I was the canary specifically cultivated by the CEO of the Sterling Group for his younger brother. My job was to use "love" to control Julian Sterling—to keep him from street racing, fighting, and messing around. It worked perfectly for a long time, and I naturally enjoyed two streams of income. That is, until the day I put on my usual tearful, pleading act: "Julian, please don't race tonight. I'm really scared..." Julian, however, carelessly lit a cigarette. "Relax. Your man is the best." A premonition hit me. I turned my head and saw the prize for tonight's race. A girl wearing a long white dress. Dammit. My double salary is gone. I silently pulled out my phone and started drafting my resignation letter to his older brother. 01 Julian Sterling was a notorious troublemaker. His usual hobbies included, but were not limited to: Street racing and wrecking other people's cars. Getting into brawls and putting other rich heirs in the hospital. Accepting any woman who threw herself at him, causing high-society catfights that inevitably ended with complaints to the Sterling family. Because of Julian's extensive rap sheet, he was constantly trending on social media, which frequently caused the Sterling Group's stock prices to tank. Eventually, an executive assistant brought me before the eldest Sterling son. Arthur Sterling sat with his long legs crossed, calmly assessing me. The assistant spoke respectfully: "This is the most beautiful girl at the Diamond Club." After a long, heavy silence. Arthur indifferently withdrew his gaze, his long, elegant fingers filling out a check. The assistant handed it to me. I glanced at the number on the check and paused. Then I smiled. "Are you looking for a sugar baby?" The assistant clarified, "It's for the Second Young Master." Then came the list of instructions. For instance, Julian liked girls with long hair who wore white dresses. He disliked girls with sharp, aggressive personalities who talked back to him. He responded well to softness but rebelled against strictness. After the assistant finished, Arthur spoke his first sentence. His tone was as cold as ever: "You will receive this exact amount every month, transferred directly to your bank account." He was absolutely certain I wouldn't refuse. I pinched the edge of the check. After a moment, I gave Arthur a bright, radiant smile. "Deal." He was right. I definitely wasn't going to refuse. 02 Later, I was strategically placed in Julian's path. The third time he played the hero and saved me, he looked down at me and smirked. "Little girl, it seems we're meant to be." I timidly lowered my head and whispered, "I'm sorry. I've troubled you again." Julian clicked his tongue and used a finger to hook a strand of hair by my face. "Being too pretty isn't always a good thing. Why are you always getting bullied?" The night wind caught the hem of my white dress. My soft, long hair fluttered gently in the breeze. My eyes welled up with red, and after a long pause, I let out a soft "Mhm." "I... I'm used to it. It's been like this since I was little." Julian froze. Just then, a few of his friends stumbled out of the bar, looking around. "Julian, what are you doing in this dark alley?" One of them sized me up, grinning as he reached out to touch my face. "Where'd you find this beauty? She's so fresh." Julian slapped the hand away, his brow furrowed deeply. "Back off." The other guys immediately tried to smooth things over. "Are you blind? Look at her, she's obviously Julian's girl." Once those guys awkwardly shuffled away, My tears finally spilled over. I grabbed the cuff of Julian's sleeve. He didn't pull away. I looked up at him, my eyes full of vulnerable, stammering hope. "Because you were here, they didn't dare bully me." Julian curled a finger and wiped the tear from the corner of my eye. My eyelashes fluttered. Gathering my courage, I asked, "D-do you have a girlfriend?" The night wind was biting, making me shiver slightly. Julian bent down and effortlessly scooped me up into his arms. His tone was careless. "Not right now. And I don't plan on having one in the future, either." I stared at him blankly. Julian carried me toward his sports car parked at the intersection. Many eyes turned our way. Embarrassed, I buried my face in his chest, mumbling, "It's okay. I... I don't need a title." My answer was exactly what Julian expected. After all, a young girl's love and dependence are always so obvious and passionate. Julian let out a lazy smirk. After placing me in the passenger seat, he pressed a kiss to my lips. "Alright." 