I stumbled. I accidentally bumped into the dining table behind me. Instantly, the cups and plates shattered all over the floor. The sharp shards cut my calf.

I looked up to see the chaos. Instead, I was met with the gazes of the guests who were either sarcastic or sympathetic towards me.

“Patrick, what made you go crazy like this?”

My dad's face was livid. On the other hand, my mom hid behind the crowd. She did not dare to look at me. Meanwhile, Bartholomew was being held aside by Vincenza. The man smiled at me arrogantly.

There was a strong sense of disgust in Vincanza's eyes as he looked at me. My eyes couldn't bear to see all this. I chose to immediately turn around and leave them.

I stepped on shards of glass as I turned around, but I still had to straighten my back to prevent anyone from seeing my embarrassment. I found my friend, Theodore Hemerford, among the guests. I stayed at his house for a few days.

After hearing everything I said, Theodore was so angry that he started to curse, “Even if Vincenza, the most beautiful girl in the whole city, doesn't want you, you don't have to marry that crazy woman from the Martinez Family!”

“You paid so much for Bartholomew, but Vincenza didn't even have a thank you. What kind of a Christian woman is that? She is simply…”

Theodore was suddenly silenced. At the entrance of the gallery, Vincenza carefully put her arm around Bartholomew.

They walked in together. Bartholomew was wearing a casual suit. He looked exceptionally handsome.

“This painting is good!”

He suddenly pointed at the painting in front of us. Vincenza immediately gave a signal to the staff in the gallery.

“We will take this painting.”

Theodore immediately stood in front of them and said, “What do you mean? We saw it first!”

Bartholomew's expression was somewhat unhappy. I said coldly, “Never mind, just give it to them.”

“On what grounds?” Theodore was shaking with anger.

I pulled his hand. “Let's go, I don't really like that painting anymore.”

Throughout the afternoon, Bartholomew followed us like a shadow. In the end, all the paintings in the gallery were bought by Vincenza.

Just as we were about to leave, the crystal chandelier suddenly crashed down. A child was standing under the crystal chandelier.

In the nick of time, I rushed over and pushed the frightened child away from there. At the moment of severe pain, I saw Vincenza's hesitant steps approaching me.

“Vincenza.”

Bartholomew suddenly pulled Vincenza somewhat weakly. “I don't seem to be feeling well. Can we get out of here now?”

Vincenza supported Bartholomew. They turned away without hesitation.

When I woke up again, Theodore cursed with red eyes. “Vincenza! She is a cruel woman!”

I turned on my cell phone with a pale face. On the Instagram account, a photo appeared of Bartholomew accompanying Vincenza to see flowers in the city park.

“Don't be angry, Theodore.”

I said softly, “Have you forgotten? The person I am going to marry is Liewellyn.”

He was even more angry after hearing what I said. In order not to let my mom worry about me, I lied to her that I went on a trip. But in fact, I was alone in the hospital for three days.

On the day I was discharged from the hospital, Vincenza actually took the initiative to contact me. She asked to meet at the most expensive restaurant in the city centre.

She pushed a very beautiful gift box. There was a scarf inside.

“I will fulfil the engagement, as long as you stop targeting Bartholomew.”

I laughed at myself. “No need, it was originally my brother's engagement with you.”

“Bartholomew was not feeling well that day,” she explained for the first time.

Before she finished speaking, Bartholomew walked over in big steps. He was wearing the latest watch from a certain brand in his hand. The scarf, however, was just a bonus item that was given to him when he bought the watch.

“Patrick.”

He pulled Vincenza's hand affectionately. “I especially asked Vincenza to pick out a gift for you. Do you like it?”

The watch on his wrist pierced my eyes. I forced a smile and left them.

When I got home, I saw my mom limping down the stairs. I immediately went to her.

“Mom!”

I rushed over to help her. I then accidentally found a bruise on her wrist.

“Did Bartholomew push you again?” I couldn't stop my voice from shaking.

Over the years, Bartholomew had always scolded my mom. He treated my mom as a mistress. He even dared to hit her, even though my mom married his dad after his biological mom passed away.

“Bang!”

The door was suddenly pushed open. Bartholomew walked in. He casually threw the things in his hands on the sofa.

“Bartholomew, why did you push my mom?” I couldn't help but speak firmly.

“Who let her be a mistress?”

A sarcastic look was evident in his eyes. He raised his hand and slapped my mom.

My brain was hot and exploding. By the time I reacted, my slap had already been thrown at Bartholomew's face.

“I'll say it again to you that my mom is not a mistress. She only entered this house three years after your mom died!”

My whole body was shaking all over. My mom pulled me back in a panic.

“Please, don't argue. Don't argue, we're all family.”

Bartholomew sneered, “You stinky bitch! Who would want to be your family?”

Bartholomew slapped my mom again with the back of his hand. My mom staggered and hit the wall. A bright red palm print immediately appeared on her face.

I really wanted to faint. My raised hand stopped after hearing a sudden loud scream.

“Patrick, what are you doing?”

I looked up and saw Vincenza standing in the doorway. She was still holding the wallet that Bartholomew had dropped.

Bartholomew instantly changed his expression. He looked sad instantly.

“Vincenza, my younger brother, even tried to hit me.”

I looked at Vincenza pulling Bartholomew's hand tighter. She looked at the dislike of me in her eyes. I suddenly felt incomparably ridiculous.

When they were about to leave, I clearly heard Bartholomew say in my ear, “I just look at you two. Wait for the playdate.”

***

On the day when the resort that Vincenza gave to Bartholomew opened, my dad ordered me to attend with a cold face.

“You were so out of sorts at the banquet that day. So, go play a song today.”

His tone was unquestionable. “Don't embarrass the Osborne Family for today.”

I sat in front of the piano. I moved mechanically on the keys skillfully. In my vision, Bartholomew's eyes glanced my way from time to time.

As soon as I pressed the last note, there was a loud "bang" sound. It turned out that the piano cover fell without warning. All ten fingers immediately felt unbearable pain.

“AH!”

I was in so much pain that my vision became blurry and unclear. I instinctively looked towards Vincenza, who was not far away.

Bartholomew, however, grabbed her arm and said, “Don't worry about him. He's been like this since he was a kid. A grown man can even scream when he sees a bug.”

He held Vincenza's hand tightly. “Let's go, let's take a look around.”

Before I passed out from the pain, I only saw their backs walking away from the room.

***

When I woke up again, my mom was sitting by the hospital bed with red and swollen eyes.

“Patrick, the Martinez Family sent the best hand surgery expert.”

Her body was shaking. Her hand gently stroked my bandaged hand. “I think maybe the Martinez Family isn't as bad as people say, Patrick.”

I asked softly, “Where are my dad and my brother?”

My mom lowered her head. “Your dad accompanied Bartholomew to buy a yacht. He said it was to celebrate the opening of your brother's new resort.”

I didn't say anything, but the tears couldn't stop falling down. Except for my mom, it seemed like no one in this world really cared about me. Maybe it was the best choice for me to leave them.

That day, I went to Vincenza's villa to pack up my things. I raised my hand to ring the doorbell, but no one answered.

I entered the original password out of habit and found that it was no longer open. I called Vincenza's phone. Unfortunately, there was still no answer as usual.

Just as I was about to put down my phone, a profile update suddenly appeared on my Instagram homepage. The profile picture that she had not updated for three years had now been replaced with a photo of a beach scene.

In the corner of the photo, a hand with a watch was visible to my eyes. I stared at the screen until my vision blurred.

Trembling, I tried to log in using Bartholomew's birthday.

“Click."

The door opened. In the empty villa, a phone suddenly rang.

“There’s something wrong?” Vincenza's voice came from the receiver with her usual cold tone.

I said calmly, “I came to pick up some things, but no one was home.”

“Yeah, okay.”

She paused for a moment. “I'll accompany Bartholomew to look around the shops around the resort.”

There was a hint of impatience in her tone. “I'll keep my promise about the engagement after I get back from here.”

After saying that, she hung up the phone. A string of rosary beads rolled down from the drawer. It rolled on the floor with a loud sound.

I squatted down to look at this “gift” she casually gave to me. I suddenly burst into tears of laughter.

I deleted all the photos and contact information about her from my cell phone. I rushed straight to the airport.

“Do you want to sit by the window?” One of the staff at the check-in counter asked.

I said softly, “No need. There's nothing to see here.”

“Vincenza, in the future, I’ll never see you again!”