On the day I received my acceptance letter from Princeton University, my biological parents sent me to prison—all because their adopted daughter, the fake heiress Alyssa, had committed a hit-and-run while driving under the influence.

They forged evidence and made me take the fall.

I was sentenced to ten years in prison and had my leg broken by the victim's family, my future utterly destroyed.

At the lowest point of my despair, the boy I had secretly loved since childhood, Gabriel Turner, held my hand.

"I believe you're innocent. I'll do my best to find evidence to clear your name. If I fail, then I'll wait for you to be released and marry you with honor and dignity."

I clung to his words as my last hope for survival and endured my time behind bars.

On the day of my early release, I unexpectedly overheard a conversation between him and my parents.

"Thankfully, you arranged everything back then," my father said. "Alyssa has been pampered since childhood—there's no way she could have survived prison. But if the truth ever comes out..."

Gabriel remained composed. "That won't happen. As agreed, I'll marry Ellie and keep an eye on her, making sure she stays quiet."

"No matter what, I'll protect Alyssa and ensure her happiness for the rest of her life," he added.

——

My mother sighed. She hesitated before saying, "Looking back, we never should have brought her back in the first place."

"Besides, the ones you hired last time were far too brutal. I heard they didn’t just break her leg—they tortured her so severely that her kidney ruptured, leaving her unable to have children."

"Forcing you to marry someone like Ellie is truly unfair to you."

Gabriel fell silent for a moment before chuckling bitterly. "It's not unfair. It's just what I owe her."

Inhaling sharply, he continued, "If we don't do this, Ellie will never learn her place. And if she talks after being released, what will happen to Alyssa?"

The room was filled with their lively conversation.

I, however, felt like I had been plunged into an icy abyss.

My hand, raised to knock on the door, froze in midair, unable to summon the courage to knock.

At that moment, I saw Alyssa cheerfully skipping down the stairs in an elegant dress.

Like a carefree butterfly, she threw herself into Gabriel’s arms with excitement.

"Gabby, would you like to go shopping with me? I found a matching couple’s outfit that would look perfect on us!"

Gabriel affectionately ruffled her hair before taking her hand as they walked out together.

Standing at the door, I was like a stray dog with nowhere to hide, forced into an encounter with them.

Gabriel froze for a moment, then quickly let go of Alyssa’s hand.

"Ellie? Why are you here? Why didn’t you tell me you were getting out? I would have picked you up."

As he spoke, he took off his coat and draped it over my trembling body.

Then, seeing the scars covering me, he faltered for a second before gently taking my hand, rubbing my swollen and stiff fingers with a pained expression. "You’ve suffered all these years."

"Don’t worry. From now on, with me here, no one will ever hurt you again."

I felt the warmth of his palm, but my heart was frozen solid.

Years ago, the Myers family’s maid—Alyssa’s biological mother—had secretly switched us at birth.

She hated me for being too smart and constantly abused me. Before I turned ten, my body had never been without wounds.

When the truth came to light, she left behind a suicide note and jumped into the river.

I was finally sent back to the Myers family, filled with joy, thinking I could reunite with my biological parents and leave behind the darkness of my past.

But instead, I was met with cold stares and rejection.

My parents despised me for being crude and unrefined, not as outstanding as Alyssa, and unworthy of their social status.

Out of everyone, only Gabriel was kind to me.

Whenever I was neglected or mocked, it was Gabriel who took my hand, encouraged me, and comforted me.

I fell for Gabriel completely, drowning in his gentleness. I loved him hopelessly, giving him all my trust and dependence.

Who would have thought that the person who treated me the best would also be the one who hurt me the most?

My eyes reddened, but before I could speak, Alyssa suddenly burst into tears.

"Gabby, now that Sister Ellie is back, are you going to leave me?"

"It’s fine... Everything belonged to her in the first place. I’ll give it all back. Someone as unnecessary as me shouldn’t exist anyway!" With that, she pulled out a knife and slashed her wrist.

The blade was dull, leaving only a faint red mark. Yet my parents and Gabriel were all utterly horrified.

My mother sobbed as she held Alyssa tightly, while Gabriel, filled with concern, called for a private doctor.

My father, on the other hand, stormed toward me and slapped me hard across the face.

Teeth clenched, he seethed, "You wretched thing, why did you come back? The moment you show up, misfortune follows!"

"What has your sister ever done to you? Why must you force her like this? Someone as vicious as you should’ve died in prison!"

Alyssa’s sobs only fueled my father’s rage. He grabbed a teacup from the table and hurled it at me with full force.

But the pain I braced for never came.

When I looked up, I saw Gabriel standing in front of me, shielding me.

"Uncle, Auntie, please don’t be too hard on Ellie."

My parents shot me one last furious glare before rushing Alyssa to the hospital in a panic.

Once they were gone, Gabriel gently pulled me into his arms, comforting me in a soothing voice.

"Don’t be sad, Ellie. You still have me. My love will always be only for you."

I looked up at him.

His gaze shimmered with tenderness, filled with what seemed to be deep affection.

