"Why did Sister leave me alone in the woods?" Jasmin sobbed. "I was so scared."

It was at that moment that Sheena realized the malicious, provocative looks Jasmin had always given her were not just her imagination.

Unfortunately, before she could explain herself, her mother slapped her hard across the face.

Her ear struck the corner of the table, and a gush of blood poured out instantly.

Her father kept cursing at her, while her mother held Jasmin the whole time, not sparing her even a glance.

It was a servant who pitied her and took her to the hospital. However, they missed the optimal treatment window, and her right ear permanently lost its hearing.

Her father sent her away to the countryside.

Before she left, only Stephen held her hand. "Don’t worry, Sheena. In a few months, I’ll beg Mom and Dad to bring you back."

At first, Stephen called her every week. But later, the calls became monthly, then once every six months, and mostly it only revolved around Jasmin.

"Jasmin won first place in the painting competition today!"

"If only you were as talented as Jasmin."

"Jasmin said she’s already forgiven you, but I think you need to reflect a bit more."

And so, Sheena was abandoned in the countryside for ten years. It wasn’t until she turned twenty that she was finally brought back to the Brooks family.

She thought her parents still loved her after all.

For that insignificant sliver of familial affection, she humbled herself every day, trying her best to please her family, hoping to receive the same love in return.

But only now did she finally understand—no matter how hard she tried, people who didn’t love her never would.

Since that was the case, she didn’t want them anymore, either.

Seeing that Sheena remained silent, Stephen grew annoyed. "Sheena, are you mute?"

"All I asked was for you to take Jasmin’s punishment for her, not to die. What’s there to hesitate about?"

"What’s wrong? You’ve neglected your filial duties to Mom all these years, and now you won’t even listen to her?"

Just as Stephen was about to act, a servant burst through the door, and shouted, "Something’s wrong! Miss Jasmin is threatening to jump off the building!"

Amanda turned pale with fright and rushed out without hesitation.

Stephen retained some composure but looked grim as he snarled, "If anything happens to Jasmin, I won’t let you off!"

Grabbing Sheena’s wrist, he dragged her along to Jasmin’s room.

By the time they arrived, Sheena’s wrist was red and swollen from his grip. Just as she tried to rub it, she noticed someone familiar—Travis, her childhood friend and fiancé.

The Brooks and Flores families had been close for generations, and their arranged marriage had been decided long ago.

Travis had grown up with her, and during her years in the countryside, he had been her constant companion and support. Without him, she might never have made it through.

Travis used to say, "To me, Sheena will always be the most important person. No one can compare."

"Your parents abandoned you in such a place, and your brother didn’t even visit you once. They’ll regret it someday!"

"Don’t be sad, Sheena. When you marry me, I’ll make you the happiest little princess in the world!"

At that time, Sheena had developed a deep-seated fear that Jasmin would take everyone important to her. Clinging to Travis like a lifeline, she begged, "Then swear to me—you’re never allowed to see Jasmin again!"

Travis gently ruffled Sheena's hair with a doting smile. "Alright, alright, in my eyes, there will always only be you. That Jasmin or whatever her name is, she’s not even worth one of your fingers!"

Finally, Sheena smiled. She thought, at least someone would always choose her without hesitation.

But all of that vanished after she returned to the Brooks family.

Travis met Jasmin.

Within half a year, Jasmin once again succeeded in taking away the person Sheena cherished most.

Travis even brought up postponing their engagement on his own. "Jasmin depends on me a lot. If I proceed with our engagement now, I’m afraid she won’t be able to handle it."

Her memories were abruptly interrupted by Amanda’s desperate cries, "Jasmin, come down! Let’s talk this out. What are you doing on the windowsill? Do you want to scare your mother to death?"

Jasmin was sitting on the edge of the second-floor window. Her feet hadn’t even stepped over the railing, but her eyes were swollen like walnuts.

"Mom, didn’t you hear what the Wilson family said? They said they’d push me down the stairs just like Megan!"

"If I go to the Wilson family, I’ll be tortured to death! Instead of that, I’d rather die at home—it’d hurt less."

Stephen, furious, slapped Sheena across the face. "This is all your fault! If you had just agreed to go to the Wilson family and take Jasmin’s punishment, would she even have thoughts of ending her life?"

"Jasmin is your sister! How could you be so cruel? Do you want to see her die?" he continued, seething in rage.

That slap was merciless, leaving a red handprint on Sheena’s face. Yet Amanda only stared at her with resentment and disappointment in her eyes. "If something happens to Jasmin, I won’t live, either. Sheena, if you still refuse to take Jasmin’s punishment at the Wilson family, then don’t call yourself a Brooks anymore. Don’t consider me your mother!"

