My stomach turned violently.

Even though I was pinned to the bed and overpowered, I used every ounce of strength to shove away the man reeking of alcohol and lies.

I shrank back against the headboard, trembling all over as if I had touched something filthy.

Kalen stumbled back from my push. He didn’t get angry; he just frowned at me for two seconds, then raised an eyebrow and let out a wicked laugh.

"Still mad?"

He rubbed the space between his eyebrows. That gesture, that expression—it was exactly like Gavin’s. Even his voice, soaked in whiskey, was indistinguishable from his brother’s.

If he hadn't cried out Elena's name in his lust earlier, and if I hadn't learned the secret of the twins, I wouldn't have been able to tell them apart.

He leaned in close again, his hands bracing on either side of me, the tip of his nose almost touching mine.

"Ivy, stop making a fuss. I already explained it to you today. If I really had feelings for Elena, I wouldn't have agreed to marry you."

Kalen lowered his head, intending to kiss me.

My eyes went wide, and I violently jerked my head to the side.

"Ugh—"

An intense wave of nausea surged up my throat.

I pushed him aside, ran barefoot into the bathroom, and retched violently into the toilet.

Physiological tears streamed down my face. My stomach was empty, but it felt like I was trying to vomit up my internal organs.

Dirty.

Everything was just so dirty.

Kalen watched my back, his brow slightly furrowed, a hint of amusement flashing in his eyes.

Inside the bathroom, I slid slowly down the cold tiled wall and collapsed on the floor.

The door wasn't fully closed.

Outside, Kalen’s voice rang out abruptly, tinged with surprise: "Elena, did you hear that? This woman keeps retching. Is she pregnant? Just my luck. If she spawns a brat, and the truth comes out later, what if I get stuck with this broke woman?"

My body went rigid.

He hadn't hung up the phone.

A stunned silence came from the other end of the line.

A chill ran instantly down my spine, and my nails dug deep into my palms.

Then, Elena's hypocritical and malicious voice drifted into my ears: "Kalen, don't be too harsh... If Ivy really is pregnant, that's a human life."

"Harsh?"

Kalen’s voice came through, cold and devoid of any warmth.

"She targeted you like that in school and almost got you killed. This is the punishment she deserves."

"As for being pregnant..."

Kalen paused, his tone becoming exceptionally cruel.

"Impossible. Even if she is, we deal with it cleanly. We can't leave any loose ends, right?"

For some reason, my heart felt an inexplicable unease.

The next second, I opened the door.

I looked at him with a pale face and hollow eyes.

Kalen's heart seemed to skip a beat. He quickly hung up the phone and stepped forward, trying to support me. "What's wrong, Ivy? You look terrible. Are you feeling sick somewhere? You aren't actually..."

I stared at him, looking at this hypocritical face, and forced the corners of my mouth into a mocking smile.

"No. Just my stomach acting up. I feel nauseous."

At noon the next day, Gavin's car stopped punctually at the estate gates.

He seemed to be in a good mood, personally getting out to open the door for me.

"Ivy, I'm taking you to lunch. To make up for the unpleasantness yesterday, I booked your favorite French restaurant."

The ride was silent.

Soft jazz music echoed in the car—Elena's favorite genre.

Gavin had a smile on his lips, his fingers tapping lightly on the steering wheel. He was clearly in high spirits.

As soon as we arrived at the restaurant, I saw Elena and Kalen already seated at the best window table waiting for us.

Outside the massive floor-to-ceiling windows was the bustling streetscape of Manhattan.

"Ivy! Over here!"

Elena waved enthusiastically, pointing to a delicate salad already placed on the table.

"I was out of line yesterday and made you unhappy. This is the nut and quinoa salad I ordered especially for you. It's the signature dish here, very healthy. You must try it."

I looked at the salad, my pupils constricting slightly.

I had a severe nut allergy, especially to peanuts and cashews.

Just a tiny bit of powder could cause my windpipe to swell, or even send me into shock.

Elena knew this.

Gavin knew this too.

Just as I was about to refuse, Gavin pulled out my chair and gently pressed my shoulders to sit me down.

"Eat it, Ivy. Elena ordered it especially for you. Don't reject her kindness."

"She even specifically instructed the chef to use top-tier ingredients."

I looked at Gavin's trusting eyes and Elena's expectant smile.

The words of refusal stuck in my throat.

If I didn't eat it, I would be "unreasonable" and "still jealous."

I took a deep breath, picked up my fork, and poked at the salad.

It seemed to contain only vegetables and quinoa; no visible traces of nuts.

Maybe she really just wanted to apologize?

I forked a small bite and put it in my mouth.

