As I stepped downstairs, the others looked a little surprised.

Victor’s expression tensed with unease. “Anna, go back to sleep for a while. Breakfast isn’t ready yet.”

Yet the dining table was already filled with food.

Just then, a noise came from the garden, drawing my attention.

My mother quickly handed me a sandwich.

“Anna, eat up. Victor got up at five in the morning to make this for you.”

I glanced at the sandwich. It was stuffed with thick slices of salmon.

I didn’t take it. “I’m allergic to seafood.”

The one who loved salmon was Lena.

When I was first brought back home, every meal was filled with salmon dishes.

They forced me to eat it and I ended up going into severe anaphylactic shock, causing me to pass out.

Yet even after five years, my mother still hadn’t remembered.

And now, the breakfast spread laid out on the table. Every single dish was Lena’s favorite.

An unthinkable thought surged into my mind.

Was Lena just here?

Had all those so-called punishments never even lasted a single day?

At that moment, Victor hurriedly stood up.

“Anna, what do you want to eat? I’ll make something else.”

Five years of living together, five years of him saying he loved me, yet he didn’t even remember what I liked to eat.

I let out a self-mocking laugh. “As long as it’s not Lena’s favorite, it’ll be fine.”

The room instantly fell into a suffocating silence.

My usually stern father’s eyes turned red as he said, “Anna, can’t you forgive us yet? We never wanted what happened back then either. We punished Lena for you. We even put down the dog that had been with her since childhood. Besides… these dishes are what your mother and I like. Lena just grew up with us and happened to develop the same tastes.”

Of course. They were the real family and I was the outsider who never quite fit in. But did that give them the right to scheme against me and my daughter without a second thought?

As the tense silence stretched on, Bella suddenly ran downstairs.

The moment she saw me, her little lips trembled, then she burst into loud sobs.

“Where’s my mom? I want Mommy!”

The unfamiliarity and rejection in her eyes stabbed into my heart like a thousand needles.

Victor hurried to comfort her, but she only cried harder, her wails heartbreaking.

My parents rushed over as well, their faces filled with deep concern. It was a kind of worry I had never seen from them before my daughter was hurt.

And just then, the front door creaked open.

Bella’s eyes lit up.

She ran straight toward the person outside.

“Mommy!”

Lena scooped my daughter into her arms, holding her tightly as if she were her own. She shot me a vicious glare. “How could you take care of her like this?”

The last sliver of hope in my heart shattered completely.

So it was true.

She was no longer my daughter.

All those unbelievable words they had spoken were real.

The nanny, sensing something was wrong, stepped forward to take the child.

“Miss Lena, she is crying too hard. Let me hold her.”

But Lena dodged her grasp, her gaze full of open provocation as she stared at me.

“She’s crying because there’s someone who shouldn’t be here.”

I looked at the two of them, clinging to each other so naturally and so intimately.

A pain so sharp that it stole my breath tore through my chest.

‘How dare she! That is my daughter!’

I couldn’t control myself. I stepped forward, reaching out to take my daughter back.

But the moment I touched her, she burst into wailing cries.

Victor immediately rushed over and yanked me away. “What are you doing?”

Thrown off balance, I stumbled back, knocking over the dining table. Food and drinks spilled all over me, drenching me in a mess of breakfast dishes.

I looked up, only to see Victor standing protectively in front of Lena, his eyes full of wariness toward me.

My parents also stepped between us, as if terrified that I would lay a hand on Lena.

My heart turned completely cold.

That wasn’t my daughter. That wasn’t my husband. And they certainly weren’t my parents.

I refused the maid’s attempt to help me up. I rose to my feet slowly and numbly.

“Enjoy your meal. I won’t bother you any longer.”

Victor finally seemed to snap out of his daze and rushed forward to grab my arm.

"Anna, it’s not what you think. I only brought Lena back because I saw how down Mom and Dad were feeling. You have to understand their emotions. After all, Lena was their daughter for over twenty years. She’s already been punished. It’s time to move on."

