My fingertips twitched, and I ended the call in my hand first. My gaze fell on their interlocked hands—Liam Foster’s palm tightly wrapped around Vanessa Bennett’s hand, intimate in a way that made my stomach turn. Even though I had long prepared myself, knowing he and I had already reached the end, my chest still felt like it was being pricked over and over by countless tiny needles, the pain sharp enough to steal my breath for a second.

I lowered my eyes to hide the sting in them. After steadying my emotions, I looked up at them again, my tone flat, as if I were talking about something unimportant.

“A friend asked me to help her rent a place. Why—do you have a house you’re trying to rent out?”

Liam’s attitude toward me had been growing colder by the day—cold, even cutting. Even if I ever came back to this city in the future, I would never have anything to do with him again. So there was no reason to tell him I was about to go abroad. One more explanation would be one more unnecessary word.

At my answer, Liam’s brows immediately knit together. There was scrutiny in his eyes. Before he could speak, Vanessa cut in first.

“Sister, what are you saying? Isn’t your friend our friend too?” Vanessa leaned into Liam’s arms, her voice sweet to the point of cloying, but calculation glinted beneath her lashes. “I happen to have a one-bedroom apartment downtown. It’s empty anyway—do you want your friend to stay there first?”

I didn’t respond. I only looked at her in silence.

Liam’s face darkened even more. He stepped forward and blocked my way directly, anger practically spilling out of his voice.

“Clara Bennett, and you still have the energy to worry about helping someone rent a place?”

“Vanessa got burned because of you yesterday, and she still has red marks on her leg. How can you stand here so calmly?” His tone was rigid, leaving no room for argument. “You’d better apologize to Vanessa right now and beg her to forgive you. Otherwise, forget borrowing an apartment—don’t even think you’ll get a single opportunity from me, even if you pay to rent!”

After that, he didn’t give me any chance to argue. With his arm around Vanessa’s waist, he strode into the villa, leaving only a cold, indifferent back behind him.

I watched the flicker of smug triumph that flashed in Vanessa’s eyes when she looked back, and a self-mocking smile tugged at my mouth.

I didn’t linger. I turned and went straight back to my room. The moment I shut the door, it felt like all the strength in my body had been drained.

Early the next morning, not long after dawn, I got up. The moment I stepped out of my room, I caught the smell of breakfast drifting from the living room—Liam and Vanessa were sitting at the dining table eating, looking like some loving couple in a cozy domestic routine.

Vanessa glanced at me and deliberately lifted a hand to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear. As she moved, a patch of deep and shallow kiss marks across her neck was exposed completely. She stared at me with open provocation, her tone laced with smugness.

“Sister, there seemed to be a lot of mosquitoes in the villa last night. I got bitten a bunch of times on my neck. Should we have the property management come over and handle it thoroughly?”

Liam lifted his eyes and swept a glance over me. He didn’t say a word. He only picked up an elegant brocade box from the table and held it out to me, signaling for me to open it.

I hesitated for a moment, but I still reached out and took the box. The instant I opened it, a translucent jade bangle came into view—smooth, luminous, its color like distant mountains softened by mist, quiet and refined, unmistakably expensive.

I tugged at the corner of my mouth, a cold mockery curling on my lips.

“To make me apologize, you really are willing to spend money.”

Vanessa leaned in to glance at the bangle, and jealousy immediately colored her tone. She grabbed Liam’s arm and shook it lightly.

“Liam, I didn’t realize your relationship with Sister Clara is this good. You even exchange such expensive gifts normally.”

Guilt flashed across Liam’s eyes for a split second, and his tone turned slightly unnatural. Avoiding my gaze, he explained to Vanessa.

“It wasn’t specially bought for her.”

Only then did he turn to me, forcing himself to speak.

“The wedding date we set has to be postponed. Clara, take this bracelet as compensation from me.”

The fingers holding the box tightened slightly. I said nothing. I just looked at Liam with a gaze full of mockery.