Seconds after swallowing, a familiar, terrifying stinging sensation exploded in my throat!

Not only were there nuts, but they had been ground into a fine powder and mixed into the salad dressing!

She did it on purpose!

"Cough... cough..."

I dropped my fork and clutched my neck with both hands.

My windpipe began to close up rapidly, breathing became difficult, and a large red rash quickly spread across my face.

"Ivy? What's wrong with you?"

Gavin frowned at me, seemingly thinking I was acting again.

I struggled to grab my handbag beside me.

Inside was my lifesaver—my EpiPen.

Because my allergy was severe, I carried it with me everywhere.

Just as my fingers touched the strap of the bag.

"Ugh... Gavin... help..."

A weak moan suddenly came from across the table.

Elena was clutching her chest, her face instantly flushed red, gasping for air in big gulps, her body going limp as she fell backward.

"I feel like vomiting... I can't breathe... is it my asthma..."

"Elena!"

Kalen, who had been watching Elena, reacted quickly and caught her.

"Brother! Elena is having an asthma attack! She looks like she's in bad shape!"

Gavin's hand, originally reaching out to me, turned sharply in mid-air.

He glanced at me, struggling to breathe with a face full of rash, and then at Elena, lying in Kalen's arms as if she were about to stop breathing the next second.

In Gavin's eyes, Elena, who had saved him from the fire, was always more fragile and in need of protection than the "strong" me.

He turned without hesitation and rushed to Elena.

"Quick! Lay her flat!"

Gavin shouted anxiously, completely forgetting about me.

I was having trouble breathing now, and my vision was starting to blur.

With trembling hands, I finally fished the EpiPen out of my bag.

I pulled off the cap, lifted my skirt, and prepared to inject it into my thigh.

This was my only chance at survival.

Just as the needle was about to pierce my skin.

A dark shadow lunged at me, and a hand ruthlessly snatched the pen from my grasp!

It was Kalen!

"Hand it over! Elena is fading fast, and you only care about yourself?"

I looked up in disbelief, trying to snatch back my lifeline.

"No... that's... mine..." I forced the broken syllables from my throat. Due to the severe allergic reaction, my fingernails were already turning purple.

I looked desperately at Gavin. He was my fiancé; he knew I would die without that pen!

"Gavin... help me..."

Gavin looked at me, struggling in pain, and then at Elena.

In that moment, a flash of intense pain and conflict crossed his deep eyes.

But he didn't stop Kalen.

He clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white, his voice hoarse and agonized. "Ivy... be reasonable. Elena is frail; she can't hold on. You're a doctor. You're stronger than she is."

Tears slid from the corners of my eyes.

I watched helplessly as Kalen plunged my life-saving medicine into Elena's thigh.

And my fiancé just looked at me with anguish, making a promise that sounded incredibly hollow in that moment: "Ivy, just hold on. I promise I'll get the top medical team in New York to save you right now! I'll cure you, no matter the cost!"

The medication was administered.

Elena "miraculously" caught her breath, leaning weakly into Gavin's arms and weeping.

"Gavin... I thought I'd never see you again..."

"It's okay, I'm here." Gavin hugged her tightly, like holding a regained treasure.

He scooped Elena up and strode out of the restaurant.

Kalen followed closely behind: "Brother, I'll go get the car! I'm still worried; we should take Elena to the hospital for a check-up."

The three of them left in a whirlwind.

Just as lively as when they arrived.

In the huge private room, I was the only one left.

I collapsed on the floor, my throat completely locked, only able to make a broken wheezing sound like a damaged bellows.

In my blood-red vision, I saw their retreating backs, leaving without looking back.

From beginning to end, Gavin never once looked back at me.

Then, my consciousness plunged into darkness.

I lay in the ICU, unconscious for a full day.

When I woke up, my throat burned like I had swallowed a handful of razor blades.

Gavin sat by the bed, suited up and looking as dignified as ever. Seeing me wake up, he reached out to hold my hand, his face wearing just the right amount of concern.

"Ivy, you're finally awake. Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere?"

I snatched my hand back as if I'd been electrocuted and closed my eyes, refusing to look at his hypocritical face.

Gavin didn't get angry. He patiently tucked the quilt around me, a hint of helpless explanation in his tone.

"Ivy, I know you're angry with me. But the situation was critical. Elena has a history of asthma; if we didn't medicate her immediately, lives would be at risk."

"And you... you're a doctor. I knew you understood how to save yourself, and your physical constitution is better than hers. I thought you were just acting that severely to spite me."

"We're getting married soon; we're a team with shared interests. You should understand my difficulties, right?"

