I supported Ethan Mitchell and loved him for eight whole years. I thought I concealed my feelings well, but little did I know that after Ethan became a business magnate, the first thing he did was send me to a ladies’ finishing academy.

He looked at me coldly, his arms wrapped around his fiancée.

"When you've rid yourself of those filthy thoughts, then you can come out."

A year later, I finally forgot him completely. However, Ethan came to regret everything.

When Ethan Mitchell came to pick me up, I was still receiving "correction" from the school director, Alfred Harrison.

Foul-smelling liquid slid down my face and dripped onto my clothes. Alfred revealed a sinister smile and said meaningfully, "Mia, you know what I'm capable of. If you dare speak about what happened here, don't blame me for what comes next."

I instinctively shuddered and reflexively shouted, "I wouldn't dare!"

Alfred nodded with satisfaction, then had me wash up and change clothes before escorting me to the entrance of the ladies’ finishing academy.

I squinted at the man leaning against his car, smoking, feeling as though I was looking at a ghost from another life.

After a long pause, I finally gathered the courage to cautiously approach him. Only then did Ethan notice me.

He crushed his cigarette and reached out to take my backpack. I instinctively shrank back, keeping my head down as I said softly, "I can manage."

Ethan frowned, but said nothing. We drove in tense silence, the oppressive atmosphere making my heart race with anxiety.

I kept reciting the conduct rules that Alfred had drilled into me. Only after reciting it three full times did my nerves finally settle.

Unexpectedly, Ethan broke the silence. "Why aren't you talking?"

When Ethan first came to live with my family, he was slow to warm up to us. Afraid he would not adjust well, I always made the effort to talk with him. However, that was back then.

It would not be that way anymore, as one of the conduct rules was learning to keep quiet.

I still remembered my first day at the finishing academy. Out of curiosity, I asked the director a few questions, and was promptly made to starve for three full days.

I was so weak from hunger that I curled up in a corner, barely able to speak. From that day on, I learned to keep my mouth shut.

When I did not respond, Ethan frowned with irritation and asked, "Are you deaf?"

I touched my right ear. Yes, my right ear was deaf. Alfred had made sure of that.

If I had gotten surgery right after the injury, I might have recovered some level of hearing. However, Alfred said that I should stay deaf as a reminder. As such, I permanently lost hearing in my right ear.

It was all because when he tried to burn me with his cigarette, I instinctively tried to dodge.

Seeing my continued silence, Ethan snorted. "Is this what your finishing school taught you? Doesn't seem worth much."

My whole body tensed up and I quickly said, "It's not like that. Mr. Harrison says only quiet, composed women can avoid being irritating."

Ethan laughed mockingly. "So even this act is just another way to get my attention?"

I opened my mouth to explain, but stopped myself.

Alfred's rule was that we should never contradict a man, no matter what.

Seeing my reaction, Ethan said with disgust, "My mother heard that you were coming home and made a feast for you. She doesn't know about your sick obsession, so behave yourself and don't make her regret it."

I lowered my gaze and murmured my agreement.

My mother died early, leaving my father and me to depend on each other.

When I was 16 years old, my father brought home Georgina Campbell and ten-year-old Ethan, telling me, "Mia, meet Georgina and Ethan. From now on, the four of us will be a family."

Dad was incredibly busy with work and I spent most of my time alone. I did not resent Dad's relationship with Georgina. In fact, I looked forward to our life as a family of four.

Georgina was wonderful to me too, constantly finding new ways to cook delicious meals for me. Even if I mentioned something casually, she would make it for me with her own hands.

I was endlessly grateful to have met Georgina, who treated me like her own daughter. I made sure to be twice as good to both Georgina and Ethan. However, for some reason, Ethan remained cold toward me.

Georgina told me that Ethan was slow to warm up to people, that things would improve with time, and not to take it to heart.

After hearing Georgina's words, I became even more attentive toward Ethan. Every day, I eagerly shared with him all the interesting things that had happened to me.

I thought that if I was sincere with him, I could eventually open his heart. However, I never realized that Ethan's coldness was directed only at me. He simply despised me.

Returning to my family home now, I felt like I was in another world. Ethan reached for the backpack on my shoulder, which caused me to immediately take a step back in fear.

He suppressed his anger and shouted, "Mia! What are you trying to pull now?"

My lips trembled violently as bloody memories surged through my mind.

I quickly recited the conduct rules over and over until I suppressed my fear.

