"Enough, get up!"

Dylan's voice was cold. It seemed mixed with anger.

"Is kneeling the only thing you know how to do now when you see people? Chloe, where's your self-respect?"

Wasn't it he who crushed my self-respect with his own hands?

In the past, the Phillips family cherished me. Dylan never let me suffer the slightest grievance.

One time, he got drunk, and I went to the bar to pick him up. A rich kid mistook me for a bar girl and just grabbed my hand. Dylan beat him until his face was covered in blood.

In the end, he pressed the guy's head down and forced him to kneel and apologize to me. That's how the matter was settled.

When word got out, everyone envied me, the beloved princess of the Phillips family.

Back then, I was proud. I never bowed my head to anyone.

But now, there's no more princess of the Phillips family. There's only the orphaned girl of the Morgan family.

I cowered in silence.

Dylan stood in front of me for a long time.

Finally, he let out a cold laugh.

"It seems you've made quite some progress these three years. You've even learned how to play the victim.

"If you want to kneel, then kneel. Let's see how long you can keep it up."

Of course, Gianna couldn't let me kneel there forever. She tried to smooth things over and help me up.

I flinched.

In Roberts Village these past three years, countless hands have torn at my body.

Any touch from someone else filled me with fear.

Gianna's hand froze in mid-air.

After a moment, she looked at my pale face. She was in disbelief.

"Chloe, why have you lost so much weight? Did they not treat you well?"

Dylan looked at me coldly and said, "Mom, you're overthinking it. They're Chloe's relatives. How could they treat her badly? She probably threw tantrums, refusing to eat this or that, and that's why she's like this."

I lowered my eyes and didn't say anything.

I got up awkwardly.

Dragging my heavy right leg, I limped toward the stairs. I saw the shock in Dylan's eyes.

Gianna exclaimed, "Chloe, what happened to your leg?"

Dylan looked at me intently as if waiting for an answer.

I felt bitter inside. Don't they know better than anyone what happened to my leg?

Over the past three years, I refused to endure the torment from my aunt's family. I tried to escape time and again.

But every time, I was caught and brought back.

The villagers were their eyes and ears.

My last attempt to escape completely enraged my cousin.

He took out a belt and beat me until my skin was torn and bleeding. He shouted, "Don't you get it? The Phillips family has long abandoned you. Even if you manage to escape, they'll just send you back.

"It was their idea to cripple your leg, so you wouldn't run back and embarrass them."

A brick came crashing down, breaking my right leg.

If they didn't still need me to do hard labor, I would've lost the other leg too.

I didn't know why they were pretending to be clueless.

I really didn't want to go back to that nightmare of a place.

I cooperated and shook my head. "It's fine. It's just a minor injury."

Compared to staying alive, losing a leg is nothing.

That night, I had just finished bathing when there was a sudden knock on the door.

I tensed up immediately.

I was terrified that the door would burst open any second and a few leering men would barge in.

"Chloe, open the door."

Dylan's tone grew impatient.

I quickly grabbed a blanket and wrapped it tightly around myself.

I opened the door and immediately apologized, "I'm sorry. I was in the shower and didn't hear you. Please don't be mad. Don't make me leave."

Dylan's face darkened instantly.

"From now on, you're still the lady of the Phillips family. No one will kick you out again."

I thought I saw a flicker of pity in his eyes.

I must have been mistaken. How could he possibly pity me?

If he hadn't given his approval to my aunt and cousin, how else could I have endured three years of living hell?

Dylan handed me a paper bag.

"In two days, it's Dad's birthday banquet. Mind your manners."

Inside the bag, there was a brand-new evening dress, a pair of matching high heels, and a tube of ointment for injuries.

Seeing these items, a wave of bitterness surged in my heart.

He knew my leg was crippled, yet he still sent high heels and medicine. Was he trying to humiliate me?

Or did he think I wasn't miserable enough yet?

On the day of the birthday banquet, many guests arrived.

I hid in a corner, trying to make myself invisible.

But someone still recognized me.

"Isn't that the princess of the Phillips family? How did she end up like this?"

"Princess? She's just a shameless tramp. She should know her place. How dare she set her sights on Mr. Phillips? She deserved to be sent to the countryside to fend for herself."

"No wonder she's dressed like a country bumpkin. Anyone would think she's a beggar who snuck in."

Scornful gazes cut through me like blades. I clenched my fists.

Just as I was about to leave, Dylan walked over with Ella.

Ella had grown up with Dylan. Their families had always wanted to match them up.

Ella looked me over in surprise. "Chloe, why aren't you wearing the dress?"

Dylan glanced at my shirt and pants, then said coldly, "There's a limit to how willful you can be. Don't you know how important today's banquet is?"

Ella gently tugged at Dylan. "Come on, don't be mad. I shouldn't have assumed and sent Chloe the dress. Maybe she didn't like it, so she didn't wear it."

So, she was the one who sent the dress.

I clenched the hem of my shirt. I was about to explain.

Dylan consoled Ella, "You meant well. Unfortunately, she doesn't know what's good for her."

He shot me a glance. "Playing the victim once or twice is enough. Any more than that, and it just becomes annoying."

Even though I had known for a while how little he thought of me, hearing it still hurt.

If only he had taken the dress out of the bag, he would've seen it was way too big.

On me, it would've looked like a loose sack.

Not to mention, the scars crisscrossing my body and my deformed right leg would've been exposed.

I numbly lowered my head, choosing not to explain.

A guest holding a wine glass approached and exchanged pleasantries with Dylan.

I quietly turned to leave.

Suddenly, a hand shoved me hard from behind.

I lost control and stumbled forward, crashing into the nine-tier birthday cake that a servant was pushing.

With a loud crash, I fell hard to the floor.

The toppled cake splattered all over me, red jam and cream smearing my face.

The entire hall fell silent.

Suddenly, a little boy said, "Auntie, she looks like a clown."

The floor was slick with cream, and with my weak right leg, I struggled pathetically in the pile of cake.

I couldn't get up for a long time.

"Haha, this is so funny. Now she looks like a worm rolling in the mud."

The child's innocent words made everyone laugh.

Everyone started pointing and whispering about me.

Ella stood in the crowd holding a little boy's hand, looking at me with feigned concern.

As if she wasn't the one who had pushed me earlier.

Dylan's face darkened as he strode over. He grabbed my arm and dragged me up from the messy floor.

He lifted me into his arms.

His steps were quick and hurried, and the sharp laughter quickly faded behind us.

"Dylan!"

Ella chased after us, but Dylan ignored her.