our marriage certificate and wedding photos were hidden beneath the flames. “Just some old, useless sketches that I couldn’t sell. They were taking up space.” Arthur’s eyes filled with genuine regret. “Don’t burn them. I’ll buy them from you.” During my two years as a stay-at-home wife, since I couldn’t work in the lab, I had taken up painting. And during my amnesia, painting was the only thing I remembered how to do. So, he knew exactly how much I cherished my artwork. Arthur looked distressed. He reached his hand toward the fire, clearly wanting to salvage whatever he could. I swatted his hand away firmly. “They’re defective. There’s no point in saving them.” Arthur clutched his chest, a flicker of unease passing through his eyes. “If you have any more drafts you don’t want, sell them to me.” “Actually… I really love… your paintings.” I clearly saw the flash of deep, genuine emotion he accidentally let slip. I knew he loved the artist, not the art. But right now, wracked with guilt and secrecy, he didn’t dare admit it. I smiled faintly. “You should be focusing on Ms. Evans. My paintings aren’t anything special.” Evelyn Evans smirked and leaned into Arthur’s embrace. “Arthur, weren’t we going to go play some games?” He looked down at Evelyn with indulgent affection. “Let’s go.” I watched their retreating backs as they walked intimately into the house. He loved being wild and free. I was going to let him have it.

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After I died, I discovered that my husband, Carter, could still see me. He wept tears of joy, saying we could be together forever. Later, he started coming home less and less. Even later, I saw the girl trailing behind him. She looked exactly like I used to. One day, that girl suddenly came down with an incurable, mysterious illness. The occultist said a dark, unclean entity was trying to harm her. Carter slowly turned and looked at me, while I stood there entirely lost. 1 I couldn’t process what was happening. I shook my head frantically at him. No one else could hear our conversation, nor could they see me. “Carter, it’s not me. You know me better than anyone.” At the same time, Lily, lying weakly on the bed, began to whimper. “Carter… it hurts so much…” Carter didn’t speak. He just kept staring at me floating in mid-air. His eyes were filled with scrutiny and dissatisfaction. I remembered what the occultist had just said: “This young lady might be entangled by a dark entity.” Lily looked terrified, shrinking into Carter’s embrace while crying. “Carter, I’ve never done anything bad in my life. Why would a dark entity want to haunt me?” Carter comforted her, “Lily, this isn’t your fault.” At the time, I didn’t understand what he meant by that. Now I do. He meant it was my fault. I was the “dark entity.” Lily asked the occultist, “Sir, is there any way to suppress this thing?” The occultist pulled out several warding sigils and a carved ashwood dagger. Lily took the dagger, waving it around fearfully. Whether intentional or not, the tip of the blade pointed directly at me. In an instant, I felt an agonizing, tearing pain rip through my soul. I couldn’t dodge. I was practically pinned in the air. Even without a physical body, the torment made me feel like I would dissipate in the next second. And Carter just kept looking in my direction, completely indifferent. Lily dropped the dagger, then picked up the warding sigils and looked at Carter. “Carter, could you help me put these sigils up?” I watched Carter. Watched him walk over and take those pieces of paper. Then, he smiled and patted Lily’s head. “Okay.” Once the sigils were plastered in all four corners of the room, the holy energy blasted my already exhausted soul straight out of the house. This was my marital home with Carter. The home we had shared for seven years. I scrambled up pathetically, trying to phase through the front door, only to find it was utterly futile. The residual pain from the ashwood dagger lingered. After my failed attempts, I collapsed and curled up in the corner of the porch. The front door opened. I scrambled up, overjoyed. “Carter…” Carter looked at me, his expression incredibly complex. “Hazel, from now on, don’t come inside anymore.” “Maybe you didn’t do it on purpose.” “But her health is truly fragile. Don’t hurt her anymore.” I didn’t know what to say. It’s hard to describe how I felt hearing those words. The man in front of me no longer seemed like the Carter who once swore he would love me for the rest of his life. A year ago, when I died, he had cried so heartbrokenly. Why had everything changed? “But this is my home. Our home. Why can’t I go inside?” “Because you’re dead!” “Because you are a wandering spirit now. You fear nothing, but she can’t handle it. Your presence affects her, makes her sick.” “Hazel, you never used to be this unreasonable.” As Carter turned to go back inside, I could only murmur to myself. “I didn’t hurt her.” His footsteps paused, but then he closed the door. He was wrong. I wasn’t entirely fearless. I wondered if he had noticed that my soul was fading, becoming more transparent. 