Just hours after I officially registered my marriage with my commander boyfriend, a highly private video of my first time was leaked across the entire military base. I stared at the screen, my entire body trembling uncontrollably as I watched myself, completely naked, positioned in humiliating ways. Echoing in my ears were the unrestrained, mocking laughs of the people surrounding him. "Arthur Sterling, to make Chloe smile, you actually leaked the video of your own wife's first time?" "Hahaha, look at the princess, her face is completely pale! She looks like she's about to cry!" Arthur, however, affectionately tapped his adopted sister Chloe's nose, saying with a smile: "See? Now the entire base knows Maya has a scar on her waist. Will you finally smile for me now?" Chloe covered her mouth, her eyes curving into crescents as she laughed. I wanted to rush forward and demand an explanation, but my biological brother grabbed me tightly. Liam Sterling, the usually stoic base commander, darkened his face and warned me: "Behave yourself. Don't think just because you're the Sterling family heiress you can bully Chloe whenever you want." "Arthur and Chloe were meant to be together in the first place. You forced your way in, so you deserve to have that video leaked." He forcefully shoved me into his SUV, forbidding me from ruining the happiness of the precious girl in his heart. The System, which had been silent for ages, suddenly chimed in my mind: [Host, detected that the conquest mission has been completed! Do you wish to return to the real world immediately?] I covered my face, my shoulders shaking violently, desperately trying to suppress the laughter threatening to spill out. After struggling in this melodramatic world for over a decade, I could finally go home. From now on, their tangled web of love and hate would have absolutely nothing to do with me. ... [Detected Male Lead's conquest meter has reached 95%! Mission to marry Male Lead Arthur Sterling is complete! Congratulations to the Host for completing all missions!] [Upon the physical death of the Host, you will immediately return to the real world, receive a 100 million dollar cash prize, and your congenital heart defect will be completely cured!] I desperately swallowed the laughter that was about to burst from my throat. Finally... I'm free. Since Arthur wanted to stay at the hospital to accompany Chloe, Liam personally escorted me home. I turned my head and looked at my biological brother in the driver's seat. From the moment he got in the car, he had a long face, radiating impatience from head to toe. It wasn't until a notification sound from Chloe chimed that the corners of his mouth lifted slightly into a smile. Noticing me watching him, he immediately locked his phone screen, his brow furrowing deeply: "Haven't you looked enough? Don't want to leave? Still thinking about going back to ruin things between Arthur and Chloe?" "Chloe is young and has suffered so much. Can't you just be more accommodating to her?" I dug my nails into my palms, trying hard not to laugh. Young? If we're being technical, I'm half a year younger than Chloe. Perhaps my expression was truly awful, because Liam's tone suddenly softened a bit: "When we get back, apologize properly to Chloe. Don't be so stubborn." He reached out, wanting to ruffle my hair, but I tilted my head to avoid it. "What exactly did I do wrong?" Liam's hand froze in mid-air, his tone instantly darkening: "Maya, enough is enough!" I closed my eyes. Over the years, even if it was just to complete the mission, I had invested a bit of real emotion. I had also felt genuine heartache because of their attitudes. But now, it was all over. "After Chloe's competition is over, come with me to apologize to her." I didn't answer him. Instead, I asked the System in my mind: [As long as this body dies, I can go back, right?] [Correct.] I slowly inhaled, observing the road conditions through the car window. After confirming that no innocent bystanders would be involved, I pressed the door unlock button and forcefully pulled the car door open. Liam, who was mid-lecture, stopped abruptly: "Maya! What are you doing?!" I didn't look back as I threw myself out of the moving car. The freezing wind sliced across my cheeks like a knife, and an intense feeling of weightlessness gripped my heart. I squeezed my eyes shut, not feeling an ounce of fear. But the next second, a strong arm clamped tightly around my waist. I was completely enveloped in an embrace and thrown toward the bushes on the side of the road. Amidst the spinning and tumbling, I heard a muffled grunt of pain. We rolled several times before finally coming to a stop. The back of the person shielding me was torn up and bleeding profusely from the branches, but I didn't have a single scratch. I looked up, meeting Liam's terrified face, my voice exceptionally calm: "Let go." Staring into my completely apathetic eyes, Liam suddenly exploded: "I