I should have been calm and unaffected. But Simon’s expression grew increasingly mocking as he flipped through the love letters. He even read some of them aloud, and it utterly humiliated me.

I bit my bottom lip hard and stared at his hand. “Put them down.”

Simon did not put the letters down. Instead, he seemed amused by my uncharacteristic display of defiance, and this piqued some sort of twisted interest in him.

He sneered before slamming the love letters down.

The letters scattered everywhere. Every page was filled with his name and my burning but humble love for him.

I froze as he reached out and roughly messed up my hair. “I know you’ve had a crush on me for a long time! Everyone else knows. But who would fall for their stepsister? Your love is worthless and suffocating. It disgusts me!

“The smartest thing you ever did was not throw yourself at me to get rid of that poison from me. I can’t imagine having to marry you! Thank God, you weren’t that stupid!

“I didn’t accept your love in the past…” He glanced at the love letters on the floor. “...and I definitely won’t accept it now!”

I began to tear up, not because of his insults, but because of my anger toward him.

In my previous life, he had doted on me. He knew my feelings for him had gone beyond what siblings should share, yet he indulged me. When I finally tried to take things seriously, he spat out the words, “We’re siblings.”

“Are you done? Please leave now.”

He studied my calm expression with a deep frown, and his expression darkened further.

“Leave?” he repeated my words. “Irina, you’ve gotten bold lately. You pretended to be generous while we were having breakfast earlier. Now, you’re giving me that look?! What’s wrong with you? Are you trying to manipulate me and get my attention?”

He stepped closer and braced one of his arms against the wall beside me. “Remember, you’re my stepsister, and you always will be. I’ll forgive you this time for Father’s sake, but it will be the last.

“If you dare speak ill of Camillia in front of Father again or show me that despicable attitude of yours…”

Simon deliberately paused for a moment, and I felt his warm breath on my face.

“I’ll personally throw you out of this house and let you rot like a stray dog!”

A shiver ran down my spine, and it felt as if a knife had been driven straight into my chest.

“Got it.” I looked down and avoided his gaze.

Even so, I still felt a sharp pain in my chest upon hearing those words from his own mouth.

Simon shot me a warning glare for a few seconds before slamming the door behind him.

After he left, I picked up the love letters and cards. Then, I tossed all of them into the fireplace.

That afternoon, I went to see the old Don in his study.

“Father, I’d like to have my credit card back,” I said softly. “I’ve decided to study abroad.”

The old Don fell silent and took a slow drag from his cigar. “If that’s what you’ve decided on, go ahead.

“This will always be your home.”

I smiled in relief. “Thank you, Father.”

Once I had the money, I applied for my passport. Over the next two weeks, I left early in the morning and came home late at night.

One night, I pushed open my room door in exhaustion. I wanted to get a good rest, but the sight before me made me freeze.

The place was a mess.

Someone had ransacked my wardrobe and pulled the drawers wide open. They had even lifted the corner of my mattress.

My jewelry box laid open, with several necklaces and bracelets missing. However, what sent a chill down my spine was the missing pearl necklace by my bedside.

It was not worth a lot, and the pearls were not even round. In fact, they were a little yellowed with age. But it was one of the few keepsakes my mother had left behind for me.

I charged out of the room and searched everywhere. Finally, I bumped into Camillia in the garden.

The pearl necklace was around her neck.

I did not mind her taking my clothes and jewelry for her vanity. But I did not understand why a vain woman like her would even care about an old necklace.

She definitely did it on purpose.

“Give it back to me!” I rushed over and grabbed the necklace.

“Ah!” Camillia screamed before staggering back to avoid me.

“Irina!” Simon reacted instantly and pulled me away. “Did everything I said go in one ear and out the other? What the hell’s gotten into you?!”

I trembled in anger. “That necklace is mine!”

He frowned in response. “It’s just an old necklace. Camellia likes it, so what’s the harm in letting her have it for a while? There’s no need to lose your manners and strike her over such a petty thing.”

I yanked my hand out of his grasp and pointed at the necklace around Camillia’s neck. “Simon, open your eyes and look at it carefully! Don’t you recognize it?”

Simon shifted his gaze to the necklace in annoyance. He was about to take a closer look when Camillia pressed her hand to her stomach and leaned weakly against him. “Simon, my stomach hurts…”

She looked up at him, and her eyes glistened with tears. “I haven’t had the chance to tell you yet. I’m pregnant.”

“Pregnant?” Simon quickly caught her in his arms, and the trace of hesitation on his face instantly faded. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner? How many weeks has it been?”

Camillia let out a soft whimper and glanced at me timidly. “A week. I wanted the fetus’s condition to be more stable before surprising you. But Irina scared our baby, and it hurts so much!”

Simon hugged Camillia tightly. His voice turned cold when he looked at me again. “That necklace belongs to Camillia now. From this moment on, her feelings are all that matter.”

Then, he left with one arm around her. “Get back to your room and reflect on yourself.”

I was rooted to the spot as I watched them leave, and my whole body was numb from the cold.

However, I would not allow myself to suffer anymore because of Simon.

I needed to get out of here.

Third Person Perspective:

The next morning, Simon stood at Irina’s door with a sullen expression. When she opened it, he passed her the pearl necklace, which he had been clutching in his hand.

“I didn’t recognize it last night. But you shouldn’t have overreacted either.”

He looked to the side unhappily as if she had kicked up a fuss for no reason.

“Thank you,” she said before calmly closing the door.

