“I’m willing to be your mistress—just spare the Hartley Family.”

My voice was steady as I made the offer, but the mocking smirk on Davian Sinclair’s face made my heart sink.

“Well, well,” he drawled. “Who would’ve thought the mighty Hartley Family would stoop so low? Sacrificing their biological daughter to save an adopted one. Guess your brother and childhood sweetheart aren’t as devoted as everyone believes.”

I stayed silent, signing the agreement in front of me without hesitation. It would take effect three days later and the favor was broken. Our arrangement would last three years, after which there would be nothing more between us. I had made my choice—to repay the Hartley Family for raising me, even if it meant severing ties with my loved ones. From now on, I and my family, my lover. We don't owe each other anything and won't see each other for long.

——

After finalizing the deal, I returned home. The moment I approached the door, heated voices erupted from within. Since my father’s death and the subsequent downfall of the Hartley and Radford Families, arguments over money have become the norm.

I stepped inside, ready to tell them the matter had been resolved. Before I could speak, my brother’s hand struck me hard across the face.

“Lauren Hartley! How could you be so selfish? You’re protecting your luxurious life by forcing Fiona to become Davian Sinclair’s mistress?” His voice was sharp with anger.

“Davian Sinclair is our family’s enemy! He’s infamous for his cruelty and temper. How could Fiona have a good life with him?”

I knew the truth. Davian’s demand for a Hartley daughter to be his mistress was pure vengeance. My brother and Noah would never let Fiona Merrick go, so I made the decision for them.

Fiona tugged at my brother’s sleeve with teary eyes as I opened my mouth to explain.

“It’s okay, brother. I’ll do it for the Hartley Family. Besides, if I refuse, Lauren might push me into the pool again—”

“What?!” My brother’s rage intensified. “Lauren, you’ve gone too far! Lying, bullying Fiona and it's not enough; now you are doing something so vicious? It seems you won’t learn your lesson without consequences!”

Before I could defend myself, my brother and Noah exchanged a glance and dragged me toward the pool. The two in the throes of anger simply couldn't listen to any of my explanations.

“Wait! I—” My protests were drowned out as they pushed me into the icy water.

I struggled several times to come up, but my head was pressed down and I could only let the cold water pour in through my ears and nose. My vision blurred as my consciousness began to slip away.

Memories surfaced—a time when my brother and Noah had stood by my side as I learned to swim in this very pool. Back then, I had only swallowed some water and their eyes brimmed with worry. Noah had held my hand, vowing, “Lauren, you were born to enjoy life. Before marriage, you are the only young lady of the Hartley Family; after marriage, you will be the wife of the Radford family. You’ll never suffer as long as we’re here.”

But now, they didn’t let me go until I was on the brink of drowning.

When I finally gasped for air, shivering and coughing, I saw them embracing Fiona by the poolside, whispering comforting words.

“Don’t worry, Fiona,” my brother said gently. “You’re making a huge sacrifice for the Hartley Family. We’ll never let Lauren bully you again. Once you’re back from Davian, I’ll marry you with the grandest ceremony.”

“Absolutely,” Noah agreed. “I’ll even give you Lauren’s dowry—it’s the least she owes you.”

Their affection for Fiona stung more than the freezing water. I bit my lip, swallowing the bitter words I wanted to hurl at them. There was no point in speaking—no one would listen and no one would believe me.

Dragging myself out of the pool, soaked and trembling, I faced the cold wind. Yet the chill in my heart far surpassed the cold outside.

Noah glanced at me, a flicker of guilt crossing his face. But it was fleeting.

As I stood shivering, drenched and humiliated, Noah took off his coat and began walking toward me.

But a few steps away, Fiona suddenly sneezed. Instantly, he turned back, draping his coat over her shoulders and holding her hands close to his chest to warm them. My brother quickly instructed the housekeeper to prepare ginger tea for her.

I let out a bitter laugh and trudged back to my room alone, ignoring the cold that seeped through my soaked clothes. After what felt like hours, Noah entered my room, carrying a bowl of ginger tea that had already gone cold.

"Lauren, I know you’re my childhood sweetheart and fiancée," he began, his tone heavy with supposed guilt. "But Fiona sacrificed herself for your sake… I can let you stay by my side, but the title of Mrs. Radford will only ever belong to Fiona. It’s what we owe her."

I stared at him; the man who once swore to love me for a lifetime was now reduced to a stranger spouting lies. The sheer irony made me laugh inwardly.

Be Davian Sinclair’s mistress to repay the Hartley Family for raising me? Fine.

But to become Noah’s mistress, for what? For love?

The bond we shared as childhood sweethearts had shattered the moment he chose Fiona over me. I swallowed my pride, pointed at the door and demanded he leave.

Noah didn’t move, but Fiona waltzed into the room with a bright smile.

"Lauren, are you still mad? My two brothers acted impulsively earlier, but only because they wanted to stand up for me. We’re family—why hold grudges over something so trivial?" Her voice dripped with faux innocence as she stepped closer.

"Here, let me feed you the ginger tea. You wouldn’t want to catch a cold."

Before I could react, Fiona reached for the spoon in my hand. In the tussle, a few drops of the tea splashed onto her hand. She gasped dramatically, her eyes welling with tears as she looked at me accusingly.

"Why do you hate me so much, sister? I know I’m just a driver’s daughter and don’t deserve to be a Hartley Family foster child, but I’ll leave soon. I won’t threaten your place in their hearts anymore—why keep making things difficult for me?"

"Enough, Lauren!" Noah exploded, shoving me aside. "Fiona’s already suffered enough! Why can’t you just leave her alone?"

Noah pushed me away with one hand. My feet were unsteady; I stumbled and fell to the floor, shards of broken porcelain embedding into my hand. Blood trickled down my palm, but Noah didn’t spare me a glance. Instead, he and my brother fussed over Fiona, fretting over her nonexistent burn.

As my blood dripped onto the cold floor, I looked up to see my mother standing at the top of the staircase, her face dark with anger.

Finally, I let my frustrations spill over. "Mom…"

"Silence!" she snapped, cutting me off. She dismissed the housekeeper who tried to help me, then strode forward with a cup of tea in hand. Without hesitation, she splashed its contents onto my face.

"Fiona lost her father—she’s already suffered enough! And you still dare to bully her? What would people say about the Hartley Family if this got out?"

"Lauren, how could you repay the Hartley Family’s kindness with such ingratitude?"

The blood from my palm continued to pool on the floor, draining away the last remnants of warmth I felt for this family.

I raised my head and looked toward the living room's centerpiece—a spot that once displayed a family portrait of all of us together. Now, it held only my father’s framed photograph.

When my father was alive, I was the little princess of the capital, envied by everyone. My brother, Jason Hartley, doted on me and Noah worshipped the ground I walked on. My life was filled with luxury, jewels and endless affection.

The only hardship I ever faced was the serious illness that struck me at eighteen. Back then, my brother ignored all objections to donating his kidney to me while Noah knelt before the temple altar until his knees bled, praying for my recovery. When I finally recovered, both men were shadows of their former selves—pale, weak and drained. I still remember Noah, feverish and limping, pressing a talisman into my hand.

"As long as we’re here, Lauren, you’ll always be happy."

But now, as I sat on the cold, hard floor, bleeding and alone, that promise felt like a cruel joke.

But this happiness came to an abrupt end with a car accident.

Dad and the driver died unexpectedly.

Before his death, the driver entrusted Fiona to the Hartley Family.

To everyone's surprise, the Hartley Family suddenly fell from grace and both daughters became nothing more than commodities for sale.

Fiona moved quickly, pretending to be innocent and pitiful to win everyone’s sympathy.

They felt sorry for her, worried about the Hartley Family's reputation and feared she would suffer even the slightest hardship.

But no one cared about how difficult it was for me—having lost my father and being abandoned by everyone.

"Lauren, what are you standing there for? Hurry up and apologize to Fiona!"

My brother and Noah glared at me.

But when they saw the pool of blood on the floor, their faces froze.

Noah hesitated, stepping forward.

"I didn’t know you were hurt this badly. Let me help you."

"No need."

My cold response made him uneasy.

Suppressing his frustration, he tried to calm down.

"Stop being childish. Given the current situation of the Hartley Family, no one has the energy to pamper you."

"I’ll go buy you some handmade chocolates from East Street later. Be good, don’t make things worse."

I had always been afraid of pain and hardship. Even when I scraped my skin as a child, they would comfort me for hours. Whenever I was sick, my brother and Noah would buy me handmade chocolates from East Street to cheer me up.

My mother didn’t allow us to eat too many sweets, so we secretly broke the chocolates into three pieces.

The most significant piece was always mine.

But now, the chocolate shop on East Street has been closed for a long time. I didn’t even like chocolate anymore.

I quietly tended to my wound, then spent the rest of the day packing my things.

Looking at the familiar room, I felt a mix of emotions. This was the princess room my brother Noah had personally designed for me. It was every girl's dream.

I still remember when friends visited, their envious eyes fixed on everything.

"Lauren, you’re so lucky! This pearl necklace must have been a gift from your brother, right? It’s just like the one the British royal family wears. You truly are the little princess of the capital."

"Wow, look at this wooden sculpture! Not only is the material priceless but it was also carved by Noah Radford himself. The thoughtfulness behind it is more precious than anything else."

Every year, my brother and Noah would compete to see who could give me the most thoughtful gift. Whoever chose the most meaningful gift was like winning a contest. Of all the gifts, the one that moved me most was the wooden sculpture.

Noah had carved a figure for me. His hands, usually so graceful, were covered in scars from the effort. Some of the scars remained. Unfortunately, the scars remain, but the love and care they represented, just like everything in this room, had gathered dust.

"Lauren, move to the basement for a while and let Fiona have your room."

My brother’s voice brought me back from my memories. Before I could respond, the two of them eagerly began packing up my things. Fiona eyed my pearl necklace and reached for it. My wooden sculpture crashed to the floor and broke into two pieces. Noah casually kicked it aside. Seeing my dark expression, he quickly added,

"It’s not a big deal, really. I’ll buy you a new one later."

"Exactly, don’t overreact. Once the guest room is ready, you can move out of the basement. You just have to endure for a while. Fiona, however, will have to endure three years of humiliation for you!"

Yes, I only needed to endure for three years at the Sinclair Family.