say two words to you and you jump out of a moving car?! Have we spoiled you so much that you have no limits anymore?!" "Trying to get attention this way again, right? Save it!" I acted like I didn't hear him and forcefully pried his fingers open. Standing up and looking around, I immediately spotted an SUV speeding toward us not far away. "I haven't gotten my allowance for this month yet. Just consider it compensation for their car repairs." Leaving those words behind, I ran straight toward the front of the approaching car. "Maya—!" Liam's roar was heart-wrenching. He stumbled, trying to get up and chase me, but it was far too late. I almost laughed out loud. I was going home. Whether my congenital heart defect in reality could be cured or not was secondary; I didn't want to stay in this world for another second. The piercing screech of brakes assaulted my eardrums. The SUV managed to come to a dead stop less than half a meter away from me. I stumbled backward, falling into Liam's arms as he tackled me from behind. "Are you crazy?! Maya, do you really want to die?!" Liam's eyes were bloodshot. With trembling fingers, he checked my arms and shoulders: "Did it hit you? Where does it hurt? Say something!" Didn't die again. I lowered my eyes in disappointment. My gaze fell on his leg. His camouflage pant leg was already soaked in blood, and it was still dripping down. If it were the old me, I would have cried until I couldn't breathe, wishing I could take the pain for him. But now, I just indifferently looked away. "What, now I even need your permission to die?" Liam froze in place, his entire body shaking uncontrollably. I tugged the corners of my mouth into a smirk, turned around, and walked toward the swearing SUV driver: "I'll transfer the money for the repairs to you later." Liam's clenched fists trembled slightly, his eyes terrifyingly red. I paused for a moment, then immediately realized what he was thinking: "Don't worry, I won't use your money. I'll use the money I saved myself..." "Maya!" he practically roared, cutting me off. Yet, I saw a trace of an expression on his face that bordered on feeling wronged. "You're the sister I've protected since we were kids! Even if I had to give my life for you, I wouldn't blink an eye!" I found it incredibly absurd and looked straight into his eyes: "Is that right?" His body jolted violently, as if he had just snapped back to reality. The one they cherished and held in the palm of their hands now was Chloe. And me, the so-called biological sister, had long since become an unreasonable joke in their eyes. My shoulders shook as I laughed, but tears fell uncontrollably. I used to always follow behind him. When he returned from a mission, I was always the first person he wanted to see. And now? He only told me with a cold face to "be sensible" and "stop bullying Chloe." Liam violently yanked me back into the car, his voice low and raspy: "Once Chloe wins first place in this military competition, we'll tell everyone that you are the real..." "Enough." I couldn't be bothered to listen to the rest and turned to look out the window. The passing scenery blurred backward rapidly, like fragments of time that could never be grasped. Before I crossed over to this world, I was an orphan. The day I was diagnosed with end-stage heart failure, I clutched the diagnosis report and sat in the hospital corridor all night. Finally, I passed out from the pain in my hospital bed, and when I opened my eyes again, I was a six-year-old girl. A voice echoed in my head: [When the conquest meter reaches its target and you marry Arthur Sterling, you can get the money to go back and cure your illness.] After that, there was only static. I thought I was having auditory hallucinations. But getting a second chance at life with a healthy body wasn't too bad. The car drove smoothly. Liam gripped my wrist tightly, his thumb unconsciously caressing the back of my hand. It was a habit he had to comfort me whenever I had nightmares in the past. As an orphan, I used to be incredibly greedy for that tiny bit of warmth. I even thought about abandoning the mission and just staying in this world forever. Until Chloe appeared. She was an orphan girl I picked up from a war zone. But later, all the favoritism and love fell onto her. I went from acting spoiled and feeling wronged, to breaking down and becoming hysterical, only to finally earn one sentence from them: "Maya, you act like a lunatic." The car stopped at the entrance of the military family compound. I shook off his hand, pushed open the door, and got out. Liam called out to me from behind, his voice trembling: "Maya... my leg is hurt... I hurt it trying to protect you..." I didn't even turn my head: "If you're hurt, go find a medic. What's the point of telling me?" Pushing open the front door of our house, I saw Arthur feeding Chloe medicine. Seeing me return, Arthur's face turned as cold as ice. He rushed forward and slapped me