When I got back into the car, I hesitated for a second before speaking.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Of course, ma'am.”

“Please don't tell Manuel about today,” I said softly. “About the immigration office.”

The driver's hands tightened slightly on the steering wheel.

After a moment he said carefully, “Ma'am… to be honest, the boss has always told us not to talk about you in front of him.”

I blinked. “What do you mean?”

He cleared his throat awkwardly. “He told the staff not to mention you unless it's absolutely necessary.”

I couldn't help letting out a quiet laugh. “So he doesn't even want to hear my name?”

The driver didn't answer.

...

When we arrived at the house, I stepped out and looked up at the large villa in front of me.

The place felt strange. At the same time… it also felt a little familiar.

The furniture looked expensive and elegant. The colors and decorations were exactly the kind of style I liked.

I walked over to the couch and ran my fingers across the embroidered cushions.

Did I decorate all this?

If I did… I must've been excited back then. Maybe I imagined living here happily with Manuel. Maybe I thought marriage meant something.

My eyes landed on the big wedding photo hanging on the wall.

I stepped closer.

In the picture, I was smiling brightly. My eyes were full of love as I looked at the man beside me.

Manuel stood next to me in his suit. His face was handsome. And completely expressionless.

He wasn't even looking at me.

I stared at that photo for a few seconds before shaking my head. Then I turned and walked upstairs.

When I entered the bedroom, my body moved on instinct. I walked straight to the dresser and pulled open one of the drawers.

Something slid out immediately.

A leather notebook fell onto the floor with a soft thud.

I opened the diary and flipped to the first page. The handwriting was messy and crooked, the kind someone wrote while drunk or crying too hard to hold the pen steady.

“First day of marriage with Manuel. He went straight to his study and didn't say a single word to me. It's fine. I'll wait for him.”

My chest tightened a little.

I kept turning the pages.

Each one felt heavier than the last.

“26th suicide attempt today. He still didn't come. My assistant said Amber had a fever so he stayed with her all night. I was in the ER alone listening to the IV drip until morning.”

My fingers trembled.

I forced myself to read the next entry.

“39th time. I took sleeping pills again. When I woke up, I heard Manuel in the hallway on the phone. He sounded annoyed. He said, “Just let her die.” I think that moment hurt more than the attempt itself. Hearing the person you love most wish you were gone.”

My vision blurred for a second.

The next page was even worse.

“49th time. I think I'm done. If this doesn't work either, I'll just disappear somewhere. Nobody in this world actually cares if I exist. Goodbye.”

I shut the diary so fast it made a sharp sound.

My chest felt like something had been torn open inside it. I looked down at my wrists and suddenly noticed the thin pale scars crossing the skin. I hadn't even paid attention to them earlier, but now they burned as if every mark was accusing me.

So this was my life?

I slowly crouched on the floor and hugged my knees, my forehead resting against them. For six years I lived like that. Begging for scraps of attention from a man who didn't even want me alive. What kind of person had I been… how desperate did you have to be to keep doing that, Aurora?

A few tears slipped down before I wiped them away quickly. “It's fine,” I whispered to myself, “It's okay if nobody loves you. You'll be okay.”

I placed the diary back in the drawer and closed it.

Moonlight came through the window and settled on the floor near my feet. I stared at that pale patch of light for a while and muttered quietly, “As long as you don't give up on yourself… you haven't lost everything.”

...

The villa stayed empty for the next few days. Manuel never came back and no one visited. Strangely it didn't feel unbearable. Maybe because I didn't remember loving anyone here. Maybe because there was no one around to hurt me again. I just stayed quietly in the house, waiting for the immigration papers to be finished.

The quiet ended when my phone rang.

It was my mother.

The moment I answered, her cold voice came through. “Amber's birthday banquet is tomorrow night at seven. Enchanted Star Hotel. Don't be late.”

I hesitated. “I don't think I—”

“That's all,” she cut in flatly, and the call ended before I could finish.

I stared at the screen for a moment. She didn't even wait for an answer.

The next evening I picked the simplest black dress I could find and went to the hotel. The banquet hall was huge and bright, filled with people laughing and talking. Amber stood in the center surrounded by guests, smiling sweetly while everyone praised her. Manuel stood nearby, and it was the first time I'd seen him in days.

