My best friend, Chloe, spent her entire life devouring billionaire romance novels. She was convinced that one day, she’d marry into high society. I used to think she was just talking big. But to my absolute shock, she actually managed to hook up with Arthur Sterling, the wealthiest man in the city. Their romance was a whirlwind, ending in a surprise wedding. For two weeks straight, the news was plastered with clips of their extravagant ceremony. When she FaceTimed me, she was on her honeymoon in Hawaii, lounging in Arthur’s arms with a beaming smile. “Babe,” she giggled, “Arthur and I talked it over. Next month, as soon as we get back from the honeymoon, you’re moving in with us!” Arthur chimed in from the side, “My wife’s friends are my friends. We’re family now.” A month later, I stood in front of the Sterling estate, luggage in hand. I smiled at the butler and said, “Hi! I’m Chloe’s best friend. I’m moving in to stay with her!” The butler froze. “Chloe? Who is Chloe? Mr. Sterling has always been single.” 1 The smile on my face instantly vanished. “You’ve got a great sense of humor, sir,” I let out a dry laugh. “Chloe! Arthur Sterling’s wife! I met you at the wedding reception—I even handed you a pack of expensive cigarettes. Stop teasing me.” The butler looked at me with a completely stone-faced expression. “I don’t have time for jokes. There is no Chloe here. Only Mr. Sterling and I live in this house. If you keep making a scene, I’m calling the police.” With that, he moved to shut the gate. “Wait! Don’t close it!” Panic set in. I grabbed the iron bars of the gate with one hand and frantically pulled out my phone with the other. “I have proof! It was a massive wedding—how could you just forget? Are you suffering from dementia or something?” I pulled up Instagram, scrolling through my saved folders for the livestream of the wedding. I remembered taking screenshots and sending them to Chloe, crying happy tears of envy. But as soon as I clicked the link, a pop-up appeared: [This content has been deleted or does not exist.] My head started spinning. How was that possible? Refusing to believe it, I opened my browser bookmarks to several news articles: “City’s Top Billionaire Spends $100 Million to Marry Cinderella” and “Chloe: The Girl Kissed by God.” The moment I clicked them, every single link went dead. “How... they were working last night...” The butler watched my every move with cold indifference. “Miss, faking news and spreading rumors is a crime. Are you that desperate to climb the social ladder?” “I’m not making this up!” I screamed, my fingers trembling as I switched back to WhatsApp. “I have our chat logs! Look! Just one minute ago, she sent me a message!” On the screen, the chat box with Chloe’s selfie as the profile picture was clear as day. [Babe, I just put on a face mask... the butler will let you in...] “Just you wait! I’m calling her right now!” My voice cracked with desperation. “When she comes down to get me, you’re fired!” The next second, a cold, robotic female voice came through the speaker: “The number you have dialed is not in service. Please check the number and try again...” I went numb. Out of service? I looked at the WhatsApp screen again. She was literally just talking to me a second ago. A terrifying chill crept up my spine. Instant replies on chat, but a dead number on the phone? What kind of horror movie was this? The butler’s expression didn't shift an inch. He gave me one last look, full of pure disgust. “Get lost. If you stay, I’m calling security to throw you down the hill.” BAM! The gate slammed shut. I stood there in the blistering sun, yet I felt like I had fallen into an ice cellar. What was going on? Chloe was clearly inside—why was the butler denying it? Why did all the news vanish? Had something happened to her? Was Arthur Sterling keeping her prisoner, erasing her existence so he could pretend to be single again? My scalp felt tight with fear and rage. No, I couldn't leave. If I left, she’d be truly alone! Gritting my teeth, I dragged my suitcase to the center of the driveway and sat down. I didn't believe for a second that Arthur wouldn't come out eventually. Sure enough, ten minutes later, a black Maybach slowly approached. I recognized it—it was the same car Arthur used to pick Chloe up on their wedding day. In a moment of blind heat, I lunged forward, spreading my arms wide to block the car! “Arthur Sterling! Get out! Where are you hiding Chloe?!” The driver turned pale and was about to hop out to curse me out when the rear window slowly rolled down. It was him—Arthur, Chloe’s new husband. I rushed to the window and roared, “Mr. Sterling! Your butler says you’re single and that Chloe doesn't exist! We FaceTimed two weeks ago while you guys were in Hawaii! What the hell is happening?!” Arthur’s brow furrowed slightly, a flicker of confusion in his eyes. “Chloe? Hawaii?” I thought he was playing dumb and was ready to explode, but he simply signaled his staff to open the gate. “Since you're here, come inside and explain yourself. I’d very much like to know...” “Exactly who this 'Mrs. Sterling' is that you're talking about.” 