My adopted sister, Rebecca Lawson, steals the gift I painstakingly prepared for the Don and presents it at a family gathering. Everyone in the room is stunned.

So, my parents turned what was supposed to be my engagement party into a celebration banquet for Rebecca.

They sit together and raise their champagne glasses to toast her, while I collapse alone in the bathroom, hitting my head and bleeding out.

After regaining some consciousness, I use all my strength to call them for help, but only the mafia's consigliere and my fiance—Yves Gilbert—answers my calls.

"Tessa, why didn't you come to Rebecca's celebration? She felt hurt by your absence! I know you've always been jealous that she could easily gain everyone's affection, but it's what she deserves.

"Quickly come over and apologize to Rebecca. Don't disappoint us any further." Yves hangs up the phone after saying that.

I stare at the darkened phone screen with an unsightly smile.

They don't know that the gift I have prepared for the Don is still a half-finished product and needs to be repaired.

However, I don't have the time to tell them.

Because I am about to die of illness.

The party was about to start when my brother, Clyde Shaw, kicked open the door to my room. He looked around the room but saw no sign of me, so he shouted my name loudly, " Tessa! Where did you go? You're no longer a child, so why are you playing hide-and-seek and throwing a tantrum?"

Usually, whenever my family came looking for me, I would joyfully rush to greet them at the first opportunity.

This time, I didn't. Because at that moment, I had a heart attack and collapsed on the bathroom floor.

Clyde didn't take a single step inside. He had mysophobia, so he wouldn't sit on any couch I had sat on for a long time, let alone enter my room.

He took out his phone to call me, but there was no answer.

Annoyed, he returned to the living room downstairs and spoke to our parents. "Tessa isn't in her room and didn't answer my calls. She's always disappearing like this, waiting for us to beg her to come back."

"We've spoiled her," Father said coldly. "This time, no one's allowed to go looking for her. Let her calm down on her own, and she'll come back tomorrow."

My adopted sister, Rebecca Lawson, walked over and gently held Father's arm. With a concerned expression, she said, "Dad, don't say that. What if something really happened to Tessa? Maybe I should send her a message. You know I'm the one who worries most about her."

She lowered her gaze, playing the role of a thoughtful and sensible younger sister perfectly.

My father, Jasper Shaw, patted her shoulder approvingly. "You're the most sensible, always thinking of the family. Unlike Tessa, who only acts willfully and causes trouble!"

…

After an unknown amount of time, I was drowsily awakened by the vibration of my phone. I struggled to open my eyes and saw a message from Rebecca appear on my phone.

"Tessa, you're the bride-to-be at the engagement party, so why haven't you shown up yet? Oh, I almost forgot!

"The engagement party has turned into my celebration party. Yves just gave me roses. Come quickly and see how pretty they are!"

Following that was a photo. In it, the banquet table was laid with exquisite-looking dishes and a champagne tower that shimmered golden under the lights. Everything looked so perfect and luxurious.

At the center of the photo, my fiance, Yves Gilbert, was presenting a bouquet of bright red roses to Rebecca. His gentle gaze toward her seemed almost overflowing.

My parents stood nearby, cutting the cake, while my brother was helping to mix drinks. Each of them was smiling so brightly, as if they were a family who left no room for anyone else to join in.

I was barely hanging on due to my heart attack earlier.

When I saw the text, everything went black before my eyes, and I couldn't even struggle since the last bit of my strength was gone.

I lay there, feeling forgotten in the bathroom and as though I was one big joke.

Suddenly, I felt a sharp ache in my heart, and I used my last bit of strength to dial for help. First, I tried Clyde, but he didn't answer. Then, I dialed my parents, yet they still didn't answer.

As I held onto my last hope, I called Yves.

This time, the call connected. The noisy background of the party flooded through the speakers first.

I reflexively forced a smile, but before I could feel moved by Yves answering the call, his reprimands came over the phone.

"Tessa, have you kicked up enough of a fuss? Must you act up at this time and upset everyone?"

I gripped the phone tighter. As I spoke, my voice was so weak that it was barely audible. "Yves, I just fainted in the bathroom. I feel so unwell… Can you… take me to the hospital?"

He seemed momentarily stunned, but then said in his usual cold tone, "Stop being dramatic. I know you're upset that the engagement party turned into a celebration party today, but you can't ruin the party by acting out now."

"I didn't…"

"Hurry up and apologize to Rebecca. Don't disappoint us any further."

He didn't even give me a chance to explain before casually hanging up the phone.

As I listened to the busy tone on the other end, my chest felt like it was being gripped by an invisible hand, making it hard to breathe.

But Yves, I no longer had a future…

I leaned against the wall, struggling to stand before inching my way downstairs step by step.

In the living room, my family surrounded Rebecca as if she were the center of the universe. She wore an expensive, exquisite couture dress, and her makeup was flawless. She looked as proud as a peacock while receiving everyone's praise.