03 Everything went smoothly, exactly as planned. In everyone's eyes... I was beautiful, gentle, and completely unaware of Julian's wealth. I just purely, innocently loved Julian the man. I loved him so much that I worried about him constantly. I hated it when he raced or fought, terrified he would put himself in danger. I hated seeing other girls around him because I loved him so much, I was terrified he would fall for someone else. But since I was just a girl without an official title, I couldn't throw a tantrum. I could only cry and timidly beg him. Fortunately, Julian actually liked me quite a bit. As long as I cried, he would compromise on anything. He stayed out of trouble for a very long time, shocking everyone who knew him. Julian took me shopping, to the movies, on trips to take photos, and we kissed and slept together every day. His friends all said he had changed, that he had finally settled down. Arthur must have been pretty satisfied too, because he tripled my salary. I became the cherished canary in Julian's palm, spoiled and pampered. In the eyes of many, I was the prime candidate to become the future Mrs. Julian Sterling. Honestly, I wasn't sure if Julian truly cared about me, or if it was just the novelty of the situation. But I knew for a fact that Arthur Sterling would never allow a gold-digger who used to serve drinks at the Diamond Club to marry into the Sterling family. Even if I was brought directly to Arthur on my very first day working at the club. In the eyes of these elite, golden boys, just being allowed to squeeze into their circle was a privilege I should be grateful for. I couldn't, and shouldn't, hope for anything more. Arthur felt this way. Julian felt this way, too. So, when I once again put on my tearful, pleading act, begging Julian not to race... He carelessly lit a cigarette. "Relax. Your man is the best." This was the first time—outside of the bedroom—that he had refused me. My eyes reddened as I looked at him. "Julian." But Julian didn't spare me another glance. He lazily put out the cigarette and walked toward his sleek, black sports car, which he hadn't touched in ages. His back was tall and straight. The onlookers whistled excitedly; after all, this was Julian's first race in over a year. I suddenly had a premonition. I slowly turned my head. A girl wearing a long white dress was being pulled by several men, dragged up to the podium where the prize for the race was usually displayed. She uneasily lowered her eyelashes, looking incredibly pitiful. In that moment, a complex mix of emotions washed over me. A wealthy heiress standing nearby glanced at me, playing with her manicured nails. "A few days ago when you were sick and didn't go to the bar with Julian, that girl was serving drinks. She was being harassed, and Julian saved her." I blinked slowly. Digesting the information in that sentence. In a span of ten seconds, a suspicion flashed through my mind. Could Arthur have customized another perfect canary for Julian? Impossible. Arthur would never do something so sloppy. Besides... this girl's face showed fear, but also stubborn defiance. She didn't have my practiced, artificial fragility. I sighed and looked up at the sky with profound sadness. My eyes filled with tears, though it was purely muscle memory. I had cried so much it had become a conditioned reflex. But I was genuinely sad. My double salary was gone. Seeing me like this, the heiress scoffed coldly. "You really don't know your place. It was only a matter of time." I silently unlocked my phone. I searched for "How to write a resignation letter." How to write it professionally yet with deep emotional sincerity, so I could squeeze one last payout from Arthur. After all, I had worked so incredibly hard. 04 Julian won. The other rich kid's car spun out and crashed. The scene devolved into absolute chaos until the sound of approaching ambulances grew louder. The others didn't dare blame Julian, so they took their anger out on the girl. "If something happens to Liam, you're dead meat! Just wait and see." The girl stumbled back a few steps, trembling with fear. Julian stepped in front of her with a cold sneer. "You guys are real tough, taking it out on her." I stared at them for a few seconds. Then I walked over, took off the jacket Julian had draped over my shoulders earlier, and placed it over the girl's shoulders. I said gently, "It's cold tonight. Don't catch a chill." Facing Julian's probing gaze, I smiled perfectly. "When you helped me back then, it was on a night exactly like this." The girl stared at me blankly. Then she turned to look at Julian. "Julian, is she..." Julian didn't answer. He just lowered his eyes, staring fixedly at me. Being stared at like that, I couldn't even maintain my fake smile. I could only manage a bitter, strained twitch of my lips. After all... With this incident, forget a resignation bonus—my salary for this month was probably going to get docked by Arthur. Sigh... Docked or not, I've saved up quite a bit. But wait, I wouldn't be held legally responsible for this, would I?! The thought sent a shiver down my spine. The more I thought about it, the more plausible it seemed, and my expression grew increasingly panicked. The girl nervously clutched Julian's shirt. "W-what's wrong with her? Does she hate me...?" Julian finally pulled his gaze from my face, his tone flat as he comforted the girl: "No. Don't be afraid." I walked away like a soulless ghost. There were still many people watching the drama unfold. After all, they hadn't expected the day I'd be cast aside to come so soon. Julian didn't chase after me. The girl was in a cold sweat from the shock, so Julian had someone take her to change her clothes. Actually, I was in a cold sweat too. I pulled out my phone, my sweaty palm smudging the screen. I wiped it on my dress, opened