After that plastic surgery clinic was raided and shut down, Chloe finally sought me out again. She wore a mask, but some pink mucus still seeped out from underneath. She limped as she walked, as though she would trip and fall at any time.“Harry, please help me again, one more time! I was tricked. That clinic was a sham! My face has fallen apart so much that I don't even dare to show myself anymore…“Their so-called imported ingredients were bones from corpses! Please, could you help me find another clinic?”She took off her mask as she pleaded. Her face was covered in rotting skin and flesh, her nose and mouth distorted to different extents.Since the beginning, I had warned her not to get so much work done at once. I told her it would backfire, but she did not believe me.I said, “You can look for other plastic surgery companies and see if they can help you fix your face. There's nothing I can do.”She immediately stopped her pity party. “Bullshit! What do you mean, there's n
Chloe's online image collapsed like a house of cards.Even the fans she had desperately gained by putting on that act with the healthy living influencer soon scattered to the winds. The predatory multi-channel she had been working with sued her for violating the terms of their contract and demanded an enormous sum as compensation. Her face had been completely ruined, and her legs were useless now too. I had reported the plastic surgery clinic to the authorities, and everyone in the management was arrested for stealing and desecrating corpses. However, I knew they would not stay in there for long. After all, the laws were not complete in this field. That was how these clinics found the loopholes they needed to operate. The vast fortune involved was enough to lure in all sorts of unscrupulous people.There were many other victims of their scams. Many famous cosmetic surgery hospitals were implicated in this scandal as well, and Chloe was but one of their countless victims — but
I saw Chloe again when I came back with Ellie to sell the house. Chloe was buried in a wheelchair, covered in old cotton clothes. Her eyes were sunken. “You're…” She raised her head with some difficulty, but her face lit up when she saw us. “Ellie, come here! It's Mommy! Didn't you love it whenever I hugged you?”Ellie stared at her outstretched arms and then glanced at me timidly.Chloe was never particularly good to our daughter. Once, I had to stay at the hospital for the night shift. Chloe had gotten drunk and demanded that Ellie take care of her when the girl had barely just learned to walk. Just like that, my baby girl had a cup of hot water spilled all over her legs. By the time I got home, the sun had come up, and Ellie had passed out after crying all night from the pain. I took one look at the blisters all over her legs and rushed her to the hospital in a panic.Meanwhile, Chloe was sound asleep on the couch. Even when she found out about what happened afterward, sh
Knowing Chloe's intelligence or lack thereof, normally she would have given up after the last round of cyberbullying. I felt something amiss from the moment I saw her earlier. She would never bow her head to me, nor would she try to win over Ellie.She was not the type of person who would ever reflect on her own shortcomings. She would rather go wild torturing others than bend her knee for even a second. There was no way she would think of fostering stray cats to redeem her online image — that was just too much work for the likes of her.I had been keeping an eye on her, and she had not come in contact with anyone else. No one had given her these ideas, so there was only one possibility. She had also regressed. Seeing the changes between this life and the previous one, she could tell I had something to do with the way things panned out. I turned around and met her hateful gaze, my voice equally emotionless. “Then I wish you the best of luck.”After that, I left without waiting
“She's asking for a larger shipment every time,” Rachel said, sitting across the table from me.I sipped some coffee. My head was spinning because I had not slept all night. “She won't be content with being the downline. If she asked for such a large shipment, she must be selling the goods now too.”Rachel nodded. “She couldn't stand the pain after that bone reconstruction surgery. All I did was bring it up in front of her once, and she actually managed to find it herself.”Rachel was the real Chloe Rinn. After Chloe stole her place in university back then, her family had decided to sell her hand in marriage rather than spend any more money on her education.It had taken her two years to escape from her abusive husband. After that, she found a job as a hotel receptionist, and that was when she met Chloe.Their names and even their social security numbers were identical.Rachel saw the lavish life “Chloe” led. For the first time in a long while, she thought about the offer letter
“Trust me this time, honey! This time is different.” My wife Chloe Rinn’s voice echoed through the quiet living room.When she went shopping today, her best friend had recommended her a new plastic surgery clinic. Apparently, the clinic had headhunted a famous plastic surgeon from Korea with the offer of a high salary. The surgeon was very skilled and had many celebrities on his resume.Since they were just starting out, the clinic only charged thirty thousand dollars for a full-face makeover.“Doing a large-scale surgery is too risky! You may lose your facial functions or even your life…” Chloe interrupted me before I could finish that sentence. “Don't say such things! It’s bad luck. Besides, the doctor is really skilled. Celebrities lined up for an appointment with him.”She could not be convinced otherwise. All she could think of was how beautiful she would look after the surgery. “Fine. If you really want to go, I'll transfer the money after I get my salary in a few days.”
