I gasped sharply,the pain so intense that my vision went completely white.Yet not a single person spared me even a glance.

Simon was the first to rush over—but only to crouch down and lift Fiona into his arms."Does it hurt?Did you hit yourself anywhere?I will take you to the hospital."

He didn’t even raise his head,as if the acrid stench of burnt flesh behind him simply didn’t exist.

Ethan frowned and stepped up to me—not with concern,but to seize my collar so hard that I was forced onto my toes.

"Callista,you just can’t stop wallowing in filth!You’re still as vicious as you were three years ago!Fiona already told us—it was you who threatened her to leave and she couldn’t handle the pressure,so she left sick.Now that she’s finally come back,if you dare to bully her again,don’t blame me for being ruthless!"

My back trembled from the pain,tears spilling uncontrollably down my cheeks."I never did such a thing!"

Jason’s expression was so cold it felt like he was a stranger."Callista,just to compete for attention,you would even go after someone who’s ill?Your methods…truly disgust me."

His gaze fell on me as though I were nothing more than a pile of garbage.

It was a look I had never seen in his eyes before—like every last shred of patience with me had been exhausted.

Fiona,supported to her feet,lifted her eyes to him,her voice drifting softly."Jason,don’t blame her.Maybe she just doesn’t like me…"

Jason’s eyes darkened.Reaching out,he wrapped his arm around her shoulders,his voice gentle as he soothed her."Don’t be afraid.As long as we like you,that’s enough."

The pain on my back surged in waves like a relentless tide,leaving me barely able to stand.

Through the blur of my vision,I could only make out three tall figures,one after another,shielding Fiona as they walked out the door—the light casting their side profiles in a warm glow.

They gave her all—the tenderness,the heartache,the instinct to protect.

They always believed Fiona so easily,without hesitation.And I was left alone in the vast,empty living room,collapsing into despair until consciousness slipped away.

When I woke again,the pain stabbed so fiercely it seemed to cut right through my bones.

My eyelids felt weighed down with lead,my chest unbearably tight.Even the slightest breath tugged at the wound,like someone was tearing me apart from the inside.

And yet—I was still at home.No one had bothered to take me to the hospital.

The housemaid stood stiffly at the foot of the bed,her hands twisting the apron into knots,eyes darting everywhere but me,not daring to meet my gaze.

"Awake?"

A deep,cold voice rang out from the doorway.

I turned my head and saw Simon and Ethan step into the room almost at the same time.Their strides were hurried,their expressions carrying a heavy weight that pressed down on me like a suffocating force.

Simon strode straight to the bedside,lowering his gaze onto me.His tone was icy,utterly devoid of warmth."Fiona is in the hospital,losing too much blood.This afternoon,you caused her wound to reopen.Now you must give blood to make amends."

I froze,a wave of cold absurdity rising in my chest."I didn’t hurt her.I’m not giving blood."

Ethan sneered coldly."Everyone saw it—you pushed her and caused her to be shocked.This is your debt and now you have to pay!"

"I already said I didn’t—"I shouted instinctively,only to be cut off by Simon’s piercing glare.

"Shut up!Whether you admit it or not,your blood type is the perfect match.Get up right now and come with us to the hospital."

I gritted my teeth as waves of pain slammed against my chest."I’m not going!I didn’t do anything wrong—why should I give blood?I’m injured!If I give blood,I could die!"

The air froze instantly.

Ethan narrowed his eyes and stepped forward,looking down at me,his voice low and cold."If you won’t give the blood willingly,you’ll have to do it by force."

"If you had any conscience at all,you would give your blood to Fiona voluntarily,"Simon's face darkened to an extreme shade."Otherwise,starting today,we have no sister in you!"

In that instant,my eardrums seemed to explode with a loud ringing.

I looked at the two people who had protected and loved me for the past three years—my family—and felt my chest hollow out completely.So,in their eyes,my life was worth so little.

They knew how much I valued their love and used the threat of severing ties to control me.

"I said it—I’m not in the wrong!I won’t give her a drop of my blood!"My voice trembled,yet cut through the air with piercing clarity.

They would never know that I had already made up my mind to leave—their threats no longer held any power over me.

Simon’s eyes turned suddenly frigid."Hold her down.Make her kneel!"

The housemaid flinched in fear,not daring to move.

Ethan strode forward without hesitation,yanking me off the bed.My knees slammed hard against the cold floor,the pain so sharp my vision went black.

"Kneel here and think carefully!You’ll only be allowed to stand once you agree to give blood and admit your mistake!"

I bit down hard on my lip,my back held perfectly straight."I will not admit to something I never did!"