Postponed?

This was already the ninth time. Every single time, it was because of Vanessa. Every single time, he could use such a casual tone to crush my expectations into dust.

Seeing I stayed silent, Liam looked even more uncomfortable, like he couldn’t sit still. He quickly stood up, grabbed his suit jacket from the back of the chair, and said to Vanessa.

“There’s an emergency at the company. I’m leaving first. Rest at home. Call me anytime if you need anything.”

After that, he practically fled the living room, as if staying one more second would torture him.

Watching his hurried back, I instantly lost any appetite. I set the box down, picked up a slice of bread from the table and took two bites, but it tasted like cardboard. I turned and went back to my room—I simply couldn’t stand the suffocating feeling of being in the same space as Vanessa.

In the afternoon, I took a nap. When I woke up, the sun had already tilted west, spilling through the slit in the curtains onto the floor. I stretched, then habitually reached for my wrist—only to find nothing there.

The silver bracelet my mother had left me—her only keepsake—was gone.

That bracelet had been with me for more than ten years. It had never left my body. My heart sank instantly, emotions flooding up all at once: panic, anxiety, unease… I forced myself to calm down, replaying everything from yesterday to today, trying to remember where it might have been left.

Just as I stood up to go look for it, I heard a soft click from the living room.

I hurried out—and saw Vanessa sitting on the sofa, casually playing with my bracelet in her hand, tossing it high into the air and catching it again and again.

“Give it back,” I said, my voice turning cold in an instant. “Give me my bracelet.”

Vanessa acted like she hadn’t heard me. Instead, she deliberately tossed it even higher. I instinctively reached out to catch it, but the bracelet traced an arc through the air—I missed.

It slammed hard onto the marble floor.

Crack—

A crisp, brutal snap rang out. The silver bracelet shattered into several pieces, scattering across the ground.

“How dare you break my bracelet?” My voice shook uncontrollably, red veins blooming in my eyes. That wasn’t an ordinary bracelet—it was my mother’s last trace, the only warmth I’d ever had to hold onto in this cold house.

Vanessa lifted her head slowly and looked at my collapse. She smiled—triumphant and arrogant.

“Didn’t Liam just give you a new jade bangle, Sister Clara? I’m helping you deal with the old one.” She tilted her head, her voice lazy and cruel. “After all, useless trash belongs in the trash can.”

“Who are you calling trash?!”

I shook all over from fury. The grievance and rage I’d held down for too long exploded completely in that moment.

I couldn’t hold it in anymore.

I rushed forward and shoved Vanessa to the floor, then crouched down, hands trembling as I reached to pick up the broken pieces of the bracelet. Tears spilled out uncontrollably, dropping onto the fragments.

Vanessa Bennett fell onto the icy floor, the smugness on her face disappearing instantly, replaced by a bone-chilling coldness. She propped herself up and slowly sat up, brushing the dust off her skirt. Her eyes, venomous like a snake soaked in poison, locked onto me.

“Clara Bennett, who do you think you are now?” she hissed. “You actually dared to push me?”

She turned her head toward the bodyguards standing by in the corner of the villa, her tone sharp and commanding, leaving no room for refusal.

“Hold her down.”

The two bodyguards exchanged glances, hesitating as they looked from me—still crouched on the floor picking up the fragments—to Vanessa’s dark, threatening expression. Just as they were about to speak, Vanessa cut them off with a vicious glare.

“Don’t forget whose money you’re taking,” she said coldly. “You work for Liam Foster. You’re his people.”

Each word struck precisely where it hurt. “Think carefully—right now, who do you think matters more to him?”

The bodyguards fell silent for a brief moment. In the end, they clearly saw the situation for what it was. They stepped forward quickly, one on each side, gripping my arms and forcing me down onto the sofa, pinning me so I couldn’t move.

