In a daze, I felt myself carried on someone's back, heart-wrenching sobs choking beside me.

"Susan, you have to hang on. Dad and I can't lose you."

Aidan was so heartbroken that he was nearly suffocating. "Susan, you said you'd always be with me. You can't leave me behind."

I stopped struggling, letting myself sink into the darkness.

When I woke again, my entire body was swathed in bandages.

My brother was watching over me and as soon as he saw I was awake, his eyes turned red.

"Susan, you're finally awake! Are you still in pain? Are you hungry? Do you want some water?" As he spoke, he carefully brought a cup of water to my lips.

I said nothing, silently drinking it all.

Everything I endured was their doing. Why were they now putting on this false show?

My brother chattered on beside me, his eyes brimming with guilt.

When my father saw I was awake, he embraced me so tightly his tears soaked my hair. "Susan, my darling, you're finally awake. I knew you'd never abandon me and your brother."

Their grief in that moment was real, but even so, when danger came before, they had chosen Sally without hesitation.

With this thought in mind, I pulled the corners of my mouth into a slight smile and said in a raspy voice, "I want to be discharged."

Aidan's expression stiffened instantly when he heard me. "Susan, you're not well right now. How about you get discharged in a few days? I will find the best doctors in the world to help you recover."

He spoke carefully and leaned his head closer to my hand, just like he did when we were little. I didn't move and continued to say expressionlessly, "I want to be discharged."

My father's face also showed a look of reluctance.

For the next three days, they took great care of me. I spoke no words to them except to say I wanted to be discharged. Yet my family didn't seem to mind at all.

One was the chairman of the Sherman Corporation and the other was the CEO, yet now they served me like servants—bringing tea and water.

Whatever I craved, they'd procure it within seconds. Anything I desired, they'd provide. Still, I knew it was all an illusion.

They would never show up in front of me at the same time, because when my father was with me, my brother would be with Sally. Their kindness to me was all leftover, something Sally didn't want.

Thinking of this, I gave a wry smile.

My father stroked my head with a pained expression and sighed, "Susan, if you're so eager to leave the hospital, then go. I'll arrange for people to care for you at the villa."

After he finished speaking, he had someone send me back to the villa. Meanwhile, he himself hurried away.

Minutes later, my phone received another video call from Sally.

"Susan, our family's having dinner. Why aren't you joining us? Or is it that you're crippled now and can't come? How pitiful, being ruined like this by your own father and brother. You're both stubborn and worthless, sis. Even this couldn't kill you. Oh, and that villa you designed earlier? It's really nice. I'm living very comfortably there."

She sent the message with a mocking emoji attached. The video showed my father, brother, Sally and Connor enjoying a harmonious meal. I quickly recognized the location as the villa I had designed.

When it ended, I turned off my phone expressionlessly. Ever since that wedding incident, nothing my father or brother did could move me anymore.

I began cleaning out the villa. After living here for 20 years, it was filled with my family's traces: the toys my father gave me since I was just a year old, the birthday presents from him and Aidan, the thousand paper cranes Aidan once folded by hand and the lucky charms my father brought me year after year.

I took them all down. After I ran my fingers lightly over these items, I realized that at some point, they had become covered in dust. Just like the love between my father, my brother and me.

After carefully wiping them clean, I tossed them all into the fireplace without hesitation. The roaring flames instantly consumed everything.

I didn't watch as they burned. Instead, I turned and entered my father's study.

I logged into my father's computer using Sally's birthday, staring at the wallpaper showing the three of them smiling brightly. I opened their chat history and scrolled through the endless messages that stretched before me, reading them bit by bit.

When I reached the year 2023 and saw that contract, my eyes widened in disbelief.

Back in 2023, when the Sherman Corporation faced a major crisis, I had secretly sold thirty patents I held without telling my family. To ensure safety, I sought help from Jack, who ultimately secured this contract and saved the company.

Yet in their chat history, they credited Sally alone for it.

"Back when the Sherman Corporation faced a crisis, it was Sally who knelt and begged those people to step in at all costs, saving the company. Her health suffered because of it. I will take full responsibility for Sally and find her the best possible future."

Soon, messages began flashing across the computer screen. I mechanically clicked through them.

[Mr. Sherman, the contract you requested is ready. In three days, once you sign it, 15% of Sherman Corporation shares will transfer to Miss Sally. But weren't these shares originally intended for Miss Susan?]

