"Julie." Rachel's voice pulled me back to the present. "We're here."

I turned my head and saw the familiar estate. A dozen emotions hit me at once.

Ever since they threw me out at 13, I had not returned in 12 years.

When I walked in, my father sat on the living room sofa. The moment he saw me, his expression changed. "You've lost weight."

I nodded. I had no interest in small talk. "You were so mysterious on the phone. Can you tell me about my mother's things now?"

"No rush. Go sleep off the jet lag first," he said.

I was exhausted enough that I did not argue. I followed the housekeeper to a guest room.

When I woke, it was already noon the next day.

I headed downstairs for something to eat, but the moment I reached the landing, I heard laughter spilling from the living room.

"Things moved fast, but every proper step will still be followed. Jessie will not be slighted."

It was Christian's mother.

Smiling, she slid a bracelet onto Jessica's wrist, the kind the Fairmont family gave its daughters-in-law.

Jessica looked down at it, delighted and shy at once. She lifted her hand to show Christian, but he only gave it a bland glance.

I looked across the room. The Winslows and Fairmonts sat together on the sofas.

I was about to circle around and head for the kitchen when Jessica called out to me, "Julie, you're awake. We're talking about the wedding. Do you want to listen too? Actually, I still need a bridesmaid. Why don't you help me out?"

I stopped.

I turned and looked at her. The hand with the bracelet remained raised, as if she were afraid I might miss it.

Christian sat beside her. His face looked as cold as ever, yet I still had the strange feeling he was waiting for my answer.

I looked away and spoke evenly. "I'm married. I have a child. I can't be your bridesmaid."

Christian's eyes snapped up to me.

The room froze for a few seconds.

Then Jessica laughed. "Julie, even if you don't want to be my bridesmaid, you don't have to lie like that. If you were really married with a child, why didn't your husband and child come back with you?"

My father, Robert Winslow, finally came out of his daze. "You can lie about marriage and children so casually now? These years abroad have taught you fewer and fewer manners."

"I'm not lying. They will be back in a few days." I took out my phone, planning to pull up photos of Virgil and Anna.

Before I could, Christian let out a soft, mocking laugh. "Juliana, play your part long enough and you might actually fool yourself."

Then he stood and strode out.

Jessica gave me a strange look and hurried after him.

Everyone in the room followed them with their eyes. No one paid attention to me again.

It was fine by me. I put my phone away without opening the album and went to the kitchen to get something to eat.

There was a 16-hour time difference between Sothoris and Goldridge. I drifted through the afternoon with nothing to do. Around 2:00 a.m., I finally finished a video call with Virgil. After that, I fell into a deep sleep.

I woke to a burst of noise.

When I got up to check, I found Christian and Jessica in the garden, taking photos.

The photographer directed them. Christian wrapped his arms around Jessica from behind and rested his chin on her head. Smiling, she turned and kissed his cheek.

The housekeeper noticed where I was looking and stepped over to explain. "Mr. Fairmont suggested taking the photos here at the house. He said Miss Jessica grew up here, so it would be more meaningful."

I nodded without much reaction.

They were making too much noise for me to get back to sleep, so I found a place to sit and opened a book instead.

I asked my father about my mother's belongings several more times after that. He still would not tell me anything directly. He only sighed and asked, "Julie, if I tell you now, will you move out of the house right away?"

I would. After all, this had stopped being my home a long time ago.

My father knew me well enough. That was why he refused to tell me anything. As long as he kept quiet, I had no choice but to stay in the Winslow residence.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Christian and Jessica change locations again and again.

Maybe I imagined it, but in a villa this large, they always seemed to be shooting right in front of me.

I did not care. I kept reading.

Not far away, the photographer called out, "Mr. Fairmont, watch your expressions. Don't look so grim. Smile a little..."

A moment later, another direction followed. "Mr. Fairmont, keep your eyes on Miss Jessica's face. Don't look elsewhere."

I glanced up without thinking, and my eyes met Christian's.

He looked away at once, his face turning cool again. His fingers pressed lightly against the back of Jessica's hand. "Jessie, let's take ten."

