My mom worked as a live-in housekeeper for the Vance family. Mrs. Vance, Liam’s mother, was always on guard, treating me like a thief trying to steal her precious son. After starting college, I moved out of the Vance estate as fast as I could. I even got a boyfriend and flaunted our relationship daily on Instagram and Snapchat. But whenever I had to return to the Vance house, Liam would still put food on my plate, gently asking about my studies and my life. It was all so normal. Until the middle of the night, when the locked door to my room clicked open. He stood by my bed, a rope in his hand, staring at me in the dark for who knows how long... 01 Liam’s mom guarded against me like I was a thief. My dad and Liam's dad grew up together in the same blue-collar neighborhood. Later, Liam's dad made it big in business and became incredibly wealthy, while my dad struggled to make ends meet. When my dad got terminal cancer and passed away, the Vance family, out of pity for us—a widow and an orphan—offered my mom a job. To be honest, the Vance family truly saved us. My parents didn't have much education. They had always worked factory jobs, leaving me in a rural town to be raised by my grandmother. My grandmother favored boys, so I didn't have an easy childhood. When my dad got cancer, it drained almost all the meager savings our family had. Mr. Vance went back to his hometown to visit relatives, heard about our situation, and felt terrible. He told my mom to bring me and move into their home in the city. My mom became their live-in housekeeper, and I lived with her in the staff quarters. I was finally able to attend a good school in the city. I was just starting middle school then. 02 Liam was five years older than me, the picture of a gentle, sensible older brother. Moreover, he was the classic "perfect kid next door." He ranked first in his high school class, was the student body president, and was adored by teachers and peers alike. Mr. and Mrs. Vance were incredibly proud of him. When I first arrived at their house, Liam played the role of a caring older brother perfectly. My backpack, textbooks, workbooks, and stationery—he took me to the bookstore to buy them all. When I first struggled to keep up with the city school curriculum, he patiently tutored me. Afraid I wouldn't have friends or fit in, he would run over from the high school building during lunch break to bring me cookies and milk. His goal, of course, wasn't just to give me snacks, but to show my classmates that I had someone looking out for me, making sure no one dared to bully me. He told everyone I was the daughter of his dad's close friend. After moving in with my mom, even though we were living in someone else's house, the Vance family's mansion had staff quarters that were a hundred times better than our old run-down apartment. Plus, my mom could finally take care of me. Even though she wasn't highly educated, seeing her knitting a sweater for me in our room after I finished my homework in the study made me incredibly happy. 03 But Mrs. Vance didn't like me or my mom. I could see that clearly. Mrs. Vance would often subtly warn me when others weren't around, saying Liam only saw me as a sister and telling me not to get any ideas. She emphasized that because Liam was so exceptional, his future girlfriend or wife would undoubtedly be an outstanding girl. Mrs. Vance said, "An outstanding girl doesn't just need to be beautiful; she needs to have top grades, come from a good family, and be highly capable. Only someone like that is worthy of our Liam." To be honest, I had no conflict of interest with Mrs. Vance, and I completely agreed with her. I thought she was right. Liam was truly exceptional. He was exactly like the male lead in a young adult novel: handsome, smart, with a great personality, gentle, always wearing crisp button-down shirts, and not overly talkative. So, he truly deserved to be with the most outstanding girl. 04 I attended a private high school, funded by Mr. Vance. It was close to home. Those who wanted to study abroad could join the International Baccalaureate program, and those who didn't stayed in the regular track. My tuition was paid by Mr. Vance. Every time I saw him, I would bow deeply, thanking him for his immense help. I promised that I would make money in the future to repay him, and that I would never forget his kindness. The school often had assemblies and pep rallies where the whole student body gathered. The hosts were frequently two people: Liam, and a senior girl. That senior girl was beautiful, had great grades, and was as popular as Liam. Because of their striking looks and hosting skills, they were chosen to host school events and represent the school in competitions. Consequently, they were often seen together on campus. Everyone thought they were the golden couple. I thought so too. They were my idols. I hoped that one day I could be as amazing as them. 05 When I first arrived at the Vance home, Liam was a junior in high school. Besides tutoring me, guiding my academic path, and helping me with my weak subjects, he would take me out for fun during holidays. Once I had completely adapted to life at the Vance home and my new school, he flew overseas for college. He went to an Ivy League university. When he left, I was in eighth grade. Mrs. Vance was very reluctant to see him go. But I felt she also breathed a sigh of relief, thinking I wouldn't be spending day and night cultivating feelings with her son anymore. Because every time Liam tutored me, Mrs. Vance would say she could hire a tutor, insisting we shouldn't waste Liam's time. Liam would respond in a very straightforward manner, asking why they should go through the trouble. He said helping me was his responsibility. When Liam wanted to take me out, Mrs. Vance would gently suggest she could take me, or have someone else take me. She argued that an older teenage boy and a younger girl wouldn't have fun together anyway. Liam would reply, "We're going to the arcade. Guys and girls of all ages can have fun there. Mom, do you want to come?" Liam simply didn't understand his mother's underlying message. When Mrs. Vance told me to keep my distance from Liam, I immediately agreed. 