I even found her a more professional cosmetic hospital afterward, but all they did was slightly improve her existing foundations. I never expected her best friend Rachel to go for that surgery and end up blowing up online. Many casting directors invited her to join their movies. In comparison, Chloe could only maintain a small fanbase by following some healthy eating trends. Every day when I went home, she would scold me over the dinner table.“It's all your fault! If you hadn't stopped me, I'd be famous by now! The three of us wouldn't have to live in this tiny apartment. “You're always so risk-averse and paranoid about everything! The world out there isn't that dangerous. Do you think you're all that because you're a doctor? You only got into the hospital because of my father.”I was furious, but I glanced at my daughter, her head buried in her food, and suppressed my rage. “You'll only see the side effects of the surgery after some time. It's early days yet.”Chloe clicked
In my previous life, Chloe pretended to give up after I persuaded her. That night, she invited Rachel to a bar, planning to swindle some men there and earn the money she needed for the surgery. However, her victim's wife caught her in the act.By the time I got there, the fight had been over. Chloe sat on the bed, her expression twisted in agony. Her eyes were red and there were scratches on her face. She sobbed at me, “Honey, believe me, the wine was drugged! I just went drinking for a change of mood. I have no idea what happened after I drank the wine…“Forgive me this time, please? If you don't believe me, you can test the wine for drugs.”She swore on her life. That time, I had asked my friend for a favor and tested the wine overnight. As expected, the results showed there were sleeping pills in the wine.Of course I forgave her after that. Even up till my death, I never once considered she was the one who put the pills there to drug the man.In my previous life, I even felt b
“She's asking for a larger shipment every time,” Rachel said, sitting across the table from me.I sipped some coffee. My head was spinning because I had not slept all night. “She won't be content with being the downline. If she asked for such a large shipment, she must be selling the goods now too.”Rachel nodded. “She couldn't stand the pain after that bone reconstruction surgery. All I did was bring it up in front of her once, and she actually managed to find it herself.”Rachel was the real Chloe Rinn. After Chloe stole her place in university back then, her family had decided to sell her hand in marriage rather than spend any more money on her education.It had taken her two years to escape from her abusive husband. After that, she found a job as a hotel receptionist, and that was when she met Chloe.Their names and even their social security numbers were identical.Rachel saw the lavish life “Chloe” led. For the first time in a long while, she thought about the offer letter
Knowing Chloe's intelligence or lack thereof, normally she would have given up after the last round of cyberbullying. I felt something amiss from the moment I saw her earlier. She would never bow her head to me, nor would she try to win over Ellie.She was not the type of person who would ever reflect on her own shortcomings. She would rather go wild torturing others than bend her knee for even a second. There was no way she would think of fostering stray cats to redeem her online image — that was just too much work for the likes of her.I had been keeping an eye on her, and she had not come in contact with anyone else. No one had given her these ideas, so there was only one possibility. She had also regressed. Seeing the changes between this life and the previous one, she could tell I had something to do with the way things panned out. I turned around and met her hateful gaze, my voice equally emotionless. “Then I wish you the best of luck.”After that, I left without waiting
I saw Chloe again when I came back with Ellie to sell the house. Chloe was buried in a wheelchair, covered in old cotton clothes. Her eyes were sunken. “You're…” She raised her head with some difficulty, but her face lit up when she saw us. “Ellie, come here! It's Mommy! Didn't you love it whenever I hugged you?”Ellie stared at her outstretched arms and then glanced at me timidly.Chloe was never particularly good to our daughter. Once, I had to stay at the hospital for the night shift. Chloe had gotten drunk and demanded that Ellie take care of her when the girl had barely just learned to walk. Just like that, my baby girl had a cup of hot water spilled all over her legs. By the time I got home, the sun had come up, and Ellie had passed out after crying all night from the pain. I took one look at the blisters all over her legs and rushed her to the hospital in a panic.Meanwhile, Chloe was sound asleep on the couch. Even when she found out about what happened afterward, sh