Watching this unfold, I suddenly laughed. My laugh was hoarse, bleak. Tears mixed with those I hadn’t finished crying earlier rolled down my cheeks.

“So everyone knows,” I said, my voice trembling, “that in Liam Foster’s heart, you—Vanessa Bennett—are the most important one. And I’m the only fool who kept clinging to a last shred of hope, believing that his care for you was just for my sake.”

Before that absurd illusion could even fade, Vanessa had already turned and walked over to the coffee table. She picked up a decorative dagger. The moment it slid from its sheath, cold light flashed. Gripping the dagger, she walked toward me step by step, her eyes filled with cruel delight.

Hiss—

The sharp blade slashed across my cheek without warning. A piercing pain exploded instantly, racing through my nerves and into every corner of my body. I shuddered violently, struggling desperately, my voice hoarse and barely recognizable.

“Vanessa Bennett, don’t you dare! Aren’t you afraid Liam will call the police? I’ve been with him for so many years—what makes you think you can replace me?!”

“Replace you?”

Vanessa laughed wildly. With a flick of her wrist, she carved another deep, bone-revealing cut into my other cheek. Blood surged out at once, streaming down my face.

She bent down, pressed close to my ear, and whispered in a voice only the two of us could hear:

“Clara Bennett, I told you a long time ago—even if I killed you, Liam wouldn’t blame me one bit.”

“You—and your dead mother—were nothing but stepping stones for me to climb higher.”

As her words fell, she went mad with the dagger, slashing across my face and neck again and again. One bloody gash followed another. Blood dripped like broken beads, soaking my clothes and splattering onto the sofa cushions.

I struggled with everything I had, but against two grown bodyguards, my strength was laughable. I could only watch helplessly as the dagger struck me again and again.

In the end, Vanessa seemed to find the dagger unsatisfying. She tossed it aside and raised her hand, slapping my face hard.

Smack! Smack! Smack!

The crisp, brutal sounds echoed through the living room, each one like a hammer smashing into my heart. My consciousness began to blur. The burning pain in my face nearly robbed me of all sensation. My vision turned crimson as warm blood flooded my eyes and mouth, the metallic sweetness filling my nose.

“Well?” Vanessa grabbed my hair, yanking my head up so I had no choice but to face her. Her eyes were full of revengeful pleasure as she spoke slowly, word by word.

“Do you know what you did wrong now?”

“When I was nine years old, your mother slapped me in front of everyone and called me a mistress’s daughter—said I was disgraceful, that I embarrassed the Bennett family.”

“And now, I’m going to let her see from the grave how her precious legitimate daughter gets slashed ten times and slapped a hundred times—until she’s even more pathetic than me.”

As she spoke, she bent down, picked up the broken pieces of the silver bracelet from the floor, clenched them in her hand, and smashed them viciously into my face. The shards cut into my skin, bringing pain even sharper than the blade.

The agony in my chest intertwined with the pain on my face. I couldn’t take it anymore. A mouthful of blood burst from my lips. My vision went black, and I lost consciousness completely.

Before everything faded, I vaguely heard the villa door being flung open, followed by Liam Foster’s furious shout:

“Stop!”

…

I didn’t know how long it was before I slowly opened my eyes. The familiar smell of disinfectant filled my nose. I was back in the hospital.

Liam Foster sat on the chair beside my bed. There was a trace of barely perceptible concern on his face, and his voice was softened deliberately.

“Clara, what happened today… Vanessa was too impulsive. You’ve suffered.”

My entire face was wrapped in thick gauze, leaving only my swollen, reddened eyes exposed. I blinked. A sour ache rose in my dry eyes. My voice was hoarse, as if scraped raw by sandpaper.

“Did you call the police?”

Liam’s gaze flickered. A trace of guilt flashed through his eyes before he quickly steadied himself and looked away.

“Vanessa… after all, she’s your own sister. This was indeed her fault. I’ve already punished her properly. Don’t dwell on it anymore—focus on recovering.”