Jessica pressed her lips together. She did not speak, but when she looked at me again, her eyes flashed with pure venom.

I had no idea what her problem was.

After a moment, I decided to head back to my room.

As I passed their shooting area, Jessica chose her moment and kicked one of the octagonal fill lights.

The metal stand scraped across the ground with a sharp screech, then tipped straight toward us both.

Christian moved quickly and yanked Jessica out of the way. The heavy metal stand slammed into my head instead. Heat spread across my forehead at once, and the smell of blood filled my nose.

I hit the ground and shoved the light stand off me with both hands. Pain flared through my body.

I had not even caught my breath when Jessica's voice echoed, already thick with tears. "Julie, why did you push the light stand? If Chris hadn't reacted in time, it would have hit me in the face. If I got disfigured, we would have to postpone the engagement party."

Christian's expression hardened with cold understanding. He turned to me, his face chilly. "Juliana. No wonder you looked so calm watching Jessie and me take photos for our engagement party. You had already planned how to ruin them."

He stared down at me, his voice hard. "You think if you stop our shoot, you'll get another chance with me? Keep dreaming."

He did not wait for a response. He turned and walked away with Jessica in his arms.

Through my blurred vision, I saw Jessica curve her red lips into a small, vicious smile.

The housekeeper arranged a car and sent me to the hospital.

After the doctor cleaned and bandaged the wound, I did not go home. I took the injury report straight to the police station and filed a report.

I did not expect it to be dismissed so quickly.

I was still on my way back when I received a call.

"Ms. Winslow, your case was just withdrawn. This is considered a family matter, so it isn't something we can interfere with much. You should discuss it with your family and handle it privately."

The officer kept it vague, but I understood at once. Someone had buried my report.

There were not many people in Sothoris with that kind of power, and even fewer who would use it to protect Jessica.

The answer was obvious. It was Christian.

My hand clenched around the phone until the edge bit into my palm.

The moment I pushed open the door to the Winslow house, Christian's icy voice cut across the room. "Jessie and I already let the light stand incident go. How do you still have the nerve to pretend you're the victim and call the police?"

Jessica shrank into his arms, her face full of grievance. "Exactly, Julie. You deliberately ruined our shoot, and I didn't even make a fuss because you're my sister. But I never thought you would file a police report."

I looked at them, and a surge of anger slammed through my chest so hard my voice shook. "I'm pretending to be the victim? I deliberately ruined your shoot? Do you dare pull up the security footage and say that again?"

Christian looked completely fed up. "I don't need security footage. I just need you to remember this. Don't try any tricks to sabotage my engagement to Jessie. Juliana, the moment you walked away from me five years ago, you lost any right to regret it."

The whole thing was so absurd I almost laughed. I looked straight at him and spoke one word at a time. "I have never regretted leaving you."

I held his gaze. "And let me say this again. I didn't come back for you. I already have a husband and a child."

His face darkened at once.

I did not stay to watch. I turned and went back to my room.

I was afraid Virgil and Anna would see the cut on my forehead and worry, so I stopped our nightly video calls and switched to voice messages.

Virgil noticed something was off. He asked twice, but I gave vague answers both times and let it drop.

Once the wound had begun to heal, my father finally told me what he knew. "At tomorrow's auction, there will be a pendant your mother used to love."

I froze. My heart pounded against my ribs.

After my mother died at sea, most of her belongings had been thrown out by Jessica's mother or sold off piece by piece. In 12 years, this was the first real lead I had found on anything that had belonged to her.

I looked up at my father, but there was little gratitude in my eyes. "I understand."

…

The auction was held at one of the largest hotels downtown.

I arrived half an hour early on purpose. I had just found my seat when Christian and Jessica walked in. They wore matching colors. Their bodies leaned toward each other without thought. They looked every bit like a perfect couple.

When Jessica saw me, her eyes lit up at once. She caught Christian by the arm and hurried over, her voice bright with surprise. "Julie, you actually came to the auction? Did Dad tell you we'd be here, so you followed us? You never used to come to events like this."

I let out a cold laugh.

Back then, I never came to places like this. I had been abandoned in the old district and left to fend for myself, and survival alone took everything I had.

Jessica knew the truth. She was pretending otherwise on purpose, twisting my reasons into something ugly.

Right on cue, Christian let out a faint, mocking scoff. He clearly thought I had come here for him again.

I had no interest in explaining myself anymore. I turned my attention to the auction stage.

Jessica continued chatting beside me as if nothing unpleasant had happened between us over the past two days.

"Julie, what are you planning to bid on tonight? Chris wants to buy me some jewelry for my wedding gifts." Her voice sounded sweet and playful, but the underlying bragging was impossible to miss.

Fortunately, the auctioneer announced the start of the sale and cut off the one-sided conversation.

The first item was a bracelet. I had no interest in it, but I looked at it a moment longer than usual.

The next instant, Christian lifted his paddle.

"200,000." His tone remained flat, but the number overwhelmed every other bid in the room.

The bracelet went to him. He had his assistant pass it to Jessica, and she smiled so widely her eyes nearly disappeared. "Chris, you're the best."

After that, the pattern became obvious. Anything I looked at for more than a moment, Christian bid on. Each time a lot closed, Jessica shot me a smug glance.

It did not take long for the people around us to notice. I could feel their eyes on me as they waited for the spectacle, their voices dropping to whispers.

"Is Mr. Fairmont backing up his fiancée? He keeps crushing Juliana on purpose."

"Backing her up? He's getting revenge. Back then, Juliana weighed over 200 pounds, and Mr. Fairmont was the only one who didn't mind. He was practically ready to propose, and then she disappeared overseas without a word. Now she hears he's getting married and suddenly comes running back. She has no shame at all."

"So she came back to steal the groom? Then what does that make her? A mistress? Disgusting."

Their words pricked at my ears like needles. I bit the inside of my lip and forced myself to stay calm.

My mother's pendant was the only thing that mattered.

At last, the auctioneer lifted a brocade box. "Our next item is a Victorian-era pendant in excellent condition. Opening bid, 240,000 dollars."

The moment the box opened, I stopped breathing. The gemstones lay inside, warm and translucent under the lights.

It was my mother's. The pendant she used to wear.

I raised my paddle at once. "400,000."

Christian's voice followed immediately. "600,000"

I turned to look at him, but he was not looking at me. His gaze rested on Jessica, as if asking whether to continue.

She smiled and nodded. He raised his paddle again. "1,000,000."

I gripped my paddle so tightly my fingertips turned white. This was the only thing my mother had left behind. I could not let it go. "1,200,000."

"1,600,000." His voice remained light, but the force behind it left no room for doubt.

The auction hall stirred. Someone nearby whispered, "Is Mr. Fairmont trying to take the whole room tonight?"

I stared at him, my throat tightening. "Christian, that was my mother's. Could you just..."

"Your mother's keepsake?" He finally looked at me, a cold smile tugging at his mouth. "Juliana, if you want it, then win it. If you can't, then stop standing here acting pathetic."

He lifted a hand and addressed the auctioneer. "I'm setting a ceiling bid."

The room fell silent. Once someone called that, it meant no matter what anyone else offered, he would take the item.

The auctioneer paused, then broke into a smile. "Mr. Fairmont has placed a ceiling bid. The pendant goes to Mr. Fairmont."

Jessica's eyes lit up. She grabbed Christian's hand and leaned against him with a grin. "Chris, you're amazing. This pendant is so beautiful. I want to put it in our new home."

I stared at their joined hands. Cold spread through my body. It felt as if someone had hollowed out my chest.

After the auction ended, Christian went to settle the payment.

I stepped in front of Jessica. She held the brocade box in her arms and smiled, pleased with herself. "Do you need something, Julie?"

"Sell me the pendant." My voice shook. "Name your price. I'll pay double. No, triple."

Jessica arched a brow, then slowly opened the box to show me the pendant inside.

"You want it that badly?" Her smile widened. "Fine. Kneel and beg me. Then maybe I'll consider it."

People nearby turned to look, their faces lighting up with eager curiosity. I clenched my fists until my nails bit into my palms.

My mother's keepsake was right in front of me. I could not give up.

I bent my knees and knelt.