2 I used to watch horror movies and thought that when people died and became ghosts, they possessed strange, terrifying powers. That they were truly afraid of nothing. They could even haunt the living. But after my own accidental death, I realized I wasn’t one of them. I had no powers whatsoever. Aside from Carter, I couldn’t make anyone else see me. In the very beginning, I even felt like I could dissipate at any moment. Because my body would often flicker and turn transparent. Whenever Carter noticed, he would cry and beg me not to leave him, and my condition would vastly improve. Today, he probably didn’t notice. I curled up in the corner, laughing bitterly. I wasn’t the only wandering spirit in this neighborhood. There were many other strange, hostile things. Right now, I couldn’t even keep my form solid. I didn’t know how I was going to survive tonight. When did things get this bad between Carter and me? Probably starting from when he stopped coming home at night not long ago. I used to be able to follow him wherever he went. But that night, I suddenly found I couldn’t. Maybe it was because of his parting words: “Don’t follow me tonight.” I remembered his friends had tricked him into visiting a psychiatric ward. They thought he was losing his mind from grief over my death, because he frequently talked to thin air. Later, paparazzi caught photos of Carter Sterling, the billionaire CEO, visiting a psychiatrist for “talking to himself.” It caused a huge scandal. For days, Carter felt like he was being mocked behind his back. I still remember how devastated he was by my death. When he first realized he could see me, he wept with joy, nearly going crazy with happiness. He said heaven was moved by our love, allowing us to stay together in this way. But now, it seemed this “heaven-moving” love had become a burden to him. He didn’t want the world to view him as abnormal anymore. So he drastically reduced the times we went out together, and even our conversations dwindled. Soon after, he brought Lily home. I didn’t know who she was. I only knew she sweetly called him “Mr. Sterling,” and they could communicate openly in the sunlight. While I could not. Even before she fell ill, it had been a long time since Carter and I had a proper conversation. “Well, well, isn’t this the little canary from the big mansion?” “What, you got kicked out?” “I told you long ago, the living and the dead don’t mix. Why don’t you come play with me—” There weren’t many wandering spirits in this area, but the few that existed were vicious. I had personally witnessed one of them tear another newly deceased soul to shreds. I stood up in terror, calling out to Carter. “Carter, I’m so scared…” A pale, rotting hand reached out to grab me. “Aren’t your man and his new toy madly in love? I saw them making out in his car not long ago. Tsk, the guy has no spine—he had to put on his ‘respectable’ mask the second he stepped out.” “You’re a dead woman. Why keep bothering him? Let him find true love!” I refused to believe the spirit’s words. I only knew that Carter had sworn he would never betray me. But the harder I pounded on the front door, the louder the soothing music inside became. They were dancing to the music, Lily laughing joyously in his arms. Maybe he would post it on social media. Maybe his friends would congratulate him on finally stepping out of his grief. Then he would become a normal person again, rather than a lunatic deemed insane because his dead wife’s ghost refused to leave. 3 When dawn broke, the dark things finally retreated. I wasn’t afraid of the sunlight. It was just that right now, I was so incredibly weak I couldn’t even twitch. Those hostile spirits enjoyed tearing souls apart for fun. But I was different from the others. Every time I was torn to shreds, I would miraculously piece myself back together. They found it fascinating. In the past, I spent every night in Carter’s bed, where they couldn’t enter. From now on, that probably wouldn’t be the case. I felt so lost, wondering how I would survive all the nights to come. The door finally opened. Carter rushed out, carrying Lily in his arms. I stayed curled in the corner, watching him quietly. My body seemed even more transparent. “Hurry, to the hospital!” He didn’t acknowledge my gaze. Only