2 The moment the gate opened, I didn't even wait for Arthur to get out of the car. I bolted toward the villa with my suitcase. The butler tried to stop me, but I shoved him aside. “Don’t touch me!” I knew the layout of this place perfectly. On the wedding day, I had spent hours in the master suite on the second floor with Chloe. “Chloe! Come out!” I kicked the bedroom door open. I rushed in, my eyes frantically scanning the room. Nothing. No Chloe. There wasn't even a single trace of a woman living there. “How...” Refusing to accept it, I threw open the walk-in closet. “The closet! Yes!” I remembered it clearly! On the wedding day, there were two entire walls of Hermès bags behind this door! I had hugged a Himalayan Birkin and screamed while Chloe laughed, telling me she’d give me one. Whoosh— I pulled the closet doors open with sheer force. My hands froze in mid-air. Empty. Only a few dark, custom-tailored suits hung there, lonely and cold. No Hermès. No Chanel. “Impossible... this can’t be...” I knelt on the floor, my hands frantically feeling the bottom of the wardrobe, trying to find a single long strand of hair or a stray earring. But there was nothing. The place was as sterile as a model home. Arthur leaned against the doorframe, his voice flat. “Have you seen enough, Miss Woods?” I slumped on the floor, my mind a mess. Was this a long con? Was the Arthur Sterling that Chloe met an imposter? But... this villa was real. Could a con artist be so powerful that they could rent out the wealthiest man’s estate just for an act? And if it was a scam, why was the real Arthur Sterling living here now? “I don’t believe you!” I scrambled up, pointing at Arthur. “You’re the scammer! You hid everything, didn't you? I’m calling the police! I have video evidence! You were on a honeymoon in Hawaii two weeks ago!” Arthur looked at me like I was an incurable lunatic. He took out his phone and dialed 911. “Hello, this is Arthur Sterling. I have a trespasser at my residence. Please send someone over.” Ten minutes later, the police arrived. “Officers! I want to report a missing person! Chloe Sterling is gone! He did something to her! I have proof! They were in Hawaii two weeks ago!” The officers looked at me, then at Arthur. Arthur looked purely exasperated. “Officer, I’ve been in the city for the past two weeks handling a corporate merger. I haven't been to Hawaii in over a year. You can check my travel records.” The officer checked his terminal immediately. Two minutes later, he turned the screen toward me. “Miss Woods, the system shows that Mr. Arthur Sterling has no record of leaving the country in the last three months.” BOOM! It felt like a lightning strike in my brain. No travel records? “Impossible! I saw it... the waves, the sand...” The officer put the terminal away, his expression stern. “Miss Woods, filing a false police report is a crime. Since you seem genuinely confused or perhaps scammed, I’ll give you a verbal warning this time. Leave now, or we’ll process you for disorderly conduct.” I stood there, frozen, my hands and feet ice-cold. A massive wave of terror swallowed me. Arthur stood to the side, his eyes as indifferent as if he were looking at a bag of trash. “Butler, show her out. If she ever sets foot on this property again, call the police immediately.” The butler stepped forward, roughly pushing my suitcase toward the door. “Miss Woods, after you.” I bit my lip so hard it bled, shaking with rage. I couldn't accept this! Everything was real—why was it suddenly turning into my own personal delusion? I dragged my heavy suitcase out, looking back at every step. As I passed the large porcelain vase near the foyer, my suitcase wheel clipped the edge of the trash can. Clatter. The trash can tipped over. A pile of crumpled papers rolled out. The butler barked at me, “Stop playing games and get out!” But just then, a crumpled-up receipt caught my eye. Looking at it, the blood in my veins turned to ice. It was a convenience store receipt. Item: Orange Crush Menthol Cigarettes. Time: Yesterday, 2:30 PM. That was Chloe’s favorite brand of cigarettes. I secretly snatched the receipt and tucked it away, walking out of the villa without making another sound. 