A Face She'll Never Forget

Chapter 1

On February 12th, I finally saved enough money to visit a cosmetic surgery clinic.

Even though I knew that no matter how much I changed my face—scraping away the features he found distasteful and reshaping them to mirror Sophia Miller’s—Ethan Wright would never fall for me.

Because I was just a counterfeit.

Plastic surgery hurts like hell. The anesthesia hurts, the recovery hurts. I was lucky to avoid an infection, but the pain was excruciating, making me wish I were dead. At one point, I deeply regretted my decision, but the fantasy of Ethan Wright’s stunned and grief-stricken reaction when he saw me pulled me through.

When the recovery period was over, I looked at the face in the mirror, and a surge of exhilaration rushed to my head. The surgery had turned out even better than I had imagined. Now, I probably looked more like Sophia Miller’s sister than her actual sibling did.

Perfect.

Absolutely perfect.

I clenched my fists and decided it was time to confront Ethan Wright.

Sophia Miller had been dead for less than six months, yet the man who had declared his eternal, undying love for her was hosting a house party filled with social media influencers. What a shameless hypocrite.

While cursing his phony, lustful nature, I searched the crowd for him.

It didn’t take long. Ethan Wright’s striking appearance made him easy to spot.

Today, he was wearing white pants that accentuated his long, straight legs. Standing there with one hand in his pocket, he looked like the kind of man women would willingly die for, just to be crushed beneath his tailored trousers.

I picked up a glass of wine from a passing tray, steadied my nerves, and walked toward him with deliberate poise, my head held high.

If I had one edge over Sophia Miller, it was that my chest was fuller than hers. To emphasize this advantage, I had chosen a low-cut, nude-colored dress that showcased my curves. The sight of my ample assets, real and undeniable, had already caught the attention of several men who were sneaking glances at me.

Ethan Wright seemed to sense something and slowly turned his cold gaze toward me.

In that instant, I felt frozen. Fear and dread intertwined, washing over me. I even started to regret wearing this dress, feeling as though it made me look cheap and stripped me of any dignity. Shame consumed me, making me wish I could sink into the ground.

I saw his brow furrow slightly, and his pale lips parted. "Who are you?"

I snapped back to reality and remembered the face I now wore.

He couldn’t recognize me.

Before the surgery, I bore only a 60% resemblance to Sophia Miller. With makeup, the similarity increased to 80%. Ethan Wright was bound to be shaken to his core, left utterly bewildered.

Feeling more composed, I imitated Sophia Miller’s usual demeanor, curling my lips into a faint smile. "Has it been so long, Ethan, that you’ve forgotten me already?"

Ethan Wright’s frown deepened into a crease between his brows.

He must have been analyzing who I could possibly be. Sophia Miller had perished in a plane crash while chasing true love. There was no way she could have come back from the dead.

I met his gaze with a calm smile, my expression serene.

The sudden crash of a glass breaking disrupted the moment.

A man stormed toward me from the crowd, his presence looming over me like a dark cloud. He seized my wrist with an iron grip and demanded, "Sophia? Is that you? You’re alive?"

I struggled to lift my head and found myself staring into Noah Miller’s shadowed, conflicted expression.

Noah Miller was Sophia’s older brother. He had once been a rising star on the national youth basketball team, standing at an impressive 6’5". But he had to give up his sports career because their parents disapproved—or at least that was the official excuse. Those who knew him well understood the real reason: he couldn’t bear to leave his sister. Even when choosing a university, he stayed nearby so he could watch over her.

This sick creep harbored indecent feelings for his own sister.

Caught between these two deranged men, Sophia Miller had sought solace in an online friend she’d never met, ultimately choosing to chase love without hesitation. And then, she died on her journey to meet him.

I hadn’t expected to run into him here, and the situation suddenly felt like a mess.

His grip was so tight that I couldn’t break free, no matter how hard I struggled. Grimacing from the pain, I hissed, "You’ve got the wrong person. Let me go."

His expression darkened further as he leaned in close to whisper in my ear, "This face... I’d recognize it even in death. My dear sister."

The way he said "dear sister" sent chills down my spine.

Noah Miller glared at me, then straightened up and tightened his grip. "If you’re alive, why didn’t you contact the family sooner? Come home with me right now."

My mind raced, thrown off by this unexpected turn. Panicking, I dragged my feet to resist going with him. "I told you, I’m not your sister... Noah Miller, you blind idiot! You can’t even recognize your own sibling? What else are you good for? Let go of me!"

"Wait," Ethan Wright interjected.

In that tense moment, Ethan Wright finally came to my rescue.

His gaze lingered on me, faintly scrutinizing. "She’s not Sophia."

It was that easy for him to see through me.

I didn’t know whether to marvel at the depth of his love for Sophia, which allowed him to instantly discern I was an imposter, or to feel despair at the realization that all my effort—the pain, the sacrifices—had only earned me a fleeting moment of his confusion.

Noah Miller turned to me, his initial joy at seeing his sister alive fading into suspicion and irritation as he noticed something amiss. "True. The police confirmed Sophia’s identity through DNA testing. Who are you, and why are you pretending to be my sister?"

With so many probing eyes on me, it was one of the rare moments in my life where I felt like the center of attention.

I took a deep breath, regained my composure, and flashed a bright smile as I patted my flawless face. "I’m Anna Brooks. I had some work done recently. How do I look? Pretty, right?"

As expected, everyone froze in shock, including Ethan Wright.

Noah Miller finally released my wrist.

Chapter 2

To be honest, the situation was a bit awkward.

I had half a mind to leave, but the fragmented whispers from the crowd kept me rooted in place for a while longer.

Ethan Wright’s expression shifted dramatically, alternating between pale and flushed—a truly spectacular display. He strode toward me, his cold eyes scrutinizing me for a long moment. “Anna Brooks?”

My heart tightened, but I forced a nonchalant response. “Hmm?”

When everyone thought Sophia Miller had risen from the dead just moments ago, he didn’t react this strongly. Was my surgery really such a failure?

He looked like he wanted to say something but clenched his jaw and swallowed the words back down. Then he let out an incredulous laugh, his anger thinly veiled. “So this is why you’ve been out of sight for months? To do this?”

I figured he couldn’t stand seeing Sophia Miller’s face plastered on another woman, believing I had sullied her memory. That’s why he was so furious.

Ethan Wright practically ground his teeth. “Are you insane?”

Honestly, I was terrified of him. My knees wobbled just looking at him like this, but I forced myself to stand firm and not back down. “This face is already mine. What can you do about it? Rip it off?”

Seeing the woman he despised flaunting the face of the one he loved—there could be no greater revenge, nothing more satisfying or stimulating.

I deliberately lifted my chin, ensuring that he—and everyone else—could get a clear view.

“Come with me.”

Ethan Wright grabbed my wrist, dragging me forcefully into the house. Seeing the storm clouds on his face, I didn’t even have the courage to resist.

Inside, Ethan Wright paced back and forth so many times that my head started spinning. I hurriedly grabbed a bottle of water, taking a sip to calm my nerves.

He suddenly turned toward me, and I almost choked on my own spit in fright.

“Why did you turn yourself into this?” he demanded.

I wiggled my feet nervously and avoided his gaze, refusing to answer.

“Why?” he repeated, staring into my eyes. It was infuriating. He nearly crushed my newly enhanced jaw with his grip. “Are you so jealous of Sophia? Jealous enough to transform into her the moment she died?”

His words struck a nerve. Like a rat having its tail stomped on, I exploded, squeaking with rage. “So what if I am? Yes, I’m jealous of her! Jealous of how beautiful she was! Jealous of how everyone loved her!”

He suddenly curved his lips into a mocking smile, his eyes filled with scorn. “Do you really think the only thing separating you from her is a face?”

He was right. How could I ever compare to Sophia Miller? She was better than me in every way.

The blow to my pride ached in my chest. It was unbearable. If I didn’t fight back now, I’d drown in this sea of despair. “Well, I’ve got this face now, haven’t I? She had so many admirers. Surely one or two of them wouldn’t mind reliving their memories through me…”

I forced down the lump in my throat, tilting my head back to hold back tears as I retorted. “From now on, I’ll kiss and sleep with different men every day, with this face. And then…”

I knew how disgusting my words were. The moment they left my lips, I felt sick with myself. But it worked. Ethan Wright’s face turned green with rage, and he looked like he wanted to kill me on the spot.

“Anna Brooks, do you have any self-respect left? Do you even know what you’re saying?”

Seeing how furious he was, I felt a sense of vindication. “I’ve already thrown away my face. Why should I care about self-respect?”

Ethan Wright glared at me for what felt like an eternity before yanking me by the hand and dragging me out again. He blew through two red lights, driving me straight to the hospital. There, he quickly found my surgeon. “Fix her face. Now.”

I was so scared I covered my face with my hands. “I won’t do it! Over my dead body—”

The surgeon gave him an apologetic smile. “Mr. Wright, please calm down. The implants in her nose can be removed, but the alterations to her jaw and eyes will be very difficult to reverse.”

I had barely exhaled in relief when Ethan Wright said, “I don’t care how much it costs. I don’t want to see her walking around with this face.”

Half an hour later, a consent form for surgery was placed in front of me.

Tears streamed down my face. “Ethan Wright, are you trying to kill me? I will never sign this! If you force me, I’ll sue you…”

He paused for a moment, then let out a cold laugh. “Go ahead and try.”

This monster had a legal team full of top-tier lawyers. I knew I didn’t stand a chance. Misery consumed me. I felt like the unluckiest person in the world. “You cold-blooded bastard… If I die on the operating table, I’ll haunt you as a ghost…”

Maybe it was my threat that worked. Ethan Wright stared coldly at me for a long while before actually taking me back home.

To save my own skin, to avoid being disfigured, I spent the drive pleading with him. “Think about it, Ethan. Sophia Miller is dead—dead and gone. Her body is ashes. You’ll never see her again. Why not treat me as her instead? At least I’m alive and breathing…”

Ethan Wright shot me a sinister look. “I’d rather destroy you.”

Chills ran down my spine.

Chapter 3

He took me back to the villa the same way we came, then shrugged off his suit jacket and impatiently loosened a few buttons on his shirt collar, revealing his fair and well-proportioned collarbones.

I lowered my head like a scolded wife, not daring to look at him, and meekly said, “I want to go home.”

His gaze cut through me like a knife.

I could feel he was still thinking about dragging me back for surgery to ruin my face. Terrified, I started crying uncontrollably and stumbled over my words, pleading, “What more do you want… Please, just let me go home. I promise I won’t show up in front of you ever again…”

He frowned slightly, took a few steps forward, and then picked me up, tossing me onto the sofa. He pressed down on me without the slightest hesitation.

Surrounded by his uniquely pleasant scent, my heartbeat quickened. Watching his hand rise high in the air, I panicked and immediately covered my face.

He took a deep breath, forcefully pried my hands away, and used a handkerchief to wipe my tear-streaked, messy face.

This guy is such a closet neat freak—carrying a handkerchief, scented no less.

Compared to his dark and stormy expression, his movements were surprisingly gentle. That was good. My face was worth a lot now.

Maybe he stared at this face for too long, because as he continued wiping, Ethan Wright’s anger flared up again. Through gritted teeth, he muttered my name, “Su Xia.”

Afraid he might mess up my nose with his grip, I quickly cupped his large hands with mine, staring at him with teary, pitiful eyes, trying my best to look as helpless as possible.

I never expected him to suddenly kiss me. Panicked, I clenched my teeth shut, nearly biting his tongue in the process.

Grinding his teeth, he forced my jaw open, his soft, warm tongue slipping into my mouth.

What the hell was going on?

My sharp mind raced.

This shameless bastard—was he so overcome with lust just by looking at Sophia Miller’s face that he couldn’t control himself? Did he not care if I was the real deal or not?

I immediately clenched my fists and fought back, but his strength overwhelmed mine. He pinned me down in a kneeling position. When I tried to turn my head to look at him, he pressed my face to the side, refusing to let me see him.

What the hell… Now I understood just how much he despised my face.

Furious, I started spouting nonsense. “What’s a bit of plastic surgery? I even aborted your child…”

“…”

The man froze instantly. Ethan Wright flipped me over and stared down at me with a terrifying expression, the veins on his hands bulging as he gripped my arm. “What did you just say?”

A shiver ran down my spine, and I hurried to explain, “I didn’t… I was just talking nonsense…”

He kept staring at me, motionless.

I was so scared I could barely breathe when he looked at me like that.

“I’ve never been pregnant… I just wanted to piss you off…”

A flicker of alarm flashed through his eyes before he let out a heavy, cold snort. Then, he flipped me back over and continued.

I couldn’t believe this was happening.

Chapter 4

Ethan Wright didn’t have many redeeming qualities, but he was exceptionally... enduring.

As I bit my lip and tried to hold on, my thoughts drifted back to that confusing first night we spent together.

Have I mentioned that Ethan Wright was originally with me?

Like any ordinary young couple, he would buy me snacks, tutor me patiently despite his sharp tongue, and furrow his brows when I wore spaghetti straps and chatted with other guys. He even wore the matching couple’s ring I forced on him.

Every time I saw that thin silver band on his long, fair ring finger in front of others, a secret joy would swell in my heart. It felt like we were already quietly married, as if he belonged exclusively to me.

Once, in the reading room, I shared this thought with him.

He maintained his usual composure, showing little reaction outwardly, but the faint curve of his lips betrayed his thoughts.

My heart fluttered, and I leaned across the table to kiss his thin lips.

It was our first kiss. He froze for a moment, then looked up at me, rubbed my head, and smiled.

Back then, I really, really liked him.

I can’t recall the exact day, but at some point, Sophia Miller came crying to his house after being upset by her brother. She clung to him, sobbing, and he didn’t push her away.

I had just stepped out of the kitchen with a bowl of pork rib and corn soup. Seeing the scene, I felt a little awkward but still managed to smile at them graciously.

Not long after, he broke up with me.

Just like that, he casually sent a WeChat message: Let’s break up. He didn’t even bother giving a reason.

He couldn’t even be bothered to fake an excuse.