At that moment, Kalen leaned against the doorframe, twirling his car keys, his slouching posture and tone full of mockery.

"Yeah, sister-in-law, my brother had no choice. Who told you to always be so jealous? If you hadn't put on that show, we wouldn't have misjudged the situation."

My hands clenched tightly under the covers, nails nearly breaking.

Listen to them.

They almost killed me, stole my life-saving medicine to save someone faking illness, and in their mouths, *I* became the one who was insensible and ignored the big picture.

I felt sick at heart, but I didn't argue anymore.

"I want to rest."

Seeing my attitude soften, Gavin let out a sigh of relief. "Alright, get some good rest. I'm going to check on Elena. She's fine physically, but she was terrified."

Only when their footsteps completely faded did I snap my eyes open.

I quickly pulled my phone out from under the pillow and dialed a number. "Hello, is this 'Truth Livestream Studio'? I want to book a global livestream order for next week... Yes, the Johnson family wedding."

Hanging up, I subconsciously reached for my chest.

It was empty.

My heart stopped.

The silver pendant necklace containing Grandma's hair and ashes was gone!

That was the only memento Grandma left me!

I panicked instantly, ignoring my physical weakness, rummaging frantically through the bed and under the pillow like a madwoman.

Just then, my phone vibrated.

It was a WeChat message from Elena.

A video.

The background was the hospital's luxury VIP bathroom.

Elena's manicured hand was holding my necklace, hovering over the toilet bowl.

The lid of the pendant had been unscrewed.

"Oops, are these the old hag's ashes? They look so dirty."

With her malicious laugh, she tilted her wrist.

The gray-white powder drifted down into the swirling water of the toilet, instantly swallowed by the flow and disappearing without a trace.

The video ended with the loud roar of the toilet flushing and Elena's smug voiceover:

[Want to find your grandma? Go look in the sewer.]

"Ah—!!!"

I stared at the screen and let out a bloodcurdling scream.

Overwhelming anger and despair made my vision go black. I ripped the IV needle from the back of my hand and rushed out of the ward barefoot.

I ran all the way to the VIP ward upstairs.

The door was ajar.

I pushed it open and saw Elena touching up her makeup in the mirror by the sink, still toying with the now-empty silver pendant.

"Elena! How could you!"

I roared and lunged at her, trying to snatch back the pendant.

Elena saw me through the mirror.

She didn't dodge; instead, the corners of her mouth curled into an eerie smile.

Just as my hand was about to touch her, she suddenly screamed and threw herself backward violently, slamming into the sink.

"Ah! Ivy, don't hit me!"

At the same time, the door behind me was pushed open with force.

"Ivy! What are you doing!"

Gavin's commanding roar rang out.

Immediately after, a powerful hand clamped down on my wrist. He didn't hit me, but the immense resistance made it impossible for me to move an inch.

Gavin forcibly pulled me away, shielding Elena behind him.

Kalen rushed over to help the "trembling" Elena up, looking nervous. "Elena, are you okay?"

Elena shrank into Kalen's arms, weeping like a pear blossom bathed in rain, still clutching the empty pendant tightly.

"Gavin... I just wanted to return the necklace I found to Ivy... but she started cursing me as soon as she came in and tried to push me..."

"I don't know what I did wrong... Is it because of me that you guys left her at the restaurant? Is she blaming me..."

What a perfect victim.

I trembled with rage, pointing at Elena's hand, my voice so hoarse it was unrecognizable.

"She's lying! Gavin, she is lying!"

"She poured Grandma's ashes into the toilet! She flushed Grandma's ashes away!!"

I cried and shouted, trying to rush over to show Gavin the empty pendant, trying to take out my phone to show him the video.

"Enough!"

Gavin grabbed my shoulders, pinning me firmly to the spot.

He looked down at me, his deep eyes now filled with disappointment and disgust.

"Ivy, haven't you made enough of a scene?"

"Ashes? That is clearly just an ordinary decorative necklace! To frame Elena, you'd even make up such a vicious lie...and even use your grandmother to make such a sick joke? "

I froze.

Trembling, I took out my phone. "I have a video... she sent it to me..."

I opened the chat window.

It was blank.

Retracted.

Elena had retracted that video long ago.

"What video?" Gavin glanced at my phone screen and sneered. "It's blank. Ivy, are you hallucinating?"

"No... it's not..."

I looked at him in despair. "Gavin, believe me just this once... it really was her..."

"Gavin, don't blame Ivy..."

Before I could say a word, Elena, hiding behind them, suddenly interrupted. Her rims were red, and her voice dripped with grievance.