No one noticed me, because they didn't even look my way. I was like an outsider, unable to blend in with their celebration.

The party had already started, and the table was a mess, yet no one had saved me any food.

I thought of going to the kitchen for something to eat, but Mother called out to me at that moment.

With a glass of red wine in her hand, she approached me and said patronizingly, "Tessa, you're back just in time.

"Go to the kitchen and make some of your sister's favorite muffins. She was just eating and kept saying she loves the muffins you make. Make some for her breakfast tomorrow."

I looked at her. My lips moved as if to speak, but no sound came out.

Mother glanced at me, and her smile instantly froze. She lowered her voice, her tone full of warning as she said, "What's with the long face? You can't even fulfill such a simple request from your sister?"

"And that makeup of yours makes you look like a dead person. Who are you trying to show it to? Stop with your pity act, and don't mention your so-called terminal illness anymore.

"You'd better behave today, lest you ruin everyone's mood. If not, I'll kick you out."

At that moment, I swallowed back the last bit of my urge to struggle and tell them I really had a heart attack.

After all, if I said it, they would see it as an attention-seeking stunt. I didn't want to turn myself into a bigger fool.

"Okay." I nodded lightly and turned toward the kitchen.

I opened the fridge and saw it was packed with nothing but the best ingredients prepared for the party.

I took out flour, eggs, and milk. With practiced, numb movements, I began making Rebecca's favorite muffins.

I only had three days left to live. Since that was the case, what was the point in arguing?

All they wanted was a gentle and virtuous fiancee, an obedient and sensible daughter, as well as a clever and well-behaved sister.

I would give them exactly that.

As for my feelings, my pain, and everything about me… it didn't matter anymore.

After all, I was going to die anyway.

The next morning, I personally took the muffins I had baked and placed them in front of Rebecca.

"Wow, my favorite muffins!" Rebecca exclaimed with delight.

She picked one up, took a bite, and nodded with satisfaction. "Tessa's cooking is still the best."

I said nothing. I quietly pulled out a chair and sat in the farthest corner, watching my family enjoy the meal happily together. The sight had me feeling like an unnecessary decoration in the setting.

Rebecca set down her knife and fork and bragged lightly, "Speaking of which, that antique gun I gave to Don Conway yesterday was not easy to repair. I consulted the most famous gunsmiths in Elandor, and they all said the internal damage was almost irreversible."

She continued in a deliberately nonchalant tone, "But I stayed up several nights, polishing the parts myself, and in the end, I actually succeeded.

"The expert looked at the finished product with a magnifying glass for a long time and marveled, saying it was craftsmanship that restored something decaying!"

Mother immediately praised, "You've always been excellent since you were a child, unlike Tessa, who's clumsy."

Even Father—who was usually busy with family affairs and rarely sat at the dining table—had a gentle expression on his usually calm and confident face.

He listened to Rebecca's story with great interest and agreed with satisfaction. "As expected of my daughter!"

Yves' gaze stayed fixed on Rebecca, filled with a focus and admiration I had never received before.

I bit my lips tightly, already tasting the blood that formed on them.

That antique gun was the one I had disassembled and polished piece by piece, yet now it had become Rebecca's achievement to show off.

Amid the chorus of praise, Rebecca suddenly turned her head toward me, her expression looking slightly apologetic.

"Tessa, you don't look too pleased. You're not angry at me, are you? It's all my fault that your engagement party turned into a celebration for me. I didn't want it, but Dad and Clyde insisted on changing it. There was nothing I could do," she said.

Her words sounded like an apology, but every sentence seemed to stab deeper into my heart.

As soon as Rebecca finished, Mother's expression darkened. She slammed her utensils down and scolded me sharply, yelling, "Tessa! As her elder sister, can't you be more considerate?

"Do you think it's reasonable to look so displeased with Rebecca over something so minor? If you keep being this petty, don't bother calling me your mother anymore!"

Everyone turned to look at me—waiting for me to either lose control and scream like before, or cry pitifully to defend myself as usual.

However, this time, I remained unusually calm. Even though the pain I felt inside made it hard to breathe, I no longer wanted to defend myself to them.

After all, I was going to die soon. At this point, even arguing had become a luxury.

Since I was already such an unbearable person in their eyes, why should I waste the final moments of my life on such futile struggles?

When she saw me remain unresponsive, Mother grew even angrier. She was just about to scold me again when an accident happened.

"Ah!" Rebecca, who sat at the head of the table, suddenly let out a painful groan.

She was clutching her throat, and her face was flushed red from the lack of oxygen. Red rashes spread across her skin as her breathing turned rapid.

In the next second, under everyone's terrified gaze, she slid straight from her chair and collapsed onto the floor.

The living room was in a disarray.

Yves held the unconscious Rebecca and anxiously called out her name.

