As I watched the two of them put on their heartfelt performance in front of me, a bitter smile crept onto my lips.

How ironic.

The ones who truly destroyed me, who left me in unbearable agony... were you.

I closed my eyes, exhaustion washing over me. After a long pause, I finally asked, though I already knew the answer.

"Brother, when will the surgery start? It hurts so much..."

Hearing my words, Marco slapped himself hard across the face, his eyes filled with guilt.

"I’m sorry, Elaina. It’s all my fault. I couldn’t find the best surgeon to treat you."

"I don’t trust the other doctors. What if they mess up and leave you with lasting damage? You’re still young—you’ll need to marry and have children one day..."

"Don’t worry, I’ll go kneel at her doorstep if I have to. I promise, by tomorrow morning, you’ll have your surgery."

Beside me, Colson called for the nurse.

"Please, give my sister the most expensive anesthesia—she’s terribly afraid of pain."

But when the nurse lifted my sleeve, she froze in shock.

My body was a mangled mess, covered in deep, bloody bite marks. In some places, the flesh was torn away entirely, exposing raw, white bones.

Her voice trembled with anger. "Monsters! I've practiced medicine for over twenty years and have never witnessed such cruelty!"

"Young lady, I need to inject anesthesia into multiple wounds. Try to bear with it."

The next second, a thick needle—wider than my finger—pressed against my festering wounds. The pain was unbearable, and a scream tore from my throat.

Marco quickly shoved his hand into my mouth, afraid I’d bite through my tongue.

Colson gripped my hand tightly, letting my nails dig deep into his arm, leaving crescent-shaped marks.

At that moment, they seemed just like before—full of love and concern for me.

But I felt nothing.

No warmth. No comfort.

Only emptiness.

—

When I regained consciousness, there were only ten minutes left until the graduate school admission results were announced.

From the bathroom, I heard Colson anxiously whispering to my older brother, his voice muffled as if covering his mouth.

"Brother, I’ve already spoken with the school. Sister is ‘voluntarily’ giving up her admission slot. But... but do we still need to release those videos of her being humiliated online?"

Marco’s voice trembled, but his answer was firm. "Do it."

"Only if the entire school knows will Valerie’s acceptance be fully justified. As for Elaina... her reputation is already ruined. A little more won’t make a difference."

Colson hesitated for only a moment before nodding. Then he immediately contacted a media company.

Hot tears streamed down my face.

I could hardly believe it.

My own flesh and blood—Marco and my little brother—were willing to throw me into an abyss I could never climb out of—all for a stepsister.

The nightmares surged back in a torrent. The memories of foreign hands violating my body, the sensation of being touched against my will—like a storm, they swallowed me whole.

My body trembled uncontrollably.

Marco walked in at that moment and saw me shaking. He immediately wrapped his arms around me and pulled out his phone, starting a livestream.

"Elaina, it’s all over now. Let’s watch the admission results together—I know it’s going to be you!"

"When the announcement is made, Colson and I will take you straight to school."

I stared at the fake gentleness in his eyes and whispered, "Brother... can I still go to school?"

"Of course! You definitely can!" But as he spoke, his gaze flickered away, unable to meet mine.

Because he knew better than anyone—hat was impossible.

I would never sit in a bright, clean classroom again.

This brother, who once swore to protect me after our father remarried, had destroyed me with his own hands.

Even the little brother who used to follow me everywhere had become my executioner.

And then, from the phone speaker, the principal’s jubilant voice rang out.

"Let us all congratulate Valerie Johnson for earning this year’s graduate school admission spot!"

A satisfied smile appeared on Marco’s lips, but it only lasted for a fleeting second before he hurled his phone to the ground in anger.

"This is outrageous! It’s completely unfair!"

"You’re at the top of your class—how could they give the reserved postgraduate spot to Valerie?"

"Don’t worry, Elaina! I’ll go talk to the principal right now and demand an explanation!"

I watched him put on yet another performance right in front of me, my heart twisting in agony.

As soon as he stormed out, a nurse entered the room and announced that it was time for my surgery.

She dragged me into a wheelchair. With my pelvis fractured, I had no choice but to rest one leg awkwardly on the armrest.

The moment we entered the hallway, a mob of people swarmed toward us.

Besides the reporters armed with cameras and microphones, there were also many familiar faces from the school.

"Ms. Palmer, reports say you engaged in sexual relations with multiple men, resulting in severe vaginal trauma. As a university student, do you think this behavior is appropriate?"

"Ms. Palmer, you were once ranked first in your class, but now many are questioning whether you used your body to achieve those grades. Do you have anything to say in response?"

"Ms. Palmer, the school has officially revoked your graduate admission due to ‘immoral conduct.’ Are you dissatisfied with this decision?"

Horror flooded through me.

A familiar delinquent from campus smirked at my fear. "Damn, if I had known you were this easy, I would've had my turn sooner—"

Before he could finish his sentence, he reached out and yanked my oversized hospital pants down in one violent motion.

The floodlights of the cameras illuminated my mangled, rotting wounds.

Dark, putrid liquid oozed down my thighs, pooling on the sterile white floor.

"God, that smell! Disgusting!"

"I swear, I’m about to throw up everything I ate three days ago!"

The air was filled with the sound of gagging, but no one stopped recording.

Cameras flashed in every direction, capturing my humiliation from every angle.