The next second, my father's reply popped up.

[Forget about Susan. I'll take care of her for the rest of her life. She's crippled now; she doesn't need shares. Sally, on the other hand, requires some shares to protect herself while she's with the Ladners.]

I stared at the messages, snapping photos of each one.

Later, I went back to my room, lay on the bed and laughed until tears streamed down my face. So it had all been so simple—Sally had stolen my credit, while my family remained blind and heartless.

Tears drenched the pillow without my knowing. After a long moment, I finally calmed down and took out my phone to text Jack.

[About our plan, we need to change the location. In 3 days, my dad and brother will host Sally’s birthday party at the company and transfer shares. I'll send you more evidence. On her birthday, you must reclaim all the patents I gave the Shermans and cancel all their contracts. I want them to lose everything that day!]

Over the next three days, my father and brother rarely appeared before me.

Before they did that, they explained to me with guilty faces, "The company is too busy. Once everything settles down, we'll celebrate your birthday properly."

After they left, Sally would send me more photos and videos.

They were preparing even more extravagant jewelry for her birthday party, along with a dress worth billion. Everything was even more precious than what she had for her wedding.

[Susan, do you know why Dad and Aidan are doing this? It's because they feel that the video released that day, along with you being trampled at the wedding, ruined my big day. So, they're making it up to me with something even better. This time, you won't have a chance to show up in front of me. The Shermans will soon be mine. Lol.]

I screenshotted the message and forwarded it to Jack.

Soon, Sally's birthday arrived. Actually, this day was not only her birthday but also mine and everything she orchestrated was solely to crush me completely at this moment.

Aidan brought me a simple birthday cake. After lighting the candles, he stammered, "Susan, the incident you were involved in caused too much commotion. Public opinion hasn't settled yet and your health hasn't fully recovered either, so … "

I quickly interrupted him with a blank expression. "It's fine, I've already prepared the best gift for myself."

Hearing this, my father looked relieved. "Susan, you've matured so much after this incident."

Aidan then patted my hand reassuringly. "It's okay. Next year, Dad and I will throw you an even better birthday party. We'll make it huge! I'll make you the happiest person in the world!"

"There won't be a next time," I murmured to myself.

Luckily, they didn't catch what I said.

In the past, whenever my brother said something like that, I'd always leap up excitedly. But now, I just stared expressionlessly at the cake before me.

They all instantly sensed something was off.

My father reached out to grab me, as if he still wanted to promise me something. I didn't have time to resist as my brother's phone suddenly rang. After glancing at the caller's name, Aidan shot our father a meaningful look.

Both of them hurriedly reassured me, "Susan, there's an urgent matter at the company. We need to handle it. Stay home and be good. I'll have someone watch over you."

I nodded calmly, watching them leave.

Ten minutes later, Sally sent me another video.

It showed my father affectionately dabbed a bit of cream on her cheek, while my brother laughed happily. Everyone was gathered around them, making Sally look like a little princess.

[Susan, why aren't you joining us? Oh, right, I forgot it's also your birthday today. What a shame, Dad and Aidan both came to celebrate my birthday with me. They even promised they would absolutely not let you show up. Sally, if I were you, living like this, I'd rather die. Your reputation, your innocence, your family, your wealth—you've lost it all. How can you have the nerve to keep living?]

After watching the cheerful video and reading Sally's message, I closed my eyes and blocked that number permanently.

However, my counterattack was coming. I took out a lighter and set the curtains ablaze before me. Soon, raging flames started to devour everything.

At Sally's birthday party, my father was about to sign the share transfer agreement when the girl beside him could barely contain the greed in her eyes.

Just then, the secretary rushed in to interrupt him. "Mr. Sherman! It's bad! The video of the people you hired attacking Miss Susan has been posted online!"

My father's face instantly changed. Before he could say anything, his phone rang. "Sir! Miss Susan's room is on fire! By the time we found out, the fire had already engulfed the entire villa!"

The call made his phone fall to the floor straightaway.

The originally lively banquet instantly fell silent. All eyes turned to my father and brother, awaiting their reaction.

My father stood frozen in place while the secretary was still waiting for him to respond. Yet at this moment, he couldn't remember anything.

