I specialized in selling photos online to help people catfish. For extra cash, I’d even do voice messages and video calls. Until one day, a regular client messaged me: [Will you do an in-person meet-up for $100,000? You can keep whatever he buys for you, too.] Just as I was about to decline, my sworn enemy’s photo popped up on my screen. I stared blankly: [Are you telling me you've been using my photos and videos to date him?] 01 [Then you've been scammed, sister,] I replied earnestly. [Impossible,] she insisted. [He transferred a lot of money to me. Isn't he the heir to the Sterling family?] Me: "..." I took the photo of Oliver Sterling she sent and ran it through a Google image search. It had been used to death by gossip blogs. I sent her a screenshot of the results. She remained utterly convinced, [We've been working together for so long, would I lie to you? The guy I'm dating online is definitely the Sterling heir.] I let out a helpless sigh. From what I knew of Oliver, the wealthy young master, his real-life romantic entanglements were already enough of a headache for him. Why would he bother with online dating? Especially using my photos and videos... if he saw them, he wouldn't fall in love; he’d probably throw up. I replied to the client, [He looks at my photos and doesn't say anything?] [He says they're pretty, because you are pretty.] She paused, then added, [I even used your voice packs! Every time I use one, he sends me $5,200!] Mother of God. If Oliver actually heard my pinched, overly sweet voice, he’d probably lose his appetite for three days. It was absolutely confirmed: that guy was definitely not Oliver Sterling! Thinking about it, I went through all the photos and videos I’d sold to this client again. The photos were mostly normal selfies. But the videos... Various tight mini-skirts paired with cat ear filters. ...It’s fine, as long as the guy isn't Oliver. The client kept begging: [Babe, please help me out. Absolutely strictly platonic! I told him I'm not ready for physical contact yet. The meeting place is a busy mall downtown, lots of foot traffic.] Seeing I hadn't replied, she anxiously added: [If you really can't handle it, just see him for a minute and leave? Otherwise, he'll think I'm a catfish, and how will I keep getting money out of him?] A few seconds after she sent that, my bank account received a $300,000 transfer from her. My fingers, poised to type a refusal, paused. Let's rethink this. If that guy dared to use Oliver's photo for online dating, how brave must he be to agree to meet in person? Wasn't he afraid of looking nothing like the picture? This client wanted me to go in her place, but no one could possibly order Oliver Sterling around. Perfect timing. I'll go see what kind of weirdo this guy is! I deleted my refusal. [Alright.] Looking at it this way, this client was a very big spender. Tsk, I felt like even Oliver himself wasn't as generous as this impersonator. Afraid I'd change my mind, she quickly sent me several screenshots of her chat history with the fake Oliver. Left and right, it was "hubby," "kisses," and "I only love hubby." The emojis were all cats spinning in circles, happy cats, and cats acting spoiled. Me: "..." The fake Oliver's replies were consistently: [Baby looks so pretty.] Transfer. [Baby is so cute.] Transfer. ... Transfer. Transfer. Transfer. God bless the God of Wealth. The client quickly sent me the location, [It's this mall.] I took a look. Well, well. The Sterling heir really did like shopping at this mall; it was very close to one of his villas. Maybe I should... I dialed Oliver's number. Would I get a chance to have the fake impersonator see the real Oliver appear right in front of him and scare him to death?! Uh. I forgot, I was blocked. I silently put my phone away. 02 Under the client's countless reminders and instructions. I dressed up carefully as promised, arriving at the mall half an hour early to familiarize myself with the layout. I didn't expect to bump into Oliver right here in the mall. He looked relaxed, one hand stuffed in his pocket. Beside him was a girl, chattering away continuously. Oliver wasn't really listening, a careless smile hanging on his face. But he hadn't shown any signs of impatience from start to finish, which was basically a miracle. I was stunned. Until Oliver noticed me, and his smile vanished. He muttered a low curse: "What rotten luck." I heard him clearly, but kept my face blank. The girl instinctively grabbed Oliver's arm and shot me an unfriendly look: "Who are you?" When I didn't answer, she looked up at Oliver piteously. Oliver scoffed: "A broke loser." Well, wasn't that the truth? If I wasn't broke, why would I be here meeting a fake Oliver? I let out a dry laugh, my