: The Million-Yuan Face Mask

I'm a beauty blogger, and the most expensive gift I've ever received was a box of Million-Dollar Masks.

A fan from overseas sent them. The outside of the box was painted with a pair of witch's eyes.

They say that after applying just one, your skin becomes as smooth as a peeled hard-boiled egg.

Apply a whole box, and your facial features will subtly shift toward your desired look.

Finish the entire set, and you can get a whole new face.

There's just one catch: it drains your health bar.

In layman's terms, using them often will shorten your life.

You can't get them in this country. Very few people can acquire them, and besides me, no one knows about their side effects.

I avoided them like the plague.

I just set them aside, unused.

I told everyone they were too expensive and I couldn't bear to use them.

Until today, when I discovered the drawer where I kept the masks was empty!

I tore the place apart but couldn't find them anywhere.

I turned on the tracker and followed the signal... The masks were in my husband's bag!

I secretly followed him and watched with my own eyes as he took out the masks and handed them to the new young receptionist at his company as if giving alms.

The young woman smiled and handed him a hotel key card.

"This is your reward."

My husband took it with a smile.

"It's been three years. How many nice things have I swiped from my wife for you? You'd better reward me double tonight."

She just smiled, leaning in to give him a kiss.

My fingertips went cold. I took a deep breath.

The witch's eyes on the mask's packaging seemed to curve into a smile at me. A chill ran down my spine.

'Should I save her, or should I get my revenge?'

1

Back home, another email from Julian Sterling's arch-rival was in my inbox.

This was the seventeenth time he had invited me to join his company.

To be precise, he wasn't just trying to poach me; he wanted to be the other man.

But I'd been married for three years and had always had a good relationship with Julian Sterling, so I'd never paid him any mind.

But today, I stared at that email for a long time.

I took the plunge and typed out a single line.

"We can give it a try."

Sent.

I tossed my phone onto the sofa and sank into the cushions.

'That box of masks must be in the hotel room by now.'

A scene flashed through my mind.

Coco Kane was in front of a mirror, her sharp nails scratching at the Witch's Eye as she roughly tore open the mask inside.

The cool sensation clung to her skin, filling her with a strange sense of pleasure as her reflection in the mirror began to silently reshape her features.

Julian Sterling had no idea what those masks really were, or why I kept them locked in my deepest drawer.

He only knew they were the most expensive of all my skincare products.

Perfect for wooing a young woman.

After all, we had so much stuff at home. He probably figured I'd never notice one or two boxes missing.

I couldn't even bear to imagine how many things he had swiped for others during our three years of marriage.

But this box... this was the one thing he never should have touched.

My phone suddenly buzzed. My lawyer had accepted my retainer and sent over two meticulously drafted, professional divorce agreements.

At the same time, the algorithm pushed a video to my feed—one I never wanted to see in my entire life.

A lifestyle vlog from Coco Kane.

"Girls, look what this is! Million-Dollar Masks! You can't even get these in the country! My boss got them for me."

The camera panned.

And there was Julian Sterling, half-kneeling on the floor, head bowed, diligently tying her shoelaces.

He was wearing the black shirt I had just given him, a doting smile on his face.

Coco Kane showed off.

"A big boss outside, a big puppy at home."

The comments section flooded with messages.

"This is so sweet!"

"Manifesting a boyfriend like this!"

"You look so pretty after using it! Is there a link for the same masks!!"

A few seconds later.

A chilling comment appeared amidst the flood of well-wishes.

"Throw those masks out right now! They'll kill you!"

After posting it, I rubbed my sore wrist.

'And here you are, thinking you've got some treasure! You should tone down the gloating.'

A few seconds later, she shot back an irritated reply.

"LMAO, who are you? Just jealous, aren't you?"

"This video of mine is like chocolate. It's fine for people, but deadly for dogs!"

A bunch of people blindly piled on in the replies.

"What a hater!"

"It's none of your business if they're in love!"

"Girl, just ignore her. People like that can't stand to see others happy!"

I muttered "idiots," deleted the app, and slammed my phone face down on the table.

Life and death are decreed by fate.

'Coco Kane, you can't blame me for what happens now.'

2

That night at eleven, there was a bang at the door.

Julian Sterling burst in with Coco Kane, his face livid.

"Vera Thorne! Get out here!"

"I traced the IP address for that curse in the video comments! It was you!"

I stood frozen, a cup of herbal tea in my hand, startled to see them.

The cup dropped to the floor, shattering and sending shards flying.

Coco Kane stood behind him, half her face wrapped in gauze, her eyes swollen like peaches.

I stood there, stunned.

'The image of those strange, witch-like eyes flashed before me again.'

Julian Sterling slammed his phone onto the coffee table and rounded on me.

"Look what you've done! Do you have any idea she almost died tonight?!"

"She was taking a shower when her vision went black. She collapsed, and half her face slammed into the corner of the bathroom counter. She needed more than a dozen stitches! The doctor said if it had been just one centimeter over, she would have lost an eye!"

His voice trembled as he berated me.

I could tell that Julian Sterling was terrified of losing her.

'A pang of pain shot through my heart at the thought.'

But I quickly suppressed my feelings, my brow furrowing.

"And this is my fault?"

"Are you sure it wasn't low blood sugar?"

At my words, Coco Kane started crying even harder, her shoulders hitching with sobs.

Julian Sterling pointed at me.

"Don't give me that bullshit!"

"There's nothing wrong with her, her physical was clean! Her blood sugar is perfectly normal! It's all because of your stupid curse!"

"That box of face masks was just sitting there. What's wrong with using them as a work reward for the staff?"

"What right do you have to curse her?"

"She's just a twenty-year-old girl! If something had really happened to her, could you have taken responsibility for that?!"

I looked at him coldly, my heart turning to ash.

In three years of marriage, he'd never once lost his temper.

I loved his calm, steady demeanor, his thoughtful and considerate nature.

It was only today that I learned he had a temper, too—one that appeared when his boundaries were crossed.

'Too bad his boundary wasn't me.'

Coco Kane, still reeling from her "near-death experience," wouldn't stop crying. Even her tears reeked of feigned innocence.

She tugged on Julian Sterling's sleeve.

"It's okay, President Sterling. Please don't fight with your family over this."

"Please, don't let your wife hold a grudge against me. I'm just a regular employee; I can't handle any more drama."

Her words only fanned the flames of Julian Sterling's anger.

He gently comforted Coco.

"Don't be afraid. I'm here."

When he turned back to me, every trace of gentleness vanished from his face.

"You will apologize to Coco. Right now."

I stared into his furious eyes, my nails digging into my palms.

When I didn't answer, his expression soured, and he glared at me.

"Apologize."

I looked at him icily.

'He was standing before me, trying to force me to yield, all for another woman.'

'He was wiping away her tears with a tenderness I had never seen before.'

'That very button on his shirt was my birthday gift to him last year.'

'And now, it was stained with Coco Kane's blood-red lipstick.'

I suddenly wanted to laugh.

"Julian Sterling, you want *me* to apologize? Have you lost your goddamn mind?"

"You stole from me."

"You cheated on me behind my back."

"If anyone should be apologizing here, it's the two of you, isn't it?"

Julian Sterling pressed on relentlessly.

"There you go, overthinking things again, aren't you?"

"We just have a normal working relationship! That picture you saw online? He was just tying his shoe! I should have known a person with a filthy mind would see filth everywhere!"

"Hurry up and apologize. Know what's good for you!"

Coco Kane clung tightly to his arm from behind.

Though tears still stained her cheeks, her eyes flashed with unconcealable triumph.

I took a deep breath.

"Julian Sterling, come here."

The moment he leaned in, I slapped him across the face with the divorce papers.

"Sign it!"

3

Julian Sterling froze for a few seconds, covering his face.

He looked down at the divorce papers scattered on the floor.

He picked them up, one by one.

And read them closely.

After finishing the last page, he suddenly let out a dry laugh.

"Divorce me? You want to go out and start your own business?"

"How old are you? Thirty-one, right? How many years have you been in this industry? Go ask around. Is there anyone in this business who doesn't know you're my woman? Without me, do you really think they'd still dare to hire you?"

He tossed the papers onto the coffee table with a look of disdain.

"Who do you think you have to thank for everything you have today?"

"How have I treated you these past three years? You said you didn't want kids, and I went along with it! You said you didn't want to see my mother, so I moved thousands of miles away from home to support your career! You stay home being a big-shot blogger while I work myself to the bone to support this family! Have I ever wronged you?"

"For a box of face masks! You want to divorce me over something so stupid!"

"Vera Thorne, do you have a conscience?"

He picked up the pen from the floor and briskly signed his name.

"There's a thirty-day cooling-off period, right? Vera Thorne, I'll be waiting for the day you come crawling back to me, full of regret."

With that, he stormed out.

He had so many other houses; he could live however he wanted.

Why stay home and have to walk on eggshells?

I slowly walked to the sofa and sat down.

Staring at the door.

I suddenly remembered three years ago. Julian Sterling, standing at the door with a bouquet, down on one knee, his face full of sincerity.

He'd said, "Vera Thorne, marry me. I'll treat you well for the rest of my life."

I was smiling so wide my eyes crinkled up.

Now, it was the same door.

He had walked out of it so easily, holding another woman's hand.

'What a pity. That woman still has no idea what's about to hit her.'

I took a deep breath.

Then I lifted my head, opened my phone, and started handling my resignation.

Coco Kane thought she'd won the battle and became even more brazen.

She flaunted her million-dollar face masks all over the company.

Her colleagues flattered her every day.

She grew to love the masks even more, using one every day, unable to part with them.

But the masks never seemed to run out.

She assumed Julian Sterling was secretly replenishing her supply, so she didn't think much of it. She continued to use one a day, and her face became visibly more refined and beautiful.

By now, the entire company knew she was President Sterling's most favored Golden Canary.

Meanwhile, I was the one who had been utterly defeated, not far from abdicating my throne.

At this critical juncture, I walked into the company holding my resignation letter.

All eyes instantly pierced me.

"She's here to resign! Did she really lose to Coco Kane?"

"I heard they already signed the divorce papers! President Sterling moved out with his mistress!"

"To end up like this as the boss's wife… how pathetic! Letting the mistress walk all over her and not being able to do a thing!"

I ignored them and completed my resignation smoothly.

As I was leaving, Coco Kane "accidentally" tripped me, nearly making me break the heel of my shoe.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Vera. I didn't see you."

When I saw the misfortune written all over her face, my anger instantly subsided.

"It's fine. You should take good care of yourself."

「From that day on, Coco Kane's life was never smooth again.」

She suffered frequent accidents, the kind that were nearly fatal.

Julian Sterling assumed I was secretly pulling the strings again.

He kicked the door open while I was eating dinner.

Soup from my bowl splashed all over the table.

"Vera Thorne! What the fuck did you do to her?!"

"Julian Sterling, have you lost your mind?"

"Lost my mind? Vera Thorne, stop playing dumb!"

"If you want to get back together with me, just say so! Don't use these underhanded tricks to hurt an innocent person!"

He pulled a handful of something from his pocket and slammed it onto the table.

Photos scattered everywhere.

Every single one was of Coco Kane.

Wrapped in bandages.

Lying in a hospital bed.

With stitches on her face.

With her leg in a cast.

Just as I was marveling at her incredible resilience…

Julian Sterling roared.

"Look! Just look at them!"

"Ever since we separated, she hasn't had a single good day!"

"You tell me, is this a coincidence?"