Next to him, Aidan abruptly picked up the phone from the ground and yelled into it, "What nonsense are you spouting? How could Susan's room possibly catch fire? Who permitted you to curse her? Billy, have you lost your mind? Are you tired of living?"

Billy, the butler, on the other end instantly grew trembling with fear, his voice laced with terror.

"Sir, how could I dare deceive you and your father? Miss Susan's room truly caught fire. Because you and your father instructed us to guard the door, by the time we discovered the flames, it was already too late. We've called the firefighters, but they said the blaze was so intense that it completely gutted Miss Susan's room. If she hadn't escaped at the start, I'm afraid ... "

Then, as if worried my father and brother might fly into a rage, Billy hastily added. "Sir, you and your father can rest assured. Miss Susan is blessed by heaven and will surely be fine. Even if something happened, it would only serve your and your father's wishes. Haven't you both long considered her a stain on the family?"

Billy's fawning voice rang out on the other end of the line and Aidan's expression instantly turned furious.

"What the hell are you talking about? Are you crazy? Do you think you have any right to interfere in my sister's and my father's affairs? I think you're truly mad!"

As if to cover up the panic rising inside him, my brother suddenly smashed the phone onto the floor. He stared at the phone, his mind buzzing, his blood freezing.

How could Billy's words possibly be true?

How could I be dead? I should be quietly recuperating at home, waiting for them to return. How could I, his beloved sister, be burned to death in the villa?

But Billy's reaction and his words somehow felt undeniably real.

Aidan's chest ached more and more. Meanwhile, my father, witnessing everything that was happening, simply couldn't believe that in just a few short hours, he would lose his own daughter.

How absurd this news was.

Those around them began whispering among themselves. They were still at the scene and with such a big incident at the Sherman Family, they hadn't paid any attention to the online news. Their impression of me naturally remained frozen in time from just days prior.

"Isn't Susan's death a blessing for the Sherman Corporation? Someone like her only tarnishes the Shermans' name while alive, right?"

"Exactly. I don't get why Mr. Sherman is so upset. If it were me, I'd be overjoyed. Imagine having a slut like that in the family, who actually played those videos at her own sister's wedding! If those videos hadn't surfaced, or if she hadn't taken things so far that night, I remember the groom was actually supposed to marry Susan, wasn't he?"

Aidan and my father heard every word the bystanders exchanged and a bitter taste instantly rose in both their hearts.

Still, Aidan wasn't as composed as our father. He shouted furiously at the crowd, "What happens in my family is none of your business! How dare you speak about my sister like that?"

"All of you, get out now! My family does not welcome you!"

As he spoke, he ordered the bodyguards forward to drive out those who had just spoken.

Though the guests attending Sally's birthday party might not individually match the Shermans' influence, their combined clout was certainly formidable.

Now, with Aidan acting like a madman, trying to throw them out over that so-called Sherman Family slut who'd just become famous a few days ago, they suddenly felt they couldn't stand it anymore.

Anger clouded their judgment and words they'd never have uttered before poured out now.

"What are you pretending? Don't think we're all like Susan, clueless about everything. Now you're suddenly putting on this act of caring for her? Doesn't that seem utterly hypocritical? Let's be honest, her becoming a slut probably has something to do with you, doesn't it?"

The guests' eyes turned to my father and brother, filled with scorn.

"One treats his illegitimate daughter better than his own flesh and blood. The other, despite having a full-blooded sister, shows her no affection and instead sides with the illegitimate child. Do you think no one knows what you've done? You gave shares to the illegitimate daughter and you, her own brother, didn't even try to stop it. Your own full-blooded sister got nothing. Now that she's dead, you pretend to be outraged. It's disgusting!"

As they spoke, the guests' gazes toward my father and brother grew even more scornful.

My father and brother swiftly froze in place. The pain spreading in their hearts became increasingly hard to ignore. All they wanted now was to see me.

Just then, Connor stepped forward. Accompanied by bodyguards, he escorted everyone out of the venue, smiling as he apologized to each guest individually.

"My deepest apologies. My father-in-law and the others reacted this way upon receiving unfortunate news. I ask for your understanding. In a few days, once things settle, I will personally host another gathering for everyone to celebrate properly."

Later, Connor promptly ushered everyone out without hesitation. Now, the guests' gazes toward him carried a hint of admiration.

After everyone had left, Connor gave Sally a meaningful glance. Of course, that girl immediately understood.