3 At dawn, I called Chloe’s former coworker, Maya. “Maya, it’s Avery! Where’s Chloe? Has she contacted you since the wedding?” There was a pause on the other end, followed by a sharp yell: “Avery, are you crazy? Chloe doesn't even have a boyfriend, let alone a husband!” My heart dropped. “The wedding livestream last month? Arthur Sterling? You didn't see it?” “You’re delusional,” Maya interrupted impatiently. “She quit her job and moved back to her hometown last month!” Before I could react, she hung up. With trembling hands, I called Chloe’s mom. “Auntie! Something’s happened to Chloe! Arthur Sterling is denying everything! You have to come to the city!” Chloe’s mom was silent for five seconds. “Avery... what kind of nonsense is this? Since when did Chloe get married?” I froze. “The dowry! Didn't he send you $1.5 million?” “What dowry? Child, do you have a fever?” Her voice grew urgent. “Chloe told me last month she was going to the countryside to clear her head. She even sent photos! What boyfriend? Don't go ruining her reputation with this talk!” Click. The phone went dead again. I was completely stunned. Had even her own mother been bought off? I didn't believe it. I took a cab straight to my own mother’s house. The second I walked in, I grabbed my mom. “Mom! Chloe’s in trouble! Everyone is lying to me!” I poured out everything that had happened. My mom listened, then touched my forehead. “Avery, when did Chloe get married? Why don't I know about this?” My brain felt like it was exploding. “Mom! Stop joking! We watched the livestream together last month! You even said Arthur was handsome!” My mom frowned. “Last month you were working overtime, and I was watching my soap operas. When did we watch a livestream?” I pulled out my phone and shoved it in her face. “Look! Here’s the evidence! Chloe brags about her trophy wife life every day! Yesterday she even told me to come over!” My mom glanced at it and sighed. “Avery, this is just that 'Marry a Billionaire' roleplay game you girls used to play as kids. Stop it before you cause real trouble.” Roleplay? I stared at the screen. A massive question nearly drowned me. If it was roleplay, what was that wedding? If I was dreaming, how did I know the exact layout of the Sterling bedroom? More importantly, if Chloe didn't hook up with Arthur, I wouldn't even know who that man was! And the most critical question: Where was Chloe now? Suddenly, I remembered something. There was one more place that could prove it! I ran out and hailed a cab. “The Grand Plaza! Everlasting Weddings!” Chloe’s wedding was handled by the biggest wedding planning company in the city. I didn't believe a company that size could just vanish into thin air! Ten minutes later, I stood in front of a door covered in official government seals. [Everlasting Weddings is closed for restructuring due to poor management.] The date on the seal was exactly two weeks ago. The day after Chloe’s wedding ended! I looked through the glass doors. The place was a wreck—chairs flipped, documents scattered everywhere. They ran? The city’s biggest wedding planner gets a $100 million contract from a billionaire and then goes bankrupt the next day? I pulled out my phone and dialed the owner’s number. “The number you have dialed is not in service...” Another dead number! A chill ran from my toes to the top of my head. Everyone and everything related to that wedding was being erased one by one. This only proved that something was definitely wrong. I refused to give up! There had to be something they didn't clean up! “The spa! Yes!” I remembered! A week before the wedding, Chloe took me to a top-tier luxury spa for a treatment. To show off, she loaded $75,000 onto a VIP card for me! “Babe, keep this card. Use it whenever you want. It’s on Arthur’s black card anyway!” I rushed to the spa. “Check the balance on my membership card!” The receptionist tapped a few keys. “Miss Woods, your VIP card has a balance of $74,800.” I felt a surge of pure joy! Over 70 grand! I was a regular office worker making $3,000 a month—where would I get $75k to load a spa card? “Quick! Show me the transaction history! Who loaded it?” The receptionist turned the screen. “You loaded it yourself, Miss Woods.” I froze. “What