The day my parents divorced, I turned my back on the mother who loved me and clung desperately to my cheating father.

In my previous life, I chose my mother without hesitation.

Because the family never accepted me, she spent the rest of her life suffering for my sake, enduring endless scorn and hardship.

This time, as I looked into her heartbroken eyes, I walked away without a backward glance.

Five years later, I was scraping by at a seafood market, spending my days gutting fish amid the stench of saltwater and blood.

Just as I expertly sliced open a fish's belly, my mother appeared.

Her heels clicked across the damp floor as she navigated around puddles left by melting ice and approached me.

She covered her nose in disgust, looked me up and down in my stained, shabby clothes, and let out a cold laugh.

"No matter how hard you wash, you still reek of fish. This is the life you chose when you picked him over me.

“The Cooper family's notorious young heir is about to form an alliance with our family through marriage.

“As long as you kneel and beg me, I'll give you a chance to live a better life. What do you think?

“You know I always mean what I say.”

The contempt in her voice was unmistakable. I swallowed the metallic taste rising in my throat, flashed a carefree grin, and stepped closer.

“Not only am I not kneeling, but you’ll have to kiss me first if you want me to go.”

Just one kiss would be enough to get me through the last month of my life.

###CONTENT

####CHAPTER-NAME:

“Suzy Smith, my patience is running out. You better know when to stop.”

My mother spoke coldly.

I remained unmoved and stared at her without blinking.

This might have been the last time I would ever be this close to her.

I leaned in a little more.

Her brows knitted tightly together, and a flash of offended irritation crossed her eyes.

She raised her hand as if to shove my face away with a slap, but in the end, she lowered it again.

We remained locked in a standoff for a full minute.

The elderly women shopping for groceries nearby had already stopped to watch.

Unable to endure the curious stares, my mother finally gave in.

Her gaze swept across my face, still covered in fish scales.

“You’re filthy. Go wash your face.”

A surge of secret delight rose inside me, but I kept the same shameless grin on my face.

I rinsed away the grime and immediately leaned my face toward her again.

“All clean now. Ms. Sharp, your inspection is welcome.”

She closed her eyes, held her breath, and brushed her lips against my cheek as quickly as possible.

The moment it was over, her expression turned completely cold again.

She spun around and headed for the exit.

“Follow me.”

As we walked out of the market, the butcher from the neighboring stall leaned out and called after me.

“Hey, Suzy, closing up this early today?”

“Who’s the fancy lady? Buying fish from you?”

I waved at him.

“I quit. Time to go be a rich kid.”

“Sir, the rest of the fish are yours!”

Ahead of me, Wendy Sharp slowed for a moment, her expression turning even colder.

She let out a cold scoff.

“Five years apart, and all you seem to care about now is money.

“When you chose to follow your wonderful father back then, I thought the two of you might actually accomplish something remarkable.”

I didn’t argue.

Instead, I obediently followed her into the Rolls-Royce parked by the curb.

A faint woody fragrance lingered inside the cabin.

My mother leaned back in the front passenger seat, her gaze drifting past me toward the scenery outside the window.

In an even tone, she began describing the position she held now:

“Most of our competitors are under my umbrella now.

“With a single signature, the revenue involved is already in the seven figures.

“You could work your entire life and still never earn what my interest generates in a day.”

But she never mentioned how she reached this point over the past five years.

I knew exactly how many cold stares and humiliations we endured within the family in my previous life.

I looked at her elegant yet unmistakably weary profile and felt genuinely happy for her.

At least she no longer had to relive the misery of our past life.

When she finished speaking, I calmly replied with a simple, “Oh.”

That single casual word infuriated her.

She whipped around and glared at me.

“I never should have had any expectations for you.

“You’re completely hopeless. There’s not a single useful thought in that head of yours.”

The atmosphere inside the car instantly turned icy.

She turned away again, presenting me with the back of her head and making it clear she had no intention of continuing the conversation.