my email, and decisively hit 'Send' on the resignation letter I had drafted for Arthur. The language was incredibly earnest, expressing both my utmost dedication to the job and my profound gratitude to Arthur for providing me with the opportunity. I needed to sever ties before I could be held liable! Just then, I received a call from the manager at the Diamond Club. "Chloe, do you have time to come by tomorrow? You left some things in your locker." I froze for a second, then remembered. "Sure." After hanging up. I hailed a cab and went back to the apartment I had secretly bought for myself. In order to maintain the perfect skin and energy required to perform for Julian, I rarely stayed up late. But once I finally relaxed... I took out my SIM card, curled up in bed, and played on my phone until dawn. I slept until evening before finally waking up. I popped in a new SIM card, threw on an oversized t-shirt, shorts, and flip-flops, and headed to the Diamond Club completely bare-faced. It had been a long time since I felt this relaxed. When the manager saw me, she froze for a moment, then led me to get my things. She didn't ask any questions. After grabbing my stuff, I waved goodbye to her. I was just about to turn around. When I heard a familiar voice. "Is this the place?" The male voice was deep and casual. A girl answered softly, "Yes." The others trailing behind them marveled, "Julian, you're the best. Coming all this way to stand up for her. Whoever bullied her is screwed." Julian looked at the manager. "Bring the people who were in the same group as her." I silently pulled a face mask out of my pocket, lowered my head, and tried to walk the other way. "Chloe?" someone exclaimed in surprise. No way. They could recognize me like this? I frantically ruffled my hair and shook my head wildly. The manager seemed to sense my aversion. She stepped forward with a smile. "Who is that? Young masters and misses, let me show you to your private room first." I couldn't help but feel a surge of gratitude. The next second, my wrist was grabbed in a vice grip. Julian's voice echoed through the opulent lobby, his tone leaving no room for argument: "Look up. Take off the mask." I stiffened. But I didn't move. I kept my head down, staring at the floor, pretending I was deaf. The room fell dead silent. Until a fragile voice called out pitifully, "Julian, my stomach hurts." We remained at an impasse for a few more seconds. Julian finally let go of my hand and walked toward the girl. I walked out step by step, my nerves pulled taut. Terrified that I might still have a part to play in this drama. It wasn't until I was sitting in the back of a taxi that I finally processed what had just happened. The scent of cedarwood that usually clung to Julian had been replaced by a faint floral perfume. They had been together for a long time... Long enough for their scents to rub off on each other. 05 For the next few days, I did nothing but eat, sleep, play video games, and binge-watch TV shows. Honestly, every second I spent with Julian required a massive amount of energy to maintain my disguise and be the person he wanted me to be. I knew very well that Julian wouldn't like the real me. I hate wearing white dresses, I hate eating fine dining, and I hate wearing uncomfortable designer heels. I was not his perfect canary. So this life I was living now was absolutely perfect. I gradually snapped out of the funk of losing my high-paying job. Until an intense doomscrolling session brought me to the news that Liam, the heir to the Miller family, was hospitalized with severe injuries. The media was tearing into Julian, calling him a lawless, reckless playboy, and saying the Sterling family needed to take a hard look at themselves for raising such a son. I let out an exaggerated sigh. Looks like they couldn't bury the story this time. After all, I had heard that the injured Liam Miller was the only heir to the Miller family. His parents had him late in life, and he was incredibly precious to them. It was going to be a bloodbath for the next few days. I was gloating, imagining Arthur completely stressed out trying to clean up Julian's mess. Until the drama landed right on my doorstep. I wasn't laughing anymore. I stepped out to buy a watermelon and was grabbed by bodyguards who had been waiting downstairs for God knows how long. They dragged me straight to Arthur's office. ... I don't know if it was my imagination. But Arthur's office felt even colder than the last time I was here. He wasn't exhausted or stressed like I had imagined. Instead, he was as cold and calm as ever. "Long time no see, Ms. Brooks." I stayed silent for a long moment, then squeaked out guiltily: "Mr. Sterling." This time, there was no one else in the office besides him and me. "Ms. Brooks, it seems you've forgotten what you promised me." Arthur slightly lifted his chin, his dark eyes locking onto me. I gave an awkward smile. "Julian fell for someone else. He wanted to stand up for the girl he liked. There was nothing I could do." Arthur didn't say a word. His gaze carried the condescension of someone accustomed to power. After a long, tense silence, I spoke up slowly: "You could always hire someone