do you mean I did? Chloe swiped her card! Arthur Sterling’s secondary card!” The receptionist looked confused. “Chloe? We don't have a member by that name.” “Impossible!” I roared. “Check the security footage! Chloe and I came here together!” The manager came over, looking annoyed. “I’m sorry, Miss Woods, security footage involves client privacy. We can't just show it.” “Oh, you won't show it?” I sneered, pulling out my phone. “Then I’m calling the cops! I’m reporting suspicious funds of nearly a hundred grand. The police have the right to see it!” Twenty minutes later, the police arrived. And walking in behind them was Arthur Sterling. He had that same look of weary pity. “Miss Woods, how much longer are you going to keep this up?” “Shut up! Watch the footage!” At the officers' request, the manager reluctantly pulled up the footage from that day. Everyone stared at the screen. On the screen, I walked through the door. I was... completely alone. I pulled a black card out and handed it to the receptionist, my mouth moving as if I were talking to someone. But by my side, from beginning to end, there was no one. The room went dead silent. The officers looked at me with a mix of sympathy and caution. Arthur sighed and stepped forward as if to pat my shoulder. “Miss Woods, go to the hospital. I’ll cover the bill.” I stood there, paralyzed, shaking. Was I really alone? Was I truly insane? Had I made all of this up in my head? But just as the police were about to take me away, I realized something. I looked up and stared at Arthur Sterling. “Arthur, stop acting. I know where Chloe is.” 4 Arthur’s hand stopped in mid-air. His eyes narrowed. “Miss Woods, do you even hear yourself?” The officer frowned and reached for my arm. “Miss Woods, let’s go to the station and calm down.” I shoved the officer’s hand away and pointed at Arthur. “You’ve all been tricked!” “The footage shows me alone, but that actually proves Chloe was there! Because that day, Chloe never got out of the car!” I talked fast, pinning Arthur with my gaze. “Chloe drove me here that day. She stayed in the car to take a call and told me to go in and load the card first! She gave me the black card and told me the PIN! If I’m crazy, if I’m delusional, how could I possibly know the PIN to Arthur Sterling’s secondary card?” Arthur’s face finally changed. That split second of stiffness was all I needed to see. The officer turned to Arthur immediately. “Mr. Sterling, explain. Why does Miss Woods have your card and your PIN?” Arthur was silent. He looked at me, his eyes turning dangerously dark. “Miss Woods, you stole my card, and now you’re playing the victim?” “Stole?” I sneered, pulling the crumpled convenience store receipt from my pocket. “What about this? Did I steal this too? Orange Crush Menthol Cigarettes! Yesterday at 2:30 PM, bought at the convenience store right outside your estate!” Arthur’s pupils shrank. He blurted out, “My driver bought those!” I laughed, now certain of my theory. “Really? Because yesterday at 2:30 PM, your driver was at corporate headquarters delivering documents for you! It’s on the HQ security cameras! So you tell me... who bought the cigarettes?” Arthur stepped forward, reaching for the receipt. “Avery Woods! You trespassed and dug through my trash? Give that to me!” “Why are you panicking?” I stepped back behind the officer. “Arthur, why do you think I lured everyone to this spa? It’s called a distraction!” I held up my phone, showing a call in progress with my mom. “While we were arguing here, I had my mom go to that convenience store! You’re a billionaire, you can control the news and buy off spa managers. But that convenience store is a national franchise with cloud-synced security. You can't delete it!” Arthur looked genuinely panicked now. His high-and-mighty elegance vanished, and a thin layer of sweat broke out on his forehead. “Avery! Don’t you dare!” “Why wouldn't I?” I yelled into the phone. “Mom! Send the footage! Let the police see who bought the cigarettes yesterday! Once the footage is out, we’ll know exactly where Chloe is!” Ping. A WhatsApp notification. My mom sent a video. My heart was racing. My hands shook. I won! The truth was coming out! I clicked the video and held the screen up for everyone. “Arthur Sterling, open your eyes and look! Is this Chloe?!” The next second, the smile on my face froze. A bone-chilling cold rushed from my feet to my skull. In the footage, the person buying the cigarettes... was me.
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