"You look terrible. I've always seen you as my granddaughter-in-law, but now you're going to marry into the Blackwell family. I just can't bear it!"

I quickly reached out and held Mr. Langston Senior's hands.

"Mr. Langston Senior, I'm sorry. This is all my fault."

He let out a long sigh, his cloudy eyes filled with pain and heartbreak. "It's those two scoundrels' fault! No matter what happens from now on, I’ll see you as my granddaughter!"

I sniffled and nodded quickly, trying my best not to cry. I reached into my pocket and pulled out a card, placing it gently on the table.

"Thank you for everything you've done for me all these years. The rest… I'll repay them someday."

Mr. Langston Senior instantly flared up, slamming his cane hard against the floor.

"Scoundrels! Those little punks must've said something to you! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?"

He stood up shakily and shoved the card right back into my hands.

Finally, I couldn't hold back the tears any longer.

Over the years, Mr. Langston Senior treated me like his own granddaughter. I couldn't let myself hurt him, no matter what.

But when it came to matters of the heart, there was no clear right or wrong.

I hugged the old man before me tightly, the one who looked at me with nothing but love in his eyes. I promised myself I would never make him worry again.

Just then, the office door swung open.

The Langston brothers walked in with Queenie. The second they saw me, their expressions darkened.

"Yvonne! You're here tattling to Grandpa again, aren't you? Can't you stop being so petty?"

"Shawn! Watch your mouth!" I snapped.

Queenie quickly shrank behind the brothers, glancing at me with her usual pitiful expression.

Nigel walked up to Mr. Langston Senior and said, "Grandpa, please don't blame him. Lately, Yvonne's been overly jealous because of Queenie. She even hit her."

When Mr. Langston Senior didn't immediately respond, Nigel continued, "Queenie's a good girl. She may not come from money, but she's kind. Unlike Yvonne, who's been spoiled rotten by us."

Mr. Langston Senior suddenly snatched up his cane and swung it hard at Nigel's leg.

"It's no wonder Yvonne wants to leave. So this is how you treat her? I don't want to see that woman in this house ever again!"

The brothers led Queenie out of the room sullenly. Meanwhile, I stayed behind to comfort Mr. Langston Senior for some time.

But the moment I stepped out of the office, someone shoved me violently from behind, and I stumbled to the ground.

It was Shawn!

He glared at me, eyes wide and full of fury.

"Yvonne Sachman! What makes you think you're better than Queenie? She's the department head now! Why'd you have to go whining to Grandpa?"

He grabbed my arm and dragged me over to Queenie.

"Apologize! You're getting on your knees and apologizing to her today!"

I looked up at the three of them.

I was just about to walk away from all this, yet they still wouldn't let me go.

I couldn't hold it in anymore and screamed, "I didn't do anything wrong!"

What I got in return was a slap across my face, one that left my ears ringing.

Before I could even recover, Shawn grabbed the back of my neck, forcing me to get down on my knees before Queenie.

The moment my knees touched the ground, my breath caught in my throat.

I curled up, gasping, but no air seemed to reach my lungs.

Right before I blacked out, one thought echoed in my mind. "With this, we're even."

Let the past be forgotten. From this moment on, we'd be strangers.

After a few days in the hospital, I could finally stand and walk again, but the string of health issues had caused some permanent damage.

The day I was discharged, Nautilis' social media was flooded with breaking news—the Blackwell family's heir would be having a flash wedding.

It was also then that the Langston brothers finally texted me.

Shawn: "Running away again? Ever heard of the boy who cried wolf? Get your ass back here, or I'll never forgive you."

Nigel: "Where are you? Why does the Blackwell family's heir's wife share the same name as yours? Come back. Now!"