06 Liam's grades were indeed excellent, and he was very sensible, making him highly likable. But I felt he had a flaw: once he decided on something, he had his own unshakeable logic, and no one could argue him out of it. Because he simply wouldn't listen. I told him I would manage my own grades. He said helping me was his way of managing things. I told him to focus on his own life. He said taking care of me, his "little sister," was a part of his life. When he wanted to take me out and I said I didn't want to leave the house, he would strictly criticize me, saying teenagers shouldn't stay cooped up at home all day ruining their health. His mom told him I had my own life and told him not to interfere too much. He replied that he had his own ideas and told his mom not to interfere too much. In short, after two years of living in constant anxiety, Mrs. Vance finally managed to separate Liam and me. The smile on her face became much more relaxed, and she was noticeably kinder when she looked at me. 07 Liam was very busy while studying abroad, usually coming home only once a year. I started high school and was also very busy. During his four years abroad, we had almost no contact. I transferred from the private middle school to a public high school and lived in the dorms, studying hard every day. When Liam came home, he would bring gifts for everyone. His manners were truly impeccable; the gifts he brought for each person perfectly suited their needs. Mr. and Mrs. Vance were incredibly satisfied with him, constantly saying that even though Liam was a son, he was as attentive as a daughter. Mr. Vance said that having a successful career, a happy family, and an accomplished son in this lifetime must be because he was kind and did good deeds, accumulating good karma, which brought him such good luck. Life passed uneventfully. Until Liam graduated from college and was preparing to return to the US to start his career. Mrs. Vance started getting nervous again. 08 During summer break, I moved back to the Vance house from school. Liam was due back in a little over ten days. Mrs. Vance said to me, "Chloe, Liam will be back soon. You've grown up now, so make sure you don't cling to him like you did when you were little. Otherwise, your future sister-in-law might get jealous." I immediately proved my loyalty: "Mrs. Vance, don't worry. Once college starts, I'll live in the dorms. I'll work part-time jobs to make money during the semester and won't have time to come home. I absolutely won't get in the way of Liam finding a wife." Mrs. Vance praised me for understanding the situation and gave me a red envelope with cash, telling me to buy whatever I needed. She added, "You know, you can look for a boyfriend while you're in college, but make sure you keep your eyes open. College is where you find true feelings. It's harder once you enter the real world. When you're looking, make sure you consider the guy's character and family background. If you find someone you like, you can also bring him to me so I can give you some advice." I thanked her joyfully, went back to my room, and counted the money in the envelope. It was a thousand dollars. I secretly vowed that I would make money in the future and properly repay the Vance family. 09 During the summer break, Liam returned. As usual, he brought gifts for everyone. For me, it was a laptop. He said I would need it for college. The new smartphone in my pocket was a gift from Mr. Vance. Whenever Mrs. Vance saw Liam and me together, her eyes would scan us like radar, terrified we might develop feelings for each other. Mrs. Vance was really overthinking it. Firstly, I knew my place. Secondly, I wouldn't bite the hand that fed me. It was impossible for me to seduce her son. Liam offered to take me on a graduation trip. He said, "Other kids get to go, why shouldn't you? I'll make sure you have it." Although I was incredibly tempted, I knew that if I went on a trip with Liam, Mrs. Vance probably wouldn't be able to sleep at night. I said I was going to work part-time at McDonald's. 10 But I didn't go work at McDonald's; I left the Vance house every day to read at the library. Liam was busy starting his own company. Sometimes I'd get up in the middle of the night for water and see him just getting home, looking a bit exhausted. I wanted to show I cared, but the best way to care for him was to stay away. So I silently locked my bedroom door. When college started, my mom helped me pack my bags. Liam, unusually, was home. He leaned against the doorframe, frowning, "The university isn't far from here. There's really no need for you to live in the dorms." I said, "College will definitely be busy, and