Ethan's brow furrowed deeply as he said sternly, "Mia, I'm warning you. My mother just recovered from her illness and can't handle any stress. If you dare pull any of your stunts in front of her, I won't forgive you."

Thinking of Georgina's illness made my heart ache terribly. I quickly shook my head. "I won't do anything inappropriate in front of Georgina. I promise."

Ethan snorted coldly. "You'd better keep your word."

I followed Ethan into the house and saw Georgina sitting on the couch with Linda Yates keeping her company.

At that moment, Linda had linked arms with Georgina, acting coy with her. Georgina was laughing at her charming behavior, her eyes full of affection.

I clenched my fists, then let them fall open helplessly. Linda was my cousin, and she was the same age as Ethan.

In the eighth year after Dad and Georgina got together, Linda's parents were imprisoned for illegal business practices. With no one to care for her, Linda came to live with our family.

Linda was beautiful and a sweet-talker, quickly winning over both Dad and Georgina. Even Ethan, with his reserved personality, was particularly kind to Linda.

Until one day, I discovered that Linda had secretly placed a hidden camera in Ethan's room. After questioning her, I learned that Linda planned to use Ethan's private footage for money.

In my anger, I gave her a harsh lecture and slapped her. Though I was angry, I had not used much force, but somehow Linda fell onto the corner of a table.

Ethan, who had just returned home, witnessed this scene. After giving me a vicious look, he carried Linda to the hospital without looking back.

Later, Ethan discovered my feelings for him.

After becoming a business magnate, the first thing he did was send me to the ladies' finishing academy.

I felt wronged. The person who had wanted to hurt Ethan back then was Linda. I had only been trying to protect him.

Despite this, why did Linda receive Ethan's protection, and even Georgina's affection?

When Georgina saw me, she hurriedly got up from the couch and walked toward me, her eyes already turning red. "You little rascal. You still remembered you have a home here! You’ve been gone all these years without even coming back to see me."

I felt somewhat guilty about my earlier thoughts and said with a choked voice, "Georgina..."

Linda walked over to Georgina's side, gently patting her back. "The doctor said you can't get too emotional. How did you forget this so quickly?"

Then Linda turned to look at me with a sweet smile, saying meaningfully, "Welcome home, Mia."

Georgina interrupted Linda, beckoning me to sit at the dining table. "Mia, you must be starving after that long flight. Come and eat something."

Linda was not bothered by the interruption and pulled Ethan over to sit at the table with her, thoughtfully addressing me, "That's right, Mia. Georgina cooked all of this herself just for you. You wouldn't want to disappoint her, would you?"

Georgina looked at me with expectation written all over her face.

I took a deep breath and picked up a piece of meat, trying to hypnotize myself into eating it, but the moment I opened my mouth, I began to retch.

Georgina asked anxiously, "Isn't pork chop your favorite dish? Why are you feeling sick? Has my cooking gotten worse?"

I smiled bitterly. It was not that her cooking had gotten worse. It was that I had not eaten meat for an entire year.

During my year at the ladies' finishing academy, I never had a single bite of meat or a full meal. Because my body had gone so long without any meat, eggs or dairy, I could not control my retching the moment I smelled it.

God knew how much I wanted to eat this meal that Georgina had made for me with her own hands.

During all those days when I was so hungry I had no strength left, I survived by repeatedly recalling the meals Georgina used to make for me.

Georgina said regretfully, "Maybe I haven't cooked in too long, so my skills have deteriorated. It's okay, Mia. I'll practice hard these next few days and get my cooking back up to speed.

"Just look at you after all these years studying abroad. You've gotten so thin. You were much cuter when you had some meat on your bones before this."

My eyes began to sting, and I shook my head stiffly. "Georgina, as long as I'm healthy, it doesn't really matter if I'm a bit heavier or thinner."

Linda said with a smile, "You don't understand, Georgina. Mia's dieting to maintain her figure."

Georgina looked at me with mock anger. "Look how thin you've gotten. You're still dieting?"

She then pretended to be angry and raised her hand as if to pat my head. However, I instinctively crouched down with my arms protecting my head, trembling all over.

"Don't hit me..."

Georgina looked at me in shock and quickly pulled me up. "Mia, what's wrong with you?"

Only then did I realize that this was not the ladies' finishing academy. Georgina was not Alfred. No one would hit me at the drop of a hat anymore.

At the finishing academy, whenever the director raised his hand toward me, it would inevitably be followed by a brutal beating.

Electric shocks, needle pricks, urine poured over my head, being denied food; these were all as routine as daily meals for me.

The ladies' finishing academy's motto was that no matter how rebellious a girl was when she entered, after a year, she would become an obedient, well-behaved young woman.

Everyone only cared about the training results, but no one cared about what methods the finishing academy used to make them obedient.

This also enabled the director to use the excuse of reforming girls to exploit and humiliate every student who entered the place.

I stood up silently without explaining anything. This was because I knew that even if I explained what had happened, it would be useless. No one would believe me.

I also did not want Georgina, who had just recovered from a serious illness, to become upset because of me.

Besides, if Alfred found out that I had spoken about what happened at the finishing academy, he would probably make me lose even the courage to live.

I sat upright at the dining table with my head lowered like a child who had done something wrong.

Georgina looked at me carefully. "Mia, you look pale. Why don't you go to your room and rest for a while?"

I forced a smile and nodded, then hurriedly ran back to my room. As soon as I entered, I went to the bathroom and vomited violently. Sweet, metallic blood sprayed from my mouth and nose, instantly turning the toilet bowl red.

I hastily washed my face, rinsed my mouth, and wiped myself with tissues before coming out of the bathroom. That was when I saw Ethan standing in my room.

He asked somewhat awkwardly, "Mom asked me to come check what's wrong with you."

I instinctively took several steps backward.

Back then, Ethan had sent me to the ladies' finishing academy because he discovered my feelings for him. He wanted me to rid myself of those filthy thoughts about him.

Since he paid generously, Alfred was particularly zealous. Not only did he specially design a hellish training regimen just for me, but he personally took charge of teaching me how to eliminate these thoughts.

During those dark nights, Alfred would press himself against me while constantly cursing at me.

"You disgusting whore, how dare you have such filthy thoughts about your stepbrother?!”

"Look at yourself now, you pathetic wretch. Do you think you're worthy?”

"You're only good for pissing on."

Painful memories flooded my mind. I gasped for breath and took two more steps back before obediently answering, "Maybe I spent too long at the school and am not used to the outside world yet."

Ethan frowned slightly, seemingly wanting to ask more questions. However, he was interrupted by footsteps outside the door.

Linda pushed the door open and walked in. "Ethan, Georgina said to come downstairs once you've settled Mia in. We’re to discuss the details of our wedding."

When Linda first came to our family, she always liked to cling to Ethan.

At first, Ethan was as cold to Linda as he was to me. However, before long, he allowed her to cling to him.

He would even cheer her up when she was unhappy.

After hearing Linda's words, Ethan immediately responded, looking at Linda with indulgent affection.

"I'll be right down."

Linda blinked at Ethan. "Then Georgina and I will wait for you downstairs."

Ethan smiled and nodded. Only after Linda's footsteps gradually faded away did he turn to look at me.

He pondered for a moment, then said slowly, "Linda and I are getting married soon. I don't care about whether you've gotten rid of those filthy thoughts or not, but keep them buried in your heart.”

"If Mom or Linda are hurt because of you, even a little bit..."

I instinctively straightened my body and loudly recited the words that Alfred made me memorize every day.

"I really have gotten rid of them. I'll never dare to think that way again.”

"Someone disgusting like me could never be worthy of you. Only lowly people would lust after their stepbrother."

Ethan's expression immediately turned ugly.

Footsteps sounded outside the door again. Linda appeared at the doorway, biting her lip with a pale face. "Mia, you actually have those kinds of feelings for Ethan?”

"Even though you're not blood-related, he's still nominally your brother. How could you do this?"

Ethan quickly stepped forward to support the swaying Linda. "Linda, don’t dirty your ears with this."

Then he turned to glare at me viciously.

"Mia, you'd better have rid yourself of these filthy thoughts, or I don't mind sending you back to the ladies' finishing academy for additional training!"

Ethan's words exploded like a bomb in my brain.

Thinking of the miserable fate of students who had been sent back to the finishing academy by their families, fear and nausea instantly invaded my brain and heart.

I froze in place, trembling violently all over. A warm stream flowed down my pants leg onto the clean marble floor.

I looked down blankly at my wet pants, then looked up at Ethan and Linda standing across from me, their faces full of shock.

I had lost control of my bladder in front of Ethan and Linda. The next second, darkness consumed my vision, and I completely lost consciousness.