As if he truly loved me.

I lowered my eyes and let out a bitter laugh. "I’m fine... I’m used to it."

"You don’t have to worry about me. Go take care of your wound."

Gabriel smiled softly. "My Ellie has always been so understanding."

"I need to marry you as soon as possible—so no one can ever bully you again," he added.

Like he did with Alyssa, he reached out and ruffled my hair before turning to leave.

Watching his retreating figure, I felt nothing but emptiness.

The esteemed CEO of the Synthova Corp was actually willing to marry an ex-convict with a crippled leg—for Alyssa’s sake.

Such a love was truly remarkable.

I took a deep breath and returned to my dusty little attic.

Despite feeling tired, I still tidied everything up. However, just as I was about to lie down, a message from Alyssa popped up on my phone.

It was a video.

In it, my parents sat on either side of her, their faces filled with concern.

Meanwhile, Gabriel knelt in front of her, carefully feeding her spoonfuls of food.

His eyes overflowed with tenderness.

Another message popped up.

[You probably don’t know this voice rang out, but Gabby and I have been engaged for a long time.]

[In everyone’s eyes, I’m not just the one and only eldest daughter of the Myers family—I’m also the future Mrs. Turner. You will never take my place.]

Engaged?

Then what about Gabriel’s promises to me?

Shocked, I logged into my alternate account and checked Gabriel’s social media.

Pinned at the top was their engagement announcement.

Scrolling further, every single post was about Alyssa.

In the five years I spent in prison, Gabriel had used his connections to let Alyssa take my place and enroll at Princeton University to replace me.

But she had no interest in studying.

Instead, she spent her days in romance, indulging in a dreamlike love story with Gabriel.

The two of them, fingers intertwined, strolled through lavender fields.

Under the Eiffel Tower, they made vows of eternal love.

While I rotted in prison, enduring beatings and insults, they traveled the world, hand in hand, marveling at its beauty.

I was penniless, unable to even afford a taxi after my release. On the other hand, they spent fortunes on countless luxurious jewels and designer accessories.

In the years I was locked away, they had already become the perfect couple in high society.

No wonder Gabriel never visited me—not even once—just like my parents.

I foolishly believed he was busy gathering evidence to clear my name.

Little did I know, he was simply too preoccupied indulging in a love story with Alyssa.

The pain in my chest felt like a blade slicing through flesh.

I lay in bed, letting silent tears stream down my face.

Suddenly, my phone rang.

I answered absentmindedly—only to hear a voice I never expected.

"Ellie, I heard you were released. How have you been?"

Of all people, the first to check on me after five years wasn’t my so-called family.

It was an old professor I had met only once.

We exchanged brief pleasantries before he got to the point.

He told me that all these years, he had been fighting for my case, trying to reduce my sentence so I could join a confidential research institute as soon as possible.

"You’re an extraordinary talent. Whether you agree or not, I will continue investigating the accident and prove your innocence!"

His words sent a wave of warmth through my frozen heart.

Back then, I had pushed myself beyond my limits, desperate for my parents’ approval. Not only had I been accepted into multiple top universities, but I had also been selected for a national research team.

But before I could even make a choice, the people I loved most—my own family—conspired to throw me into prison.

Now, I had finally seen through their deception, the hypocrisy of my parents and Gabriel.

I would never again chase after a love that was never meant for me.

Tears blurred my vision as I accepted Professor Michael’s invitation.

At that instant, I heard the excitement in his voice. "Wonderful! I’ll pick you up in five days. Don’t be late!"

"I won’t."

I turned to look at the picture on my phone—Gabriel and Alyssa locked in a tight embrace.

Then, I turned and marked a horizontal line on the wall.

A habit I had picked up in prison.

Back then, I counted down the days until I could reunite with Gabriel.

Now, I was counting down the days until I could finally leave for good.

—

A cold draft seeped through the attic window, making the pain in my crippled leg unbearable.

Just as I winced, Gabriel knelt by my bed, massaging my leg with gentle hands.

When he saw I was awake, his reddened eyes met mine.

"I had no idea you suffered so much in prison," he whispered. "I swear, I won’t let those who hurt you get away with it!"

Those who hurt me? Wasn’t he the worst of them all?

I bit down on my lip, tasting blood as I fought hard to suppress the raging storm inside me.

I lowered my head, refusing to speak.

Then, he said something that made my stomach churn.

"Ellie, marry me." His voice was filled with deep affection.

"I can’t bear to see you living like this in the Myers household. This tiny, broken room... even their maids wouldn’t stay here."

I lifted my gaze, watching the sincerity in his expression, and let out a mocking smile. "You really want to marry me?"

"Of course! Have you forgotten? We grew up together. The moment you were brought back to the Myers family, I already liked you."

"But my parents might not approve. If it comes to that, we can secretly get our marriage certificate. Then, on the wedding day, Alyssa can take your place at the ceremony. That way, no one will mock or gossip about you."

As he spoke, he slid a massive diamond ring onto my finger, his expression filled with nothing but love and devotion.