after placing her in the car did he turn his head, frowning as he shot me a glance. That one look contained so many emotions. Mostly, it was blame. But I didn’t even understand what I had done wrong. I wanted him to stay with me, to ask me if I was in pain. But maybe that was never going to happen again. When Carter returned from the hospital, I was still curled up in the corner. “Hazel, let’s talk.” My voice was hoarse. I gave a faint laugh. “Out here?” He had no intention of letting me back into the house. “Let’s just talk here. If you go inside, she might feel sick again when she gets back.” “Some things need to be made clear right now.” Before he could continue, I cut him off. “I have never harmed her.” But Carter exploded in sudden fury. He stood up, throwing a punch that passed right through my ethereal body and slammed into the wall behind me. “Then you tell me why, ever since she moved in here, she’s been coming down with all these bizarre, unexplainable illnesses!” “Don’t tell me it’s all a coincidence! Hazel, I’m not a fucking idiot!” His eyes were red, his emotions wildly volatile. “You know perfectly well that people think I’m mentally unstable. To help me, she threw away her own reputation.” “She’s the only one willing to believe that I can actually see you.” I sat up abruptly. “You told her you can see me?” Carter didn’t think that was the main issue. “If she wasn’t willing to believe me and stay by my side, my reputation and the company’s stock would tank, do you understand?” “Everyone would think I’m a clinically insane psychopath!” I looked at him calmly, feeling a mix of helplessness and resignation. “Carter, you fell in love with her, didn’t you?” I was just laying the truth out in the open. But that made him even more agitated. “Why is your mind so filthy?” “I said I would never betray you, and that won’t change. Is your wild paranoia the reason you decided to hurt her?!” I didn’t have the energy to repeat myself. “So what do you want me to do?” He let out a heavy breath. “Leave this place for a while. Stay far away from me for now.” I asked him, “If I leave, and she still gets sick, proving it wasn’t me, will you let me come back?” He fell silent. He didn’t speak. I think I had my answer. 4 If I was going to leave, I had to do it now. Once night fell and those things came out again, I might never be able to leave. I knew that once Carter made a decision, begging him was useless. And I wasn’t going to beg him anyway. Avoiding his gaze, I struggled to my feet and began to walk away. “You’re leaving just like that?” “Honestly, you were probably getting sick of this too. I just gave you a convenient excuse.” I left decisively, and ironically, he was the one unhappy about it. Unwilling to say another word, my soul felt unimaginably heavy. Every step was agonizingly difficult, but I refused to linger even for a second. I heard his footsteps behind me. But then they abruptly stopped. Followed by a fit of violent, violent coughing. “Mr. Sterling? What’s wrong?” “We’re about to take you to the hospital to visit Ms. Evans anyway, you should get a checkup too.” “Could it be… that dark entity wasn’t satisfied with hurting Ms. Evans, and now it wants to hurt you too?” At this point, I had no desire to defend myself. It was all pointless. Whatever Carter said next, I didn’t care. If he chose to believe it, defending myself ten thousand times wouldn’t change his mind. After leaving the estate, I was completely lost. This was my first time being a wandering ghost. I didn’t know why I ended up like this. I was dead, yet unable to pass on. Before Carter told me to leave, I physically couldn’t move far from him. Was it really like he said? Did his love move heaven, allowing me to stay by his side? Thinking about it now, that theory was hilariously absurd. So where could I go now? I didn’t know. I only knew my body was becoming increasingly transparent. It hadn’t actually been that long since my death. Yet I had already forgotten so many things. Suddenly, I lost consciousness in a split second. When I opened my eyes again, I found myself inside a temple sanctuary. Although I had no clear memory of it, standing there gave me an inexplicable sense of familiarity. There was no one else in the temple. Just me, and a single, burning lamp. The wick was weak; the candlelight was no longer bright. But when the wind blew, the flame remained entirely motionless. Memories suddenly flooded my mind, scrambling to the surface. “I ask for nothing else. I only hope my wife finds peace and safety, that she survives this ordeal, recovers quickly, and returns to me.” “If it’s permitted, I want to live with her, and die with her.” “I refuse to live in this world