else to manage Julian. That girl's words carry much more weight with him now." Arthur smirked coldly. "Not everyone is like you, only caring about money." I froze. My first instinct was that he was insulting me. But he said it without any emotion, seemingly just stating a fact. It looked like Arthur had already approached the girl, but she had refused. "So, you came looking for me to...?" I pursed my lips. Arthur lifted his eyelids, assessing me unhurriedly. Then he said flatly: "The Miller boy. He specifically requested you to be his private nurse." A nurse? Me? I immediately asked, "Does Julian know?" This was a blatant insult to me, and an insult to Julian. Even if Julian had lost all feelings for me, he wouldn't allow this. "Your employer is me," Arthur tapped the desk, his words concise and to the point. Oh, so Julian didn't know. Arthur wanted to use me to placate Liam and the Miller family's fury. I sighed helplessly. "Didn't you see? I resigned, Mr. Sterling." The office was quiet for a few seconds. I looked up, staring straight at Arthur. "But I could always come back to work. Just a change of position, that's all." The underlying implication was: It depends on how much you're paying. Even though Liam's request was meant to be humiliating, I honestly didn't feel humiliated at all. Being a highly-paid private nurse was a much more respectable job than being a sugar baby. Arthur's expression was unreadable as our eyes met. After a long time, he rubbed his temples. He tore off a check, placed it on the desk, and pushed it toward me. "Fill in the amount yourself." I suddenly felt a wave of profound emotion. On one hand, I envied Julian for always having someone to clean up his messes. On the other hand, I marveled that Julian had really messed with the wrong guy this time. I happily picked up a pen and added a very long string of zeros after the first digit. 06 I knocked on the door of the hospital room. A voice drifted lazily from inside. "Come in." Pushing the door open, I saw a man with his left arm in a cast, leaning lazily against the hospital bed. A foreign movie was playing on the TV in front of him. Aside from his pale face and bloodless lips, he looked like he was on a beach vacation. But from what I had gathered about him while I was with Julian, he had always had this laid-back, cynical personality. And most importantly... He was very, very generous with his money. I put on my best professional smile. "Mr. Miller, is there anything you need me to do?" He leisurely scanned me from head to toe. "I thought you'd come in here crying and throwing a tantrum." It seemed my persona as a fragile canary was deeply ingrained in people's minds. I let out a soft sigh. "You were injured because of Julian. It's only right that I do my part to help." My words were incredibly sincere and earnest. Liam looked at me with a half-smile, clearly doubting the authenticity of my statement. After a long pause, he suddenly dragged out his words: "It's so hot in here. Help me take my shirt off?" I froze for a second, then obediently lowered my eyes, unbuttoning his hospital gown one button at a time. Revealing his bandaged chest. I asked, "Should I take the pants off too?" This time, it was Liam's turn to freeze. "Sure." He answered surprisingly quickly. Me: "..." I shouldn't have tried to play chicken with him over who was more shameless. But the words were already out there. I scoffed internally, deciding to just go for it, and reached for his waistband. Just then. A low, irritated voice came from the doorway: "Don't try to stop me. I want to see just how badly he's hurt. Dammit, always causing trouble for my brother." Before I could react, the door was kicked open. My body went stiff, my hand still lingering near Liam's waistband. The loud, chaotic noise outside vanished instantly. In the deafening silence, a chill ran down my spine. It was Liam who broke the deadlock. He smiled warmly, gently pulling my hand away from his pants, his tone intimate. "Alright, alright, there are too many people here. Let's wait until later." The next second, a fierce gust of wind from a flying fist swept past. I instinctively turned around and threw myself in front of Liam. The fist stopped one centimeter from my face. I breathed a sigh of relief. I was Liam's private nurse now; I had to ensure his safety. After all, considering how much I was getting paid, I had to take my job seriously! "Chloe!" A raspy voice, grinding out the syllables, exploded in my ear. Meeting Julian's furiously bloodshot eyes, I nodded awkwardly. "Julian, good afternoon, good afternoon. What brings you here?" A change in title was necessary. My service target had switched from Julian to Liam. I had to have professional awareness. Julian gripped my hand tightly, his face dark. "Why are you here?" Liam raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you asking a question you already know the answer to?" "Shut up!" Julian snarled, using his other hand to pinch my jaw. It hurt enough to make me gasp. "Chloe, why are you here?" I stayed silent for a moment. I couldn't exactly say I was hired by his older brother. "I... have a connection with Liam..." I chose my words