“How did you punish her?”

My voice was devoid of emotion—calm to the point of terror.

Liam hurriedly pulled a small box from his pocket and opened it. Inside lay the repaired silver bracelet. He handed it toward my bedside and said in a low voice:

“When she slashed you, her palm was also cut by the dagger. She bled quite a bit. I’ve punished her by making her stay home, no going out, and no touching anything sharp. Clara, that should be enough. Don’t make things too ugly between everyone.”

My gaze fell on the repaired bracelet, then slowly lifted to Liam’s hypocritical face. Suddenly, I let out a miserable laugh. The movement tugged at the wounds on my face, making my whole body tremble with pain.

“Liam Foster, do you remember?” I asked softly. “You once said you’d protect me for the rest of my life. That you’d never let me get hurt.”

His eyes dimmed, as if memories from the past had surfaced. His lips moved, as though he wanted to say something.

But before he could speak, I suddenly sat up, gathering every ounce of strength I had left, and slapped him hard across the face.

Smack.

The sound was sharp and piercing in the quiet hospital room.

“Get out!” I screamed, my voice breaking with despair. “The thing I regret most in my entire life is knowing you—being with you!”

Liam stood there stunned, his cheek burning, confusion filling his eyes. After a few seconds, as if something had occurred to him, his expression gradually calmed.

His tone turned weary, almost indulgent.

“I know you’re very angry right now. Your emotions are unstable. The doctor said you need rest. Calm down. I’ll come see you in a few days.”

He stood up and turned to leave. When he reached the door, he suddenly stopped, turned back to look at me, and spoke lightly—yet with a faint, unmistakable threat.

“And one more thing. I don’t want to hear what you just said ever again. Otherwise, I’ll take it seriously.”

With that, he left the room without looking back and closed the door behind him.

Silence fell instantly.

I collapsed back onto the bed, clutching the blanket. The sobs I had been suppressing for so long finally broke free—heart-rending, desperate, yet muffled, because I was afraid of pulling at the wounds on my face.

Tears soaked into the pillowcase, mixing with the still-drying blood.

Bitter.

And utterly hopeless.

It wasn’t until a week later that I saw Liam Foster again in the hospital lobby.

Perhaps knowing he’d been far too biased before, he deliberately brought Vanessa Bennett along this time, saying he wanted her to apologize to me in person.

Vanessa clung affectionately to Liam’s arm, her tone light and casual, without a trace of sincerity.

“I’m sorry, Sister. What happened that day was all my fault. I caused you such serious injuries. You’re the bigger person—please don’t hold it against me.”

I lifted my eyes and glanced at her calmly. My gaze was as still as stagnant water, without the slightest ripple. I didn’t respond. I didn’t even slow my steps. I simply turned around and walked straight back to my ward, leaving the two of them standing there.

Vanessa’s expression collapsed instantly. She looked at Liam with wounded eyes, tears welling up without warning.

“Liam… is Sister still angry with me?”

Liam watched my retreating back in silence. There was a hint of nostalgia in his eyes, and his tone was firm.

“No. She’s always been soft-hearted. She never truly holds grudges.”

But when they reached my room and pushed the door open, they saw me lift my hand and toss a familiar USB drive into the trash can beside the bed.

Liam’s pupils shrank abruptly. He strode forward, disbelief lacing his voice.

“Clara Bennett, what are you doing?!”

That USB drive held years of our memories—photos from our first date, videos from our trips together, recordings of him singing me a birthday song. I used to treasure it, keeping it in the deepest pocket of my wallet, never letting anyone touch it. And now, I’d thrown it away like garbage.

Before Liam could say anything else, I slid the engagement ring he’d given me off my finger. My fingertips loosened slightly, and with a soft clink, the ring fell into the trash can after the USB drive.

My tone was flat, utterly calm, as if I were talking about something trivial.

“Nothing. I just think Vanessa was right. Useless trash belongs in the trash.”

After that, I turned and walked away without looking back at either of them, heading straight for the doctors’ offices to complete my discharge paperwork.

Liam’s face drained of color instantly. His fingers trembled, his eyes filled with shock and panic. Vanessa, on the other hand, let out a soft scoff. Leaning close to his ear, she whispered provocatively so only he could hear.

“Liam, look—your sincerity was trampled on so easily.”

Liam stayed silent for a long time. His Adam’s apple bobbed several times before he finally spoke, his tone stubbornly reassuring himself.

“No. When she calms down, she’ll pick the USB drive and the ring back up.”

“We’ve been together for so many years. Our relationship runs deep. She won’t really break up with me over something this small.”

As his words fell, I returned holding my discharge papers—and heard every word clearly.

A cold, mocking smile curved my lips. I didn’t stop. I walked straight toward the exit.

Liam Foster, you’re far too arrogant.

No one waits in place forever. And no one will keep compromising endlessly for a relationship that has long since rotted away. Breakups are never caused by a single small incident, but by countless heart-chilling moments piling up until the final straw snaps.

Liam clearly noticed the mockery in my eyes. His expression darkened further. The three of us stood frozen at the ward entrance, none of us speaking.

Not long after, Liam received a phone call—something urgent at the company. He left first. Before going, he deliberately instructed Vanessa to accompany me home properly.

The car held only Vanessa and me. The silence was suffocating, pressing down on my chest. Then, halfway through the drive, a violent explosion of sound tore through the air—

Bang!

A massive impact hit us. The car lost control and flipped violently. The sudden weightlessness made my head spin. I instinctively grabbed the seat belt, but my body was still flung hard. My forehead slammed into the window with a sickening thud, sharp pain erupting. Before I could even react, a runaway cargo truck crashed straight into us. Heat and shattered glass rushed toward me.

My body, barely recovered from severe injuries, couldn’t take it. My vision went black, and I lost consciousness.

I didn’t know how long passed before I slowly came to.

When I opened my eyes, I realized Vanessa and I were tied up with ropes, suspended high in an abandoned warehouse. Beneath us roared a blazing fire. A massive pot of oil boiled violently, splattering scorching droplets that could fall on us at any moment.

My head was still dizzy. I tried to recall the details before the crash, confusion swirling in my mind. But when I turned my head, I saw that Vanessa wasn’t afraid at all. She was smiling, watching me like it was a show.

“Sister,” she said lightly, amused, “I heard that after Dad kicked you out back then, you fell into severe depression. It was Liam who slowly pulled you out of that abyss, wasn’t it?”

Her tone was playful, cruel.

“Now that your last bit of hope is gone… do you feel like giving up and killing yourself?”

The ropes bit painfully into my wrists, as if they might snap them. Yet I felt nothing. My eyes darted around the warehouse, desperately searching for anything that might help us escape.

Vanessa didn’t care about my reaction. She continued smugly, enjoying every word.

“Honestly, I should thank you. Back then, it was you who rescued Liam from human traffickers. That’s how I used it as an excuse to get close to him… and slowly replace you.”

“What did you say?”

My breathing stopped. Every drop of blood in my body seemed to freeze.

My memory was yanked back to a summer more than ten years ago.

On my way home from school, I was abducted by traffickers and locked in a dilapidated shack. Later, when they weren’t paying attention, I secretly untied myself and the other kidnapped children and led them in a desperate escape. We hadn’t run far before my strength failed and I collapsed.

I had always believed Liam found me afterward. I never imagined—

Vanessa looked at my stunned expression, her smile widening, malice spilling from her eyes.

“That’s right. I took credit for it. I told Liam it was me who risked my life to save him.”

“For all these years, you and your dead mother were nothing more than stepping stones for me to climb higher.”

The moment her words ended, the heavy warehouse doors were kicked open violently.

Liam Foster rushed in with a group of people, his voice cutting through the air—

“Stop!”