As she spoke, she turned toward Dad.

“Dad, I don’t wish these things to ruin cooperation between our families. Bring Finley back and talk some reason into him.”

After saying this, she grabbed the car key and walked out.

Upon leaving, she took my stepmother and everyone else in the room, even gently pulling the door shut.

In the next moment, Dad’s angry shout burst like thunder.

“Rebellious child! Have you not shamed yourself enough? Want me to drag you home and discipline you? How did the Lawson family end up raising someone so rough and lacking manners like you?”

I let out a dry smile. “Probably bad genes. I’m not only rough, but I’m self-centered and cold.”

As a husband, he kept a mistress outside and even had illegitimate children, drove the real wife into depression, and she jumped from a building.

Compared to that, my simple intention to end a marriage was far less wicked.

Dad turned angry with embarrassment. “Finley, you’re just like your mother, small-minded and foolish. With such a bright future ahead, you still insist on creating trouble before being content?”

He stared at me harshly, tone like winter, “Even if you won’t think for yourself, at least think about Cassandra. She’s a senior in high school and earns medals every year. You wouldn’t want her to quit now, right?”

My expression dimmed right away. I sank onto the couch, worn out.

Honestly, I could not risk my sister’s future.

The year Mom jumped, she had only turned one.

Such a small baby, gripping my fingertip and smiling with bright eyes, unaware she would never meet Mom again.

From age one forward, she was given poison three times, attacked by a snake, hit by a vehicle, and broke ribs, nearly died from allergies.

I guarded her through too many near-death moments. How could I destroy her future?

Dad eventually slammed the door and left. When Aster came back, she found me on the ground, drunk and tear-streaked.

Quietly, she lifted me onto the couch and fetched a cloth to clean my face.

She brought a lemon drink, held my arm, helping me drink slowly.

For an instant, it felt like eighteen years earlier, when we still meant the world to one another.

Back then, Mom passed away. Dad married his mistress.

I was ordered to kneel and call that woman “Mom,” then hid in the attic, crying my heart out.

Aster held me exactly like this, wiping my cheeks, letting me drink water.

She hugged me, saying things would be fine, that she was here.

At thirteen, she knelt before her father to seek protection for me, using cooperation to prove I was worth keeping.

How could I not love such a girl?

That short comfort was shattered when she let out a long breath, “Finley, I won’t walk away. That really was only an accident.”

I gripped her neck tightly, voice broken apart, “Aster, you understand I can't accept this. I refuse to suffer like Mom once did.”

“Aster, send them overseas, alright? We can support them for our entire lives.”

“Why didn’t you end it back then? Why didn’t you tell me when you wanted children?”

After a long pause, Aster finally spoke flatly, “The Olson-Lawson clean-energy collaboration cuts the ribbon tomorrow. Get ready. Don’t be absent, it will raise suspicion.”

Seeing her cold back move away, my heart finally dropped to the lowest point.

…

The next day, Aster sent over a fitted suit and that diamond watch shipped from the Netherlands.

The assistant only stared at me nervously.

I put them on quietly and fixed my appearance.

Aster Olson was correct. Cooperation must not collapse, my sister was still young, and I carry the duty to take back everything that belonged to my grandpa.

The ribbon-cutting event was bright and crowded, with wealthy people across Jacksonville gathered.

When I walked inside the villa’s entrance, the first thing I noticed was that Sean was also present.

Wearing a deep-toned, patterned suit, he stood with a cool, proud air and polished grace.

Aster held onto his arm, greeting people.

Sean’s smile carried triumph and happiness.

My mother-in-law held her own biological grandson, talking cheerfully with several rich women.

All praised the boy, with his wide forehead, lucky features, sure to prosper as he grows.

The second I stepped into the hall, chatter went silent at once. Every pair of eyes shifted toward me.

Aster let go of Sean’s arm and walked over smoothly. “Finley, come look at the baby, he’s honestly very sweet.”

Speaking so, she took my hand, guided me to my mother-in-law, and placed the child into my arms.

Staring at the pale, round little one, a bitter ache rose in my chest.

My fingertips brushed his soft face gently. If only he were my child?

Clearly, I could have been.

Many eyes turned to me, pity, laughter, coldness, …

Sean moved past the group in a hurry, steps tense. “Finley, hand Nikolai back to me.”

I stopped, shock crashing through my thoughts. “You said… his name is Nikolai?”

“Nikolai Olson. Aster said it means two souls tied as one.”

“Waaah!!”

He burst into sharp wails.

My hold went loose, and a chill swallowed my whole body.

She even used our future child’s name for another man’s boy. She wished to join hearts with him?

Nikolai. That was the name we chose when I turned eighteen.

That first night together, she wrapped around me in joy, saying if we ever had kids in the future, we’d call him Nikolai, meaning our hearts would stay linked for life.

Before I could get angry, a clear slap rang through the hall.

Only then did I come back to my senses.

The baby lay on the floor, red blood sliding from his small forehead.

Aster held him tight, her eyes full of anger.

Next to her, Sean shouted in hurt. "Brother Finley, even if you don’t like my baby, you shouldn’t throw him in front of everyone! He is Aster’s son, too. How can you be so heartless?"

While saying this, he tried again to take the baby. "Aster, let go. I care about you. I was willing to stay hidden near you. But I can’t watch my child face danger like this."

"How could Brother Finley do that? Just because I have no power, he thinks he can kill Nikolai before all these people?"

His crying sounded heartbreaking.

Aster, scared, held him and the screaming baby tight. "Sean, look at me. Nikolai is our treasure. I won’t let anyone bring him harm. I love you, I love our baby. I will stand before you both, even if it costs me everything."

"Stay calm. I will give you an explanation. I’ll make him drop to his knees and speak sorry to you now. Any promise you ask for, I will agree to it."

Each sentence hit like a cold cut.

She wanted me to kneel and beg the mistress, to hand them confidence?

Then what were all my vows?

Were they just a joke?

Inside my thoughts, again and again, rose the memory of those young, bright eyes.

"Finley, I love you. I will stand by you forever. If anyone tries to bully you, I will fight them back."

Aster grabbed my shirt and, with one strong yank, dragged me down in front of Sean.

"Kneel.”

“Kneel and say sorry to Sean and Nikolai."

"You will promise on your deceased mother that if you ever once more act jealous or bring them harm in any form, may your mother after death be boiled in oil and suffer endlessly, never knowing calm!"

I looked at her, completely stunned.

My mother treated her like a real daughter when she was still alive.

She once knelt at my mother’s grave, calling her "Mom" with deep feeling, yet now, just for the man she cheated with, she cursed my mother so harshly.

I wiped my tears, straightened my back. "Aster, I will never kneel to your mistress and say sorry. Unless I die."

Aster narrowed her eyes. With a wave of her hand, bodyguards came forward and pushed down on my shoulders.

A hard kick struck my leg and made me drop to my knees before Sean.

Before they shoved my head lower, voices broke out around us.

"Wow, the once proud heir of the Lawson family kneels to a third party. Shame on him."

"Yeah. Better off dead, living like this is a stain. Old Benjamin Lawson, in his tomb, would jump with anger."

I forced my head up, muscles shaking, veins burning red as I looked at Aster. "Aster, how can you lose the vow under the sycamore tree?"

Her look turned cold like metal.

She caught my chin. "Finley, I never once lost it. You keep pushing, wanting Sean and the babies gone. Today, you need to learn a lesson."

She pushed my head down and drove it toward the ground. Blood ran from my brow into my eyes, turning everything blurry.

Right when she aimed to push me down again, a slim figure dashed over.

A fist struck her face hard.

"Don’t bully my brother!"

Through my blurred sight, I saw my little sister Cassandra Lawson shaking, holding her arms wide in front of me.

Aster steadied herself, brushed blood from her mouth, voice cold, "Move.”

"No!"

"Sister Aster, you can’t treat my brother like this. You promised you’d care for him forever, so why make him bow to that scumbag?"

Aster’s eyes narrowed with danger. "Cassandra, you’re still young, you don’t get it. I’m doing this for your brother, so he won’t lash out at others carelessly."

"You’re lying! Brother would never harm anyone. You’re the one who wronged him!"

"Aster, I’m already eighteen, not a kid. If you won’t stand by my brother, then I will."

Her young face turned with pain and anger. She caught me and tried to pull me aside.

Aster lifted her hand. Bodyguards stopped us.

"Finley, you made a wrong move; you must bear responsibility. You haven’t apologized to Sean.”

My sister tried pushing through the guards but was held in place.

Watching them seize me, she screamed, voice breaking. "Don’t lay a hand on my brother! I’ll say sorry for him. Hit me, yell at me, I’ll accept it!"

With a dull sound, she knelt.

She lowered herself toward Sean again and again. "I kneel to you to make up for it, just don’t shame my brother! He’s a man, don’t force him like this, please, please…"

Her tears hit the floor. My chest tightened in pain.

I kicked a guard's legs, rushed forward, and pulled Cassandra into my embrace.

"Cassandra… forgive me. I caused this… your brother is worthless… forgive me…"

Her crying ran down my neck, hot, like sparks.

Her rough voice shook through sobs. "Brother, I'm only hurting you. I don’t want to go to school anymore. Let’s leave."

Faces around us changed, pity, shock, unease.

The wealthy were clever and guarded; everyone knew about the Lawsons, but stayed quiet. No one dared offend a business partner.

As the tension grew tight, Dad walked forward, voice booming. “What a shame! A good day spoiled by jealousy!”

He lifted his hand and struck Cassandra on the head.

"You are a girl, yet instead of calming your brother, you add to his chaos. How will the Lawson Group pass to the next generation one day?"

"If you had even half your brother’s sense, I could die peacefully."