alone.” The man had climbed to the highest peak, taking one step and bowing his head to the ground with every single stride. When he stood up, his forehead was swollen and bleeding. I remembered now. That was probably the year Carter loved me the most. During the company’s annual gala, he went on stage to give a speech. A heavy crystal chandelier above him came loose, and no one noticed. I was the one who rushed forward and shoved him out of the way, taking the crushing impact myself and falling into a deep coma. While I was unconscious, I could only faintly hear Carter’s desperate murmurs. He said if I didn’t pull through, he was ready to die with me. In my unconscious dream state, I learned that because of Carter’s absolute devotion, the sanctuary had quietly lit a “soul-bound lantern.” It used both of our souls as the wick. If one soul disappeared from the other’s side, the other would die. I thought, I can’t let him die. That sheer will to live woke me up. Back then, I thought that having a soul-bound lantern was a wonderful thing. As long as we loved each other, nothing could ever tear us apart. But today, floating in this temple, I learned another secret. The reason I was anchored to this world wasn’t because Carter’s love had moved heaven. It was simply because, right after I died, I begged the Warden of the Afterlife to let me return.

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My entire family was slaughtered on the night of my 21st birthday. Two escaped convicts broke into our home and brutally tortured and murdered them right in front of my eyes. I barely survived, but I was left permanently paralyzed. I lost my entire family, lost my full-ride scholarship for grad school, and spent the next twelve years confined to a wheelchair, accompanied only by a catheter bag. I lived a miserable, agonizing existence for twelve years with only one goal: to find the killers and get revenge. But those two monsters vanished into thin air, leaving no trace behind. I thought I would die in agony, carrying this massive regret to my grave. But when I opened my eyes again, I was reborn. I was reborn exactly five minutes before the killers knocked on our door. 1 I will never, ever forget the day I turned 21. October 28th, 7:00 PM. A massive thunderstorm was raging outside. But inside our apartment, everything was warm and cozy. Under the soft yellow light, my whole family was gathered to celebrate my birthday, wishing me a smooth and happy year ahead. In the living room, my dad was putting the candles on my birthday cake. My mom was in the kitchen, cooking the very last dish for my birthday dinner. My pregnant sister was sitting next to me, handing me a brand-new iPad. She said it was my present. I was holding the shiny new iPad, trying to figure out how to set it up, when I suddenly heard a knock on the door. My sister asked casually, “Who is it?” “Food delivery. Someone ordered a birthday cake for you.” My sister looked at the cake already on the table and teased me. “Ooh, look at our little sister moving up in the world! Someone besides Dad ordered a cake for you.” “Who’s the sweet guy?” “Spill it. Do you have a secret boyfriend you aren’t telling us about?” I shook my head, denying it. I told her I was still a student and definitely didn’t have a boyfriend. But deep down, I couldn’t help but feel a little excited. A lot of people knew it was my birthday today, but could the cake really be from the guy I was thinking about? I happily got up to open the door. But I never expected that opening that door would become the inescapable nightmare of the rest of my life. The people standing outside weren’t delivery drivers. They were two vicious, bloodthirsty killers. The moment I opened the door, a heavy hammer smashed directly into my head. To stop me from running, the second guy swung a hatchet right into my lower spine. My dad grabbed a fruit knife and charged at them, but his throat was slashed by a much longer blade. Blood sprayed everywhere. My sister screamed and ran over to pull us away, but one of the killers grabbed her by the hair, laughing maniacally, and dragged her away. My mom ran out of the kitchen with a meat cleaver, trying to protect us, but the other killer buried his hatchet halfway into her skull. The overwhelming grief and the dizzying effect of massive blood loss swallowed me whole. I blacked out. It wasn’t until the next day, when a neighbor saw blood seeping out from under our door and called the police, that the massacre was finally discovered. My parents died on the spot. And my sister… she suffered unimaginable agony before she died. Her eight-month-old baby was cut right out of her stomach while she was still alive. I miraculously survived. But the price was permanent paralysis and the loss of everyone I ever loved. 