across the face. "Chloe stayed awake for three days and three nights because of you." Chloe hurriedly reached out to stop him: "Arthur, it's really not Maya's fault, it's just me worrying over nothing..." I watched this heartwarming melodrama with complete apathy. [Host, detected that your emotional fluctuation value has dropped to a critical point...] The system's mechanical voice carried a rare hint of hesitation: [Are you... very sad?] [Chapter 2] That single sentence from the System almost made the tears I had forced back break through the dam. I roughly wiped the tears from the corners of my eyes. Liam hobbled over to my side, but before he could speak, Chloe screamed and threw herself at him: "Liam! Your leg—!" Before she could finish her sentence, I stepped forward and slapped her, cutting her off. The crisp sound of the slap instantly silenced the entire living room. Chloe covered her face, her eyes wide as saucers. The next second, a massive force violently slammed me to the floor. Liam pointed at me, his eyes frozen over: "Maya, you've completely lost your mind! Apologize to Chloe!" I propped myself up from the floor and spat out the taste of blood in my mouth: "Me apologize? What's wrong with me hitting a homewrecker? Arthur Sterling is my legally wedded husband!" Liam's face grew even darker, his voice abruptly rising: "Nonsense! Arthur and Chloe were in love to begin with! You're the one who kept pestering him!" "How did I end up with a sister as unreasonable as you!" I laughed out loud, but the tears wouldn't stop falling: "I'm unreasonable? Right now, my name is on the marriage certificate, isn't it?" Arthur spoke coldly: "It isn't anymore. This morning, I already submitted the divorce papers. Our Sterling family will not accept a woman who goes crazy at the drop of a hat." Liam yanked me up from the floor, his voice suppressing his rage: "Maya. Apologize." I didn't make a sound, my gaze sweeping over the people in front of me. Liam's eyes were icy; Arthur's eyes were filled with disgust. It was just like a year ago, when Chloe, who was always running around the military compound, was mistakenly identified as a spy. Liam couldn't bear it. In front of the entire base, he announced that she was the true Sterling family heiress, the sister he had protected since childhood. And I, the actual Sterling family heiress, had to bear all the suspicion to protect her safety. "You have guards following you every time you leave the house. Chloe only has herself!" I was shocked, I resisted, I cried and screamed, but it was all useless. The way they looked at me then was exactly the same as they were looking at me now. My heart felt an indescribable exhaustion; even arguing felt superfluous. I shook off the guard's hand, rushed into the living room, and grabbed a military combat knife from the table. Liam tried to rush over to stop me, but Chloe hugged his arm tightly: "Maya! Don't do anything stupid!" I looked at Chloe and grinned: "Here's my apology!" Ignoring Liam's drastically changing expression and Arthur's outstretched hand, I raised my arm and plunged the combat knife directly into my own chest. Screams erupted instantly. I laughed through my tears: "Is this life enough compensation for her?" "Are you satisfied now?" Warm blood poured out, and a wave of intense dizziness violently seized me. Amidst the chaotic roaring, my vision slowly faded to black. I saw the faces of those two men finally reveal expressions of absolute terror. Liam lunged forward to catch my sliding body, his voice shaking uncontrollably: "Medic! Call the medic right now!!" ... The pungent smell of disinfectant pierced my nose. I opened my eyes, and the blinding white instantly made my heart race. Did I succeed? Turning my head, I met Liam's bloodshot eyes. I closed my eyes in annoyance. His hoarse voice, for the first time ever, felt incredibly loud and irritating: "Maya! Who taught you to use self-mutilation to threaten people?!" I grew even more annoyed, feeling something uncomfortable digging into my neck. Reaching my hand up, I pulled out a custom-made medallion, engraved with the crooked word "Peace." When I was thirteen, I fell into a coma for three days with a high fever at the border. Liam, risking disciplinary action, took his highest military honor medallion, had it modified into this, and then knelt up a thousand steps to beg a high monk to consecrate it. Later, when Chloe went on her first mission, he turned around and gave this very medallion to her. Now, it was back around my neck. But I only found it to be an eyesore. I yanked it off and casually threw it away. The hospital room door happened to be pushed open. Liam stood at the door, watching helplessly as the medallion landed at his feet. He looked up, staring dead at me: "Maya, you just threw it away?"
? Continue the story here ?? ? Download the "MotoNovel" app ? search for "394948", and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel