"Iris, I never thought that you could be so cruel. Did you want Erica dead out of jealousy? You're even worse than a criminal! I have no such daughter!" Thomas roared.

His eyes were bloodshot as he glared at Iris like she was an enemy. He kicked her viciously—twice.

Rosanne held Erica in her arms and sobbed uncontrollably. "I'm so sorry. I just stepped out for a little while. I never thought that things would go so wrong. Erica, hang in there! I'm taking you to the hospital right now!"

Erica's face was covered in blood, making her injuries appear quite severe. But in reality, they were just surface wounds.

Her screams tugged at the hearts of Iris' parents and Keith. Yet, she shot a sinister, cold smile at Iris when they weren't looking.

Iris had fallen from the second floor and was much more seriously injured than Erica. At this moment, she couldn't even speak. After being kicked multiple times, she curled up into a fetal position.

But the physical pain was nothing compared to the wound in her heart.

Her parents didn't believe her. Even if she explained herself, she knew that it wouldn't make a difference as they trusted Erica unconditionally.

Minutes passed before Iris finally managed to stand. Her face was pale, and her body was trembling uncontrollably. She couldn't help but look at Keith, whose face was full of disappointment.

Erica sobbed pitifully. "Iris, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked Keith to keep me company. I know you hate me. If my death would make you happy, then take my life. There's no need to make Aunt Rosanne, Uncle Thomas, or Keith suffer."

Iris stared at Erica's performance coldly. Then, she glanced at her parents' furious expressions. A wave of darkness and despair washed over her.

She was no stranger to loneliness and heartache, having already chosen to cut off her parents and Keith. To her, they were nothing more than worthless remnants of the past.

So, why was Erica relentlessly framing her still?

Keith suddenly slapped Iris across the face. His usually handsome features were now frozen in icy fury. "I already told you that I'm going to marry you. Why did you have to hurt Erica? She's already suffering enough. Do you really have to push her to death?"

A bright red mark appeared on Iris' face as blood trickled from the corner of her mouth. She stared at Keith in a daze.

Just like her parents, he had blindly believed Erica without question.

To them, she was nothing but a despicable sinner.

Iris had initially wanted to explain the situation to Keith. She thought that, at the very least, he might have some doubt about what had occurred. But now, she realized that it was pointless.

Keith shook his head. Disappointment was written all over his face. "Your actions disgust me. How could I ever trust and marry a woman as ruthless as you? Iris, you've truly let me down."

None of them spared her another glance as they rushed Erica to the hospital.

As they walked away, Erica turned her head and smiled devilishly at Iris.

Iris could no longer hold on as the car disappeared into the night. She coughed up a mouthful of blood and collapsed.

…

In the silence of the night, the air was frosty and misty.

Iris finally stirred awake. Her body felt numb, and she struggled to crawl back home. After lying in bed for a few hours, she regained some strength and treated her wounds by herself.

The night was cold, yet it was still warmer than her frozen heart.

Her parents and Keith had stabbed her in her heart, leaving a gaping wound. Her already shattered world crumbled even further.

Like a wounded stray, she licked her wounds alone on the dark balcony. She had no more tears left to shed. Her emotions had long gone numb, leaving behind only a hollow shell.

At this moment, she only wished for time to pass faster. She didn't want to stay in this house a second longer. This cold, merciless home was like a gaping mouth waiting to devour her whole.

She stared at the night sky as she lay in bed, missing her late grandmother.

Aside from her grandmother, no one in this world had ever truly loved her.

Feeling drowsy, she fell asleep, only to be jolted awake by a bucket of cold water.

Before she could open her eyes, someone forcefully yanked her up and dragged her into the living room.

Thomas, Rosanne, and Keith had returned home with Erica. Although Erica had sustained only surface injuries, to them, Iris' actions were unforgivable.

Thomas kicked Iris hard, his expression dark. "Iris, get down on your knees and apologize to Erica. If you don't beg and receive her forgiveness, then you are no daughter of mine."

Iris' home was devoid of warmth, and her family was heartless.

Her heart was broken again. Her gaze swept through everyone before her. She took in Thomas' and Rosanne's disgusted faces and Keith's disappointment. Meanwhile, Erica could not conceal her triumphant smirk.

The people before Iris should have been closest to her. Yet, they hurt her repeatedly, making them worse than her enemies.

Even when Erica framed her, she was forced to go onto her knees and apologize to her.

Her past self would have compromised to protect her relationship with her family and win their approval. But now, she felt nothing but hatred at the fact that she was born into this cold-blooded family.

Thomas scowled at Iris' stubbornness. He kicked her again and growled, "Do you think you're not in the wrong at all?"

She staggered and fell onto the ground. Blood oozed out of her mouth once more.

Keith looked concerned and went up to help her up. But he had second thoughts when he thought back on Iris' behavior. He figured that it might not be a bad idea to teach her a lesson.

Keith held Thomas back and shook his head at the latter. Thomas finally cooled down.

Emotions stirred in her eyes. She mistakenly thought that Keith was trying to help her, but what came out of his mouth almost sounded like a joke.

Frowning, Keith indifferently proposed, "You're not in the right state to register your marriage with me. Erica would have died if she were unlucky. As punishment, I will delay registering our marriage. I will throw a wedding with Erica before that to make it up to her."

Iris trembled from head to toe as she stared at Keith in disbelief. What kind of punishment was that?

Noticing her snide gaze, Keith felt guilty, but his emotions surfaced as anger.

"Well, it's not like I'm marrying Erica. I'm just trying to make up to her."

Thomas and Rosanne stared at Iris while subconsciously standing in front of Erica to prevent Iris from "hurting" the latter in a fit of temper again.

Unfortunately, they were disappointed. Instead of angrily stopping Keith, Iris grinned and spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva.

She bared her teeth at them. "Congratulations in advance to my cousin and cousin-in-law, I guess. Are you guys done? If there's nothing else, I'll have a rest."

Then, Iris walked to the balcony with great difficulty, resolved not to take another look at those people.

Meanwhile, Erica wiped away her tears, looking pitiable. "Iris, you'll attend our wedding, right? It's just a show, but that's enough for me. I hope to receive your blessing."

Thomas harrumphed. "Don't worry. We will drag her to the wedding even if she refuses to attend. She needs to pay the price of her mistakes."

On the other hand, Rosanne yelled after Iris, "If you don't go to the wedding, we'll kick you out of the house!"

Keith couldn't explain the intense feeling of anxiety when he couldn't sense any of Iris' usual jealousy. He would not marry Erica for real. It was all just an act.

In his eyes, Iris needed to be stopped from making mistakes out of jealousy. He felt that she wouldn't be a lost cause if she could learn her lesson.

He decided that he would have a good talk with Iris after his "wedding" with Erica.

Nevertheless, he was very bothered by the way Iris called him "cousin-in-law" while appearing relieved.

He didn't know what that feeling was.

After that episode, Thomas, Rosanne, and Keith did not pay Iris any more attention. They didn't care about her condition after falling off the stairs, and they didn't care whether or not she'd run away from home.

In their mind, Iris cared for her family and loved Keith to the moon and back. They figured that she had no other place to turn to.

…

Iris did not throw a tantrum in the next three days. Instead, she focused on her recovery at home while her parents and Keith happily prepared for Keith and Erica's wedding.

The wedding was scheduled to be held at Connolly Hotel, which was a very extravagant move in those times. However, Thomas and Rosanne would spend a fortune on the wedding just to make Erica happy.

On the day of the wedding, Iris packed her stuff ahead of time and waited for the lecturer from National Defense University to pick her up.

Her parents and Erica had gone to Connolly Hotel to greet the guests. Keith, who was a military man, did not wear a suit to his "wedding".

He approached Iris and said to her, "Iris, come with me later. This wedding with Erica is just for show. I'm not registering my marriage for real. You have nothing to worry about. I'll still marry you."

Keith spoke with the same certainty as when her 11-year-old self was cast out by her parents, crouching beneath the sycamore tree. He brought her hope, and he promised never to leave her.

But he had changed in no time.

Iris grunted coldly without any expression, much to Keith's relief. He was most worried that Iris might cause a scene at the wedding.

He reckoned that she had learned her lesson from her reaction. He hoped that she would behave in the future.

However, after he had insisted on bringing Iris to Connolly Hotel, she had not reacted as he had expected, which had worried him greatly.

She responded to all his words calmly, as though she were talking to a stranger instead of her fiancé.

Right when Keith was about to haul her into the car, a guard approached him, informing him that the hotel needed him there right away.

He finally gave up on coercing Iris into attending. Still, he reminded her to attend the event, or he'd not marry her.

Iris watched coldly as Keith ran away in a hurry. She then walked out of the garden while holding a sack.

After Keith drove off, the lecturer from National Defense University showed up in a car.

The lecturer asked if Iris wanted to say goodbye to her family. Iris looked around her shoulder at the garden—the place that gave her sadness for 15 years. She didn't want to stay a minute longer.

She never wanted to see her biased parents and her fiancé, who had betrayed her again.

"No. I'm fine." She hurriedly got into the car.

After Iris joined the cryptography major at National Defense University, she would discard her birth identity and live in secrecy for the rest of her life.

She no longer wanted to be Thomas and Rosanne's daughter and Keith's fiancée for the rest of her life. She wanted to be herself and devote her life to serving the nation.

When the car drove past Connolly Hotel, Iris peeked out the window and saw her family welcoming the guests at the entrance. Her parents and Erica smiled happily, while Keith looked slightly bashful and expectant.

Iris couldn't help but think that the four of them truly looked like one big happy family.

They vanished from her view when the car drove away slowly.

Finally, Iris could live life on her own terms.

Minerva Sowle said, "Mr. Davison, Mrs. Davison, I've thought this through. I'm ready to become part of the Davison family."

Minerva drew a steady breath and finally voiced the decision she had wrestled with for a long time.

Algernon Davison and Maxine Ford froze for a moment. They quickly set down their afternoon tea, reaching out to take her hands, their faces filled with joy.

"That's wonderful, Minerva! Algernon and I have always wanted a daughter as sweet and thoughtful as you. Our wish has finally come true.

"We'll get the paperwork started right away. Your name will be on the Davison family record in no time," Maxine said warmly.

"It won't take long. In just two weeks, everything will be official. We'll truly be a family then," Algernon added.

As the two of them excitedly began making arrangements, Minerva quickly stopped them.

"Wait, there's one more thing. My application for the study abroad program has been approved. I'll be leaving the country soon to continue my studies," she said gently.

Algernon's and Maxine's smiles faltered.

Maxine quickly said, "So suddenly? We were hoping to host a celebration and make an official announcement…"

Minerva understood their feelings, so she reassured them with a gentle smile. "Pursuing my studies abroad has always been my dream. And since we'll be family soon, it'll be easy to stay in touch. Flight tickets are simple to purchase, and we'll still have each other, no matter where I am in the world."

The older couple exchanged a glance, then sighed while nodding.

"That makes sense," Algernon said. "Alright. When are you leaving?"

Minerva smiled faintly. "The day the paperwork is finalized—when you officially become my parents, and Frederick becomes my brother."

Maxine immediately replied, "Then, you should move in with us before that. We'll send someone to help pack your things."

Seeing their eagerness and warmth, Minerva didn't refuse. She nodded lightly in response.

After arranging for someone to help her move, Algernon and Maxine seemed to remember something suddenly.

Maxine hesitated, then asked, "About adding you to the family record… should we be the ones to tell Frederick, or would you rather do it yourself?"

Minerva stiffened slightly.

Before she could answer, her phone buzzed with a new message. "Eleganza Hotel. Bring ten boxes of condoms."

It was from Frederick.

Minerva felt her heart tighten. After a long pause, she spoke, her voice slightly hoarse.

"I'll tell him myself."

…

After leaving the Davison residence, Minerva hailed a cab.

She stared out the window as the city rushed past. Her thoughts were scattered in a tangled mess.

Life was truly unpredictable.

No one could have predicted that the man she loved would soon become her brother. She certainly hadn't expected this to happen.

The Davison and Sowle families had always been close. She and Frederick Davison had grown up side by side. They later became childhood sweethearts who seemed inseparable.

Everyone around them knew she was his, and no one ever dared to get too close.

At age seven, Minerva's delicate features drew the attention of every boy in class, all eager to sit beside her.

Frederick fought off every boy who tried, then claimed the seat beside her as if it naturally belonged to him. Even back then, his possessiveness was hard to miss.

At age 14, when Minerva's parents died in a tragic car crash, Frederick abandoned a regional tournament to rush back from another state. He stayed by her side all night, eyes rimmed red with unshed tears, aching for her in silence. He promised he would never leave her.

At age 16, Minerva knitted him a scarf. He wore it constantly—from winter straight through to summer—and even made her promise never to make one for anyone else.

At age 18, Frederick took her to a tattoo parlor and had his name inked on her chest—just above her heart. He told her she would always belong to him.

The pair had crossed every boundary without there ever being a formal confession. Everyone, including Algernon and Maxine, thought they were destined to end up together.

But one day, Frederick suddenly brought home a plain, quiet girl no one had ever seen before—and introduced her to everyone as the only woman he would ever love.

Algernon and Maxine were stunned. They stood up for Minerva, openly voicing their disapproval.

But Frederick didn't care. He defied his parents, endured their punishments, and even gave up his place as heir to the Davison family—all just to be with Yolanda Wolfe.

No one ever understood what had changed in him.

When Algernon and Maxine realized they couldn't make Minerva their daughter-in-law, they chose to make her their daughter instead. They loved her too much to let her go.

At first, Minerva had hoped Frederick would come to his senses and return to his normal self.

But day after day, she watched him treat Yolanda like she was the center of his world—every word gentle, every look indulgent. Eventually, Minerva's heart gave up. Whatever hope she had clung to finally died in her chest.

From that moment on, she would only ever be his sister.

There would be no future for Minerva and Frederick.

After getting out of the cab, Minerva walked into Eleganza Hotel and made her way to the room Frederick had texted her about.

The door was left slightly ajar. Inside, she could hear his voice—familiar and low.

Minerva knocked twice.

When no one answered, she pushed the door open.

Frederick stood there in a bathrobe, his arm casually wrapped around Yolanda, her clothes disheveled and slipping off her shoulders.

His head rested on her shoulder as he pressed slow kisses along her neck, completely entranced by her. His lips grazed her pale skin, coaxing soft gasps from her.

Embarrassed, Yolanda ducked into his arms the moment she noticed someone at the door.

Frederick chuckled and affectionately ruffled her hair before finally glancing at Minerva.

"Did you bring it?" he asked.

Minerva didn't hand him the condoms right away. Instead, she looked up and said, "I need to tell you something."

Frederick averted his gaze. His voice was raspy as he asked, "Does it have to be now?"

"Yes. I'll only say it today. If you want to hear it, I'll tell you. If not, you can forget it."

Either way, he would learn the truth in two weeks.

Minerva's voice was calm, flat even.

Frederick didn't seem to take her words seriously. He kept twirling the ribbon on Yolanda's blouse and challenged, "You really think now's a good time?"

Minerva's eyes followed his moving hands, landing on the bulge beneath his robe. A sharp ache hit her chest.

She understood exactly what he meant.

Years ago, back in school, they had once found themselves locked inside the gym by accident during winter. It had been freezing at the time. Frederick held her close to keep her warm.

At first, it was fine. But somewhere in the dark, Minerva had felt something hard pressing against her back. When she realized what it was, she flushed a bright shade of red and tried to pull away.

Frederick had just chuckled and brushed her nose lightly with his fingertip.

Then, he whispered in her ear, "Minerva, do you know what it means when a guy reacts like this around someone?"

Later that night, she curled up under her blanket and searched for the answer. She found out that it only happened when a guy was around someone who made his heart race.

At that moment, her face heated up like she had a fever. For a long time after, she couldn't even look him in the eye.

But now, Yolanda was clearly the one who made his heart race.

Looking at them tangled together so intimately, Minerva didn't want to embarrass herself any further.

She stepped forward and laid out the ten boxes of condoms one by one on the coffee table. Then, she turned and walked away without another word.

"I understand now. Goodbye… Frederick."

The address made Frederick's brow furrow instantly. His voice rang out behind her, sharp with disbelief.

"What did you just call me?"