"It was because she started it..."

I tried to explain myself, but Brandon looked at me with nothing but disappointment.

"Lying, hitting people, putting on a show. Cheryl, how did you become like this?

"Cheryl, you're really vicious. Using something like this to gain my sympathy. You even tried to frame Melissa to drive her away."

"That's not true! I didn't!" I cried.

He snatched the shattered bracelet from my arms. "You'd even sacrifice your mother's keepsake just to play the victim? You're disgusting."

With the broken pieces in hand, he turned and walked toward the garden.

He moved so fast I could barely keep up.

I stumbled after him, tripping over flowerpots again and again, crashing to the ground more than once.

"What are you doing? Give it back! That's my mother's!" I rushed to him, grabbing at him desperately.

In the struggle, my nails accidentally scratched his neck, leaving a thin streak of blood.

Brandon struck me across the face.

"Have you lost your mind? Cheryl, what exactly are you trying to do?!"

'Did he just hit me?' I thought.

Since being reborn, all I had wanted was to stay away from them.

I did not want his love anymore. I could even give up the house, so why was I still being treated like this?

"It was Melissa who took my things! She was the one who broke my mother's bracelet! What right do you have to hit me? What right do you have to accuse me without even knowing the truth?" I exclaimed furiously.

"Are you still pretending? How did I never realize you were such a good actress before? I'm deeply disappointed in you."

Brandon raised the pieces of the bracelet up high and suddenly threw it into the garden fountain.

"No!"

Without thinking, I jumped straight into the fountain. The icy winter water sent a violent shiver through my body.

The fountain water was flowing, so the bracelet was swept away almost instantly. I could not see where the pieces had gone.

"Why are you doing this to me?"

I collapsed to my knees in the water, my lips trembling.

"Since your father isn't around, it's my responsibility to teach you some basic manners. In the next two days, you are to buy twenty pieces of jewelry to compensate Melissa. Otherwise, don't even think about seeing me again."

I looked up at his retreating figure.

The droplets on my face, I could not tell if they were from the fountain or my tears.

Mary hurried over with a towel and said anxiously, "Ms. Swanson, please get up. You'll catch a cold like this."

I sat there in the fountain, soaked through, and glanced back toward the house.

Inside the living room, Brandon was comforting Melissa.

He gently wiped away her tears.

For the first time, I felt disgusted at him.

I hated myself for having loved someone like him for ten whole years.

Numb to the world around me, I let Mary dry me off and tuck me into bed.

I was starting to run a fever, my head heavy and dizzy.

I missed my father.

'Just one more night,' I thought.

If I could endure one more night, I could leave that place and never see them again.

That night, I slept in the guest room.

Brandon came in again without knocking.

He held the company's financial report in his hand, his expression cold.

"Why is there a visa expense in the accounts? Where are you going?" he demanded.

"That's none of your business," I huffed and turned away from him.

"Is this because I stood up for Melissa today? Are you throwing a tantrum?"

He sat down at the edge of my bed.

"Melissa comes from a poor family, just like I do. You should treat her better. Also, I'm doing this for your own good. Liking me shouldn't turn you into someone ugly. I don't want to see anything like today happen again. Even if you're jealous, there should be a limit."

My head throbbed so badly I did not even have the strength to argue.

I simply replied, "You're overthinking it. I sincerely wish you and Melissa happiness. From now on, there won't be anything between us."

Brandon grabbed my wrist, forcing me to look at him.

"Cheryl, since when did lying come so naturally to you? I know how much you love me. You wouldn't even allow a single woman near me before. How could you possibly wish us well?"

My eyes reddened as I shook his hand off with force. "I was immature before, but not anymore. Whether it's Melissa or anyone else, I won't care again."

"Stop saying things like that out of spite. I was worried you might actually leave, but now I'm sure. You're just throwing a tantrum. What can a spoiled young lady like you do besides cling to me? I'm used to you baring your claws and driving everyone away, yet now you're pretending to be noble and magnanimous?

"Be good. I'll make sure you're taken care of for the rest of your life. Just stop coveting things that were never meant to be yours."

He reached out and tucked the blanket around me, his movements gentle.

However, all I felt was a chill spreading through my body, a wave of nausea rising in my chest.

Brandon suddenly picked up a pearl hairpin from the table.

"Didn't you say that you didn't like me anymore? Why are you still keeping this little thing I gave you eight years ago?"

I did not know how it ended up there.

"Maybe Melissa thought it was fake and worthless, so when she threw my things out, this got tossed in too."

The words 'fake' and 'worthless' insulted both her and him at the same time.

Brandon's expression darkened instantly.

"Melissa isn't materialistic like that. You're the one who cares too much. Four years ago, you wouldn't let go of this hairpin even when you nearly got stabbed by a thief."

The fear from that moment still lingered in my memory.

However, back then, just thinking that it was the only gift Brandon had ever given me filled me with endless courage. I would have risked my life for it.

Everything he gave me, even if it was worth only ten dollars, I treated like treasure.

However, watching him spend lavishly on Melissa in luxury stores, I finally understood. When someone truly loved you, they would give you the best things in the world.

I snatched the hairpin from his hand and threw it out the window without hesitation.

Brandon instinctively reached out to catch it, but he missed badly.

With a soft splash, it fell into the fountain.

"Have you lost your mind? How could you throw away something I gave you?!" he shouted in anger.

"I don't like it anymore. I don't want it anymore, so I threw it away."

I looked at him calmly.

His face turned ashen.

His gaze flicked to the suitcase in my room, then he suddenly turned and walked out.

With a loud bang, he locked my door from the outside.

"You're not going anywhere. Stay here and reflect on your actions."

I rushed to the door and pulled at it, but it would not budge.

His voice came from the other side.

"You're my sister, Cheryl. There will always be a place for you by my side."

That place by his side... I no longer wanted it.

...

Dawn came.

I heard Brandon calling in every high-end bridal brand in the city, bringing dresses to the villa for Melissa to choose from.

I quietly opened the door, pulled my suitcase, and slipped out through the back garden.

Before getting into the car, I turned back.

Mary stood in the garden, wiping her tears as she waved at me.

It was my home after all. There was no way Brandon could actually trap me inside.

The taxi sped toward the airport.

I took one last look at the place that had imprisoned me for ten years.