If Stephen’s words were angry accusations, Amanda’s were blatant threats.

Anger, fear, despair, sorrow—all these emotions swirled inside Sheena. She trembled uncontrollably, feeling as if her heart was being crushed.

At that moment, Travis stepped forward.

He gently touched the red mark on her face, and the tenderness in his eyes almost made Sheena believe things had returned to how they once were.

But his next words shattered her last shred of hope.

"Sheena, I’m begging you."

"If you’re willing to take Jasmin’s punishment, I’ll marry you immediately."

In that instant, Sheena realized that in the depths of extreme pain, one could no longer even shed tears.

Looking at the room full of her so-called family and lover, not a single one of them stood by her side.

Suddenly, Sheena laughed softly. "Alright. I agree to go to the Wilson family and take Jasmin’s punishment in five days."

Perhaps her smile was too heartbreaking, because Travis frowned and instinctively reached for her hand.

But before he could touch her, Sheena brushed his hand away.

The gesture was light, yet it felt as if a searing flame had burned his skin, causing a pang in his chest.

"Sheena..."

Sheena didn’t look at him. Instead, her gaze swept calmly across everyone in the room, and she continued, "But you all need to agree to one condition."

Stephen immediately frowned in displeasure. "It’s just a small favor for your sister, and you want to make demands? Sheena, since when did you become such a calculating person?"

Sheena’s lips curled into a faint smile.

"Don’t worry, it’s a very small request. You’ll definitely agree," Sheena flatly said.

Stephen was about to retort, but Amanda stopped him.

Though her health wasn’t the best, the entire Brooks family had risen from her parents’ legacy, and even now, all the children carried her surname. As a result, her words often carried more weight than Christopher’s, her husband.

Looking at her daughter, who had grown so unfamiliar, Amanda felt a pang of bitterness in her heart.

Taking a deep breath, she said, "As long as you’re willing to go in Jasmin’s place, I’ll give you whatever you ask for."

Hearing what she said, Sheena mentally scoffed. So, all these years, the family love she had desperately sought had been nothing but a cruel joke.

Biting her lip, she said nothing more and quietly left the room.

Jasmin was successfully rescued.

For a short time, the room was filled with sobs and words of comfort.

Even Christopher, who was usually stern and composed, hurried to Jasmin’s bedroom after seeing off the guests, his face full of concern for his beloved youngest daughter.

When he bumped into Sheena at the corner, he didn’t spare her a single glance.

Caught off guard, Sheena lost her balance and fell to the ground. Her ankle quickly swelled.

The evening breeze stung her skin, and Sheena couldn't help but inhale sharply.

"Sheena, are you alright?"

Travis suddenly appeared in front of her, reaching out to help her up.

As he leaned closer, Sheena caught the faint scent of gardenia perfume on him—Jasmin’s perfume.

Gardenias had once been her favorite.

Travis had always gone out of his way to find all sorts of gardenia-themed gifts for her. But shortly after returning to the Brooks family, Jasmin had managed to break all those gifts with various excuses.

When Sheena angrily confronted Jasmin, Travis stopped her. "Jasmin didn’t mean to do that. In the end, those were just trinkets. If you like, I can get you more."

At that time, Sheen believed him but she never received anything else from him.

Instead, not long ago, Jasmin flaunted a bottle of gardenia-scented perfume in front of her. "Sheena, you’re so useless! Your family doesn’t want you, and now even your fiancé doesn’t want you!"

Sheena felt a pang in her chest and stepped back, forcing herself to stand without Travis’ help.

His hand hung awkwardly mid-air, and his face turned sour. "Sheena, I know you’re upset about going to the Wilson family for Jasmin’s sake. But I’ve already promised to marry you. What more do you want?"

"Jasmin is your sister. What’s wrong with helping her? Do you have to be so narrow-minded?"

Sheena felt a surge of anger that she couldn’t suppress. Her voice turned sharp as she retorted, "Being forced to act as a scapegoat and take her punishment—am I supposed to be grateful for that?"

Hearing this, Travis raised his voice as well. "Jasmin didn’t do it on purpose! And besides, it’s just a trip to the Wilson family. What’s the big deal?"

"If it’s no big deal, then why can’t Jasmin go herself?" Sheena clapped back.

Travis fell silent, his face growing even darker. "You’re being unreasonable. There’s no point in talking to you anymore!"

In the end, Sheena returned to her room alone.

Calling it a "room" was generous—it was worse than the servants’ quarters.

Compared to Jasmin’s bright and spacious princess-style bedroom, hers was a stark contrast.

She stayed in a damp, dark basement, surrounded by cement walls with no windows. The bathroom was so far away that every night, she had to carry a flashlight and nervously traverse a long, unlit hallway just to relieve herself.