In the end, everything was always my fault.

Years ago, I naively believed that if I just worked hard enough, I could earn my parents’ love.

So I pushed myself to be the top of my class.

I threw myself into business ventures and investments.

But all of my efforts combined still couldn’t compete with Eric calling out “Mom, Dad” in his sweet voice.

Fortunately, I grew up.

I found the courage to fight back.

When Mrs. Smith once again swung her platinum handbag at my head, I slapped her hand away.

“Leave in five minutes, or see you in court.”

The sharp sting stunned her into silence for a moment.

But when she recovered, she became even more hysterical.

She yanked my hair and screamed,

“You’re kicking me out? You’re really kicking me out?”

“I carried you for ten months, raised you with so much effort, and this is how you repay me? You ungrateful little bastard! Instead of letting you trample me, I might as well kill you right now!”

In her rage, my mother grabbed a vase and hurled it at me.

Just as the crystal ornament came flying toward me, a familiar figure stepped in front of me.

“Mrs. Smith, I already told you—Daniel Smith has nothing to do with your family anymore.”

“If you dare to bully my fiancé again, I won’t hesitate to use certain means to make you pay.”

Looking at Olivia White’s back as she shielded me, my nose stung.

All my life, I had longed for this moment—for someone to stand in front of me when I was beaten and helpless.

But now, as I watched Olivia’s back, my heart felt only bitterness.

Because before she stepped forward, I had already smelled it—the lingering scent of Eric’s cologne on her.

Still, it was Olivia who got rid of the problem.

After my mother stormed off, she knelt down to tend to my wounds.

When she saw the bruises and blood, she frowned.

“Daniel, why are you so foolish? When others hurt you, don’t you ever think to fight back?”

“I’m used to it,” I replied flatly.

Used to being bullied.

Used to being mocked.

Used to comforting myself with clumsy lies.

Olivia’s hand stilled for a moment before she gently pulled me into her arms.

“Don’t be afraid. From now on, I’ll protect you. I won’t let you suffer even the slightest grievance again.”

I gave a faint, indifferent smile without answering, though in my heart, I already knew the truth.

After this episode passed, the wedding proceeded as planned.

But on the eve of the ceremony, a series of explicit photos exploded online.

My fiancée, Olivia White, and my younger brother, Eric Smith.

In my own car, lost in their passion.

The footage had been captured by a nearby surveillance camera.

The timestamp: July 19, 10:35 a.m.

Exactly ten minutes after Olivia had hugged me and promised she would protect me forever.

In an instant, Olivia and Eric were thrown into the eye of a storm.

At the company headquarters, outside the mansion—reporters swarmed everywhere.

Reading the countless reports online, I only felt exhausted.

It was as if, over the past ten years, I had never truly known Olivia.

All I had possessed was an empty shell.

At that moment, I no longer cared about anything else.

My mind was consumed with one thought: how to protect my own interests.

The night before I was ready to act, Olivia’s PR team suddenly released a statement.

They claimed that Eric had been Olivia’s first love in her youth.

That the two had been together for over a decade, but hadn’t gone public due to business reasons.

That I was merely her business partner.

Facing the cameras, Olivia earnestly explained,

“Back then, when Eric went abroad for further studies, we were forced to separate for a time.”

“He cared deeply about his older brother, and asked me to look after Daniel in his absence.”

“It was out of trust and love for Eric that I chose Daniel as my business partner.”

“I hope people won’t confuse our relationship, and certainly won’t do anything to hurt Eric because of this.”

She spoke with sincerity, but her words shoved me directly into the fire.

Overnight, Eric’s reputation was restored.

Meanwhile, every accusation and condemnation turned toward me.

Fueled by Eric’s own manipulative posts that blurred the truth, nearly everyone came to believe it.

That I was a selfish, greedy man who, while my younger brother studied abroad, seduced his girlfriend.

My phone rang off the hook.

Red paint and dead rats were thrown all over the doorstep of my home.

In an instant, I went from being a respected, enviable businessman to a reviled homewrecker.

Even my parents stepped forward to testify against me.

My father claimed I had always been cruel, bullying my younger brother.

My mother declared that the Smith family had no such shameless son, and that she was cutting ties with me.

After enduring endless ridicule and curses, I ordered a milk tea and stood before the floor-to-ceiling windows, watching the tidal wave of hatred crash down on me.

It was then that Olivia knocked on my office door.

Her tone was calm, her expression gentle, but in her eyes was the same condescension I had seen so often in Eric’s.

“I didn’t want it to come to this. But I can’t just stand by and let them drive Eric to his death.”

“You’re his older brother. You should know his temper best.”

“A boy who’s been pampered his whole life, never suffered even the slightest setback—he can’t possibly withstand this kind of cyberbullying.”

“This time, consider it a debt I owe you. Once things calm down, I’ll find a way to make it up to you.”

Those words.

The ones I’d heard from my parents my entire life.

Now, they came from Olivia’s mouth.

I laughed coldly.

Calmly, I poured the unfinished milk tea over her face.

“No need. There is no ‘after’ for us.”

I called my lawyer and asked him to meet me at home to discuss strategy.

But when I opened my front door, I found Eric sitting there smugly.

He pressed a cigarette butt into my wedding photo and smirked.

“What’s wrong? Not smiling now? You looked so proud in that wedding photo. Why can’t you laugh anymore?”

“Daniel, you’re a real fool. You actually thought stealing Olivia would put you above me?”

“Did you forget? Ever since we were kids, if I wanted something, I always got it.”

I frowned, cutting him off.

“Do you even like Olivia?”

Eric shrugged, utterly indifferent.

“Like or dislike—what does it matter? If it’s something you care about, I can’t resist the urge to take it. To ruin it.”

“I love watching you get angry and miserable, knowing there’s nothing you can do.”