The patience in Simon’s eyes was completely exhausted.In an icy voice,he commanded,"Pin her down and take her to the hospital!"

Ethan roughly grabbed my arm.When I struggled,the movement tugged at my wound,sending sharp pain through me as cold sweat trickled down my back.My hands and feet were firmly pinned down and the light before my eyes grew dimmer and dimmer.

A sudden surge of searing pain rushed through my chest,draining all my strength.The voices around me sounded distant,as if muffled by water.

I lost consciousness once again.

***

When I woke up again,the pungent smell of disinfectant filled my nose.

The cold hospital bed made me shiver,while the burning pain in my back felt like countless needles pricking into me.

Through the half-open ward door,I heard the doctor’s low and regretful voice."Her back is covered with injuries.In this condition,drawing more blood could be life-threatening."

"Do it!"Simon’s voice was cold and unyielding,without the slightest hesitation."She harmed Fiona—she must pay for it!"

The doctor fell silent for a few seconds before letting out a sigh."You’re taking her life…"

That sigh cut through my heart like a rusty blade,dragging along a dull,aching pain.

Even a doctor who was a complete stranger could feel pity for what I was going through—yet the family I had lived with for so many years could not.

I tried to lift my hand,but it was pinned in place by the cold needle.

As blood flowed away through the transparent tube,it felt as though my heart,along with my body,was slowly losing all warmth.

In the haze of my fading consciousness,I seemed to hear Jason’s voice.He spoke in a low,soothing tone,so gentle it was as if he feared breaking me.

"Callista,be good,just endure a little longer…I know you’ve been wronged.When Fiona wakes up,I’ll make it up to you."

Before I could gather my thoughts,the next moment I heard his anxious voice."Doctor,is this amount of blood enough?Should we draw some more?"

In that instant,every drop of blood in my body turned cold.

All these years,I had stayed by Jason’s side through the darkest nights.I supported him step by step until he climbed to the top position in the Whitlock family.

After so much effort,I had finally waited for his response to my love.Yet,laughably,the moment Fiona returned,I became nothing.

Was this truly the man I had loved for so many years?

I closed my eyes.The suffocating pain in my chest and the burning agony on my back intertwined,as if tearing me apart.

Perhaps it was better this way—there was nothing left for me to hold on to.I had already completed the procedures for immigration.All I needed now was to find a way to get Jason to sign the divorce papers and I would finally be free.

But I knew that if I directly placed the divorce agreement in front of him,he would hesitate.For the sake of his cooperation with the Corvin Family,he would refuse to divorce.

After all,to put it bluntly,with Fiona now"gravely ill,"if he were to marry her and wait until Fiona"died,"there would no longer be any reason for the Whitlock and Corvin families to remain bound together.

But I hadn’t expected the chance to make Jason sign to come so soon.

Before I had even recovered for a few days,he came to force me to attend the birthday banquet for me and Fiona.

Ever since I was brought back to the Corvin Family,our birthdays had been forever bound together.

On stage,she was always the star,while I was nothing more than a backdrop.

At first,I didn’t want to go.My body was weak and my heart even more exhausted.Yet Jason yanked me up from the bed,his voice icy."If it weren’t for Fiona saying she wanted to make peace with you,I wouldn’t bother bringing you along."

Make peace?

I let out a low,bitter laugh.Most likely,Fiona had prepared a trap for me.

But…my gaze flickered slightly.

"Jason…"I suddenly lowered my eyes,my voice softening with a hint of cautiousness."Today is my birthday and I want a gift too."

He was clearly impatient,urging me to change clothes quickly,but still asked casually,"What gift?"

I pointed at the file bag on the bedside table—inside were several thick documents I had prepared long ago,with a purchase contract for a seaside villa on top.

"I want that house,"I said softly,my tone sounding half like a sulky plea."The documents are all ready…all that’s left is your signature."

As expected,Jason didn’t think much of it.A seaside villa worth only a few hundred thousand dollars—giving it away was nothing.It wasn’t even a tenth of the gift he had prepared for Fiona.

Call after call from Fiona kept coming in,urging him to hurry and bring me over.

Jason flipped straight to the last page of the documents.Without even glancing carefully,he swiftly scrawled his name across it.

As I watched those familiar strokes fall onto the black-and-white paper,my chest suddenly tightened and a sour sting rose to my nose.

Still,I forced a faint smile and whispered,"Thank you."

He didn’t notice my expression at all—just tossed the pen aside impatiently and said coldly,"Hurry up and get changed.Stop dawdling."

In silence,I slipped the divorce agreement,disguised as the property purchase contract,into my bag.

The revolving doors of the hotel spun round and round,swallowing people inside,while golden chandeliers hung from the ceiling.

Bouquets were stacked upon bouquets in the private room,a champagne tower bubbling under the lights.In the center sat two birthday hats—yet the only one truly crowned was Fiona.

Dressed in a white puffed dress,Fiona smiled sweetly."Callista,come on,everyone’s waiting for you."

I silently set the gift box down on the long table at the side.

It was Jason who told me to bring a gift,saying that since Fiona had also prepared one for me,I couldn’t show up empty-handed.

When Fiona saw the box,she looked both touched and delighted.Without hesitation,she reached out to unwrap it,her fingertips tugging at the golden thread.

In the very next instant,a dead rat tumbled out of the box.Its tail flicked as it hit the thick carpet,leaving behind a dark,glistening arc.

The room fell silent at first—then erupted.

"Ah,disgusting!"someone screamed.

Ethan let out a cold sneer."Callista,are you deliberately looking for trouble?How dare you give a dead rat as a gift!"

Simon’s face darkened on the spot."Today is Fiona’s birthday and you bring something like this…Do you have no shame at all?"

Jason’s expression turned grim,his voice icy."I clearly prepared an LV bag for you to give her—when did you turn it into a dead rat,Callista?"

I lowered my eyes,staring at the stiff rat and found I no longer even had the desire to defend myself.

It wasn’t me who put it there,but any explanation would be useless.

After all,nothing I said would ever be believed.

"It’s fine…"Fiona shrank back behind Jason as if"frightened,"clutching his arm with reddened eyes."Maybe she was just…joking.Simon,Ethan,Jason,don’t blame her."

The more she acted this way,the more disgusted they all felt toward me.

Jason cast me a glance,his eyes as cold and distant as snow."Don’t make a scene.Sit down.I’ll deal with you later."

For the sake of not ruining their beloved sister’s—or woman’s—birthday banquet,the men swallowed their anger and carried on with the celebration.

I sat at the very edge,close to the door,like an outsider who could be thrown out at any moment.

A waiter pushed in a two-tiered strawberry cream cake,candles arranged in the shape of a heart.

Someone called out,laughing,"Fiona,make a wish first!"

Fiona pressed her hands together with a beaming smile—yet her eyes were fixed squarely on me.

She spoke slowly,her voice soft and sweet."My first wish…is to be with Jason forever."

The crowd immediately erupted into cheers."Kiss!Kiss!"

Rising on her toes,she pressed her lips to his.

Jason didn’t turn away—instead,he even slipped an arm around her waist.

Applause,whistles and laughter crashed over me in waves,each louder than the last,drowning me.

"And the second wish?"someone asked.

"The second…"Fiona lowered her gaze,her cheeks tinged red."Jason,let’s rehearse the wedding,okay?The wedding is only three days away and I’m afraid I won’t be a good bride."

She seized Jason’s hand and,imitating the tone of a wedding officiant,said,"Groom,please kneel on one knee and give me a promise,okay?"

I heard the scrape of a chair leg against the floor.

Jason actually knelt down.

Right in front of me—his still-legally-wedded wife—he knelt to propose to another woman.

Looking up at her,his voice low and steady,he said,"I will treat you well,Fiona."

I sat in the corner,as if watching a drama that belonged to someone else’s life.

On the screen,the two kissed,embraced,exchanged vows.Outside the screen,my chest felt hollow—so empty that I couldn’t even summon the strength to feel bitter.

It didn’t matter.I was leaving,I thought.

From now on,we would never see each other again.

Fiona looked at me,but her smile gradually faded.

My calmness had taken away from her joy.

Suddenly,she turned and pouted playfully at the crowd."I want to spend a little private birthday time with my girlfriends.Can you all go outside and help me pick up the party favors the hotel sent to this floor?Just treat it as a surprise for me,okay?"

Simon was the first to stand."Alright,we’ll go check with the front desk."

Ethan left with a few of the guys,muttering under his breath as he walked,"Better not let anything else go wrong…"

As he stepped out the door,Jason glanced at me,his look like a warning."Don’t cause trouble."

The door clicked shut,the lock falling into place.

Inside the private room,only I,Fiona and her so-called"girlfriends"remained.

The music was turned down and the sweet,cloying scent of cake suddenly became nauseating.

Fiona’s stilettos clicked against the floor as she walked step by step toward me.She bent down slightly,smiling."Are you satisfied with this birthday banquet?Everyone worked so hard for me—oh,pardon me,for you too,since it is your birthday as well."