The spoiled heiress of New York's elite circle went out to clear her head when her "first love" left the country. She set her sights on my brother, threatening to make him her toy. When my brother refused, she ruthlessly destroyed his career and forced his fiancée to leave him. She even used our entire family's lives as leverage. After three humiliating years of my brother being forced to stay by her side, her first love returned, wealthy and powerful. To win back her true love, she callously allowed our entire family to be murdered in a hidden basement, leaving no trace behind. When I opened my eyes again, I had returned to the day before she ever met my brother. Without hesitation, I chopped off my long hair, put on men's clothes, and approached her myself, playing her like a fiddle. Later on, everyone said the untouchable New York heiress had lost her mind, desperate and completely obsessed with a woman. 1 A drunken, arrogant rich kid stumbled over to me. "Hey, kid, you're lucky. Chloe has her eye on you. Name your price." I wasn't drinking. I just gently swirled the liquid in my glass. "Sorry, I'm not interested in her." The rich kid threw his drink right in my face. "Don't be a fool!" "Do you know who she is? Do you really think you have the right to refuse?" I was slammed to the ground. Through the overlapping shadows and flashing lights, the woman sitting in the center of the VIP booth tilted her head and smiled at me, looking perfectly innocent and pure. Of course I knew who she was. Everything I was doing here today, this entire act, was just for her. Chloe Sterling, the spoiled princess of New York's high society. As the only daughter in a massive dynasty, she was treated like royalty. No one in the city dared to cross her, and everyone fought to flatter her. Everyone knew she had a "white moonlight"—a first love. It was Julian Montgomery, the heir to the Montgomery empire, whom she had been promised to since childhood. But Julian didn't care about her at all. And today, her fiancé had left for Europe without a word, with no return date in sight. The little princess was furious. In a fit of rage, she came to this club, declaring she was going to buy herself a man. In my past life, she ran into my brother on her way home. He was just leaving the library. She fell for him instantly. More importantly, my brother looked remarkably like Julian Montgomery. So, she latched onto him. Even knowing my brother had a fiancée, she didn't care. She completely destroyed the business my brother had worked so hard to build and used despicable tactics to force his fiancée away. Finally, she threatened him with the lives of our entire family. "If you don't agree, your little sister is next. Do you really want people calling her a cheap slut who seduces men for money?" And just like that, my brother endured the humiliation, staying by her side for three years, waiting for the day she would finally get bored of him. Sure enough, when Julian returned, Chloe's attention immediately shifted back to him. But to punish Julian for his past coldness, she deliberately acted intimate with my brother in front of him, making Julian harbor a deep, lethal grudge against him. Our entire family was sacrificed for their so-called "epic romance." None of us survived. The night of their grand wedding was the same night our bodies went cold. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day before Chloe ever met my brother. I decisively cut off my long hair, put on men's clothes, and took the initiative to approach her. This time, I was going to destroy them both. 2 Chloe held a cigarette between her fingers, took a drag, and blew the smoke directly into my face. "You don't like me?" "I'm gorgeous. If you don't like me, then who do you like?" The coldness slowly crept across the woman's stunning face: "Whoever you like, I'll make them disappear." I had taken a pretty bad beating. My face was fine, but I had two broken ribs. Luckily, this body was trained; I could push through the pain. "Miss Sterling, I have no interest in the drama of high society. I just want to live a quiet life." "Let me go, please?" She was relentless, laughing loudly: "Beg me." "...Please." "..." Her friends laughed, mocking me for having no spine. Chloe shot me a look of disgust: "Are you even a real man? Guess I picked wrong. You're just a spineless coward." She didn't want to look at me for another second and ordered her guys to throw me out. She was the one who dragged me here, and she was the one who discarded me. True to her title as the spoiled princess, she did whatever she wanted. 3 I naturally didn't head toward my real home. As soon as I realized I had been reborn, I made up an excuse to send my brother and his fiancée on a trip to Europe, and sent my parents to a quiet house in the countryside to relax. Now, I was alone, with plenty of time to carefully calculate my next move. My brother looked like Julian, and since we were twins, my features were a near-perfect copy of his. So, I also carried the shadow of Julian Montgomery. It was hard for Chloe to find someone who resembled her precious first love. Naturally, she wasn't going to let me go that easily. She had people following me. I rented a run-down room in a crumbling apartment building. The moment I walked in, I called out, "Mom." Then I locked the door, looked through the peephole, and watched the two suspicious guys following me exchange a look. They knocked on the neighbor's door across the hall, asking about me. The new neighbor was someone I had hired. Following the script I gave her, she put on an emotional, dramatic performance. "That poor boy, Liam... his dad drank himself to death, and his mom was bedridden for years before passing away just recently. I hear him crying in the middle of the night all the time..." An orphan with no family, a tragic past, and a face that looked just like her first love. Wasn't this the perfect setup for a brooding male lead in a novel? Chloe always loved comparing herself to the heroine of a romance novel. She craved a dramatic, earth-shattering love story and unforgettable encounters. I was lucky she was so obsessed with that trope in my past life. She used to pay people to act as character models for her, forcing wealthy scions she fancied in New York to play roles in the cringe-worthy fanfiction she wrote. So, I molded myself into the exact archetype she needed: a brooding, affection-starved boy waiting for a heroine to save him. I went to acting school. Playing a guy wasn't hard at all. The bait was set. Now I just had to wait for the fish to bite. 4 The day the fish bit, I was being harassed by a "client." He was an NPC I had specifically chosen. A low-level director at Sterling Corp, a guy named King. He looked friendly enough, but he was notorious for preying on young men, especially pretty, delicate-looking boys like me. This sleazy man was reaching his greasy hand toward my face. "Hey cutie, has anyone ever told you how pretty you are?" I remained entirely unresponsive, perfectly calm. An ashtray flew out of nowhere and smashed directly into his head. "You disgusting old creep, has anyone ever told you how nauseating you are?" Chloe appeared, looking down at him from her high horse, wiping her hands as she clicked over in her designer heels. ... As Director King wailed in pain, Chloe tilted my chin up, lifting her head to flash a radiant smile. "See? I have money and power. Wouldn't it be better to be with me?" I frowned and stepped back: "Miss Sterling, please respect yourself." The woman puffed her cheeks and put her hands on her hips. "Liam! I had my people look into you! You're an orphan with absolutely nothing. You're so broke you can barely afford to eat. What are you being so arrogant for? What exactly do you want?!" I want your life. You idiot. My expression didn't change. "That's none of your business." Chloe was angry now, her tone turning nasty: "Do you believe I can make it impossible for you to survive in this city?" Of course I believed her, but if I acted scared, the play would be over. "Miss Sterling, stop trying to insult me with your money. I'm not the kind of guy you think I am." I raised my hand and lightly brushed a strand of hair from her head, making sure my eyes held the right amount of emotion, and gave a soft chuckle. "I'm just not interested in you, understand?" Chloe was stunned by the sudden flirtation. By the time she recovered, she was flustered and angry, chasing after me toward the back exit. "Liam!" I walked fast, and she trailed about thirty feet behind me, yelling my name, refusing to give up. This area wasn't exactly safe. There were plenty of street thugs around, and seeing a beautiful woman alone at night naturally invited unwanted attention. I vanished into the deep shadows of an alleyway. Chloe was too scared to follow. She hesitated, unsure which way to go, and then, a group of guys surrounded her. 5 "Hey little girl, want to grab a drink with us?" "A pretty thing like you in a neighborhood like this? Looking for a thrill?" Chloe screamed at them to get lost. The situation instantly turned chaotic. I lit a cigarette, watching the drama unfold through a cloud of smoke. Honestly, I could have just destroyed Chloe right then and there, but there was more than one person responsible for my family's death. I had to play the long game. I crushed the cigarette under my shoe, stood up, and casually picked up a brick. "Stop." The blonde guy in front took a brick to the head, clutching his skull and howling. These guys weren't pushovers either. They instantly surrounded me. The fight dragged on for a bit, and it even started raining. Finally, I kicked one of them into a muddy puddle, making him beg for mercy. I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth with the back of my hand. "Get lost! If I see you again, you're dead." The guys scrambled away in terror. Chloe was crouched in a corner, hugging her knees, looking up at me pitifully. "Liam, my ankle hurts." I remained unresponsive, even turning as if to leave. Her face darkened: "If you ignore me, I'll call the cops and tell them you assaulted me." "You know I have the power to put you away