My father also stepped in to persuade me. "That’s right. It was the dog’s fault, not entirely Lena’s. She’s back now, just let her stay."

My mother, eyes red with tears, pleaded with me. "Yes, Anna. Please, don’t torment your mother anymore. Let Lena come home."

I stared at them, tears streaming down my face, my heart breaking into pieces.

"Alright," I whispered, my voice trembling. "Let her come back."

Because this was always her home, the one who should leave… was me.

Everyone let out a sigh of relief.

Victor walked over and pulled me into his arms. "Anna, I knew you’d be the most understanding. Didn’t you always want to meet my friends? Our wedding anniversary is coming up in a few days. Let’s throw a grand banquet to celebrate."

I knew what this really was. A welcome party for Lena.

But it didn’t matter to me anymore.

I forced a smile, looking at the expectant faces before me and added, "Let’s make it a welcome banquet for Lena too. That way, it’ll be even livelier."

Perhaps worried that my presence at home would upset Lena, Victor wasted no time. That very afternoon, he dragged me out of the house.

"Just rest well and leave the banquet preparations to them."

"Don’t worry, Lena won’t outshine you. I’ll make sure this is the most unforgettable wedding anniversary for you."

In the past, Victor always told me not to compete with Lena, assuring me that since I was their biological daughter, the family would never mistreat me.

But in reality, time and time again, they favored Lena.

I used to argue, fight and struggle for what I wanted. But now that the things I once longed for were being handed to me, I simply responded with a quiet "Mm."

Victor seemed surprised. "Anna, isn’t this what you’ve always wanted?"

That was in the past. Now, I didn’t even want them anymore, so why would I care for their so-called affection?

But I didn’t say any of that. I only replied indifferently, "You were the one who told me that harmony in the family brings prosperity, isn’t that right?"

Victor nodded happily. "I’m glad you’ve come around. Today, I’m all yours. Let’s have a great time."

Our destination was the South Suburban Flower Valley. It was a place I had been wanting to visit for years.

It was only a thirty-minute drive, yet Victor had always brushed it off, saying he was too busy.

Now, as I finally stood before the breathtaking sea of flowers I had longed to see, the excitement I once felt was completely gone.

Tired of wandering, I headed to a café to sit down.

To my surprise, the waiter recognized Victor. "Mr. Ford, you’ve brought your wife again? It’s been a while since your last visit. Will you be ordering the usual—salmon sandwiches and lemon tea?"

So, this place was nothing special to him.

The place I had yearned for was merely one of their many date spots.

Seeing the cautious, probing look in Victor’s eyes, I pretended not to hear and walked out the door.

The captain's call came in just in time. "0527, all the procedures have been completed. Are you sure you don’t want to reconsider? Once the process starts, all traces of you in the country will be erased. I heard you found your family, got married and had a daughter. They…"

"They are not my family anymore. Captain, don't worry. Since I've decided to return, I won't regret it." I interrupted him firmly.

"Alright, the day after tomorrow, we’ll send someone over. Rest assured, no matter when, we will always have your back."

Even through the phone, I could feel the captain’s barely concealed heartache.

They had no blood ties to me, yet they truly cared.

But my own kin? They treated everything as a scheme.

"Anna, where are you going back to?" Victor’s voice came from behind me and I hurriedly wiped away my tears.

"Nowhere, just tired and wanting to go back."

He looked at me indulgently. "Alright, whatever you say goes."

On the way back, he took countless detours, driving for two hours without reaching home.

I couldn’t be bothered to expose his intentions, so I simply closed my eyes and took a nap.

I didn’t know how much time had passed when the car finally stopped.

Victor got out, but he didn’t call for me.

I wanted to open my eyes, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t move.

Then, I heard voices from outside the car.

"Why didn’t you wait inside? Aren’t you cold?"

Lena’s voice was sultry as she tugged down her collar.

"Just thinking about you makes me burn up."

Victor laughed heartily, without the slightest hesitation, as he pulled her into an intimate embrace.