Hearing that, Ivy felt a flicker of panic. "Don't scare me!"

"I'm not trying to scare you! You'll see when we get to the hospital."

"If you knew it was impossible for a skincare product to heal scars so quickly, why didn't you stop me from the beginning? Why did you just stand by and watch me use it?" Ivy's eyes narrowed as a terrible realization dawned on her. "Oh, I see. You were hoping something *would* go wrong, weren't you? You wanted to use me, to play the part of the grieving husband and turn my tragedy into your stepping stone." After more than two decades of marriage, she knew Leo was capable of anything when it came to his own self-interest.

"Of course not!" Leo denied it instantly. "I just wasn't thinking clearly at first! Let's not talk about this anymore, we need to get to the hospital." He grabbed her arm again and pulled her downstairs. He had to get his hands on her medical report.

Decker Blake was a massive online gaming streamer, with a combined following of over ten million fans on TikTok and Facebook. A childhood fire had left half his face severely scarred. Over the years, he had tried countless scar creams, but nothing worked.

Because of his scars, he was mocked at school and couldn't find a decent job after graduation. He had no friends; no one dared to get close. He avoided going out during the day, and when he had to, he would cover himself from head to toe, hiding his face from the world. So, he became a faceless gaming streamer on Tik Tok.

It hadn't been an easy start. The streaming world was brutally competitive: Although he was smart and exceptionally skilled-a top-ranked player in almost every game he touched-Tik Tok was full

eing prodigies....

handsome ones who were also incredibly talented. In comparison, a streamer who never showed his face was practically invisible. It took him over a year of witty commentary and world-class gameplay to slowly build a following.

Now, Decker was a top-tier streamer earning millions a year, but recently, his life had hit rock bottom. Because he was skilled but anonymous, his rivals spread vicious rumors that he was a wanted fugitive. Others clammed he was a school bully first, it was just gossip, but his refusal to appear on camera to defend himself-a written explanation felt too weak-only seemed to confirm the lies. Then, the unthinkable happened: a so-called "victim" came forward to accuse him of being a bully. And then another.

Suddenly, Decker became a public enemy online. The vitriol was overwhelming. His latest post had over a million hateful comments. Already a recluse, he now locked himself in his room, not even turning on his stream He couldn't understand why his life had to be s miserable. He was trying so hard just to live, so why did fate have to be so cruel?

He thought his life would remain shrouded in darkness forever. But then, a turning point appeared.

Gonzales Holdings had released a new skincare product: Jade Glow Balm. A product that claimed it could rapidly heal scars within a month.

Decker ordered it as fast as he could, becoming one of the first people to use it. Today was the last day of his treatment.

Decker woke up early. He sat before the mirror, looking at his reflection with a churning mix of hope and fear. A dark scab covered the scarred side of his face. Online, people were saying that once you peeled it off, a miracle would be waiting underneath.