I went to his class to confront him, but he claimed to be sick and stayed home. So, I waited outside his house. It was pouring rain that day, and the drops stung my face like needles. Soaked to the bone, I felt like one of those tragic romance drama heroines, standing there with tears mingling with the rain, pitiful and heart-wrenching.

I imagined he would feel sorry for me, unable to suppress his worry, and come out with an umbrella to shield me.

Ethan Wright did come out with an umbrella, but it was to meet Sophia Miller, who had just stepped out of a taxi.

The two of them walked past me under the same umbrella. Ethan Wright’s face was expressionless, while Sophia Miller, looking a bit guilty, tugged at his sleeve to make him stop.

Sophia Miller handed me her little floral umbrella and gave me an apologetic smile.

Having an umbrella and still needing someone to pick her up—what a show-off.

I couldn’t hold back the words in my heart and blurted out, “You shameless couple.”

Ethan Wright’s eyes immediately turned cold.

After shouting that, I ran away. Proudly, I didn’t accept their pity.

The result? I went home and got sick, bedridden with a fever that medicine couldn’t fix. My parents were busy with work, so it was the housekeeper who took me to the hospital for an IV.

So much for pride—it’s utterly useless.

After that, Ethan Wright’s eyes held only Sophia Miller. He stopped talking to me, no longer cared if my grades were good enough to get into the same university as him, and didn’t even flinch when I chatted with men while wearing a bikini. He’d even taken off the ring—I didn’t know where he’d thrown it. It was clear he didn’t like me anymore.

Why could Sophia Miller so effortlessly get everything she wanted? Why, when she already had so many admirers, did she have to take away the one person who was mine?

At first, I thought Ethan Wright was just inherently fickle, a man with no loyalty. Men like him—especially ones that handsome—were bound to be unfaithful.

But no. He ended up staying with Sophia Miller for four years.

He wanted to break up with me after six months, but he stayed with Sophia Miller for three years before she left him. Clearly, his coldness and fickleness were reserved just for me.

How could I not hate them?

So, I threw myself into studying, determined to haunt their lives like a lingering ghost. Like a villainous supporting character in a romance drama, I secretly hoped their relationship would fall apart. And my prayers were answered. Thanks to Noah Miller, the disruptive “second male lead,” Sophia Miller decided to break up with Ethan Wright on the day of our college graduation.

Heartbroken, Ethan Wright drank himself into a stupor. With a hint of malice, I pretended to console him while subtly encouraging him to drink more.

If I couldn’t have his heart, at least I could have his body.

One thing led to another, and we ended up in bed. To my surprise, he was a virgin. His lack of experience and clumsy technique made it clear. Combined with the dizziness from drinking, he couldn’t control his strength, leaving bruises all over my waist.

That night, he came back to me three or four times. Aside from the first two awkward attempts, he got so damn good at it that I wondered if he’d taken something.

The next morning, he woke up to the sight of a messy room and a bloodstained sheet. His face turned dark, and he stared at the sheet for a long time without speaking. It was obvious he regretted losing control.

The more upset he was, the more satisfied I felt.

I didn’t expect him to take responsibility. Shaking on unsteady legs, I got dressed, went downstairs, bought emergency contraception at a pharmacy, and swallowed it with water before hailing a cab home.

It was as if nothing had ever happened. Not long after, Ethan Wright and Sophia Miller got back together.

Chapter 5

"Anna Brooks, even in a moment like this, you can still let your mind wander..."

Ethan Wright gritted his teeth as he said my name, biting my shoulder hard enough to make me shudder.

What a bastard.

At dawn, while he was still sound asleep, I hastily threw on my dress, grabbed my bag, and bolted.

Just as I was panicking because my phone was dead and I had no cash—swearing to myself I’d never use an iPhone again—a sleek silver Maybach pulled up in front of me.

Noah Miller was sitting inside, his gaze heavy and unreadable as he looked at me.

I hadn’t intended to get into his car, but then he asked if I needed him to call Ethan Wright for me.

…What a ruthless move.

Although both of them were infuriating in their own ways, Noah Miller didn’t seem to dislike me as much as Ethan Wright did. Between the two, I unhesitatingly opened the car door and got in.

Noah Miller drove in silence, making my heart pound uneasily.

"Anna Brooks?" he said, as though rolling the name around in his mouth, savoring the taste. His tone made me nervous, and I begged him to take me home.

He smiled faintly, then took me to his house instead—specifically, to his sister’s room.

Sophia Miller’s room was as clean and elegant as she had been, still preserved exactly as it was when she was alive.

Noah Miller pulled a dress from her closet and handed it to me, saying the zipper on the back of my dress was broken and I shouldn’t wear it anymore.

I couldn’t help but let my thoughts run wild. Was he trying to dress me up like his sister, pretending she was still alive? This creepy brother...

When I came downstairs, dressed in Sophia Miller’s clothes, I met their father. He was a tall man with thick eyebrows, sharp eyes, and an imposing presence.

Unlike Noah, he didn’t mistake me for his daughter. Instead, he smiled warmly. "You must be Anna Brooks. Noah mentioned you."

His perceptive gaze scanned me up and down, his smile growing kinder. "You do look a lot like Rongrong. Since she passed, I’ve missed her terribly..."

He asked me to call him Uncle, then insisted I stay for a meal. Throughout lunch, he kept serving me food and soup, all things Sophia Miller used to love—which happened to match my own tastes quite well.

Sitting with a father grieving his lost daughter, I felt a pang of guilt. Even though I disliked Sophia Miller, since I was using her face, it seemed only fair to provide a little comfort to her father.

While we were chatting on the sofa, Ethan Wright suddenly appeared.

His gaze locked onto me, scrutinizing me as if trying to confirm something.

I was surprised to see he was still wearing the same wrinkled shirt from yesterday. Knowing his meticulous nature and aversion to untidiness, it was clear he must have come in a hurry.

Suppressing something, he greeted Mr. Miller Sr. briefly before walking over to me and grabbing my hand. "She’s sick. I’m taking her to the hospital."

Mr. Miller Sr. looked concerned. "Anna, are you alright? Is it serious?"

Lies. He was the one who was sick.

Just as I was about to protest, he tightened his grip on my hand, silencing me. "Just a mild flu. I don’t want her to infect you. We’ll be going now."

Only when the car was out of sight from Noah Miller and his father did Ethan Wright’s tense shoulders relax. Pulling the car over, he turned to me with a dark expression.

"Why were you at the Miller house? Do you know how you look right now could make..."

"Make what? Make Noah Miller fall for me?" I deliberately pressed on the wound. "Actually, Noah Miller isn’t bad at all. His family’s wealthy, he’s loyal, unlike you. Plus, he’s tall. Our kids would definitely—"

"…"

The look in his eyes scared me into silence.

Ethan Wright drove me to a friend of his—a well-known and highly regarded makeup artist who had worked with top-tier celebrities in the fashion world.

Handing over a photo of me, Ethan instructed the makeup artist to recreate my original look. Despite my loud protests, he even had my hair cut short.

Several hours later, when I saw my reflection in the mirror, I could hardly accept what I saw.

"Miss Su was naturally beautiful, with that pure yet sultry charm that’s all the rage. Why would you ever want to turn into that plain look?" the makeup artist said.

Even though she was complimenting me, I couldn’t bring myself to agree. I snapped back, "I just like that look—soft, gentle, like a real goddess!"

Seeing me like this, Ethan Wright’s expression finally softened. He turned to the makeup artist and thanked her.

When I stood up to leave, intending to head home, he grabbed my hand. "Where are you going?"

Why did he think he could control me?

I didn’t look at him, keeping my voice firm and cold. "None of your business."

He furrowed his brows slightly, pausing for a long moment before speaking. "You… look fine like this. There’s no need to become someone else."

I stared at him blankly for a moment.

He was trying to fool me again.

If I looked fine like this, why had he abandoned me to date Sophia Miller in the first place?

Chapter 6

It was already afternoon by the time the makeover was done, and my stomach was growling with hunger. Still angry, I refused to lower my pride and accept Ethan Wright’s offer to take me out for a meal. Instead, he insisted on dropping me off at my apartment building.

By then, it was dinnertime. My mom was home today, so the housekeeper had definitely prepared dinner. As I stepped out of the car and walked into the building, Ethan Wright quietly watched me, probably waiting for me to invite him up for dinner.

But there was no way I’d let that happen. He didn’t deserve to eat my family’s food.

When I entered the house, my mom was sitting on the sofa watching the news. She looked up briefly and greeted me with a lukewarm, “You’re back.”

She’d always taken a hands-off approach to raising me. Between her and my dad being preoccupied with work, they never had much time for me. Even when I got plastic surgery, she only mentioned it in passing, as if she’d forgotten what I used to look like.

After dinner, the two of us stood on the balcony enjoying the breeze. My mom lit a cigarette. I wanted to ask her for one but held back, instead idly watching the elderly couples from our neighborhood taking their evening strolls. Then my gaze froze.

The sun was almost down, and Ethan Wright was still there. He leaned against his car, silently smoking a cigarette, his figure looking unusually desolate.

My mom noticed him too and commented nonchalantly, “That boy once barged in here, loaded down with gifts, begging me to let him marry you. Of course, I wasn’t about to forget about him and that little Miller girl—you were heartbroken because of them. I didn’t say a word; I just hit him in the face with my slipper and sent him packing. He stood down there all night before finally leaving in the morning.”

I was stunned, nearly thinking I’d misheard her.

Ethan Wright had proposed to me? When?

My mom, still composed, added, “I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you overthinking. If the guy doesn’t work out, so be it. There are plenty of men out there. If you want, your mom can help set you up.”

A few days later, I noticed Noah Miller seemed to be pursuing me.

He sent me all kinds of gifts that most women would adore. When I refused a few times, he graciously took them back—only to replace them with even better and more expensive ones.

I figured it might be some kind of compensation on his part. His beloved sister was gone, so he sought comfort by giving luxury handbags and jewelry to someone who resembled her.

Realizing this, I happily accepted.

Since I’d accepted his gifts, I couldn’t bring myself to reject his invitations to dinner.

After spending some time together, I discovered that Noah Miller was actually a pretty good guy. As an only child, I’d never experienced the feeling of being cared for like a little sister, and it was unexpectedly touching.

One day, he asked if I’d be willing to be his girlfriend. I hesitated and asked, “What’s the difference between this and what we have now?”

He smiled, placed his hand on the back of my neck, and kissed me gently by my ear. “That’s the difference—it’s a girlfriend’s privilege, not something a sister would get.”

So, I agreed.

Because I’d taken the time to reflect.

Why did I get plastic surgery in the first place? Was it to reconcile with Ethan Wright?

No.

It was to turn myself into the woman he loved and then be with another man, just to make him feel uncomfortable and suffocated. If that man was Noah Miller, wouldn’t the effect be even better?

After we started dating, Noah Miller treated me even better. You could almost say he spoiled me rotten. Feeling a bit guilty, I bought him a few gifts too—though I used his card.

One night, Noah Miller was dropping me off at home. Under the cover of darkness, he leaned down and kissed me.

Afterward, I couldn’t resist asking him, “Doesn’t it feel a little thrilling? Like forbidden love?”

The corner of his mouth seemed to twitch as he sighed and murmured my name, “Anna Brooks.”

“Alright, alright, I’ll stop.”

Then he pinned me against the car, cradling the back of my head as he kissed me again.

I couldn’t help but notice that he was much more skilled at kissing than Ethan Wright, which made me question my earlier assessment of his supposed loyalty.

Sensing my distraction, he pinched my waist in warning, signaling me to focus. The kiss dragged on for more than ten minutes. My tongue felt numb, my brain was oxygen-deprived, and I couldn’t understand his obsession with kissing. I even wanted to ask if I could take a bathroom break.

Apparently, he noticed my wandering thoughts, because he punished me by slipping his hand under my shirt and giving my waist another firm squeeze.

But this time, I couldn’t focus.

Because I saw Ethan Wright.

And he was watching us.

Chapter 7

I figured Ethan Wright must have been furious, though I couldn’t quite make out his expression.

Noah Miller’s tongue and body were growing warmer, his slightly cool hand sliding across my back, sending shivers through me.

His hand slowly climbed higher, but I wasn’t ready to go that far with him yet. Still, driven by a petty desire to provoke Ethan Wright, I didn’t stop him.

A cold breeze swept past, and I suddenly felt a pang of insecurity. My hands, resting on Noah’s waist, instinctively tightened, gripping his flesh.

Noah chuckled low in his chest. Realizing I wasn’t ready, he restrained himself and withdrew his hand.

Ethan Wright stood silently in the shadows beneath the trees, watching us. Even as Noah Miller drove away, he didn’t move or react.

I couldn’t help feeling a little disappointed.

Ethan Wright was always too rational. My face might have affected him a bit at first, but by now, it seemed to have lost all its power.

Straightening my clothes, I lifted my chin, determined to walk past him with as much pride as I could muster.

In the darkness, Ethan Wright’s expression was unreadable.

As I passed by him, a pair of hands suddenly grabbed me from behind. He covered my mouth before I could scream, held me tightly around the waist, and dragged me into his car. He pulled a seatbelt across me, securing me firmly.

Ethan Wright was kidnapping me!

Still reeling, I could barely process what was happening when Ethan floored the gas pedal, speeding off before I had any chance to jump out.

Watching the sharp angle of his clenched jawline and feeling the car’s ever-increasing speed, cold sweat began dripping down my back. Was this some kind of death pact?

Clinging to the seatbelt, I softened my tone, cautiously calling his name. “Ethan Wright, could you slow down… please?”

He closed his eyes briefly, the veins on the back of his hands bulging. Finally, the car’s speed returned to normal.

Twenty minutes later, I glanced nervously out the window and realized we’d arrived at one of his houses in the suburbs.

It was late at night, the area eerily deserted, and I felt a chill creep up my spine.

Ethan leaned in, trapping me in the passenger seat with an overwhelming presence. His dark eyes locked onto my swollen lips.

Through the rearview mirror, I saw that my lips were puffed and tender from kissing, and my stomach sank.

He asked in a low voice, “Did you sleep with him?”

I was terrified, but my stubborn nature took over. “What… what does that have to do with you?”

His throat moved, and his voice softened into an eerie calm, as if he were trying to reason with me. “Anna Brooks, you’d better tell me you didn’t. Otherwise… I don’t know what I might do.”

Instinctively, I shrank back, my palms clammy with cold sweat. Angry and finding his behavior utterly absurd, I couldn’t resist mocking him. “What happens between Noah Miller and me is our business. Isn’t it normal for a man and a woman to... do things? What right do you have to question me? Are you my brother-in-law? Besides, after all the things he’s given me, I should repay him somehow…”

I knew exactly how he’d see me: a shallow, materialistic woman who used her body as a bargaining chip, reducing myself to nothing more than an object. But so what?

When I was little, my parents thought work was more important than me, leaving me to be raised by nannies. They were gone for months at a time, not even remembering to call me on my birthday. As I grew older, I became nothing more than a foil for Sophia Miller. No one ever saw me; no one ever chose me. Even Ethan Wright, the one person who once cared for me, was stolen by her.

No matter my role, I was always the one left behind or overlooked. So what if I became someone’s substitute? At least someone liked me—someone thought I was worth noticing. That meant I still had value, didn’t it?

Ethan Wright’s eyes flickered with what seemed like sadness—or maybe I imagined it. He suddenly kissed me, biting my lips so hard it nearly drew blood before reluctantly letting go. Then he captured my tongue, kissing me so deeply I nearly lost my senses.

Like a helpless chick, he hauled me into the villa’s bathroom, forcing me to rinse my mouth over and over again with mouthwash. By the time he was satisfied, the inside of my mouth was raw and tender, and my tongue felt numb. The pain brought tears to my eyes.

He’d just kissed me—what was the point of this obsessive rinsing? I didn’t understand.

Finally, when he was satisfied, he took me to a room. I was so scared of what he might do next that I mentally prepared myself to lose my dignity, but instead, he threw a diary at me. After glaring at me coldly for a moment, he turned and left.

Of course, he locked the door from the outside.

Who even keeps a diary these days?

I grumbled silently and flipped it open out of boredom.

But the moment I started reading, my heart grew inexplicably heavy.

Chapter 8

I always thought that Sophia Miller wanted to escape the Miller family because Noah Miller harbored inappropriate feelings for his sister, and she found the relationship repulsive. But the truth was the complete opposite.

From childhood, Noah Miller had been Sophia Miller’s shield, using his young body to protect her from Richard Miller’s molestation and bouts of violent abuse.

Seven years ago, when he was offered a spot on the national team, he gave up what was likely his only chance to escape and chose to stay in that home.

Who would have guessed that Richard Miller, the supposedly philanthropic and respectable chairman of the Miller family company, was in reality a pedophile? He not only harassed and abused his own children but even attempted to assault his nearly adult daughter.

One day, a terrified Sophia Miller turned to Ethan Wright for help. For the first time, she revealed her scars to an outsider. Since Richard Miller’s company depended on the Wright family’s support, she figured that being with Ethan Wright, the heir of the conglomerate, would make her father hesitate.

She knew Ethan Wright had a girlfriend and felt deeply guilty about it, but she couldn’t think of another solution. Reporting her father to the authorities would expose the family scandal, potentially ruin the Miller company without the Wright family’s support, and subject her to the scornful and judgmental eyes of society. She begged Ethan Wright not to tell anyone, saying she wouldn’t have the strength to go on living if the truth came out.

For four years, under Ethan Wright’s protection, Richard Miller restrained himself, no longer daring to touch her or her brother.

Sophia knew she had already taken too much from Ethan Wright. During those years, their relationship remained superficial. To her, Ethan was more like a reliable brother—someone who cared for her out of duty and pity. But how much longer could he protect her? Would it really have to go as far as marriage? She had no right to ask Ethan Wright to sacrifice his own happiness for her.

So, on the day of their graduation, she gritted her teeth and broke up with him.

But Richard Miller’s vile desires never died. Just a month after their breakup, he revealed his true nature once more. He cornered Sophia in the bathroom while she was showering, trying to coax her into opening the door. When she refused, he dismantled the doorknob entirely.

The most horrifying part, however, was that Noah Miller, rushing back just in time, shattered a vase over Richard’s head. When he picked up the bloodied shards, ready to strike again, Sophia fell to her knees, crying and begging him to stop.

“It’s not worth it to ruin your life over someone like him,” she had said.

Ethan Wright soon learned about the incident. To protect Sophia, they got back together.

It was only later that she found out Ethan Wright had slept with me during their breakup. Feeling responsible, he even brought gifts to my mother and proposed, only to be mocked and driven out with a slipper.

If it hadn’t been for her, Ethan Wright could have openly been with someone he truly liked. Instead, there were misunderstandings, regrets, and an unreachable distance between them.

She thought of herself as filthy, a burden to her brother and Ethan Wright. What reason did she have to keep living?

In her darkest hour, she met Lucas Bennett.

Like her, his childhood had been marred by sexual abuse and violence. As an adult, he had beaten his abusive father until his head was bloody and stomped on his groin, leaving him impotent. For this, Lucas had been in and out of juvenile detention, scorned as a delinquent. But with the help of kind people, he had turned his life around and became a lawyer specializing in child abuse cases.

Their shared pain brought them together, and she began to develop feelings for him. Inspired by his courage, she wanted to be brave for once and go to him.

My chest tightened as I read this. Happiness was so close, within her grasp—yet she died in a plane crash.

For years, I had wallowed in self-pity, only to realize that the girl who seemed to shine so brightly had been the most tragic and helpless of all.

I flipped to the final pages of the diary and felt a wave of relief. To avoid Richard Miller’s surveillance, she had used a new identity Lucas helped her obtain to buy a different plane ticket. She hadn’t been on the flight that crashed.

By doing this, she let Richard believe she had vanished entirely, allowing her to start a new life free of his shadow.

I exhaled deeply.

Reality is always more dramatic and absurd than any movie.

“This diary was sent by Sophia from Country K not long ago,” Ethan Wright said as he stepped into the room.

He slid his hands into his pockets, saying no more.

But he didn’t need to explain. I understood. Sophia had sent the diary to explain Ethan Wright’s reasons for breaking up with me and the difficult circumstances behind his decision.

Well… I could understand.

Understand, my ass.

Even if Sophia Miller’s story was heartbreaking and I sympathized with her, did that justify the way he had treated me so coldly?

“Sophia Miller needed love and protection, but did that mean I could be trampled on?” I closed the diary, stood up, and asked him, “If you’d told me the truth back then, I might have understood.”

Since you made your choice to give up on me in that moment, fine. Let’s end things cleanly.

Chapter 9

I brushed past Ethan Wright and headed for the door, but he grabbed my hand.

After a moment of thought, I gave him an excuse. “You didn’t tell me because you were afraid I’d reveal her secret to someone else, right?”

Ethan Wright answered plainly, “No.”

“Then why?”

He furrowed his brow.

I laughed.

“If you want me to forgive you, fine. Watch me be with another man for four years, just like you were with her,” I said. “Then you’ll understand how I felt back then.”

Ethan Wright’s face turned pale.

I walked out with flair, looking cool and confident—only to stand in the cold night wind, silent.

At least this time, Ethan Wright didn’t just leave me behind. He was gentlemanly enough to drive me home.

The entire drive was silent.

Once home, I began avoiding Noah Miller. Every time he asked me out, I made up excuses to decline. I even started returning the gifts he’d given me, bit by bit.

Out of courtesy, I categorized everything for him. Some items were unused, still in their original packaging with receipts intact, so he could gift them to someone else. Others had potential resale value, or could be kept as collectibles to appreciate over time. I even noted which ones could be rented out if needed.

Noah Miller texted me: Was it because I offended you that night?

Staring at the screen, I fell into deep thought.

What exactly was this bastard trying to do? He knew his sister wasn’t dead. He knew what kind of sick desires his father had for Sophia Miller. Yet he deliberately brought me, a clueless stand-in, to face that wolf in sheep’s clothing…

Thinking back to how Richard Miller had doted on me that day, I felt a chill run down my spine.

Was it because I wasn’t his biological sister that it didn’t matter? Did he plan to use me, surgically transformed into Sophia Miller’s likeness, as a sacrifice to appease Richard Miller and secure some sort of inheritance or corporate benefits?

The more I thought about it, the more terrified I became. My hands shook as I blocked Noah Miller’s number.

But just two days later, he showed up at my doorstep.

I tried to channel my mother, thinking I’d scare him off with a slipper, but realizing that wasn’t threatening enough, I grabbed a mop instead.

Before I could process what was happening, I landed a few wild blows on Noah Miller, leaving him grimacing in pain. For someone his height—a towering six-foot-something—I hadn’t even noticed when he managed to snatch the mop away.

Terrified, I crouched on the ground, covering my head.

But the blow I braced for never came.

Noah Miller crouched in front of me instead, gently smoothing the stray hairs on my forehead. His tone was tinged with helplessness. “You’ve figured it out, haven’t you?”

I blinked, adjusting my expression to glare at him with hostility.

His eyes filled with even more exasperation. Still crouching, he finally explained everything.

He didn’t know Sophia Miller had faked her death.

He hadn’t known about Lucas Bennett either, not until recently.

Because of their father, Noah Miller had harbored a deep distrust and hostility toward any man who got close to his sister. It had taken him a long time to accept even Ethan Wright.

Perhaps that was why Ethan and Sophia had chosen to hide the truth from him. With his obsessive need to protect and control Sophia, he’d never have allowed her to leave his sight, much less travel across the globe to be with another man. In his mind, the only person Sophia could trust or rely on was him.

So Sophia hadn’t told him about faking her death. She had planned to wait until everything was settled.

But Noah was sharp. He quickly noticed Ethan Wright’s unusual behavior and tried to force the truth out of him by bringing me, Sophia’s lookalike, to the Miller household.

With Noah present, even Richard Miller wouldn’t have dared to act recklessly.

The plan worked. Eventually, Ethan Wright told him everything.

Noah’s kindness toward me stemmed from guilt. Over the past four years, Sophia Miller had occupied the place by Ethan Wright’s side that should have been mine, leaving me to be the collateral damage. So Noah tried to make up for it, going out of his way to fulfill my every wish, showering me with gifts and favors.

It had nothing to do with my resemblance to Sophia Miller.

“At first, it really was just to make amends,” Noah said, tilting my face upward and brushing my lips with his thumb. Then he smiled faintly. “But lately, I can’t seem to control myself anymore.”

Chapter 10

His words reminded me of the lingering, passionate kiss we shared that night. My cheeks flushed slightly, but after a few seconds, as another thought crossed my mind, they turned green with embarrassment.

There was something I just had to say.

After holding it in for what felt like forever, I finally blurted out, “When you kiss me, do you really not feel like you’re kissing your sister?”

In the past, I didn’t ask because I didn’t care if he was using me as a substitute.

To me, being ignored was far worse than being treated as a tool. I had been so desperate for someone—anyone—to truly look at me.

But people are never satisfied.

If I were to fall for him, someday I’d want him to see me—the real me—not the shadow of someone else through my face.

Noah Miller’s eyes darkened slightly as he studied my face. “You and Sophia are not the same. She could never be like you. You’re like a blade of grass, growing wherever you please. You bend so easily in the wind, surviving with hardly any care or nourishment. Yet when I turn my head, there you are, swaying smugly, flaunting yourself.”

He actually smiled as he finished.

I hadn’t expected Noah Miller to have a poet’s soul, though his words were cryptic. Still, I understood his meaning.

He was saying I was grass, and Sophia Miller was a flower. Flowers need to be nurtured in a greenhouse, carefully tended to. Grass doesn’t. I was just a blade of grass pretending to be a flower.

Fuming, I shoved the mop in front of me like a barrier and shouted, “Fine! I’ll go find someone who thinks I’m a flower right now!”

A few months later, Richard Miller had a stroke and was sent to a nursing home. His face was lopsided, his speech slurred. Noah Miller removed all of his father’s trusted associates and replaced them with his own people, smoothly taking over as the largest shareholder and gaining control of the company. Word was, Ethan Wright had played a major role in helping him.

Not long after the stroke, Richard Miller fell down the stairs due to negligence from his caregivers, suffering multiple fractures and a mild concussion. They said he had wet his pants and, unhappy with being ignored, tried to go to the bathroom himself, leading to the accident.

I couldn’t help but suspect Noah Miller had orchestrated it all. He arranged for his father to undergo colostomy surgery, leaving him with a bag for waste and a catheter. For a man who had spent his life chasing dignity, Richard Miller spent his final days steeped in an inescapable stench.

My family arranged a blind date for me. The man was a good match in terms of background and age. He was rather shy and, even after confirming our relationship, hesitated to hold my hand. I suspected he wasn’t interested in women.

Being straightforward, I told him I didn’t want to be a beard. Oliver Scott’s face turned green with embarrassment, but after that, he not only held my hand but had no qualms about putting his arm around my waist.

While dating Oliver, I “coincidentally” ran into Ethan Wright several times. I didn’t believe for a second it was a coincidence. Every time I saw him, I’d grab Oliver and walk away.

One evening, Oliver and I were at the theater watching a midnight screening of SpongeBob: The Movie. Ethan walked in, expressionless, and sat in the row behind us.

Annoyed, I plopped myself onto Oliver’s lap, wrapped my arms around his neck, and fed him popcorn.

Ethan Wright stormed out.

After the movie ended, we stepped outside to find Ethan still waiting. Standing by a food stall, his striking side profile and long legs caught the attention of several women. As I walked past, he handed me a box of stinky tofu drenched in chili sauce.

He still remembered I loved stinky tofu. Back in high school, I’d eat it and then try to kiss him. He’d tilt his head back and dodge like his life depended on it.

Such sweet, innocent memories.

Too bad they lasted only six short months. The rest of the time was a miserable three-way dance.

I didn’t take the tofu. Instead, I pulled Oliver along to book a hotel room.

Ethan Wright intercepted us at the elevator, his brows furrowed so tightly they could crush a fly. “Don’t go too far,” he said coldly.

“Too far?” I replied. “It’s only been a few months. There are still four years to go.”

He grabbed my hand and refused to let go, prompting Oliver to punch him.

I said, “Good hit.”

The next morning, as Oliver and I left the hotel, we found Ethan Wright sitting outside the room. He’d been there all night, stubble shadowing his jawline.

When he looked up, his bloodshot eyes locked onto mine.

I kissed Oliver’s cheek, and he returned the gesture. How perfectly in sync we were. I loved him even more.

Noah Miller reached out to me a few more times. One day, I asked him, “If both your sister and I were drowning, who would you save?”

Even Noah Miller couldn’t answer that age-old question.

The fact that he hesitated for even a moment surprised me. I knew how much Sophia Miller meant to him, and to think I could even briefly compare was unexpected.

A year into my relationship with Oliver Scott, we got engaged.

Ethan Wright showed up drunk, claiming to congratulate me. I lied and said it was a shotgun wedding.

He stared at me for a long time without saying anything, his gaze eventually falling to my hand.

There, on my finger, was the engagement ring Oliver had given me.

Emotions churned in Ethan’s eyes, as though something long suppressed was about to break free.

From his pocket, he pulled out a wallet and took out a necklace. Hanging from the chain was a silver ring.

A cheap, crudely made, $20 silver ring.

The chain holding it was worth a hundred times more.

Ethan asked hoarsely, “What about this?”

I looked at the ring, recalling the words I’d once said to him in the school library.

“Ethan Wright, don’t you think wearing these rings makes us look like a married couple?”

So, he’d kept it.

I thought he’d thrown it away long ago.

“Oh, that?” I laughed, raising my hand to show off my new ring. “I’ve got a new one. No idea where the old one went. If you want to keep it, go ahead.”

With that, I turned and walked away, not bothering to look at his expression.

Later, Ethan tried to explain. Sophia’s mother and his had been best friends for years. When Ethan’s mother lost an eye in an accident, Sophia’s mother, suffering from depression, took her own life and donated her corneas. Her only wish was for Ethan’s mother to look after her children.

That was why the Wright family had supported the Millers for so long.

“If he even suspected you and I were still in contact, Richard Miller would’ve gone after you. He’s vile, and I worried he’d lash out to control me by hurting you,” Ethan said. “He had incriminating photos and videos of Sophia and Noah. Whenever they disobeyed, he threatened to expose them, condemning them to a lifetime of shame.”

What a monster, I thought.

“When Sophia died, I wanted to tell you everything, but you disappeared. When you reappeared, it was like this,” he said, gesturing to my altered face.

“This is the most complete revenge,” he added. “I’ll never see the real you again.”

The next day, I heard Ethan Wright had been in a car accident. Luckily, his injuries weren’t serious, and he was expected to recover after some rest.

But my engagement fell apart.

Oliver Scott’s father found a more advantageous match and demanded Oliver marry the other family’s spoiled, overweight daughter. Otherwise, he’d lose his inheritance. Oliver agreed.

He told me I wasn’t worth giving up everything for since I didn’t truly love him.

Furious, I knew this was Ethan Wright’s doing.

I stormed into the hospital to confront him. Calmly, he said the man wasn’t good enough for me. “I tested him, and he failed.”

“What about my child?” I snapped. “He won’t have a father now.”

“I’ll raise him,” Ethan replied.

I almost rolled my eyes. “You’re not fit to raise his child.”

Ethan’s face darkened, his fists clenching tightly.

“Unless,” I continued, “you get plastic surgery to look like him. That way, the baby won’t forget what his real father looked like.”

The light in Ethan’s eyes seemed to go out.

Chapter 11

He kept his head down for a long time, not saying a word.

Of course, Ethan Wright didn’t agree. I just wanted to provoke him a little, and now that I’d accomplished my goal, I glanced at his casted leg and left.

Perhaps because she was getting older, my mother had slowly become aware of how much she had neglected me in the past. She started to put more effort into making it up to me—cooking soup, asking after my well-being, doing housework, things she wasn’t very good at.

But, how should I put it? I didn’t need it anymore.

Children tend to be more dependent when they’re young. When I was a child, I longed for my parents' attention, terrified they might not love me or want me. Now, my mother was always around, but it made me feel constrained.

Looking back, they had already given me a good education and a fairly comfortable life. My parents also had the right to live for themselves. It wasn’t as though they had to sacrifice their own lives and passion for their careers just to cater to me. Especially my mom—she didn’t need to think she had to be a perfect wife and mother, staying at home and raising children to make up for anything.

I told my mother this, and she paused for a moment before smiling and saying, "You’re so independent now, it actually makes me feel a little lost."

Ethan Wright appeared more and more often in my life. Whenever my mom and I went out to buy groceries, he would suddenly show up, politely greeting my mother while naturally taking the bags from her hands.

I asked him, “Did your company go bankrupt?”

He glanced at me but didn’t respond.

“Then why do you have so much free time?”

He answered, “It’s not called free time.”

After dropping the groceries off at our house, my mom didn’t invite him to stay for dinner. She treated Ethan Wright like a mere delivery man, but Ethan didn’t seem offended. He politely said, “Auntie, I’ll come by again soon,” and left.

One day, I went out shopping wearing a rather ladylike dress, feeling very pleased with myself. The only issue was that after eating too much, my lower belly was noticeably swollen.

Of course, as soon as I ran into Ethan Wright, he furrowed his brow. "You're pregnant. How can you still wear high heels?"

It was clear he was calling me fat, and I wasn’t happy. I retorted, “Who says pregnant women can’t wear high heels?”

He pursed his lips, not engaging in further argument. Instead, he silently followed me around the mall, taking care of all my purchases without saying a word. Whether I liked something or not, he would quietly pay for it.

I didn’t want to bother with him, but I couldn’t deny that my annoyance with him slightly eased when he swiped his card.

Honestly, wearing stilettos while shopping wasn’t a wise choice. As I was coming down a bridge, I twisted my ankle and the pain was excruciating.

Ethan Wright immediately helped me sit down on a nearby bench, then went back into the mall to buy me a pair of flat canvas shoes.

His taste in clothing was always on point, and the shoes he picked were nice too.

When he crouched down to put the shoes on me, a girl passing by winked at me. “Your husband is so handsome and considerate.”

I replied, “Oh, that’s because I’m pregnant.”

The girl gasped, “Wow! Congratulations!!”

I added, “The baby isn’t his.”

The girl’s smile froze.

Ethan Wright expressionlessly tied my shoelaces and gently turned my ankle, asking, “Does it hurt?”

I shook my head.

He helped me to my feet, nodded at the girl, and we walked toward the parking lot.

The girl looked at him with eyes full of sympathy.

On the way, I found an old can of cola I had left in his car and began sipping it slowly while scrolling through my phone.

He furrowed his brows. “You shouldn’t drink carbonated drinks.”

I was confused. “It’s not your kid. Why do you care so much?”

Ethan Wright’s fingers tightened around the steering wheel, his knuckles going white. After a moment, he relaxed and said, “Single mothers have it tough. I can take care of you both.”

“Having one kid is already exhausting enough. I’m not having a second one.” I looked at him and said, “The Xu family might be left without any heirs. You don’t mind, do you?”

The car drove on for a while before Ethan Wright slowly spoke up. “As long as you don’t tell my dad, just consider this child as mine.”

Honestly, I was almost moved.

But then…

I pretended to wipe away nonexistent tears and said, “If it weren’t for you, his father wouldn’t have abandoned us both.”

Chapter 12

In the evening, my mom's old friend came over to visit, and unfortunately, she had an allergic reaction to the food. I drove them to the hospital.

The caller ID showed Ethan Wright. I picked up.

“You picked up so quickly, still awake?” His voice sounded a little tired. “You should rest more.”

Then why are you calling me?

I said, “I’m on my way to the hospital.”

He paused for a moment. “Why?”

I pretended to sound wronged. “Wuwu, my mom is taking me to get an abortion.”

His breath seemed to hitch, and he asked, controlling his tone, “Which hospital?”

I panicked, worried he might actually show up, so I just blurted out a random name.

After I got my aunt settled in the emergency room, Ethan Wright actually showed up. He walked briskly, his lips pressed white. When he saw me, he seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, grabbing my hand with his sweaty palm.

How did he find me? The name of the hospital was just something I made up on the spot after seeing the sign of a pet shop.

I was confused.

“The child is mine,” he said seriously, looking at my mom. “I will take responsibility.”

My mom was completely confused. “Child? What child?”

Ethan Wright frowned. “You haven’t told Auntie?”

Uh, well…

I gripped his hand tightly, trying to distract him. “Do you really want to see me give birth to someone else’s child? Maybe I should just abort it.”

He looked down at my belly, his emotions unreadable. “No.”

After a short pause, he murmured, “But I couldn’t bear it.”

Seeing how serious he was, I suddenly couldn’t continue my joke.

My mom was still clueless. “When did you get pregnant?”

As things were about to spiral out of control, I reluctantly admitted that I had lied to him.

Ethan Wright suddenly turned to me, and he seemed to freeze. I didn’t dare meet his gaze, afraid the coldness in his eyes would freeze me to the core.

It took a long time before he slowly asked, “You’re not pregnant?”

I tried to pull my hand away, but he held onto it tightly. I forced myself to calm down. “Yeah.”

I was about to make a sarcastic remark, but when I saw the expression on his face, I chickened out.

“Anna Brooks.” He swallowed hard, but didn’t continue.

He must have wanted to scold me.

My aunt was helped out by a nurse, and it looked like she was fine. She saw the ambiguous way Ethan Wright and I were standing and froze for a moment. Then, with a smile, she asked, “Is this Anna’s boyfriend?”

I waited for Ethan Wright to deny it in his usual way, but instead, he simply nodded, smiled politely, and said, “Hello, Auntie, I’m Ethan Wright.”

“A handsome young man, a handsome young man.”

I said, “….”

Perhaps because Ethan Wright was willing to step up and be a father figure, my mom’s attitude toward him softened a little. When he brought gifts over, at least both he and his presents were welcome.

Still, I felt a little bitter inside, like there was a thorn stuck in my flesh that I just couldn’t get rid of.

After successfully staying over for the first time, Ethan Wright grew bolder. He started showing up at my house regularly. After dinner, he would cut a plate of fruit and place it on the coffee table, asking if I wanted some. I was sitting cross-legged on the couch playing a game, and I ignored him. He didn’t say anything else and quietly sat beside my mom watching TV.

One of the guys I often played with in the game wanted to form a pair with me. I agreed, and Ethan Wright glanced at me meaningfully.

Feeling thirsty, I tapped his leg with my foot and asked him to get me some water. When he returned with the glass, I went back to eating the oranges on the plate.

My mom couldn’t stand it and scolded me.

Ethan Wright said it was fine and went downstairs to take out the trash.

I met up with the guy from the game for a real-life meeting. When I returned from the bar, Ethan Wright was standing downstairs waiting for me.

He looked at me with eyes that carried a mix of sorrow and hurt.

I ignored him and walked into the building.

He called after me, “What will it take for you to go back to the way we were?”

I took out my phone and sent him a picture of me and Oliver Scott.

“I still like him, but you made him break up with me,” I said. “Maybe if you grow up to be like him, I’ll consider looking at you.”

There was no word from Ethan Wright for an entire month. Unexpectedly, he really did go for it.

My former lead surgeon called me, saying Mr. Xu had consulted him about my aesthetic preferences and plastic surgery suggestions.

???

I immediately drove to the hospital. Ethan Wright was sitting in the consultation room, with Oliver Scott’s files and photos of his face from every angle spread out on the table.

Every angle looked worse than Ethan Wright’s.

I furrowed my brows. “Are you out of your mind?”

He still had that calm expression on his face. “If I can change to a face you’d find more pleasing, there’s nothing wrong with that.”

I said, “But he’s not even as handsome as you!!”

Ethan Wright paused for a moment, then said, “In my heart, she is also not as good as you.”

It took me several seconds to realize who he was referring to as “she.”

I glared at him. “If you want to get plastic surgery, go ahead. It’s your face.”

Anyway, I didn’t care.

What does his appearance have to do with me?

I just couldn’t bear to see him ruin his own face.

Three days later, Ethan Wright came over, this time at my mom’s invitation.

When I opened the door, thankfully, his face was still the same.

For some reason, I felt relieved. If Ethan Wright had shown up with Oliver Scott’s face, I would have lost it.

Heh.

I suddenly understood a little of Ethan Wright’s feelings.

The housekeeper was on vacation, and my mom’s cooking was pretty terrible. So dinner was mostly made by Ethan Wright. I honestly started to wonder if there was anything he wasn’t good at. How could he be so perfect? It was getting so bad that my mom was starting to complain about me. So annoying.

At dinner, no one served him food, so he quietly ate his plate of vegetables. Afterward, he took the plates to the dishwasher without being asked. I was lying on the couch, almost asleep, when my mom kicked me awake, signaling me to go downstairs for a walk and digest.

Ethan Wright walked beside me, and the sunset bathed his face. For a moment, he seemed like the boy I once admired four years ago.

“If Sophia Miller hadn’t broken up with you, would you have just married her and spent your life protecting her?” I said with a hint of sarcasm.

“That day will never come.” He stopped and looked at me. “Even if she hadn’t faked her death and left, I would have found a way to silence Richard Miller forever.”

He said, “Anna Brooks, I also regret those four years.”

“I close my eyes now, and I can only see the way you used to be.”

“If I had another chance, I wouldn’t have chosen that way. Sophia Miller’s life and reputation were important, but my feelings were just as important.”

“There were many ways to do it, but I chose the most reckless and foolish one. Back then, I didn’t know I would regret it so much.”

When we reached the end of the path, I snorted and turned to walk away.

He stood there for a long time, then followed me like a fool.

I touched my smooth face and began to ponder, “Do you think I should get surgery to fix it?”

He hesitated, then took my hand. “Forget it. The surgery is too risky.”

“Oh.”

Anyway, my goal was already achieved.

Now, whenever he sees my face, it seems to make him uncomfortable.

(The End)