tone lifting slightly, "To be hated by the great Young Master Sterling, I guess it's an honor." Hearing this, Oliver's face instantly darkened. He crossed his arms, speaking without an ounce of mercy: "Evelyn, which item in here can you afford?" "As long as you can afford it, that's all that matters." I smiled and pointed to a nearby store, "Didn't you buy me a bag from there before?" The girl's eyes widened, "What is your relationship?" What relationship? First love. But dating this young master was the biggest mistake I'd ever made in my life. Oliver didn't speak, and I couldn't be bothered to make a fool of myself. I adjusted my bag on my shoulder and prepared to leave. "Evelyn." His tone was light, but carried the same condescension and arrogance as before. "Which guy did you trick into paying for you this time?" I turned back, "Don't worry, Young Master Sterling, I haven't managed to trick anyone more generous than you yet." Of course, not counting the guy the client scammed. Oliver had been pampered by countless people since childhood; he never hid his emotions. For instance, right now, I knew he was in a very bad mood. Afraid he would delay my upcoming meet-and-greet, I paused and then tried to placate him: "You were right before, people like me won't find happiness. But as long as you're happy, that's what matters." Actually, regarding this whole "sworn enemy" thing, I felt it was entirely Oliver unilaterally hating me. I had never liked making enemies, especially not with a first love who had been so generous. The young master, who had always been hard to please, was even less receptive to this now. He sneered, incredibly harsh, "Don't leave. I want to see what kind of trash you've hooked this time." I froze. I didn't even know what kind of persona the client had established with this fake Oliver. If it was some pure, innocent "white lotus" type, wouldn't this whole thing blow up in my face? With Oliver's personality, a few words would likely expose me. I swallowed my pride: "He's not as good-looking as you, and he doesn't have as much money as you. Young Master Sterling, why are you trying to embarrass me?" The girl nodded along, "Yeah, Ollie, let's just go." Oliver didn't even spare the girl a glance. His long fingers pulled a card from his pocket. The girl took it, her demeanor instantly changing, and she left efficiently, "Then I'll go shopping. Ollie, just text me if you need anything." I smiled, "She's quite cute." Oliver didn't take the bait, but he also showed no intention of leaving, just glaring at me. But he was always like this, willful and unrestrained. Once, when he had a high fever, I was pacing around with worry. He just lazily held my hand, "Do you want to try 104 degrees?" My eyes widened, and my face instantly turned bright red. Not from shyness, but from anger. "Are you sick in the head?" His lips curved, trying to suppress a muffled laugh. We ended up trying it, and he ended up in the ER. ... They were all childish memories. I lowered my eyes. Oliver quickly grew impatient. He lifted his eyelids, "You didn't just make someone up, did you?" I stayed silent. His patience exhausted, he answered a call from a friend, "Fine, I'll be right there." Then he glanced at me, mockery floating in the depths of his eyes, "Instead of carrying that cheap canvas bag, you shouldn't have been so stubborn about your pride back then." With that, he took long strides outward, getting further and further away from me. I watched his tall silhouette. Even the way he walked had a careless swagger to it. Back when I broke up with Oliver, I packed up all the luxury goods he had given me and shipped them back to him. He only sent me a few words: [I don't accept trash here.] And then he blocked me. As for those luxury goods, a friend told me he threw them all in the trash can outside his villa. My phone notification chimed non-stop. Ning: [Babe, are you there yet? [How about we meet at the cafe? I just told him I'd wait for him at the cafe? [Babe, text me back quickly!] I composed my emotions and replied: [Okay, I'm heading to the cafe now.] When I got to the cafe, I looked around. I texted the client: [Babe, bad news, Oliver isn't here. Even worse news, there's only one handsome guy here.] [Impossible! He said he's already arrived!] she replied anxiously. I let out a sigh. Until I saw the only handsome guy walking towards me. The corners of his eyes tilted up slightly, a small red mole under his eye, smiling warmly. But he inexplicably had a kind of cunning, fox-like aura. I warily took a step back. He spoke, his voice magnetic: "Evelyn." Me: "..." I looked down and texted the client: [Is your name Ning? Did you use my name?] She replied instantly: [Uh... yes. I didn't dare use my real name, and since we were negotiating the price for the photos and videos, I just gave him your name.] Me: [Wow.] I put my phone away, took a deep breath, looked up, and greeted the man: "Hello there." Up close, the man was even more handsome. He had delicate features, but didn't look effeminate. A high nose bridge, thin lips curving slightly, a shiny stud in his left ear. He was much better looking than I had imagined, even somewhat breathtaking. Wait, he had absolutely no need to use Oliver's photo! I offered an awkward smile, "You and the photo you sent me... look quite different." He raised an eyebrow, "I don't recall ever sending you a photo of myself." Me: ? My expression lost control for a moment. This guy hadn't even sent a photo, so how was the client so certain he was Oliver?! "Then I remembered wrong." I fought the urge to grind my teeth, forcing a difficult smile, "Do you mind if I go to the restroom first?" "Sure." He smiled brightly. Once in the restroom, I immediately called "Ning". As soon as it connected, I unleashed a torrent of words: "I fucking told you, your online date is not Oliver, it's not Oliver! Fine if you didn't listen, I figured it was just a catfish. Turns out the guy never even sent you a photo, why did you think he was Oliver!" A long silence from the other end. After a while, a "Holy shit" popped out. It was actually a male voice! I was stunned. "He's not Oliver? How is that possible? Then who is he?" he asked in a rapid-fire sequence. I was also losing my mind: "You're asking me? Where did you fish this guy out from? This is so sketchy!" I thought she was just a sister scamming money online, who knew it was a guy? No wonder he had to buy voice packs from me. "What does he look like? Describe him quickly!" I didn't expect this guy to be more anxious than me. Me: "He's actually quite handsome, don't worry about that." Silence again from the other end. Long after, his voice sounded as if he had lost the will to live: "Does he have a red mole near his eye?" Me: "Yes." "Ahhhhhhhhh! I'm doomed!" ...Now you know you're doomed, why weren't you afraid of being doomed when you were scamming people for money. If he had actually scammed Oliver, he really would be doomed. With Young Master Sterling's temper, he'd absolutely skin him alive; it'd be a miracle if he didn't kill him. After a while, he asked painfully: "...Then what do I do?" I was curious, "I think this guy is way better than Oliver, what makes you think Oliver is such a prize?" "No, you don't understand, this guy is way scarier than Oliver. If Oliver wants to teach me a lesson, my grandma can at least step in and stop him. If my brother wants to teach me a lesson, no one will dare say a word!" Saying that, he started crying bitterly again. My eyes widened: "...What did you say?" He was clearly desperate: "No wonder Oliver said I was stupid, am I really that stupid?" Me: "...What do we do now, do I make a run for it?" "Don't!" He gritted his teeth, "If you run, he'll definitely investigate. He'll 100% trace it back to me!" I was speechless. He simply said: "Why don't you just take over my WeChat account, let's just pretend it was you talking to him the whole time. Anyway, my brother is not bad-looking, and he transfers a lot of money..." My pupils experienced an earthquake. Before I could answer, he mumbled to himself again: "I didn't expect him to be so generous when dating. Fuck, why isn't he like this when he gives me my allowance?" "Forget it." I refused. Ever since I broke up with Oliver, I saw things clearly. What doesn't belong to you, will never belong to you, no matter what you do. Especially with these wealthy young masters. Don't harbor too many delusions about them. Not to mention, if I really got involved with this man and Oliver found out, who knows how the young master would freak out. Right, he might just mock the man: "You have terrible taste, getting involved with a woman like Evelyn." I thought silently in my heart, and sighed again. The other end of the line was unhappy, "Aren't you offering after-sales service?" Truly a family! This thought process is as sick as Oliver's. I said flatly: "Hanging up." "Fifty thousand! I'll add another fifty thousand!" He panicked, "I'll even take out my New Year's red envelope money! You absolutely cannot let my brother find out." Me: "...One million." Him: "...Lion opening its mouth, you must be trying to drain me dry after milking my brother?" "Then forget it," I said. "Deal!" He broke down. "What's your brother's name?" I asked. "Liam Sterling." I jerked my eyes up, "Is that Oliver's older cousin who's always abroad?" "Yes." 03 I adjusted my dress in the restroom, touched up my makeup, took a deep breath, and walked out. Liam was standing outside waiting for me. To be honest, Liam didn't look as refined and orderly as his name suggested; he gave off a sense of ease that seemed detached from the rules. With a smiling face, he looked like a fox. A man with this much money and power, engaging in online dating? I proactively took Liam's arm; he paused imperceptibly, his smile growing wider. "Want to buy anything? Or eat first?" he asked. "Anything's fine," I said. Then he took me shopping from store to store. Unlike Oliver, he would patiently comment on how every bag and piece of clothing felt on me, and then pay for everything. Oliver couldn't be bothered to look; he'd just sit in the store, play on his phone, and wait for me to pick things out before paying and leaving. It was strange, feeling like a boyfriend had dropped from the sky. But Liam was definitely not as casual as he appeared on the surface. The more a person is like this, the more dangerous they are. But for now... He even called two bodyguards to follow behind carrying the shopping bags. "Evelyn, I've made a reservation at that restaurant you said you wanted to try before." Liam curved his lips slightly. "Let's go!" I responded briskly. "Do you still remember which one it was?" He lowered his eyes smoothly, his expression lazy. Just like looking at prey in the palm of his hand. ...Which one. I don't know! At a time like this, I couldn't exactly pull out my phone and ask the "client." The atmosphere fell silent. My heart trembled, and I pursed my lips. I also felt a chill. I finally understood what the guy meant when he said Liam was scarier than Oliver. Oliver's emotions were written all over his face. If you provoked him, you'd know immediately. But Liam was different. I couldn't read him. For example, right now, I didn't know what he meant by suddenly asking this question. I moved my lips, but before I could speak, he gave a half-smile, his voice warm and deep: "It's fine. Evelyn is busy, it's normal to be forgetful. I'll take you there, you'll see." I nodded hastily. Liam was still a good guy! If it were Oliver who found out I forgot something about him, he would have coldly mocked me for five hours straight without repeating a word. 04 After arriving at the restaurant, the waiter saw Liam and greeted him respectfully: "Mr. Sterling." Then they led us to the innermost private room. The room had a great ambiance, even a pond with koi fish. I sat face-to-face with Liam. His cuffs were loosely rolled up, revealing hands with distinct knuckles. The pale skin made the slightly raised blue veins even more obvious. I didn't pick up the menu. "You can just order; I'm not a picky eater." Liam chuckled lightly, "Alright." Taking this opportunity, I messaged the "client": [Did you tell Liam you wanted western food? I almost got exposed. Are there any other details? Confess quickly.] Suddenly, the door to the private room was pushed open. A familiar voice rang out: "...Liam? You're back?" I froze instantly. Oliver clicked his tongue, saying listlessly: "I thought this room was empty, so I didn't make a reservation. The other rooms are full; let's share a table." I shrank like a quail, keeping my head down as low as possible. But I forgot that Oliver once told me that even if I turned to ash, he would recognize me and scatter me himself. ... "Evelyn?" The voice that had just been casual instantly turned ice-cold. I didn't dare to look up even more. But unexpectedly, my phone received a message right then, and the screen lit up: [Huh? How is that possible? I didn't tell my brother where I wanted to eat. I don't like western food; I like iron pot stewed goose.] My pupils dilated. "Raise your head, Evelyn," Oliver gritted his teeth. Liam tapped his fingertips lightly on the table, "Is that how you talk to your sister-in-law?" "What did you say?" Oliver's volume rose. At this point, I slowly lifted my head and offered a sheepish smile, "What a coincidence." Then, following Liam's cue, I added, "Little brother." "Who the fuck is your little brother!" Oliver bristled immediately, pointing at me and questioning Liam, "She dated me, didn't you know?" "Not anymore, not anymore. We broke up a long time ago," I quickly interjected. "You shut up," Oliver's voice carried suppressed anger, every word seemingly squeezed from between his teeth. He clenched his fists tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force. "Liam, didn't you check when I was dating? And now you're talking bullshit saying you don't know Evelyn?" Liam sat with his legs crossed, his posture relaxed. Even in this suffocating situation, he could still chuckle leisurely, "Yeah. So what?" The corners of Oliver's eyes turned red with anger. I sighed inwardly and spoke up: "Don't be mad. Maybe we just weren't meant to be. How about you drink some water and calm down?" Saying that, I prepared to stand up and pour water. "Evelyn," Liam shot me a light glance. My heart tightened, and I immediately sat back down securely. Oliver couldn't believe it: "You used to argue with me every day, and now you listen to him like this? Have you been bewitched?" Me: "..." It's mainly because Liam has a more intimidating presence. After a long while. Oliver's tone was slightly hoarse, "When did you two get together?" I couldn't answer that. Liam spoke calmly: "At the end of last year." "Specifically?" Oliver seemed determined not to stop until he got a specific time. "The day after Christmas." My expression stiffened. Oliver's mouth carried a mocking chill, "Evelyn, you're really something." I and Oliver had broken up on Christmas Day. But the person chatting with Liam the day after Christmas wasn't me! I stayed silent, bitterly swallowing the truth and wearing the hat of a seamless transition. Oliver, seeing I didn't dare to speak, directly slammed the door and left. 05 Liam didn't seem to mind; he thoughtfully said, "If the food doesn't suit your taste, remember to let me know." I nodded trembling. He looked at me unexpectedly, "Are you afraid of me?" As he smiled, the red mole at the corner of his eye was captivatingly bright. I moved my lips: "...Did you investigate me before?" He nodded, taking his time to say, "Previously, the family was curious about Oliver's girlfriend, so they had me look into it." "Then you..." I was shocked, "Still got involved with me..." Liam's smile deepened, "I've thought my future sister-in-law was quite cute for a long time." I awkwardly touched my nose. But I still felt something was wrong? A long time ago? Before investigating me? Right, and Liam's probing just now! Didn't he know that the person he was online dating with was someone else? I was just a stand-in for the meet-up. I trembled, not daring to speak rashly. "Evelyn," Liam said, "Come back to the Sterling family with me next week." I was shocked, "What?!" He smiled helplessly, "You said before that you wanted to meet my family, and mentioned it several times. Don't you remember, Evelyn?" My heart was full of apprehension. With my previous experience, I didn't dare answer casually: "...I see." "But I'm not ready yet." I unconsciously clutched the corner of my clothes. "You said before that your family wanted a thirty million dollar bride price. Evelyn, I can transfer it to your card anytime," Liam looked at me seriously. I was terrified. What astronomical bride price?! Was that what Liam's brother said? My voice shook: "No rush, no rush. Let's let things develop a bit more..." By the end, my voice was trailing off. This family is too terrifying. The atmosphere was silent for a moment. Liam lowered his eyes, his smile fading. He said softly, "Sorry, I was too eager." I froze for a moment. Has he really fallen so deeply in love? If he finds out that the person whispering sweet nothings to him the whole time... is a guy... And I can be considered an accomplice with his brother, deceiving people together... I held my forehead. Things seem to be developing out of control. Looking at Liam's expression, he seems genuinely sad. Sigh, that makes sense. If it weren't true love, who would spend so much money on an online date? I silently stood up, "I need to go to the restroom again." 06 [Your brother wants to take me back to the Sterling family.] I messaged "Ning". Him: [Uh... just go.] Me: [? Is this right.] I thought he would definitely be jumping up and down, but who knew he would seem quite calm? [What's done is done. Just name a price, help me cover up the lie.] I looked at the message weirdly. I replied: [This isn't a question of whether to cover it up or not. Have you ever thought about having to use countless lies to cover one lie? What if I can't get out of it safely?] He sent me a voice message: "Sigh, who knew it would develop like this? But honestly, being with my brother isn't a loss for you. He's handsome and rich, and has never been in a relationship. Although he's not experienced, his assets are impressive! As long as you guide him a little, he'll definitely become a perfect boyfriend." The corner of my mouth twitched violently, losing the will to live: "...Your family really doesn't have a single normal person." "I just have one request. When you become my sister-in-law in the future, can you suggest to my brother to increase my allowance?" Me: "...I don't think I've agreed yet." If I ran into Oliver at the Sterling family, I'd be dead meat. I didn't dare take the risk. Ten seconds later, five million was deposited into my bank account. The other side said with a hint of a spoiled tone, "Sis, just help a brother out. Let's just get through this period first. When you get bored, you can break up whenever! Just consider it as a brother using your photos to scam people, and to atone for his sins, he helped you find a boyfriend, okay?" I stared at my bank account balance. ...Well, to bring it back to the point. Even if I did get together with Liam, so what? Could Oliver kill me? ? Thinking this, I returned to the private room. Meeting Liam's eyes, I blinked: "Which day are we going to the Sterling family?" 07 I held Liam's arm and stepped through the grand doors of the Sterling estate. The sprawling manor was complex and opulent. Taking step after step, there were more and more people. Truly a massive family. I followed Liam's lead in greeting everyone. The people of the Sterling family were very nice; there wasn't the oppressive atmosphere I had imagined from a wealthy family. No one gave me dirty looks, and no one put on airs. They all smiled and greeted me: "Liam's girlfriend, oh my, so pretty and fresh! The old lady will be so happy." I smiled shyly. Until a teenager appeared, he chuckled, "Brother, sister-in-law." Liam laughed coldly twice. The teenager immediately hid behind my other arm. "Corey Sterling." With a faint utterance, the teenager stiffened instantly, turning his head mechanically. I followed the teenager's gaze to find the source of the voice. Oliver had one hand in his pocket. But I didn't make eye contact with Oliver. He glared at the teenager, "Why are you running around? Do you think you're the only one with legs?" Corey pouted, feeling wronged, "Oliver, I just came over to say hi to my brother and sister-in-law. If I didn't, you'd say I was impolite." Oliver sneered, "Heh, sister-in-law?" My blood seemed to freeze in my veins. But Oliver didn't say anything in the end. He didn't look at me or Liam the entire time, just dragged Corey away, "Go do your homework. You failed your math test, and you still have the nerve to wander around?" Corey was dragged away looking miserable. I withdrew my gaze thoughtfully. Corey's voice and "Ning's" voice were almost exactly the same; it must be him. I asked Liam, "Is that your biological brother? Why is his last name Han?" Liam smiled faintly, "He took our mother's maiden name." I nodded. Before long, Liam was called up to the study. I went to keep the old Mrs. Sterling company. She stroked my hand, sighing: "You and our Liam are a perfect match." As she spoke, she wiped away a tear. I quickly grabbed a tissue to wipe it for her. "Liam, this child, matured early. His parents... sigh, it's rare for him to find a girl he likes. You two must be happy!" The old lady looked dazed for a moment, then a wave of relief washed over her, and she gripped my hand tightly. I stayed with the old lady for a while, and she offered: "Liam said you don't like it when it's too stuffy. Our garden here is quite beautiful; you can go for a stroll." "Okay," I agreed. I walked into the garden feeling relaxed, enveloped in a faint floral scent. Liam saw that I wasn't good at socializing, so he instructed the others to let me get some fresh air in the garden if I felt bored, and not to bother me. But some people clearly didn't listen. I heard footsteps and wasn't surprised, nor did I turn around. "Evelyn, what are you really thinking? Do you want to enter the Sterling family's door that badly?" Oliver's voice was freezing cold. My fingertips brushed past the rose petals, and I said indifferently: "You can expose my true colors in front of everyone in your Sterling family." After a long while, Oliver's voice sounded muffled: "...What true colors do you have?" I answered casually: "Your ex-girlfriend, spent your money. After breaking up with you, seamlessly transitioned to Liam." Oliver was silent for a very long time. His thin lips moved slightly, "I didn't want to leave a bad impression of you in their eyes." I didn't understand, "You still care about that?" His voice was hoarse and dry, "What if, one day in the future, you still have the identity of Oliver's wife..." He realized what he was saying, and his voice stopped abruptly. My eyes widened slightly in astonishment. After a long pause, I shook my head, "That won't happen." The wine glass in Oliver's hand dropped to the ground. It made a sharp sound of breaking glass. "Why did you get together with Liam the day after breaking up with me? How did you get together?" Oliver grabbed my wrist, his grip strong. I didn't want to get into a tug-of-war with him here, "It's none of your business." "Evelyn!" My struggling stopped. I looked up in surprise. That cry from Oliver just now clearly carried a tearful tone.
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