Father immediately instructed the driver. "Get the car ready! We're going to the hospital!"

Soon, large patches of red rashes appeared on Rebecca's neck and arms. It looked like an extremely severe allergic reaction.

Mother suddenly screamed. She rushed up to me, her eyes bloodshot as she glared at me. "It must be your doing! Tessa, can't you even be more tolerant of Rebecca?"

A loud smack rang across the room as a slap landed on my face, making it burn with pain.

I turned my head from the hit and instinctively raised my hand to cover my face as blood trickled from the corner of my mouth.

"I didn't…"

"You still dare to deny it?" Mother trembled with anger, and she raised her hand as if to strike again.

"Enough!" Father shouted, stopping her. However, his gaze toward me was just as cold.

He added, "Tessa, I never imagined you could be so cruel-hearted!"

Yves walked past me, holding Rebecca. He stopped to look down at me with eyes full of disgust and disappointment. "Tessa, you truly make me sick."

They were all convinced I had harmed Rebecca and didn't even give me a chance to defend myself.

They hurriedly took Rebecca to the hospital, leaving only me and a messy table behind in the large villa.

The burning pain on my cheek gradually dulled as I sat quietly, and my memories uncontrollably transported me back to long ago.

…

Ever since Rebecca was adopted into the family, I had become the neglected child at home.

Rebecca could easily receive my parents' affection, while I would be severely punished for even the smallest mistake.

When I was seven, I was sent to live in the school dormitories for breaking Mother's favorite vase.

The winters there were harsh. Under the bullying of Rebecca's clique, they took my blanket, leaving me shivering in the cold nights.

They would throw my textbooks into the water and put bugs in my lunchbox, with the teachers turning a blind eye the entire time.

This was because everyone knew Rebecca's parents were influential, so no one dared to mess with her. In fact, no one knew I was the true biological daughter of this family.

I had also called my parents, crying and telling them how Rebecca bullied me at school.

At first, they would offer me some comforting words. But later, Rebecca twisted the truth in front of them, claiming I was ostracized because I had stolen from my classmates.

From then on, my parents' calls turned into impatient scoldings, saying I was unrepentant and brought shame to the family.

They were always absent throughout my upbringing, never attending parent meetings or graduation ceremonies, and even forgetting my coming-of-age birthday.

It felt like my life existed only to highlight Rebecca's happiness.

…

The phone rang abruptly, pulling me out of my thoughts. It was Yves calling.

As soon as I answered, his cold, angry voice came through the receiver. "Tessa, I've really misjudged you. I didn't expect you to be this cruel. Let's call off the engagement."

I stayed silent for a moment before calmly replying, "Fine."

The person on the other end seemed stunned—Yves probably hadn't expected me to agree so quickly. It seemed like he wanted to say more, but I didn't give him a chance and hung up immediately.

After hanging up, I took a taxi to the hospital.

I wanted to straighten out the broken engagement in person and also tell them that the gun I had prepared for Don Jason Conway was meant as a gift.

Just as I reached the door of Rebecca's hospital room, I overheard my parents' conversation inside.

"Luckily, the doctor said it's just acute allergies, or I wouldn't have spared that bitch Tessa!" Mother spat out in a venomous tone.

"That's enough!" Father sounded tired. "Have you forgotten who Yves is? He's the gang's consigliere. We had Tessa get engaged to him just to keep him close and benefit from him.

"Yves and Rebecca have been childhood sweethearts and are a match made in heaven. If Rebecca hadn't insisted on studying abroad back then, how would this engagement have gone to Tessa? Now that Rebecca's back, everything should return to its rightful place."

So that was what it was. From that start, my marriage and affection were political schemes to serve the family's interests.

I was merely a tool to keep Yves in place and a placeholder for Rebecca after her return from studying abroad.

A sharp pain shot through my heart, feeling a thousand times more unbearable than any physical pain in my body. The tightly wound string finally snapped completely at that moment.

I could no longer hold on. While leaning against the wall, I slowly slid to the floor. All strength drained from my body in an instant, and I felt my soul plunge into an endless abyss.

Before my consciousness fully sank into darkness, I seemed to see my brief and laughable life flash before my eyes.

That was fine too. It could just end like this.

Unfortunately, I didn't have time to tell them that the antique gun wasn't fully repaired yet.

…

In Rebecca's hospital room, the whole family was gathered around, fussing over her.

At that moment, Father's phone rang. He answered impatiently with a displeased tone, thinking it was a family matter.

"What is it?"

A stranger's voice came from the other end. "Am I speaking to Ms. Tessa Shaw's family? This is Central City Hospital."

Father frowned. "Yes, it is. What happened to her this time?"

"Ms. Shaw suffered a heart attack due to extreme emotional fluctuations, and resuscitation was unsuccessful.

"Her death has been confirmed. Please come promptly to complete the necessary procedures and collect the body."