After a while, I took the initiative to break the silence:

“What’s the name of this marriage candidate? I should at least know who my future husband is.

“If he’s some eighty-year-old grandfather, I’ll need to stock up on heart medication in advance.”

Her eyes remained closed. She didn’t even bother looking at me.

“Julian Cooper. About your age.”

I froze instantly.

My heartbeat skipped.

Julian Cooper?

Wasn’t that the name of my ex-boyfriend?

####CHAPTER-NAME:

No, it had to be a hallucination or just someone with the same name.

Back when we were together, he as nothing more than an ordinary medical student. There was no way he could be a heir of the Cooper family.

I leaned back against the seat, my mind buzzing.

The car glided smoothly through the gates of a luxurious hillside estate.

By the time my mother led me into the grand hall, quite a crowd had already gathered inside.

The soft melody of a piano drifted through the air.

At a glance, I recognized several familiar faces.

They were the same relatives who mocked my mother when she fell on hard times in my previous life, some of whom had even kicked her while she was down.

Now, every one of them hovered around her with flattering smiles, eager to win her favor.

The moment their eyes landed on my fish-scented hoodie, they made no effort to hide the contempt and ridicule in their expressions.

My eldest aunt pinched her nose and dramatically took two steps back.

“Wendy, is this the daughter who chose to follow that gambling-addict father of hers?

“She smells so bad it’s enough to make someone pass out.

“If I didn’t know better, I’d think some homeless kid had wandered in off the street.”

My mother shot me a sidelong glance.

I knew exactly what she wanted to see on my face.

Inferiority.

Shame.

Maybe even tearful regret for not choosing her all those years ago.

Since that was what she wanted, I decided to play along.

I looked around awkwardly, like a country bumpkin completely out of place, then shuffled a little closer to my aunt.

She nearly jumped out of her skin and hurried backward.

“Go away, go away! You’re filthy! Don’t touch my clothes! You can’t afford to pay for them!”

My mother watched my act, and the disgust in her eyes deepened.

She looked away, the corner of her mouth curling upward in satisfaction, as though she had finally gotten her revenge.

“Take her upstairs.”

After giving the order to a nearby maid, my mother turned and rejoined the guests.

I was left alone in a spacious guest room on the second floor.

The maid pointed to a formal dress laid neatly on the bed and said expressionlessly, “Ms. Sharp asked you to clean yourself up and change into fresh clothes.”

Once the door closed behind her, I let out a long breath.

I walked over to the mirror and pulled off my hoodie.

My skin was covered in scars of all shapes and sizes.

They were the marks left behind by five years of hardship, following my worthless father through the lowest corners of life.

Whenever he got drunk, he would hit me, and all I could do was endure it.

I walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower.

Warm water streamed over my exhausted body, washing away the lingering smell of fish.

Then, without warning, a sharp pain stabbed deep inside my head.

I doubled over in agony, gripping the edge of the sink with both hands.

My vision began to blur.

A strong metallic taste rose from the back of my throat.

I opened my mouth, and a mouthful of blood splattered into the basin.

I gasped for air and instinctively turned on the faucet.

The blood was quickly washed away without a trace.

I lifted my head and looked at my pale reflection in the mirror, forcing a strained smile.

There wasn't much time left, but I still had to hold on a little longer.

As long as my mother was doing well, it didn't matter if I rotted in the mud.

Just as I was steadying my breathing, a knock sounded from outside the door.

I quickly wiped the cold sweat from the corners of my mouth.

Then I slipped into the dress, hurried to the door, and pulled it open.

A little girl in a princess dress stood outside.

She looked about seven or eight years old, delicate as a doll.

She tilted her head back and studied me for quite a while.

“Miss, you're really pretty, but you look so weak.”

I crouched down to her eye level and answered with a gentle smile, “I’m fine. I just haven’t eaten yet. Why did you wander over here all by yourself?”

Instead of answering, she tilted her head curiously.

“What’s your relationship with Wendy? I saw her bring you in earlier.”

I lowered my eyes, my voice soft.

“I’m Wendy’s daughter.”

The little girl blinked, then suddenly broke into a smile.

“I’m Wendy’s daughter too!”

My heart skipped a beat.

A dull ache spread through my chest, growing heavier with every passing second.

####CHAPTER-NAME:

She had a new daughter now?

Good.

At least someone would be there to keep her company in the future.

Then why did my heart hurt so much?

Just as my eyes began to sting, the little girl added, “But I’m adopted.

“Mom said she used to have a daughter too, but that daughter didn’t want her anymore.”

I froze for a moment.

Maybe that was for the best.

In our previous life, she spent half her life suffering because of me and never truly gained acceptance from the family.

In this life, she finally had a daughter she could be proud of.

I reached out and gently patted her head.

The little girl tugged on the hem of my dress and pointed down the hallway.

“Mom asked me to bring you to meet your future husband.”

I followed her down the corridor, my nerves growing more unsettled with every step.

What kind of person was the Cooper family's infamous troublemaking heir?

Could it really be him?

A man as distant and aloof as he was—how could he have become the crazy lunatic everyone talked about?

The little girl stopped in front of a wooden door, waved goodbye, and skipped away.

I stared at the door, my heart pounding.

Then I pushed it open.

A tall man stood by the window.

He turned around when he heard me come in.

That familiar yet cold and chiseled face instantly came into view.

It really was Julian Cooper.

He looked more mature than he had five years ago, and far more indifferent.

The moment I saw him, memories flooded back.

The day I cruelly dumped him.

The day I told him he was a nobody who could never give me the future I wanted.

Instinctively, I turned and bolted for the door.

“Where do you think you're going?”

He reacted instantly and crossed the room in just a few strides.

He grabbed my wrist and yanked me into the room.

The door slammed shut behind us and was immediately locked.

He threw me onto the sofa and looked down at me from above, his eyes full of mockery.

“So, Miss Smith. You walked away without a second thought back then, and now that you've seen I’m the Cooper family's heir, you're feeling guilty?”

I opened my mouth to speak.

But his rough handling aggravated my fragile condition.

A violent wave of dizziness crashed over me.

The world before my eyes instantly twisted and darkened.

I didn't even get the chance to explain before I lost consciousness completely.

I didn't know how much time had passed before a cold touch startled me awake.

I forced my eyes open.

Julian was sitting on the edge of the sofa, checking my physical condition.

His expression was darker than I had ever seen it.

The moment he saw I was awake, his voice turned cold as ice.

“Suzy, what’s wrong with your body?”

I looked at his tense expression and knew there was no hiding it.

He studied medicine.

Five years ago, he had already been the brightest star in medical school. There was no way he wouldn't notice how weak I had become.

I calmly pulled my hand back.

I smoothed the wrinkles from my dress and met his gaze.

“Brain cancer. Late stage.”

His entire body stiffened.

The indifference in his eyes shattered instantly.

I ignored his shock and continued, “Mr. Cooper, I agree to the marriage.

“But I have one condition. After we get married, don’t tell my mother anything about me.”

Julian stared at me without blinking.

His chest rose and fell violently, and his hands clenched into tight fists.

I looked at his pale face, expecting him to lose his temper.

But he said nothing.

He stared at my bloodless face for a long time before slowly closing his eyes, concealing every trace of emotion.

When he finally spoke, only a single hoarse word came out.

“Okay.”

The tension that had been holding my nerves taut finally eased.

What I wanted to tell him was:

“I’m sorry. You’re the only one who can carry this burden now.

“But my mother is different.

“I’m not afraid of her hating me; I’m afraid of her worrying about me.

“Hatred is easier to bear than longing. When I’m gone, she’ll still have her adopted daughter by her side.

“She’ll probably think it’s better for a vain, money-hungry daughter like me to stay as far away as possible.”

I looked at Julian and said sincerely, with complete calm, “Thank you.”

####CHAPTER-NAME: