Alyssa’s POV

When he passed by me, he hesitated for a moment, then still reached out and patted my shoulder.

“Alyssa, don’t be too greedy. Know when to stop.”

I slowly tore that check into pieces.

“That woman… Who is she?”

My nails dug hard into my palm. I just wanted to die knowing the truth.

But in the end, no one ever gave me an answer.

Casper protected her too well.

I wandered down the street in a daze. The dim lights at dawn stretched my shadow long.

Snow suddenly started falling from the night sky—tiny white flakes.

But the moment they touched my palm, they melted away.

Just like our three-year relationship, no matter how hard I tried, I could never hold onto it.

Three days ago, we were still standing together on the hotel terrace, enjoying the breeze. He had taken off his coat and draped it over my shoulders.

I’d acted cute and thrown myself into his arms, saying I wanted to watch the year’s first snow with him.

He promised me—said he’d watch the first snowfall with me every year.

Now that it’s finally snowing, we’re already strangers.

Thinking about it carefully, maybe I don’t even have the right to blame him.

Like he said, I approached him with a purpose.

When my father kicked me out, my pride wouldn’t allow me to humble myself and apologize.

And someone as powerful as Casper… became my only option.

I don’t know when things started to change—when my purposeful approach turned into something else.

Maybe it was the time he defended me in front of everyone.

Maybe it was when he never let other women get close, but I was his only exception.

Maybe it was when someone of his status willingly lowered himself for me, acting like a clown just to make me laugh.

I fell for him…

Hopelessly.

The sweeter the memories were back then, the more shattering the pain feels now.

When I called home and asked the driver to pick me up, the housekeeper said Casper had already taken that apartment back.

With nowhere to go, I had no choice but to return to that cold, loveless home of my parents.

The moment I stepped inside, I was met with my father’s cold stare.

He didn’t even bother to lift his head from the couch.

“Hmph, so you still remember how to come back. Haven’t seen you in three years; thought you forgot where your own home was.

“Didn’t you say you’d rather die out there? What, couldn’t manage to die after all?”

My stepmother chimed in, pretending to soothe things.

“Camden, don’t say that. Alyssa is still your daughter.”

“I heard she’s been living pretty well these past few years,” she continued. “Dated some impressive boyfriend, lived in a villa, drove some fancy car—even more expensive than your dad’s.”

“Huh? You came back alone today? Didn’t bring your boyfriend?”

My father let out a mocking snort.

“A boyfriend? He’d have to actually acknowledge her first! Who knows who she’s been seeing these three years? She probably went out there and became someone’s mistress!”

All the resentment I’d buried for three years exploded at once.

I smashed everything I could see, yelling at them:

“Are you done?

“Only a cheating scumbag like you would tell your own daughter to go be a mistress!

“What? You cheated, so now you think every woman in the world is like your mistress? Are you disappointed I didn’t become someone’s side piece?”

My father’s chest heaved. The next second, he shoved a cup off the table, smashing it.

“How dare you talk to your father like that!

“Get out! I don’t have a daughter like you! Get out of my house!”

I glared at him.

“This is the house my mom left me. The ones who should get out are you two!”

“The deed is in my name now!” he shot back.

Tension filled the room. My stepmother rushed over and held him back.

“Stop, both of you. This isn’t the time to fight.

“Merida is bringing her fiancé home tomorrow. Alyssa, you’ve come back just in time. You’ll have to meet him anyway.”

Alyssa’s POV

Dad didn’t say another word and stormed back into the bedroom.

I didn’t sleep at all that night. So when I opened my door the next morning, dark circles under my eyes, I froze on the spot.

Casper walked in carrying an armful of expensive skincare products and right beside him was Merida.

He didn’t look surprised to see me, not even in the slightest.

My stepmother hurried over eagerly to take the bags from him.

“Oh my, you didn’t have to bring anything! Just having you here is enough!”

Dad rushed over, practically shaking with excitement as he grabbed Casper’s hand.

“You must be the Pennington CEO, right? I’ve only ever seen your interviews on TV. I never imagined my Merida’s boyfriend would be you!”

My stepmother shot him a look of pure annoyance.

“What are you talking about? This is Merida’s fiancé. He’s here today to discuss the wedding.”

The moment our eyes met, the whole room felt like it turned to stone.

Back when we first started dating, I’d told Casper everything about my family.

He looked at me like I was his whole world and promised he’d stand up for me one day.

But now, he walked through the door… as my sister’s fiancé.

I’d imagined a thousand possibilities yet somehow never this.

Never that the person he loved… was Merida.

The woman I hate more than anyone in this world.

Life really knows how to be cruel.

That morning, the entire breakfast tasted like cardboard.

Dad fawned over Casper while throwing shade at me between every compliment.

“Merida’s so mature. Even the man she chose is outstanding—not like her sister here. She dated some useless guy and took off for three years. Who knows what kind of trash he was?

“When it comes to picking men, Alyssa, maybe learn from your sister!”

I couldn’t stand listening anymore. I got up and went back to my room.

While I was packing my bags to leave, Merida walked in.

“I just got home, and you’re already running off? Alyssa… you’re not avoiding me, are you?”

I shot back without a hint of politeness.