"Actually, I can understand her. She's just jealous of the bond we share from growing up together, jealous that you treat me so well. She feels like I stole your attention, that's why she hates me so much. She'd even go as far as fabricating such terrible things to slander me..."

"But I really didn't..."

What terrible acting. What obvious manipulation.

I stared dead at Gavin, waiting for his rebuttal, waiting for him to defend me like he used to.

Even if it was just one sentence: "Ivy isn't that kind of person."

But there was nothing.

Gavin stood there in silence. He didn't stop Elena's accusations, nor did he refute a single word.

He just looked at me quietly with those deep eyes that had once professed love to me.

There was no trust in that gaze, only a silent acquiescence and disappointment.

"Sister-in-law, making up such lies just to fight for favor, cursing your own grandmother's ashes, and even trying to hit someone. Your heart... tsk tsk."

I looked at these two men in front of me.

One was the fiancé I had loved for seven years, speaking of morals and justice but stabbing me with every word.

The other was the devil who had possessed my body for three years, full of mockery, kicking me while I was down.

And the real murderer, Elena, was hiding behind them, flashing me a triumphant, vicious smile.

In that moment, I felt the blood in my body turn ice cold.

I stopped explaining, and I stopped crying.

I just stared fixedly at the empty pendant, stared at Elena's face.

"Fine."

I heard myself say in a dry voice.

"I saw it wrong. It was my jealousy acting up."

"I apologize."

Gavin let out a sigh of relief, the knot in his brow finally loosening.

He stepped closer and gently smoothed my messy hair. His tone softened, oozing with a performative "kindness."

"I'm glad you've finally come to your senses, Ivy."

"Elena truly has a good heart. She never intended to come between us. You both mean the world to me, and I really hope you can let go of your prejudice and just get along with her. Okay?"

"Be a good girl. Stop being so difficult."

"Kalen, take her back. Find two nurses to watch her; don't let her run around again."

I was taken back to that cage filled with the smell of disinfectant.

This time, I didn't struggle.

After lying in the hospital for just half a day, Gavin came.

He was dressed in a casual, British-style equestrian outfit, looking handsome and upright, completely out of place in the pale, sterile hospital room.

"Ivy, get ready. Come with us to the private hunting grounds on the North Shore of Long Island."

I leaned against the headboard, my body still weak, and shook my head feebly. "I don't want to go... I want to rest..."

"Stop throwing a tantrum."

Gavin interrupted me, his brow furrowed as if he were looking at an unreasonable child who only knew how to act out.

"Elena specifically suggested going horse riding to relax and ease the tension. She said she doesn't mind your previous 'misunderstanding' and wants to use this opportunity to reconcile with you."

"Ivy, you've changed."

He looked at me, his eyes filled with a complicated mix of regret and accusation.

"You were never like this before."

"This is your best chance to apologize to Elena and repair your relationship. As the future mistress of the Johnson family, you must learn to be magnanimous and sociable. Don't disappoint me again."

Apologize?

Apologize to the murderer who flushed my grandmother's ashes down the toilet?

I looked at Gavin's hypocritically righteous face and found it utterly absurd.

But I had no strength to resist, nor did I want to argue anymore.

Because I knew that in this man's heart, right and wrong had long been twisted by his bias.

Like a soulless doll, I was forcibly taken from the hospital and stuffed into the car.

In the hunting grounds, the deep autumn red leaves covered the mountains, creating a picturesque scene.

Elena, dressed in a red riding outfit, sat atop a snow-white warmblood horse, looking valiant and heroic. Where was the frail appearance of someone who had "just returned from death's door"?

Kalen rode a black horse, guarding her left side, the two of them chatting and laughing.

Seeing me being led over by Gavin, Elena immediately flashed a sweet smile.

"Ivy, are you feeling better? I specifically asked the stable to save the gentlest mare for you, so don't be afraid."

I watched her performance coldly, saying nothing.

Gavin helped me onto the horse, whispering a warning in my ear, "Behave yourself later. Don't wear that funeral face; it's bad luck."

The group headed deeper into the forest.

Gavin and Kalen flanked Elena, the three of them chatting happily, reminiscing about childhood events.

I followed behind, like a superfluous ghost.

As we reached a steep slope, Elena suddenly reined in her horse and looked back at me, a strange glint flashing in her eyes.

"Ivy, your horse seems a bit agitated. Don't get too close to me..."

Before she finished speaking.

Using her body as cover, she secretly flicked a coin with her fingers, hitting her own horse right in the eye.

"Neigh—!"

The originally quiet white horse, in pain, reared up in fright and neighed frantically.

"Ah—! Help!"

Elena screamed, letting go of the reins and tumbling off the horse's back, landing heavily on the grass.

"Elena!"