Chloe's online image collapsed like a house of cards.Even the fans she had desperately gained by putting on that act with the healthy living influencer soon scattered to the winds. The predatory multi-channel she had been working with sued her for violating the terms of their contract and demanded an enormous sum as compensation. Her face had been completely ruined, and her legs were useless now too. I had reported the plastic surgery clinic to the authorities, and everyone in the management was arrested for stealing and desecrating corpses. However, I knew they would not stay in there for long. After all, the laws were not complete in this field. That was how these clinics found the loopholes they needed to operate. The vast fortune involved was enough to lure in all sorts of unscrupulous people.There were many other victims of their scams. Many famous cosmetic surgery hospitals were implicated in this scandal as well, and Chloe was but one of their countless victims — but
After that plastic surgery clinic was raided and shut down, Chloe finally sought me out again. She wore a mask, but some pink mucus still seeped out from underneath. She limped as she walked, as though she would trip and fall at any time.“Harry, please help me again, one more time! I was tricked. That clinic was a sham! My face has fallen apart so much that I don't even dare to show myself anymore…“Their so-called imported ingredients were bones from corpses! Please, could you help me find another clinic?”She took off her mask as she pleaded. Her face was covered in rotting skin and flesh, her nose and mouth distorted to different extents.Since the beginning, I had warned her not to get so much work done at once. I told her it would backfire, but she did not believe me.I said, “You can look for other plastic surgery companies and see if they can help you fix your face. There's nothing I can do.”She immediately stopped her pity party. “Bullshit! What do you mean, there's n
After I got home that day, I saw Ellie watching Chloe's videos on her phone. “Daddy, Mommy’s changed.” She turned around and spoke to me sweetly as soon as she heard me open the door. I glanced at the phone. There were two similar faces on the lit-up screen, chatting away. It was Chloe and the healthy living influencer she copied. “The truth is we've always been good friends. She asked me before she made those videos copying mine.“I believe everyone has the right to become pretty. Every girl wants to look their best, after all!“Now she's gotten rid of her useless ex and made a career for herself! I couldn't be happier for her!”The influencer even applauded her. Chloe seemed quite moved, her eyes red as though she was about to cry. She sobbed as she thanked the viewers and followers who showered her with gifts. I almost burst out laughing. “Ellie, would you like it if someone copied you?”Ellie tilted her head and gave it some thought before saying decisively, “No, not at
“I’m already at the hospital! Why aren’t you here yet?”When I was patrolling the wards one day, I saw a woman with a scarf wrapped around her head leaning against a doorframe, speaking urgently into her phone.She heard my footsteps and turned around. When she saw me, she immediately dragged me into my office. “Harry Scholes, give me a checkup right now! I don't know what's wrong with my body! It's been itching non-stop for days.”She took off her scarf and cap. Only then did I get a good look at her. The rashes on Chloe's neck had spread to her face, and some had even formed blisters. She probably scratched some of them because they itched too much, and now the open wounds were starting to fester. I could not believe it had taken her this long to get to the hospital. I shrugged. “Ma’am, I'm a neurosurgeon.”“I don't care what kind of surgeon you are! If you can't fix me, find someone who can! I have plenty of money!”Chloe slammed her handbag onto the desk and took out h
“Ellie, do you want to come live with me from now on?” I rubbed her head and asked quietly as we walked toward the car.Ellie blinked and then lowered her head dejectedly. “Are you and Mommy splitting up? Mark in my class only has his dad, and now he has a new mom. Since then, he’s never had three square meals a day! I don't want to end up like that.”I looked at the long line of cars in front of the school, saying solemnly, “Mommy and Daddy won't live together anymore, but we still love you. I promise I won't give you a new mom. I'll work hard every day to earn enough money so I can buy you tasty food and pretty dresses.”Only then did Ellie’s face break into a smile. “Then will people still call me a copycat's daughter from now on?”I shook my head. “Shall we transfer schools next semester?”The hospital had offered to send me to another branch, but I never said yes because Chloe refused to leave. Now, I could consider moving sooner than later.The next time I met Chloe was hal
After that, Chloe had her first surgery appointment even sooner than I expected. When I met her again half a month later, her entire face was wrapped in bandages. All I could see were her red and swollen eyes.“Are you disappointed to see that I survived the surgery?” she said in a muffled voice. I just shrugged.It was a particularly hot summer. From this distance, I could already smell a thick stench of sweat and rot emanating from her. I took a good look at her face for a while, and she scratched her neck awkwardly. “What are you looking at? I'm just recovering, that's all. I'll be gorgeous once they remove the stitches.”I ignored her, looking closely at the rashes on her neck instead. “Did you eat something you shouldn't have?”Chloe huffed. “What does that have to do with you? You should just watch more of my videos. People are already giving me all sorts of offers. Don't come begging me for forgiveness after I make it big!”She rolled her eyes at me, covered her face w