My husband's first love and I were kidnapped at the same time. He brought the $5 million ransom and saved her without a second thought. Even our son, whom I carried for ten months, chimed in: "I want to save Auntie Claire! Dad, she'll be scared if we leave her here!" The System declared my mission a failure: "Once your physical body dies, you will be sent back to your original world." So I sought death, desperate to go home. But when my husband and son realized I truly didn't want to live anymore, they hugged me and cried: "I was wrong, please don't leave us, okay?" 1 After twelve years of trying to win Arthur Gu's heart, he still chose Claire Shen over me without hesitation. Arthur quickly untied the ropes binding Claire, his eyes full of distress. Beside him, our son, Harry, mimicked his father, rubbing Claire's red wrists and blowing on them gently. "Auntie Claire, I'll blow on it so it doesn't hurt." The three of them looked like a harmonious family, completely forgetting that I was still in the hands of the kidnappers. Even the kidnapper boss couldn't help but mock me. "Your husband is lost in dreamland. Guess he's not coming back for you. Should I just off you now?" Watching the three of them leave, protecting Claire, the System officially declared my mission a failure. The punishment electrocuted me, and I fainted instantly. In my daze, I felt the kidnapper boss scrambling to catch my falling body. "I just said a few harsh words! Did she scare herself to death? Crap, gotta get her to the hospital. Can't have a dead body on my hands." 2 Waking up in the hospital, I confirmed with the System in my head: As long as this body dies completely, I can go home, right? After getting a positive answer, I dragged myself to the window. This room was on a high floor, at least fifty feet up. Jumping would be certain death. I opened the window and leaped. The massive sensation of weightlessness hit me. I instinctively reached out, the wind screaming in my ears. But I wasn't afraid. I even looked forward to death. Just a little more, and I'd be home. Back to the world where people truly loved me. I closed my eyes, waiting calmly. But the falling stopped. Someone grabbed my arm hard. The sudden stop tore my muscles, pain spreading from my arm to my chest. I opened my eyes. My arm felt broken. The person holding me was Sean Song, Arthur's half-brother. I looked up at the sweating teenager and said calmly. "Let go." Sean gritted his teeth, gripping tighter, pulling me up with all his might. He roared, "Just because my brother didn't choose you? Jumping over this? Is your brain filled with shit?" I reached out, prying his fingers off one by one. "Sean, my death is exactly what you want. So, let go." 3 Sean hated me. Or rather, everyone close to Arthur didn't accept me. After Claire eloped for love, Arthur married me under family pressure. They were convinced I was an opportunist who took advantage of the situation. They openly isolated, ostracized, and ignored me. Sean was the worst. Using his status as the younger brother, he swaggered into the Gu mansion and destroyed all the baby's breath flowers I planted in the backyard. Knowing I was allergic to cat hair, he encouraged Harry to adopt a stray kitten. When I refused, he told Harry to cry. The noise filled the living room. Sean watched the fire from the sidelines, then played the good guy. "It's just a kitten. Let the kid keep it if he likes it." Harry cried even harder, rolling on the floor, mumbling. "Mommy is bad, I want the kitty." I kicked Sean and the cat out and patiently explained to Harry that I was allergic to cats but we could get a puppy. Influenced by Sean, Harry only wanted the cat. He wouldn't listen, pounding on me, demanding his kitten back. A rift formed between Harry and me. Sean seized the opportunity to badmouth me to Harry, turning my son against me at such a young age. He was like a demon from hell, turning my life upside down. 4 I didn't die. Sean made too much noise, attracting the medical staff. Together, they pulled me up. Sean glared at me, closed the window, and fell silent for once. His hands wouldn't stop shaking. His palms were red and purple from the strain. "Jane Xu, I don't hate you as much as you think." He lowered his head, bangs covering his eyes. I actually heard a trace of grievance in his voice. Just as I was about to probe further. Sean crossed his arms, looked up, and reverted to his usual nonchalant self. He said heartlessly. "This is just another one of your tricks, right? Let me tell you, my brother doesn't fall for playing hard to get. Doing this will only annoy him more..." Sean was rambling in his own world while the nurses checked the equipment. Taking advantage of the gap, I walked to the window again and opened it swiftly. Before I could step out, Sean pulled me back. Two attempts. Sean finally realized I wasn't doing it for attention. I really wanted to die. He dragged me away from the window. Once sure I was under control, he started trying to talk sense into me, his attitude softening. "Don't do this. My brother isn't the only man in the world. Why cling to him?" He coughed lightly, cheeks flushing. "I admit, my brother is a terrible husband. But you can divorce him. Dying for him isn't worth it. Maybe someone secretly has a crush on you, and you just haven't noticed." 5 Sean took me back to the old mansion. On the way, he told me. Arthur found out I planned the kidnapping myself and was comforting the traumatized Claire. "My brother is furious. Just apologize to Claire properly later, and it'll be over." "Calm him down first, then the divorce will be easier." I ignored him, turning my head to the window. The scenery blurred past, too fast to catch even a shadow. Thinking back to the kidnapper rushing me to the hospital, I guessed this kidnapping was another frame-up by Claire. Blame me, and she can play the innocent flower in front of Arthur. Not the first time, and won't be the last. We were like two poles of a magnet, repelling and hurting each other. And Arthur was the iron filing spinning just for Claire. No matter how clumsy her tricks, in his eyes, they were just proof of her vulnerability and need for security. He stood by her side without hesitation. The scales never tipped in my favor. My arguments, despair, and hysteria only earned his cold rebuke: "Stop making a scene. Look at yourself." 6 I suddenly remembered when I first started "conquering" Arthur. Back then, Claire had run off with the male lead, leaving Arthur, the deep-feeling second male lead, drinking his sorrows away daily. The System told me this drunkard was my target. Only when his affection reached 100% could I go home. I didn't understand why going home depended on a man's love. But to go home, I approached Arthur cautiously. He got drunk at bars; I accompanied him. He threw up everywhere; I apologized and cleaned up the mess. He missed Claire's desserts; I took baking classes to learn his taste. Those hard-made pastries, Arthur threw in the trash without looking. He warned me not to imitate Claire, that I wasn't even fit to carry her shoes. Later, I stopped baking and learned to cook. Arthur had a bad stomach. When working late, he often skipped dinner. I prepared balanced meals daily and delivered them to his office personally. Maybe my cooking wasn't bad, because Arthur slowly accepted my presence. Those days were the most harmonious times between us. His affection reached 98%. Just when I thought I could go home soon, a drunken night led to pregnancy. Arthur married me under family pressure. His affection plummeted. From start to finish, he thought I got pregnant on purpose. That it was a trap I set for him. Hilarious. I wasn't the one who didn't use protection. He only had himself to blame. He and Claire were the same type of people, liking to pin their faults and sins on others. Does that lessen their guilt? Ha, ridiculous. I can't understand it. 7 I followed Sean in. Pushing open the Gu family door, the first thing I saw was Claire lying on the sofa, looking cozy. Arthur and Harry were serving her. The big one feeding her fruit piece by piece. The small one sitting by her feet, grinning while massaging her legs. If they had tails, they'd be wagging to the sky. Seeing me, Arthur immediately switched to a stern face. Frowning, he picked up a document from the coffee table and threw it at my face. He stood up, imposing. "Jane! I don't care if you throw tantrums, but you should never have hurt Claire!" "Is staging a kidnapping just to get my attention fun? If anything happened to Claire, you'd be rotting in jail!" I bent down and picked up the papers scattered at my feet. Reading them, I couldn't help but sneer. It was just a transcript of the kidnapper's one-sided confession. If Arthur trusted me even a little bit, he would have checked the bank account that transferred money to the kidnapper and known I was framed. People only see what they want to see. Seeing my expression, Claire got up from the sofa. Seeming afraid I'd say something, she grabbed Arthur's shirt urgently. "Arthur, I'm fine, don't be so tense. Sister Jane is a girl, prison would be..." Before she could finish, I slapped her. I used all my strength. The sound echoed through the living room. Claire looked at me dumbfounded, stunned by the slap. Not just her, everyone froze. Arthur reacted first. He went feral, choking me with both hands, his eyes filled with ruthless malice. Survival instinct made me struggle. I looked up at him contemptuously. "You want to jail me with this evidence? You're an idiot, but the police aren't." This provoked Arthur greatly. He increased his grip, cutting off my air. Death approached slowly, but I couldn't help smiling. 8 At the critical moment, Sean punched Arthur back to reality. Arthur instinctively let go. Lack of oxygen made my legs weak. I collapsed instantly. Gasping for air, I stared at the culprit who ruined my plans twice: Sean. He punched Arthur again, not satisfied. "She was dying! You almost strangled her!" Dazed, Arthur shook his wrist but didn't fight back. He pushed Sean away, looking at me with a complicated expression, then turned away awkwardly. "So what if she died? She provoked Claire first." "Yeah, she hit Auntie Claire. She's a bad mom. I hate bad mom." Harry hugged Claire's arm, chiming in angrily. Too lazy to face the ugly faces of the Gu family, I sneaked back to my room while Sean clashed with Arthur. Sean was still arguing, his voice drifting upstairs. "Bro! Jane wanted to die! Didn't you see her smile when you were choking her? I suspect she provoked you on purpose." "Wanted to die? She's desperate to be with me. How could she want to die?" The door closed, cutting off the noise. World peace. I took a fruit knife from the drawer and strode to the bathroom. The sharp blade drew a line of blood on my wrist. Blood dripped down. Facing death wasn't as painful or terrifying as I imagined.
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