carefully. "He's injured, so I came to take care of him." Liam raised an eyebrow slightly. "Yeah. It was love at first sight." Julian's face turned icy. "A connection? Love at first sight? Chloe, you ignore my calls and texts for days, just so you can take care of him?" I pressed my lips together. Liam clicked his tongue. "Don't yell at her." The hostility clashed and exploded in the air. Julian grabbed Liam by the collar of his hospital gown, speaking through gritted teeth. "Mind your own business." The tension was palpable. It felt like Liam was going to get punched any second. But the patient just smiled calmly, not showing a hint of panic. One of the guys following Julian quickly spoke up to diffuse the situation. "Maybe our Chloe is just jealous. She's throwing a fit to test her place in your heart, Julian." Julian paused slightly, glancing at me. "Is that true?" I scratched my cheek, answering vaguely, "Uh... I..." "Come back with me." Julian smirked. "No." "No." Liam and I spoke at the exact same time. If I didn't complete the job I agreed to, what if Arthur demanded his check back? Julian laughed out of pure anger. "What kind of tantrum is this? Are you addicted to making me look like a cuck?" The guy next to him whispered to me, "Julian helping that girl was only because she reminded him of how you used to be. At the end of the day, he was helping you, Chloe." Me: ? I was bewildered for a moment, realizing this guy was trying to make excuses for Julian. But I didn't care. I was actually getting pretty annoyed. My execution of the innocent, devoted canary persona in the early stages was too perfect, leading them all to genuinely believe I was just throwing a jealous tantrum. Just then, a stroke of genius hit me. I covered my face and started sobbing loudly. The others froze. I gasped out between sobs, "Julian, you hurt someone, and it's your fault. I have to take care of Liam to atone for your sins..." Julian frowned, his gaze locked tightly onto me. The others suddenly understood. "Looks like our Chloe hasn't changed. She's still as kind-hearted as ever. She just wants to take responsibility for your actions. Don't be mad, Julian." "Dammit, who asked you to atone for anything?" Julian cursed under his breath, grabbing me and pulling me toward the door. "I'll hire ten nurses to take care of him until he dies." The bodyguards stationed outside the room blocked Julian and me. Liam's voice floated over. "You can leave if you want, but don't take my person." Julian sneered. "She is Chloe, and she is my woman. Isn't that common knowledge?" "Oh." A soft chuckle came from inside the room. "Why don't you ask her if she wants to go with you?" All eyes instantly fell on me. Waiting for my answer. I silently pulled my arm out of Julian's grip. Tears streamed uncontrollably down my face. With red eyes, I met Julian's gaze. "Julian, I have to take responsibility for what you did." Julian stood frozen in place. The air grew suffocatingly silent. "I'm sorry..." I muttered with my head down. "Julian... I'm sorry..." Julian stared at me fixedly for a few seconds. Then he turned and walked away. Without saying a single word. The people who had come with him followed him out. The last one to leave looked at me with exasperation. "Chloe, is it really that hard to just apologize and go back with him?" I didn't answer, maintaining my heartbroken persona as I walked back into the hospital room. And met Liam's meaningful gaze. "Wow." He said casually. "That was a very convincing act." I wiped my tears away and shot him a glare. I picked up an apple from the bedside table and started peeling it. I was here as a private nurse, not a sugar baby. Naturally, I didn't need to put on a sweet, gentle act for Liam. "How much did Arthur pay you?" Liam asked casually. I played dumb. "Who?" He didn't push it. He pulled out his phone with his right hand and started playing on it. I quietly peeled the apple. Then I peeled a pear. Then a peach. ... Until a phone screen appeared right in front of my face. The lighting in the video was dim, the figures blurry. But I could clearly make out a slender girl sitting on a man's lap. Over the chaotic music, I could hear a few delicate cries: "Julian... Julian..." I pretended not to see it. The next second, I froze. For some unknown reason, the people in the video started fighting. It was brutal. Screams echoed everywhere. I abruptly stood up. Julian was in a fight! I threw down the paring knife and hurried toward the door. "I need to use the restroom." Once in the corner, I dialed Arthur's number. "Mr. Sterling, Julian is in a fight at the Diamond Club. It looks pretty serious." There was a pause on the other end. "Understood." I didn't hang up. With a ping indicating a $5,000 transfer, Arthur hung up the phone. I returned to the hospital room, completely satisfied. "I thought you wouldn't care about him." Liam said coldly out of nowhere. Only an idiot turns down easy money. I sighed, "Ah, well. We did have history." Humming a little tune, I started peeling a lychee. Then Liam announced: "I want to go see the drama too." Me: ? I disagreed. "What if Julian hurts you again?"
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