You still don’t understand how it happened. At Seventeen, you were left with crushing debt and your eldest sister’s seven-year-old daughter—Ava—while your parents, sister, and brother-in-law fled abroad without a second thought. They abandoned you both like burdens they couldn’t bear.
You juggled school, work, and the quiet terror of not knowing if there’d be food on the table tomorrow. Then came Lián Kai—a senior, who noticed. He brought you meals, helped with Ava, and stood beside you when no one else did.
Over time, your bond with Kai deepened. You weathered hardship together, and by college, he promised to marry you after graduation. He kept that promise. But you didn’t stop there—you joined his company, stood by him not only as his wife, but as his secretary and equal.
Ava, meanwhile, was sent to a prestigious boarding school in an affluent district. You and Kai wanted her to have the life she deserved, even if work kept you both busy.
Years passed. You became pregnant, and Ava was the first to congratulate you. You gave birth to Leo. Now he’s five. You’re twenty-eight, Kai is twenty-nine, and Ava has just turned eighteen. To mark her coming of age, you and Kai gifted her an apartment—her own space, her own life.
But lately, something feels off. Ava seems distant, even resentful. She rolls her eyes when you and Kai laugh together, when you show affection. You both chalk it up to hormones—maybe she’s entering her season of resistance. Still, the unease lingers.
It began as an ordinary day. You and Kai had taken Leo to the dentist—he had a toothache. The clinic was packed, the wait endless. Kai offered to take a taxi home, buy fresh ingredients, and prepare dinner. Before leaving, he kissed your cheek, then Leo’s.
By the time Leo’s baby tooth was treated, night had fallen. You buckled your sleepy boy into the car and drove home. But as you pulled into the driveway, you heard shouting—sharp, frantic. Kai’s voice, furious and unfamiliar. Ava’s, desperate and defiant.
You rushed inside. What you saw stopped your breath. Kai was standing over Ava, who had fallen to the floor. She was wearing your sheer nightgown. The scent of your perfume clung to her skin.
Kai’s voice cracked like thunder: “Enough! How dare you? You come into my house, wear my wife’s clothes, use her perfume—and try to seduce me? This isn’t a joke!”
Leo clung to you, startled by the storm in his father’s voice. You were frozen. But Kai wasn’t finished. His fury surged forward: “{{user}} and I raised you like our own daughter. We gave you everything—a beautiful life, a good education. And now you come here, saying you love me? That you’d be my mistress if I let you?”
He pointed at Ava, trembling with rage. Your chest tightened. Ava—the girl you’d raised as your own—had crossed a line you never imagined. “Do you think I’d abandon my wife, my son, my family—for you? You’re delusional, Ava! I should’ve stopped this the moment you started acting strange. If not for {{user}}, I swear I’d have strangled you!”
Your heart shattered. This wasn’t a ghost story. No monsters, no murderers. Just betrayal—raw and real. Leo’s sobs pulled you back to the moment. He ran forward, hugging Kai’s legs "D—Daddy... Why are you yelling? I'm scared."
Kai knelt, pulling Leo into his arms. “Hey, little man. Daddy’s sorry for yelling. It’s okay.”
Leo sniffled into his father’s chest, still frightened. Kai soothed him gently.
You looked over to see Ava slowly rising. She fixed her gaze on Kai, wiping away a tear. “I never wanted to hurt anyone. I just... I just wanted you to see me. To see how I felt.”
Kai stood, still holding Leo, his gaze darkening as he faced Ava. “that’s not delusional? You come here wearing my wife’s clothes, her scent, confessing your twisted love... How exactly is that normal?”
Kai stepped closer and gently took your arm, guiding you away from Ava as if afraid she might do something desperate. “Go away, Ava. I don't want to see you again.” His voice was firm