3 The memories brought me excruciating pain. God knows how much I regretted opening that door during those twelve agonizing years I survived. Even though I knew that even if I hadn’t opened the door, they would have found a way to break in. But that thought trapped me like a demon, torturing me every single day. Making me wish I was dead. Thank god, I was reborn. I was reborn exactly five minutes before it all happened. Standing in the living room, I couldn’t stop shivering violently. “Chloe, this iPad is for you. Happy birthday, sweetie.” “I can’t believe my little sister is so smart, getting a full-ride to grad school! We have two huge things to celebrate today!” My sister’s gentle voice made my heart ache. This was the voice I dreamed of hearing every single night for the past twelve years. I couldn’t hold back anymore. I threw my arms around her and hugged her tight. “Sis, I missed you so much.” My sister was startled. “We just saw each other yesterday. What’s there to miss?” My dad, who had just finished putting the candles on the cake, chuckled at the scene. “Chloe, you’re turning 21 today, why are you still acting like such a baby?” My heart gave a violent throb. To them, it had only been a day. But to me, it had been a long, grueling twelve years. I desperately swallowed the overwhelming emotions surging inside me, forced myself to calm down, picked up my phone, and immediately dialed 911. “Hello? 601 Maple Street, Apartment 5B. There are two escaped convicts armed with deadly weapons standing right outside our door. Please get here as fast as you can.” The dispatcher said they would send officers immediately. But because the storm outside was so severe, it would take them at least fifteen minutes to arrive. Until then, they told us absolutely do not open the door and to do whatever we needed to protect ourselves. When I hung up, my dad and sister were staring at me in shock. I didn’t have time to explain everything. I just said, “I just saw on the news that two convicts broke out of the state penitentiary, and they’re roaming our neighborhood. So no matter who knocks on the door, we cannot open it.” Hearing this, my sister looked at me hesitantly. But my dad immediately grabbed his heavy baseball bat from by the front door. “Don’t worry. They’re just a couple of thugs. Even if they really show up, your old man can easily take them down.” My dad’s unconditional trust moved me to tears. But the men outside that door were absolute monsters who killed without blinking an eye. Given a second chance at life, I absolutely could not let my family fall into danger again. I immediately deadbolted the front door. Then, my dad and I worked together to push the heavy TV console to barricade the door. Just as we were about to wedge the console against the door, I suddenly realized something was terribly wrong. We were making so much noise in the living room… why hadn’t my mom come out of the kitchen? And… since a few minutes ago. Other than the hum of the exhaust fan, there was no sound of cooking coming from the kitchen. I stopped what I was doing and looked toward the kitchen. And I saw a scene that made my blood run cold. A man with a mouth full of rotting yellow teeth was holding a long knife to my mom’s throat, forcing her to walk out of the kitchen. So there were actually three of them. And one of them had been hiding inside our apartment the entire time. No wonder these escaped convicts accurately targeted our specific apartment in my previous life. Someone had been giving them intel from the inside. Seeing us staring at him, the man offered a wicked, yellow-toothed grin. “Didn’t expect you to find me. This is no fun.” With that, he sliced the knife across my mom’s throat. Bright red blood sprayed across the floor. My dad’s eyes turned bloodshot. He raised his baseball bat and charged at the man to fight him to the death. But just as he got close… Bang! A bullet pierced straight through my dad’s forehead. He collapsed heavily onto the floor. He actually had a gun. Before my sister and I could even react, the next second, a hatchet smashed through the front door. The other two killers broke in. I grabbed my sister’s hand, desperately trying to pull her toward the bedroom to hide. But the killers’ blades were faster than us. The man with the yellow teeth drove a knife straight through my sister’s pregnant belly. The next second, he ripped out her placenta and her intestines. I grabbed a fruit knife, screaming like a madwoman, charging at him to protect my sister. Thud— The heavy iron hammer smashed into my head again. Police sirens wailed outside, but I was dead again. My mom, my dad, and my sister were dead too. 4 Our whole family lived in an old, run-down apartment complex. My parents ran a small breakfast cart selling steamed buns to raise me and my sister. They were incredibly hardworking and never complained. They woke up before 3:00 AM every single day to knead dough and steam buns. They were kind and generous. Whenever they saw a lonely elderly person or a disabled homeless person, they would give them free breakfast. They always said that once my sister and I had steady jobs and were married, they would finally retire. They planned to sell this cramped old apartment and move back to their rural hometown to live out their days. My sister and I had been secretly planning that once I got my grad school acceptance letter and she had her baby… We were going to take our parents on a trip to the ocean. They had worked themselves to the bone their entire lives and had never even left this city. My grad school acceptance was basically a done deal. The official letter would be arriving very soon. My sister and I had saved up almost enough money for the trip. But why… why, even though I was reborn… We still couldn’t escape our violent deaths? Consumed by endless bitterness and regret, I closed my eyes. When I opened them again, I was back in the living room. 5 The phantom pain from the heavy hammer smashing into my skull still lingered in my body. I couldn’t help but hug myself, gasping for air in pure terror. My sister was standing next to me, looking worried. “Chloe, what’s wrong?” “Are you feeling sick?” I followed her voice and looked at her, then at the brand-new iPad in her hands. Then at my dad, who was sitting nearby, putting candles on the cake. Then I ran to the kitchen and saw my mom standing perfectly fine, stir-frying vegetables. I immediately grabbed my phone and checked the time. July 28th, 7:00 PM. I finally realized I had been reborn again. I clenched my fists tightly, forcing myself to calm down. I had to figure out how to break this loop. There was a killer with a gun hiding somewhere inside our apartment. And in five minutes, two more killers armed with deadly weapons would break in. The only way to break this cycle was to take out the killer hiding inside our apartment first. My mom, my dad, my sister, and me. Four against one. We should have a very good chance. So the most important thing right now was to find him. Without alerting him and tipping him off. This time, I didn’t call 911. Instead, I used the text-to-911 service. After sending the text, I typed another message into my notes app. [Nobody make a sound. There is an escaped convict armed with a weapon hiding inside our apartment right now. We are going to find him.] My sister still looked a little hesitant. But seeing my dead-serious expression, she cooperatively kept her mouth shut. Just like the first time, my dad immediately grabbed his baseball bat from the front door and stood next to me. To avoid alerting the killer, we didn’t disturb my mom in the kitchen just yet. My dad and I, now armed with a heavy meat cleaver, quietly walked toward the balcony. The apartment complex we lived in was very old. The balconies weren’t enclosed with glass. And we lived on the second floor. It would be incredibly easy for someone outside to climb up the exterior wall and onto our balcony. This killer very likely broke in through the balcony. The balcony connected to a small bathroom and a guest bedroom. I carefully opened the bathroom door. It was completely empty. My dad pushed open the door to the guest bedroom. There were no signs anyone had been in there, either. He wasn’t in either of those places. So where was he hiding? “Pfft!” In the dead-silent apartment, someone suddenly let out a suppressed laugh. My entire body shuddered. I spun around and saw the man with the rotting yellow teeth pushing open the door to the small storage closet right next to the bathroom. So that’s where he was hiding. “Were you looking for me? Congratulations, you found me.” Pure instinct took over. I raised the meat cleaver and swung it at him. But his long knife was faster. He sliced it straight across my throat. My dad tried to save me, but the gun in the man’s hand fired, putting a bullet right between my dad’s eyes. I died again. I heard the sound of the front door being smashed open with a hatchet. And then the desperate, agonizing screams of my mom and sister. Fate seemed to be telling me that no matter how hard I struggled, we could not escape our destined deaths. But I refused to believe it. If God let me live this moment over and over again… There had to be a way.

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