Two women beside me were whispering.

“Amber really hit the jackpot,” one said quietly. “Her parents adore her and even Manuel Davenport treats her like a princess.”

The other woman nodded. “Of course. I heard he arranged this entire party himself. The champagne was flown in from Italy this morning. One bottle costs six figures. And those flowers came straight from the Netherlands.”

I glanced around the room. The entire hall looked like a fancy garden.

“Apparently the design is based on Morako's garden paintings,” the woman continued. “Amber loves that style. They spent more than fifteen million dollars decorating this place.”

I took a small sip of wine and looked toward Manuel. He wore a black suit tonight, the collar slightly open, the top button undone. He looked relaxed and expensive at the same time. But what caught my attention wasn't the suit. He was crouching beside Amber, carefully adjusting the hem of her dress so it wouldn't drag. His face held a gentle smile I had never seen before.

So he could smile like that.

Just not at me.

The host's voice suddenly echoed across the hall, asking everyone to quiet down. My parents walked onto the stage with Amber between them. My father cleared his throat and looked proudly at the guests before speaking. “Thank you all for coming tonight to celebrate Amber's birthday. But we also have some important family news to announce.”

The room fell silent.

He placed a hand on Amber's shoulder and continued calmly, “Starting today, Amber will inherit sixty percent of the shares of Moore Group.”

Gasps and whispers spread through the hall immediately.

I tightened my grip on the wine glass in my hand.

Wow.

I froze when Manuel stepped onto the stage and pulled a small velvet box from his pocket. He opened it, and there it was—a delicate crystal tiara, sparkling under the lights.

Someone in the crowd gasped. “Isn’t that the Davenport heirloom? I heard Old Madam Davenport left it for the wife of the eldest grandson.”

Another voice added loud enough for people nearby to hear, “Wow. Giving the family tiara to his wife’s younger sister? President Davenport is basically shoving Aurora aside in public.”

Manuel carefully placed the tiara on Amber’s head. Perfect fit.

Amber looked toward the corner where I was standing, her voice soft but deliberate. “Dad, Mom, Manuel… doesn’t this feel wrong? After all, Aurora is the Moore family’s real daughter and your wife. Shouldn’t these things belong to her?”

My parents immediately grabbed her hands, shaking their heads. “What are you saying? Aurora married well, and she has the Davenport family backing her. This is just planning ahead for you, giving you what’s rightfully yours.”

Manuel’s calm voice cut through. “If it hadn’t been for that accident, this would have been yours anyway.”

I felt like someone had ripped the air out of the room. My parents’ words hit like slaps, Manuel’s like knives. The crowd’s eyes felt like spotlights scanning me, full of pity, ridicule, enjoyment of my misery. I could practically feel Amber smirking, showing off her victory.

I should have felt sick or crushed, but I didn’t. I felt… calm.

I set down my wine glass quietly and turned away. People whispered behind me.

“Look, her eyes are red… she must have cried in the bathroom.”

“Poor thing, her parents and husband all favor the adopted daughter.”

I didn’t care. I went straight to the restroom.

The reflection staring back at me wasn’t crying. My makeup was intact, my eyes dry. I’d forgotten everything. The way I’d begged my parents for love, begged Manuel to notice me, begged for scraps of care. All of it was gone. Those people I once worshiped felt like strangers now.

I touched up my lipstick and was about to leave when I stopped.

Down the corridor, Manuel had Amber pinned against the wall, kissing her hard. His hands were in her hair, his other hand gripping her waist like he didn’t want to let go. Amber leaned back, tilting her neck, letting him.

After what felt like forever, he pulled back slightly and rubbed her lips with his thumb. His voice was low and rough. “Satisfied now, baby?”

Amber smiled against him, soft and sweet. “Manuel, I know I’m asking a lot. I already have the family tiara, but I still wanted a kiss… If my sister saw this, she’d probably be crushed again.”

He shook his head and held her tighter. “That’s not my fuckinv problem. I never liked her. I could never like her. You’re the one I’ve always loved, Amber.”

He kissed her again, and I froze, feeling my chest tighten as if someone was squeezing it. Is this… the leftover warmth from when I loved him? I raised my hand to my heart, wondering if it would ever go away.

The kiss went on for what felt like three minutes, and then Manuel finally stepped back and walked away.

I waited until Manuel and Amber disappeared completely before stepping out of the shadows. I took a shaky breath, straightened my skirt, and was about to head back to grab my bag and leave.

But the second I walked into the hall, Amber ran up to me and grabbed my wrist hard. “Sister, if you like the tiara Manuel gave me, I can give it to you. So why would you steal it?!”

I froze. “Steal it? What are you talking about?”

“You’re still pretending!” Amber’s voice shook, her eyes red. “I just went to the restroom and the tiara was gone. The waiter said you were the only one near my bag!”

Before I could even respond, my parents rushed over. They slapped me, no words, just pure anger. “Aurora! You can’t be happy unless you’re causing trouble every single day, can you?!”

My cheeks burned from the hit, and before I could even speak, my mother screamed. “Guards! Search her now!”

Waiters swarmed me, yanking at my dress roughly.

“I didn’t steal it! Let me go!” I yelled, trying to pull away, panic rising.

The sound of fabric tearing echoed, and suddenly my shoulder was exposed. Gasps and snickers swept across the hall, making my stomach twist.

“Found it!” a waiter shouted, pulling the crystal tiara out of my bag. “It was with her all along.”

Amber grabbed it immediately, tears streaming down her face. “Sister, what do you have to say for yourself now?”

I shook, my words stuck in my throat. My mind felt like it was breaking again. I wanted to scream, to explain, to make them see, but no sound came out.

Then the crowd seemed to part by itself. The echo of heavy, measured footsteps grew louder, cutting through all the noise. I looked up and froze.

Manuel was walking toward me. Each step made my chest tighten, his polished leather shoes clicking against the marble like they were stamping on my heart.

“Why would you steal it? Have you forgotten? I’ve never treated you like my wife.”

I looked up at him, at the coldness in his eyes.

“Aurora, some things aren’t meant for you. And they’ll never be yours.”

I blinked and a small smile spread across my face, one he didn’t expect. I could see his brow twitch slightly, subtle but noticeable. He’d seen me cry, scream, make a scene, but he’d never seen me look like this. Like I’d let something go.

“I didn’t steal it,” I said softly, my voice carrying clearly across the hall. The light from the chandelier hit my eyes and made them shine, though it wasn’t tears—just… clarity, maybe.

I took a deep breath, forcing the words out slowly, one by one.

“And… I don’t like you anymore.”

The room froze. Every pair of eyes turned to me, wide with shock.

They couldn’t believe it.

Me. Aurora. The girl who had thrown herself at him, who had begged for scraps of attention, who had cried for him endlessly. Saying I didn’t like him anymore.

But it was true. I didn’t.

All eyes were on me. Everyone was staring, their faces wide with shock. Only Manuel didn’t move, standing in front of me, perfectly dressed in a sharp suit, expression cold and empty, his eyes completely unreadable.

“How many times are you gonna play this game?” His voice was low, slow, full of sarcasm, and it cut through me. “I’ve told you over and over, no matter how much you act out, it won’t work.”

He leaned slightly forward, “I don’t like you. I just don’t like you.”

The words hit me like ice. The crowd snapped out of their shock and whispers started spreading fast.

“I knew it! How could Miss Moore suddenly stop loving President Davenport?”

“Yeah, she tried to kill herself forty-nine times just to get him to notice her more.”

“Tsk tsk, how sad and pathetic…”

I clenched my fists so hard my nails cut into my palms, but I didn’t even feel it. I opened my mouth, trying to say it again. I wasn’t playing. I really didn’t love him anymore.

Before I could speak, my father’s voice cut through, stern and sharp. “I apologize to everyone. It’s our fault for failing to raise her. That’s why she’s done something as shameful as stealing.”

He waved a hand to the bodyguards. “Take her to the hotel’s cold storage. Let her freeze overnight. Maybe she’ll sober up.”

My pupils shrank, my chest froze. “I told you I didn’t steal it!” I shouted, but no one even looked at me.

Two bodyguards grabbed my wrists roughly. I struggled, but then a sudden sharp pain shot up the back of my neck. I stumbled backward, my vision going blurry. My last sight before darkness took me was Manuel standing there, looking completely indifferent. Not a flicker of worry, not even a frown.

I woke up to biting cold. My eyelashes were frosted over, my breath came out in white clouds, and my body was stiff. My skin felt frozen, and even my blood seemed like it had slowed down. The thermometer in my head told me it was well below zero. I was only wearing a thin slip dress. My exposed skin was turning blue.

I had to survive. I had to. The immigration papers would be ready soon. I had to leave. I had to start over.

I forced myself to crawl toward the door. My fingers were numb, purple and stiff, but I pounded on the metal door anyway. “Help… please… someone… help me…” My voice was barely recognizable, hoarse and cracked. Still no answer.

Then I heard a voice outside, soft, laughing.

“Stop knocking, sister.”

I froze. Amber.

Her voice dripped with smugness. “Everyone’s busy celebrating my birthday right now. Who’s got time for you?” She laughed lightly. “Oh, and here’s a funny thing…”

“Is today your birthday too?” I croaked, voice shaking.

“Unfortunately, no one remembers. Aw, such pity.” She giggled, cruelly.

I bit my lip so hard it tasted like blood.

“I’m the center of attention in a huge, fancy banquet hall while you’re freezing half to death in a storage room,” Amber continued. “Aurora, so what if you’re a real rich heiress? So what if I came from an orphanage?”

I could hear her smirk through the words. “You’re still under my feet to stomp on.”

I closed my eyes, trying not to puke from the metallic taste rising in my throat.

Then her phone started ringing, and Amber had it on speaker, obviously so I could hear everything.

“Amber, where did you go?” Manuel’s voice came through, deep, calm, and… warm. The kind of voice I’d never heard him use with me.

“I feel a little dizzy…” Amber’s voice sounded weak and fragile. “I’m in the lounge…”

“Stay there. I’ll be right there, baby. Wait for me.” Then the call ended, leaving the cold storage dead silent again.

I closed my eyes. That voice brought everything back. The diary, the pages blurred with my tears. All those nights I spent scribbling my misery. All the times I watched him dote on Amber. The birthday last year where he rented the whole revolving restaurant just to show her snow. The fever she had while he stayed by her side all night, missing company events. The way his eyes softened when he looked at her but turned icy whenever he saw me.

I remembered how pathetic I felt, hiding in shadows, watching them fall in love while I begged for scraps of attention. And I realized something… I didn’t love him anymore. I hadn’t loved him in a long time. My lips twitched into a small, bitter smile, and then darkness swallowed me.

...

When I woke up, I was in my bed at the villa. Loud, ridiculous laughter and some cartoon voices shook the walls outside. I propped myself up, rubbed my eyes, and walked to the door.

Amber was sitting on the living room floor, legs crossed, snacks in her arms, doubled over laughing at the TV. “Sister’s awake?” she said, looking up with a grin. “Oops, did I wake you? Sorry about my cartoons.”

She crunched her chips loudly and kept talking. “I’ve been feeling tight in my chest these last few days. The villa air is nice, so Manuel let me stay a few days to recover… Hope you don’t mind, sister.”

I glanced at the sofa. Manuel was there, flipping through financial statements, long fingers moving carefully, eyes behind his gold-rimmed glasses sharp and focused. TV blaring, Amber making every sound possible, and he didn’t even flinch.

I remembered something from my diary. The day I sat next to him eating an apple. He got angry, said the chewing noise was disturbing, told me to leave. From then on, every movement, every breath had to be quiet when he was in the study.

Now… Amber rattled the chips bag, made all sorts of sound effects with the anime, and he didn’t look up once. The difference between love and no love was so clear.

I was about to speak, but Manuel finally said, “If it hadn’t been for that accident back then, this family would have been yours.” His tone was flat, eyes still on the documents. “She’s just a usurper. Why do you need to report to her?”

I stayed calm. “Yes, you don’t need to report to me. Stay as long as you want.”

He paused, turned the page, and finally glanced at me. His gaze shifted behind his glasses, slightly lower, and I caught it. This wasn’t the scared me he was used to. This wasn't me begging for scraps.

I felt a flicker inside me, a small spark I hadn’t felt in years. I didn’t belong to them anymore. And maybe, finally, I didn’t care.