“Why would I avoid you? You’re just the illegitimate daughter of a homewrecker.

“This house is disgusting. If I stay any longer, I’m afraid it’ll ruin my eyesight.”

Her face twisted with rage, and she grabbed my wrist hard.

“Say that again!”

I yanked my arm free.

“I can say it a hundred times—you’re still a bastard who can’t show her face in the light.

“Your mother stole my dad, and now, you’re following in her footsteps. Like mother, like daughter. Trash creates more trash!”

The moment I turned around, she suddenly slammed herself against the cabinet.

A loud bang echoed through the room.

Casper rushed in immediately.

“What happened?”

My stepmother ran in right after him. One glance and she understood everything perfectly. Tears streamed down her face on command.

“Alyssa, if you’re angry, take it out on me! Why do you always hurt Merida? She’s innocent!”

Dad burst in next, and without even asking, he slapped me across the face.

“Alyssa! Did you come back just to make trouble for me?!

“This house doesn’t welcome you. Get out!”

I held my burning cheek, not surprised at all.

Every time something happened to Merida, I was the one who ended up taking the blame.

I’d seen this same trick too many times.

I was about to leave when Casper suddenly stepped in front of me.

“Sir, based on what you’re saying… Merida has been wronged often before?”

My stepmother started sobbing even louder.

“I truly love Camden, but Alyssa always thought my presence is what caused her mother’s death. So she’s been hostile to me and my daughter…

“Forget it. It’s embarrassing family business; we shouldn’t talk about it.”

Casper’s expression hardened, ready to snap, but Merida spoke up weakly.

“Casper, don’t blame my sister. She’s still young. She didn’t mean it…”

Alyssa’s POV

Right after saying that, Merida fell unconscious.

Casper shouted her name over and over, panicked, but no matter how loudly he called, she didn’t open her eyes again.

My stepmother slapped her thigh in alarm.

“Oh no! There’s something I never dared tell Camden because I didn’t want him to worry. Before Merida went abroad, she was diagnosed with hemophilia. Her condition had been stable with medication, but—”

She didn’t even finish before Casper scooped Merida into his arms and rushed out.

I was dragged to the hospital. The doctor took a quick look and said Merida needed a blood transfusion before they could operate.

The moment he finished speaking, Casper’s stare sliced right through me.

“Alyssa, if I remember right, you and Merida have the same blood type.”

My face drained of color. I backed away without even realizing it.

“I didn’t push her!”

“You think I’m buying that? No one knows how much you hate Merida better than I do.”

Words I’d once said to him in the middle of our passionate relationship had come back around, sharp enough to cut me open.

My nails dug into my palms so hard I broke the skin, but I couldn’t even feel the pain.

I forced out a smile uglier than crying.

“Yeah, I do hate her. That’s exactly why I’m not saving her.”

“Alyssa, I’m not asking you.”

I spun around, trying to get away, but someone grabbed my wrist hard.

“Go donate blood. Name whatever terms you want.”

“Let go of me. I’m not going!”

“Don’t force me.”

A sharp crack sounded. My wrist bent at a grotesque angle.

The pain was so overwhelming that I didn’t even have time to scream; my vision went black as I nearly passed out.

Casper grabbed me before I collapsed.

“Doctor! Take her to donate blood.”

When the needle pierced my skin, he just stood there, watching coldly from the side.

I was so weak I could only squeeze out a breathy whisper.

“Casper… these three years, you never loved me. Did you?”

For a long moment, there was nothing.

Then finally, he answered.

“Don’t ask meaningless questions.”

That was the moment my heart died completely.

The doctor, who had been monitoring me closely, suddenly stood up when he noticed something was off.

“No. We can’t take any more from her. This condition is usually inherited; if we keep drawing blood, her body won’t be able to produce more. She could die.”

The nurse jumped, about to pull the needle out.

But Casper pressed down on the injection site, stopping her.

“Is what she’s already given enough for the surgery?”

“Not enough. I can contact other hospitals for supply, but I’m not sure if it’ll arrive in time.”

“Then keep drawing!”

The nurse looked at me with pure pity.

I forced a stiff smile.

“Go ahead.”

I had no idea how much time passed. When I finally woke up from unconsciousness, the surgery was already over.

Only a nurse was in the room, jotting something down. When she saw me wake, she let out a breath of relief.

“Good thing you’re not hemophilic, or you probably wouldn’t have made it.

“Your sister’s boyfriend went way overboard—making a young girl like you donate that much blood.

“Those two people who came with you… they’re your parents, right? Why didn’t they come check on you?”

I stared numbly at the ceiling, my voice barely a whisper.

“They’re not my parents. My parents… are already dead.”

I stayed in the hospital for a month. During all that time, Casper came only once.

He told the doctor to put all my medical expenses on his tab.

When the room was quiet with just the two of us, he let out a long sigh.

“I talked to Uncle Camden about what happened at home. They didn’t know you were sick. That’s why they never visited. Don’t overthink it.”

But even if they had known, they still wouldn’t have come.

I kept that thought to myself.

Casper stared out at the falling snow and said quietly, “I was wrong to hide Merida’s condition from you. But from now on, I don’t want you giving her trouble anymore. Whatever happened in the past… just let it go.”