Elena stared at her phone, Olivia's sickly sweet voice still echoing in her ears. "We saved every penny for you, honey. Your dad and I—we just want you to be safe." The words sounded warm, but Elena's fingers tightened around the device until her knuckles blanched.
Last life, she'd believed them. When she'd gotten into a car crash at 19, bedridden for months, Ethan had "doted" on her—bringing soup, reading to her—while Olivia and her father, Qinghuan Yuan, had handed over $50,000 of their "life savings." "You're the family's pillar now," they'd said. "Ethan will marry someday—this money's yours to keep, in case he forgets you."
She'd cried then, guilty for ever doubting them. She'd given them half her acting earnings, even let them move into her apartment. It wasn't until the game invaded—when she was on the run from the Su family, hunted for her talent—that she'd uncovered their secret.
The Yuan family's "modest" house wasn't just a house. The neighbor's unit next door—locked, supposedly abandoned—was theirs too. Behind a false wall in the basement lay a hidden vault: 200 pounds of gold bars, crates of antiques and paintings, seven chests of diamond-encrusted jewelry. Qinghuan Yuan wasn't just a college professor—he was a descendant of a branch of the Yuan clan, and the vault held loot his grandfather had stolen during the clan's downfall.
$50,000? A drop in the bucket. The gold alone was worth over $10 million. And they'd called it "all we have."
Elena wiped a stray tear from her cheek—not out of sadness, but rage. They'd destroyed her trust, her kindness, her willingness to love. Every "I love you" had been a lie; every "sacrifice" a trap.
She stood, grabbing the shoebox with the thrush's skeleton (she'd stripped the rotting flesh the night before, leaving only clean bones) and shoving it into her bag. Tonight, she'd get the vault's key.
She drove to the Yuan house at 7 PM. News of Leo's "suicide" and Liam's arrest was already trending online—Olivia and Qinghuan greeted her with over-the-top concern, their smiles tight. "You must be terrified," Olivia said, pulling her into a hug. Elena stiffened, fighting the urge to push her away.
Ethan sat on the couch, his phone in his hand. When he looked up, his eyes narrowed—just for a second, like he was studying her for cracks in her act. Elena's jaw tightened. He knew. Not everything, but enough to be wary.
"Ethan has something to tell you," Qinghuan said, his voice too cheerful. "Big news."
Ethan set his phone down, his tone flat. "I'm dating Yitong Su. Her family's coming over tomorrow to meet you guys."
Elena's eyes widened—Yitong Su? The youngest daughter of the Su clan. Her older brother, Baige Su, was a famous actor; her second brother, Jinxuan Su, an Olympic archery champion. The Su family was worth billions—why would their daughter date Ethan, a nobody with no connections?
"Su… like Baige Su's family?" she asked, feigning shock.
Olivia perked up, her voice giddy. "Yes! They're loaded—Baige Su has a mansion in the hills, for God's sake. Yitong says they want to 'blend in,' but you know how rich families are. They'll probably buy Ethan a house for the wedding!"
Elena laughed, bright and fake. "That's incredible! You must be so happy, Ethan."
Ethan didn't smile. He just stared at her, like he was waiting for her to slip up. Elena's blood ran cold. She knew exactly what this was—last life, Ethan had used Yitong to get close to the Su family, then stolen their resources to boost his in-game power. And Yitong? She'd been a pawn too; her family had wanted Ethan's talent, and they'd traded her hand in marriage for a shot at it.
"Maybe they'll help us buy a new place," Olivia said, nudging Qinghuan. "Ethan needs space for his new wife, and Elena—well, you can stay with us, right? Your apartment's so small."
Elena's smile faded. "I can't. I invested all my savings in a friend's project—every penny. No money left for rent, let alone a new place." She sighed, leaning into the victim act. "I was hoping to borrow some from you guys, but… never mind. I'll figure it out."
Olivia's face fell. Qinghuan cleared his throat. "We… we don't have much either, honey. Professor salaries don't stretch far."
Liar. Elena thought. She stood, stretching. "I'm exhausted. Can I use the guest room? I'll leave early tomorrow so I don't get in the way of the Su's visit."
They agreed, too eager to get her out of the living room. Elena walked to the guest room, closing the door behind her. She pulled the thrush's skeleton from her bag, setting it on the windowsill. She'd hidden a tiny camera in its eye socket earlier—now, she activated it, angling it at the hallway to monitor the family.
She changed into dark, form-fitting clothes, then slipped out of the room, her boots silent on the carpet. The basement door was locked, but she'd stolen the key from Qinghuan's jacket pocket during their hug—her fingers had brushed the keychain, quick and silent, slipping it into her sleeve before he noticed.
She crept down the basement stairs, her heart thudding. The false wall was hidden behind a stack of dusty old boxes. She pushed them aside, revealing a metal panel with a keyhole. She inserted the key, turning it slowly. The wall clicked open, revealing a dark vault.
She flipped on her phone's flashlight. Gold bars glinted under the light, stacked chest-high, while crates of antiques and velvet boxes of jewelry lined the walls. She grabbed a small, sturdy bag from her backpack, shoving handfuls of jewelry into it—necklaces, rings, earrings, all encrusted with diamonds. She left the gold (too heavy to carry without being noticed) and antiques (too recognizable) behind.
As she turned to leave, a floorboard creaked upstairs.
Ethan.
She froze, listening. Footsteps approached the basement door. She slipped back into the vault, closing the false wall behind her. She held her breath, her hand wrapping around the wooden bat in her bag.
The basement door opened. Ethan's voice called out: "Elena? You down here?"
Silence. Then, the sound of boxes being moved—he was checking the false wall. Elena's pulse thundered—he'd known about the vault all along.
The false wall shifted. Ethan's face appeared in the crack, his eyes cold and sharp. "Thought you could sneak in here and steal what's ours?"
Elena lunged, swinging the bat. Ethan dodged, grabbing her wrist. His grip felt superhuman—likely boosted by early in-game stat gains. "What are you doing?" he snarled.
"Taking what I'm owed," Elena said, yanking her wrist free. She drove her boot into his stomach—hard enough to make him double over. She sprinted up the stairs, the jewelry bag bouncing against her hip.
Ethan chased her, yelling. Olivia and Qinghuan ran into the hallway, their faces shocked. "Stop her!" Ethan shouted.
Elena dodged Qinghuan's clumsy grab, slamming the front door behind her. She jumped into her car, peeling out of the driveway so fast the tires screeched. In the rearview mirror, she saw Ethan standing on the lawn, his fists clenched so tight his knuckles turned white.
She breathed a sigh of relief, but she knew this wasn't over. The Su family's visit tomorrow, the vault, Ethan's unnatural strength—all pieces of a bigger puzzle.
She pulled over to the side of the road, opening the jewelry bag. The diamonds sparkled in the moonlight. She'd sell them first—quick cash for more potions, better tools, maybe even a new weapon.
And tomorrow, when the Su family arrived at the Yuan house? She'd be watching—waiting to see how Ethan's little "alliance" fell apart.
She pulled out her phone, starting a list of all the Yuan family's lies, all the secrets she'd uncovered.
Game on, she wrote. This time, I'm not playing nice.