for years." I dropped the brick, wiped my hands on my clothes, and crouched down in front of her. "Get on." She smiled and hopped onto my back. It seemed that after surviving that danger, she was starting to depend on me. Without realizing it, her usual arrogance had faded. "You risked your life to save me. Admit it, Liam, you like me." "Liam, I've decided. I'm never letting you go." I turned my head away, my voice flat. "Whatever." —— I transferred some money to a contact saved as 'Tiger'. "Sorry I hit you so hard earlier. I sent extra for the medical bills. Make sure you go to the hospital." Tiger was a guy I knew from the underground, undocumented, so he couldn't be easily traced. "No worries, man. You could hit me with a gold brick and I'd be fine. How was it? My acting wasn't too bad today, right?" I replied with a "Thanks." And turned off my phone. The fish took the bait. No need to rush reeling her in. I had to feed her first. I had to make her so dependent on me that my status in her heart surpassed Julian Montgomery. Only then could I catch them both in one net. 6 The rumor that the esteemed princess of New York high society had fallen for a broke nobody spread like wildfire through their circle. Every day, people found excuses to come and see what kind of guy I was. Most were just there for the gossip, but a few took it seriously and actively tried to humiliate me. "I can't believe Chloe actually likes a guy like you. No money, no power, average height, and your only redeeming quality—your face—looks kind of feminine. What does she even see in you?" "Did you put some kind of spell on her?" "She is way out of your league. Be smart and get lost. If we find out you're just playing with her feelings, you're dead meat!" My eyes flickered. I saw Chloe walking toward us from behind, looking displeased. Then, the tray of drinks in my hand conveniently slipped and crashed to the floor, right as one of the guys shoved me, sending me tumbling to the ground. "Get away from him!" Chloe's furious roar made everyone freeze. Before anyone could react, I picked out the guy who annoyed me the most and started throwing punches. I beat him relentlessly. They were all frat-boy buddies. Seeing me beat up their friend, they swarmed me. I was pinned to the ground, kicked, and stomped on. Finally, someone got so angry they grabbed a glass bottle and smashed it over my head. Blood bloomed across the floor, mixing with the shattered glass. In that moment, my brain short-circuited. I felt nothing. "STOP IT!" Chloe ordered her bodyguards to pull them off me. She had been coddled her entire life, protected by everyone around her. This was the first time she had ever seen something so brutal. She rushed over to me but stopped a few feet away, unsure of what to do. "Liam?" "Liam, are you okay?" I weakly shook my head, saying I was fine, and staggered to my feet on my own. She pointed at me, afraid to get closer: "You're bleeding so much." I looked down. My white t-shirt was almost completely dyed red. "Are you done having your fun, Miss Sterling?" Chloe's face froze. "You think I intentionally hired these people to mess with you?" I sneered: "Didn't you? Isn't this exactly the kind of thing you do? Just like last time?" Her face twisted with a mix of grief and anger. She raised her hand to slap me, but I caught it. Then, gripping her wrist, I forcefully pushed her against the glass wall nearby, pinning her in a 'kabedon' pose. She struggled. "Let me go!" The cut on my forehead was bleeding steadily, the blood dripping onto my eyelashes and sliding down the corner of my eye. Reflected in the glass, I looked overly dangerous and captivating. I tilted her chin up, my tone casual, yet laced with a teasing gentleness. "Chloe." She went silent, completely quiet. Because this was the first time I had ever called her by her name. Her face slowly flushed red, her eyes darting around. Being this close, I could hear her heart pounding. Being a woman myself, I knew exactly what she was thinking. She was attracted to me. "Did you hear what they said?" She asked blankly, "What?" "I have nothing. I can't give you what you want. You might say I can give you my feelings, but feelings are the cheapest, most fickle thing in the world." "How long can you hold on? How long can I hold on? I swore an oath that I would only ever have one relationship in my life, and it has to lead to marriage. Can you promise me that?" Before Chloe could answer, the guys who had just beaten me up started laughing mockingly. "Are you out of your mind, kid? Our Chloe is just using you as a toy, and you're actually dreaming about dating her? Marrying her? Delusional!" I ignored them, looking only at Chloe with a faint smile: "I want to." She furrowed her brow, her pupils dilating for a split second. 7 That night, Chloe made an excuse and left early. But from the way she retreated, it looked like she was running away. After that, I had a few days of peace. "Look at you. You just got back, and you completely changed your look, got yourself beaten up... did she take the bait?" Savannah was my best friend. She was a doctor. She was the only one who knew I was reborn, and she had been coming over these past few days to change my bandages. She shooed the nurse away, changing the dressing on my forehead while asking about my plan. "That group of friends of hers needs to be dealt with. Otherwise, my family and hers have a lot of overlapping business interests. I'll have to go trip her up myself." I only felt comfortable enough to drop the act and be myself around her. "Soon. She'll crack." Chloe's every move was part of my calculation. "I found a really pretty girl for you. Her acting is top-notch." Savannah waved her hand dismissively: "Why bother? I'll act with you." I frowned: "That won't work. What if she targets you?" "Joke's on her. The Reynolds family is just as powerful as the Sterlings." True. The Reynolds family had massive influence overseas; they just kept a low profile in New York. Compared in sheer power, they were definitely a step above. But I was still worried. I knew firsthand how ruthless Chloe could be. Savannah scratched her head sheepishly: "Don't worry, even if the sky falls, my fiancé has my back." "He even said that as long as I don't cheat on him, he'll cover for me no matter what." I understood. Savannah's fiancé was incredibly powerful. And more importantly, he was totally whipped... And just like that, she became my scene partner. On the very first day of our act, Chloe appeared. She came to the breakroom where I worked—a tiny, cramped room—where I was eating my lunch. "Savannah Reynolds, what are you doing here?" Savannah stepped forward, looking smug and arrogant: "He's my boyfriend. I'm bringing him lunch. Why wouldn't I be here?" Chloe's face changed drastically. She looked at me in disbelief, her eyes accusing me of being a massive player. "She's just a friend." I kept eating my soup, completely unfazed. Savannah deflated, complaining loudly: "Whatever. Who told you to reject her anyway? You made her fly all the way back from Europe just to chase you." No matter how you look at it, hearing that it didn't work out made Chloe breathe a sigh of relief. "Liam, I'm here to apologize to you." Rare. To push this arrogant princess into apologizing. I pretended not to care: "You weren't the one who hit me. What are you apologizing for?" She carefully chose her words and spoke slowly. "They are my friends. They only did it for my sake. I should be the one apologizing." I sneered internally. "Miss Sterling, you don't need to apologize. Just stay away from me, and I'll suffer a lot less." Savannah crossed her arms, leaning against the wall: "If loving someone means making them suffer like this, then if I were you, I'd feel too guilty to sleep. I'd either distance myself from the friends making things difficult for him, or I'd give up on the relationship." Chloe bit her lip. For the first time ever, she left without saying a word. Savannah turned to me, palms up: "Will she do it?" I smiled. "Just a little more heat, and she'll break." 8 The next time I saw her was at the hospital. She had followed me. Savannah was standing very close to me, applying medication. But from Chloe's angle at the door, it looked like we were kissing. She kicked the door open, screaming my name: "What are you two doing?!" But when she saw the situation clearly, she froze. Because on the other side of the room, in a corner she couldn't see from the hallway, stood several medical interns. Savannah shoved her hands in her pockets: "Miss Sterling, this is a hospital, not your private club. Please keep your voice down." Chloe blushed in humiliation and looked at me pleadingly. "Liam, I was just so worried about you, I had to come see you." I didn't say anything. I said goodbye to Savannah and led Chloe away. She followed behind me, explaining frantically. "I wasn't stalking you. I was just afraid you didn't want to see me, but I was worried about your injuries, so I snuck over." "You're not mad, are you?" In a quiet, deserted corner, I stopped and turned around. "I'm not mad. I just think... since we have no future, why are you still coming to see me?" "Your friends look down on me. They say I'm just a toy you found to kill time. I don't want to live that kind of life. Can you please just let me go?" "Can you?" She took a step toward me, forceful and proud. "Also, I like it when you call me by my name. From now on, don't call me Miss Sterling. Call me Chloe." I feigned confusion, frowning: "From now on?" "Yes." She threw herself into my arms, hugging me tightly. "I've decided. I want you to be my boyfriend. Just in name, nothing messy or complicated. Just a boyfriend." My eyes were ice-cold, but I let her hug me. "But your friends don't like me. Your family won't either. What do you even get out of being with me?" She said she didn't care. "As long as you're by my side, I don't care. I'll cut ties with them if I have to. My life, the person I love... I don't need them dictating it for me." I smiled in satisfaction, patronizingly stroking her hair. "Silly girl." Perfectly executed.
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