Gavin and Kalen jumped off their horses almost simultaneously and rushed over like madmen.

"My leg... it hurts so much..." Elena clutched her ankle, pointing at me with teary eyes. "Ivy... I know you hate me... but how could you throw a stone at my horse..."

If you want to condemn someone, you can always find a pretext.

I was at least five meters away from her, my hands tightly gripping the reins the entire time. I hadn't moved a muscle.

"I didn't," I said calmly, my voice flat.

"You still dare to deny it!"

Kalen roared, rushing over to drag me off the horse and shoving me hard onto the ground.

"I saw you raise your hand with my own eyes! You're just jealous of Elena and want to kill her!"

Gavin checked Elena's ankle and only sighed in relief after confirming it was just a sprain.

Then, he stood up and walked toward me step by step.

In those deep eyes, there was no longer helplessness, only cold judgment and disgust.

"Ivy, I gave you countless chances along the way."

"I thought you would reflect and apologize. I didn't expect your heart to be this vicious."

He looked around the desolate, dense forest and made a decision.

"Since you like such barbaric behavior, then stay here and experience the cruelty of nature properly."

"Tonight, you stay in this deep mountain camp. No tent, no sleeping bag. Reflect on your actions."

Kalen immediately understood, grinning maliciously as he threw all the spare camping gear from the car back into the trunk, leaving me only a bottle of water.

"Gavin! This is deep in the mountains! There will be wolves at night! And I'm afraid of the dark!"

Although my heart was dead, physiological fear still made me tremble.

"It's dangerous here..." My voice trembled as I made one last desperate attempt.

"Gavin, after all, Ivy is a girl. Leaving her alone out here in the middle of nowhere... isn't that too cruel? What if something happens to her?"

Elena leaned against Kalen's chest, looking up weakly, her eyes brimming with kindness and compassion.

"How about... I stay with her? Maybe I can talk to her, help her work through her issues."

Hearing this, Gavin's gaze toward Elena softened even more, filled with tenderness and pity.

But when he turned to look at me, that tenderness instantly morphed into utter disappointment.

"Look at Elena. Even after you hurt her like this, she's still looking out for you."

"And you? You're still making excuses for yourself."

He scoffed, his heart hardening completely.

"No. She needs to be alone to truly reflect on what she's done."

"She brought this on herself."

Gavin's voice was as cold and hard as iron, leaving no room for negotiation.

But as he turned to get in the car, his gaze swept over my pale, deathly still face, devoid of even a single word of defense.

In that instant, his steps paused.

A sudden, unexplained sting pricked his heart.

The old me would cry, make a scene, and argue vehemently that I was wrongly accused when aggrieved.

But the current me just stood quietly in the wind, like a husk drained of its soul, looking at him with hollow eyes as if looking at a stranger.

This dead silence panicked him more than any hysteria ever could.

"Gavin, hurry up and drive, my foot hurts..." Elena moaned at the right moment, interrupting his thoughts.

The hesitation in Gavin's eyes vanished instantly.

"Let's go."

The engine roared.

The off-road vehicle kicked up dust and mercilessly disappeared at the end of the forest path.

I was abandoned.

In the primeval forest as night fell.

I didn't cry, nor did I shout.

I just hugged my knees, leaned against a dead tree, and watched the sky turn completely black bit by bit.

That night, the cold wind bit to the bone, and the howls of unknown beasts came from the distance.

But I felt no fear.

Because my heart had already died with Grandma the moment I saw that video of her ashes being flushed away.

Until the next morning.

It wasn't Gavin who came to pick me up, but a ranger from the hunting grounds.

"The young master said if you've reflected enough, you can leave on your own. The convoy has already returned to the city."

"The Master Kalen said that if you've finished reflecting, you can leave on your own. The convoy has already returned to the city."

The ranger didn't even offer me a ride; he just drove away after delivering the order.

Dragging my frozen legs, I moved down the mountain step by step.

I walked for four whole hours, blisters forming on my feet, my shoes soaked with mud, before I finally returned to the city.

I stood on the bustling street, looking at this prosperous, indifferent world.

I didn't go back to the estate, nor did I go to the hospital.

There were no longer any family or loved ones for me there.

I walked into a roadside internet cafe and opened that familiar email inbox.

Lying quietly inside was a final confirmation letter from the International Red Cross:

[Dr. Ivy, your transfer order has been approved. The medical charter plane to Damascus will take off in three days. Please confirm if you will report on time.]

Three days later.

It happened to be the day of my wedding with Gavin.

I looked at that date, and my originally numb heart finally beat once.

I tapped the keyboard and replied with one word:

[Confirmed.]