I clenched my jaw so hard I thought my teeth might shatter, my body trembling from the unbearable shame.

"Keep filming! This is the perfect example of what happens when a woman doesn’t respect herself!"

"Girls, take this as a warning—don’t be like Ms. Palmer. Otherwise, you’ll end up a broken, filthy whore just like her!"

Every word was like a dagger plunging straight into my heart.

I wanted to run.

But the nurse held me down, keeping me trapped in the wheelchair.

I was their prey, pinned to the execution table, waiting for their judgment.

—

"Get the hell away from her!"

A furious roar cut through the chaos.

Marco charged into the crowd, shielding me with his body.

Colson tore off his jacket and wrapped it around my lower half, his eyes red with rage.

"You sick bastards! All of you!"

With that, the two of them grabbed a fire extinguisher and used it to force the mob back.

The last time they had fought like this was when someone bullied me at school. Without a word, my older brother struck the other person on the head, while my younger brother delivered several harsh kicks.

When our father tried to punish them afterward, Marco had declared, "Anyone who hurts my sister—I’ll never let them off."

And Colson had added, "I’ll protect my sister forever! No one is allowed to hurt her!"

They took a brutal beating that day, nearly ending up in the hospital themselves.

I had been so moved back then.

But now—

Watching the veins bulging in their clenched fists as they raged on my behalf—I felt nothing.

Once the reporters finally left, Marco carefully pulled me into his arms.

"I... I’m sorry, Elaina. I was too late."

Colson spoke softly beside him. "Don’t worry, sis—I swear, I won’t let those videos spread."

Their words were flawless.

Their performances were impeccable.

But I only felt the urge to laugh.

Because, in order to clear the path for Valerie, they had been the ones who orchestrated my downfall—who destroyed my body, my dignity, my future.

They wanted me to live in disgrace, drowning in the contempt of others, unable to lift my head.

And now... who were they putting on this act for?

A doctor rushed in with a stretcher, pushing me toward the operating room. Before I was wheeled inside, Marco gently ruffled my hair, his voice was full of tenderness.

"Be good, Elaina. We’ll be right outside waiting for you. It’ll be over soon."

Shortly after, the cold, sterile instruments invaded my body, twisting and churning.

And just like that, any last remnants of warmth within me were extinguished.

When I opened my eyes again, I was back in the hospital ward.

The doctor’s voice was heavy with regret. "The delay was too long. The damage to her pelvis is permanent—she likely won’t be able to walk again. As for the uterus, we had to remove it."

"The most severe issue is the extensive damage to her lower body. She will no longer be able to take care of herself and will require constant assistance."

Marco’s eyes turned red. "No... No... How could this happen...?"

"Doctor, please, I'm begging you—save my sister! She’s still so young... She can’t..." His voice broke, and in the next moment, he was holding me tightly, sobbing uncontrollably.

"Elaina, I swear I’ll take care of you for the rest of my life. If needed, we’ll go abroad for treatment. I’ll do whatever it takes to make you just like before."

Silent tears slid down my cheeks.

I wanted to ask him—

"Brother, is this the outcome you wanted?"

But before I could say anything, his phone rang.

The moment he glanced at the caller ID, the corners of his lips twitched upward, unable to suppress his joy.

Yet, perhaps feeling guilty, he hesitated to leave me alone in the room.

So instead, he hurriedly pulled up a movie on his work laptop before rushing out.

Left alone, I was overcome by a strange impulse.

I browsed through his computer files and discovered a private folder labeled [Val].

Clicking into it, I was met with an overwhelming sea of photos.

Thousands of images—9999 to be exact—all taken over the past few years during summer and winter vacations.

Every single one captured moments of the three of them—Marco, Colson, and Valerie—traveling together.

Each photo was saved in duplicate.

One set was carefully labeled: [My dearest little sister—today she ate this, wore that.]

The other set bore a different title: [My proud elder sister—today she said this, sang that.]

Meanwhile—the pictures I had sent them—of myself at the school track, in the cafeteria, the library—

They were all in the recycle bin.

Not a single one was missing.

It all made sense now.

Every time I asked to travel with them, Marco had said he was too busy with work.

Colson had claimed he had club activities.

But the truth was, they weren’t busy.

They were just traveling the world with someone else.

And I—I had spent years pushing myself to excel, struggling to get into the best economics graduate program, all so I could ease Marco’s burdens.

Only for him to hand over my future to another person without a second thought.

The realization hit me like a bolt of lightning. I felt myself shattered completely.

For a long time, I lay in bed, unmoving. Then, I picked up my phone and dialed my mentor's number.

"Professor, about that research project abroad... I’ve decided to accept the offer."

There was a brief pause before he responded with enthusiasm.

"Good! I knew you should go abroad instead of staying stuck at home!"

Yes.

I had turned down countless opportunities over the years—because I couldn’t bear to leave Marcos and Colson behind.

But now, they had made the choice for me.

"I just have one request," I continued. "I want my identity permanently erased."

A short silence ensued. Then, he agreed. "Understood. When can you leave?"

"I'll leave the day after tomorrow," I answered firmly.

"Who’s leaving?"

The call had barely ended when the door swung open. Marco stood there, his expression was unreadable.

Obviously, he had heard everything.

A flicker of panic crossed his face.

I swiftly locked my phone screen, keeping my expression neutral.

"It’s nothing," I said smoothly, my voice steady. "I was just asking how soon I can be discharged."