“Hey!” He almost got hit on the nose. He slammed his fist on the door twice before leaving.

Then, a loud crash echoed from the hallway as he smashed a vase.

Irina could not care less.

News of Camillia’s pregnancy quickly spread throughout the Mafia. The duo flaunted their love and began to plan their wedding ceremony. So, the Rossi family was kept extremely busy.

Meanwhile, Irina was occupied with preparations to study abroad. She had received her admission letter and booked her flight ticket.

No one knew that she was about to leave, except the old Don.

In theory, Simon should have been too busy with his wedding preparations to bother with her. Yet, she would run into him everywhere. Most of the time, she would leave before he could even come close to her.

He clearly disliked the way Irina was acting, and she found it strange. He had been the one who said that they needed to keep a distance from each other. She just did as she was told, but he could not seem to leave her alone.

It was the night before Simon’s wedding, and Irina came home exhausted. When she pushed her room door open, she nearly jumped out of her skin. There was a figure sitting on her bed in the dark.

She turned on the light, but Simon’s expression looked darker than ever in the dim room.

“W-What are you doing inside my room?” Irina asked with a frown.

It looked like he was about to say something. But upon hearing her question, he instantly scowled. “Is that how you talk to your older brother?”

She did not want to start an argument before leaving the country. As such, she forced down her irritation. “So, tell me. What’s so important that you’re not with your fiancee but sitting in my room in the middle of the night?”

He stood up in annoyance and reached into his suit pocket. Then, he took out a gold-embossed invitation card and tossed it at her. “Camillia wants you to be her bridesmaid at the wedding.”

Irina stared at him calmly without taking the card.

As a result, the invitation card fell to the floor, and Simon snorted. “You’ve been busier than I’ve been lately. I barely saw you at dinner this past month.”

He took a step closer and fixed his gaze on her. “What have you been so busy with? Are you trying to avoid me?”

“No,” she automatically denied.

“Liar!” He narrowed his eyes. “You always press your lips together when you lie.

“Are you so upset about my marriage that you won’t even come home?”

She pursed her lips tightly before releasing them. “Simon, let me say this one more time. I don’t have any feelings for you beyond those of a sister.”

“Really?” He casually turned around and swept his gaze across her desk. Shortly after, he froze.

There was an unfinished gift on the desk. It was the birthday present Irina had prepared for him in her previous life—a hand-carved ring made from his favorite cut of obsidian.

Irina froze too. She had been so busy over the past few days that she did not notice it was still there.

Simon picked up the ring and sneered. “Is this what you call not having inappropriate feelings for me? Your gift just happens to be a ring?

“Irina, this is my final warning before the wedding. Get rid of those filthy thoughts of yours! After I’m married, you’ll continue to be my dearest sister!

“If you don’t…” He took a step closer and said in a low voice, “Well, I can give you a home, and I can take it away from you too.”

Irina snatched the ring from his hand before she opened the window and threw it out.

“You brat!” Simon’s expression changed drastically. “You threw away the gift you made for me?”

She merely looked up at him. “You don’t really care about it anyway, do you?”

He grabbed her wrist and spoke through gritted teeth. “Irina, do you think I’ll pay attention to you if you pull something like this?! You’re madly in love with me, and now, you’re trying a different tactic, is that it?”

She nonchalantly withdrew her hand. “I thought that keeping my distance would make you happy. I won’t be attending the wedding because I have something else to do tomorrow.”

He glared at her and tossed a black card to the floor. “Fine. I know my marriage must be hard for you to take. I’ll allow you to get away for a bit, but only after you attend the wedding! Otherwise, don’t ever bother to come back!”

Irina’s hand trembled slightly, but she quickly regained her composure.

In the past, “don’t ever bother to come back” were words she feared the most.

It meant that she would not have a home anymore.

Simon knew that better than anyone. Back then, whenever he said something like that, she would immediately apologize and try to please him. She was terrified that he might actually throw her out of the house.

Not this time, though.

Irina picked up the black card in silence.

Simon thought that she had finally given in, and his expression softened. He reminded her to wear the light blue dress he had given her to the wedding.

After he left, she calmly tossed the black card into the trash can.

Then, she took her things and walked out of the Rossi estate without looking back.

…

Simon stood at the end of the red carpet at his wedding. Right then, he instinctively shifted his gaze to the empty seat next to the old Don.

Irina was supposed to be seated there.

However, she was not present.

She really had the guts to skip his wedding!

Just then, the wedding march began. Camillia linked arms with her father as she slowly walked down the aisle.

Simon’s wandering thoughts quickly returned to the present.

Camillia was incredibly beautiful. Her eyes shone with joy and affection as she looked at him. This was especially so with her carrying his child, and she had his full attention. He took her hand, and they solemnly exchanged their vows before the priest.

This was the woman he was meant to marry.

After the wedding, Simon took Camillia to Bassina Island for their honeymoon. They only returned a month later.

When they got back, he held a new pearl necklace in his hand and walked to Irina’s room.

It was time to make peace with his unreasonable sister. With that in mind, he pushed open the door.

However, the room was empty. Even her favorite stuffed toy was gone.

“She’s taking this game too far.” Simon frowned and felt an odd sense of irritation.

Just then, the butler passed by, and Simon asked, “Where’s Irina?”

The butler was stunned. “Miss Rossi has gone to Mucannaiss. Her studies at Mitchell University started a month ago.”

“Who gave her permission to go? When did she leave?!”