I want to work part-time to make my own money, so living at home wouldn't be convenient. Liam, don't worry, I'll come back to visit often." He nodded and patted my head, "Take good care of yourself. If you run into any problems you can't solve, call me." I nodded. Mrs. Vance immediately came out and swatted his hand away, "Your sister is grown up now, you need to maintain boundaries!" I smiled at both of them. 11 Going to college and living in the dorms was the first step. What would truly put them at ease was if I got a boyfriend. Then Mrs. Vance would be completely relieved. Then I'd save money, buy a house, and I wouldn't have to visit their house often. Of course, I would still go back to see Mr. and Mrs. Vance, but having my own home meant I'd be independent, and they would be even more reassured. Liam drove me to the university. He helped me carry my luggage, make my bed, and buy necessities—he was the picture of a perfect older brother. We set up various student accounts and then went to the dining hall to eat. Liam moved the lean meat from his sweet and sour pork onto my plate and said, "You're still young. Don't date right away. Focus on your studies, understand?" I nodded quickly, saying, "Of course I know. Liam, you're not getting any younger either. Hurry up and find a sister-in-law from a good family so Mr. and Mrs. Vance can stop worrying." His brows furrowed deeply as he said, "Adult matters are none of your concern, kid." After seeing Liam off, I began my college life. 12 I felt my first priority was to find a boyfriend. A month into the semester, a sophomore guy started pursuing me. His name was Ethan. He was a notorious playboy in his department and a wealthy heir. To date, he had cycled through at least ten girlfriends. We ate together, watched movies, went shopping. He gave me gifts, then confessed his feelings, and we got together. His confession was pretty smooth: he booked a candlelit dinner, brought a huge bouquet of roses, and gave me a beautiful snake-shaped necklace. I shyly accepted, then took a bunch of photos, uploaded them to Instagram and Snapchat, and officially announced I was dating. We also took a selfie together. While taking the photo, Ethan stole a kiss. I didn't like it internally, but I still smiled for the picture. I rarely went back to the Vance house. My relationship with Ethan was known to everyone. He was already very popular, which brought a lot of attention to me as well. I thought about it and registered an account on TikTok, planning to make some money as an influencer. 13 Ethan was quite cooperative with me, so I started by showing off my boyfriend. I filmed our daily dates. I decided my account would focus on sharing college life and relationship experiences, aiming to eventually get sponsorships. Then I went online to see how similar accounts filmed their content, learned a few tricks, and got Ethan to film with me. I have to say, the results were incredibly good. Sometimes I shared long vlogs, from doing my makeup to the end of the date. Sometimes I shared short, 15-second clips. These might just be a single scenario, like him tapping my shoulder from behind and me turning around, or the popular "kissing trend" online, paired with catchy, upbeat music. I actually had two videos go viral in a short period. The long one was a bit funny; the short one was extremely atmospheric and aesthetic. Then, my followers across platforms surged by hundreds of thousands. I added an affiliate link to my bio, started taking sponsorships, and made six figures. Happiness came so suddenly; I was dizzy with joy. So when my mom called me back to the Vance house for dinner on the weekend, I went back excitedly, completely oblivious to the danger descending. 14 Because I had made money, I went to the mall and bought gifts for Mr. Vance, Mrs. Vance, and Liam, as well as for my mom. Even though they lacked nothing, it was about showing respect. Mrs. Vance smiled at me even more genuinely. She even said Ethan was the son of a major business tycoon, a very good young man, and told me to date him seriously. I nodded. As long as Ethan didn't bring up breaking up, I wouldn't either. My current online traffic relied on him. My mom pulled me into the kitchen and whispered, "Now that you've just started college, focus on your studies first. Wait until you find a good job before dating. Don't mix up the order." My mom's biggest wish was for me to find a good job, preferably something stable with benefits or becoming a teacher. I told her I knew. My mom looked at me, hesitating, and finally said, "Don't... don't get too close to that guy. Make sure you don't get pregnant right now. If you get pregnant and have an abortion, it'll hurt your body a lot, and it'll be harder to find a good marriage partner later. Having the baby is even more impossible. You need to get a good job and be able to support yourself first before considering other things." She asked me again, "You guys haven't gone all the way, have you?" I was so embarrassed. Even though she was my mom, I didn't want to talk about this. I scratched my head and said, "Mom, I'm going out to help." As soon as I turned around, I saw Liam with his hands in his pockets, leaning against the kitchen doorway, staring at me darkly. I didn't know how much of the conversation he had heard. I felt even more humiliated and hurried out with my head down.
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