Craig took one look at Karina's red-rimmed eyes and ultimately didn't dare to ask anything more.

He quickly organized the documents and said politely, "We will expedite the paperwork and inform you immediately of the departure time to the island."

Karina signed the papers without hesitation and took out a black card from her wallet. Her hand was steady as she swiped the card, not a single tremor to be seen.

By the time she returned home, it was already completely dark.

As she opened the door, the warm yellow light from the living room spilled out, illuminating the cozy scene on the couch.

Nicholas was peeling an apple for Rowena, his slender fingers holding the knife with an elegance that made the gesture look like sculpting art. Clarence, Irving, and Luther sat gathered around the couch as well.

Irving held out a spoonful of medicine, saying softly, "Rowena, it's time to take your medicine."

"It's too bitter." Rowena wrinkled her nose, pouting. "I want candy."

Luther immediately took out a piece of toffee from his pocket. "This was your favorite since you were little, so I'd always keep some with me."

Karina stood frozen at the entrance, her nails digging deep into her palms.

"Karina?" Nicholas was the first to notice her. He set down the knife and walked over. "Where have you been all day?"”

His voice was still gentle, as if the man who had held Rowena in a deep kiss outside the city hall that afternoon wasn't him.

Karina didn't answer, her gaze passing over him to rest on Rowena.

Nicholas followed her line of sight and explained matter-of-factly, "Rowena has returned home with a terminal illness. Her final wish is for us to accompany her through her last days."

After a pause, he continued, "Though running away from the wedding was wrong, considering she is your sister and out of respect for you—"

"Out of respect for me?" Karina suddenly laughed. "Or because you've never been able to forget her?"

Nicholas frowned slightly. "Karina…"

"Karina," Clarence called as he walked over, instinctively reaching to ruffle her hair. But his hand froze midair before patting her shoulder instead. "Rowena doesn't have much time left, and it's not like we can't afford to take care of her."

"That's right," Irving chimed in. "Even though she was mischievous as a kid, she's already suffered enough hardship outside and has learned her lesson. We're still family."

Luther approached, adding pressure. "Karina, you've always been the understanding one, haven't you?"

As she listened to their back-and-forth, her heart ached until it felt almost numb.

Finally, she nodded softly. "Alright."

The four men collectively sighed in relief, their faces lighting up with approval.

"You stay here and keep Rowena company for now," Nicholas said gently. "We'll go and prepare a room for her."

Only after the sound of their footsteps faded upstairs did Rowena slowly walk over. Her face was pale, but it couldn't hide the gleam of triumph in her eyes.

"Karina, we haven't seen each other in five years. I've brought you a gift."

Karina instinctively took a step back.

Ever since they were kids, Rowena's gifts had ranged from dolls with hidden needles to cakes laced with laxatives.

"Don't worry." Rowena smiled, looking as innocent as could be. "I won't hurt you the way I did five years ago."

With that, she forcefully pushed the gift box into Karina's arms and even helpfully lifted the lid for her.

Karina screamed.

A pitch-black venomous snake sprang out and sunk its fangs deep into Karina's wrist. Sharp pain instantly tore through her arm, and Karina instinctively flung the box away, only to have it strike Rowena squarely on the shoulder.

Seizing the moment, Rowena collapsed to the floor, letting out a piercing cry.

"What happened?"

When the four men rushed downstairs, they froze at the sight.

Rowena lay on the floor, tears streaming down her face, while Karina stood pale-faced, clutching her bleeding wrist.

Nicholas was the first to charge over. He pushed Karina aside and asked, "What did you do?"

Karina stumbled backward and slammed into the coffee table, searing pain shooting through her lower back.

"Rowena kindly gave you a gift, and this is how you treat her?" Clarence said coldly as he helped Rowena up.

"It was a snake," Karina gasped through the pain, cold sweat beading on her forehead. "She let a venomous snake bite me."

"Nonsense!" Luther snapped. "Rowena can barely walk right now. How could she possibly find a venomous snake to harm you?"

Rowena wept pitifully. "I just wanted to give a gift and make peace with Karina. I never imagined she'd hold such a grudge against me and slander me like this."

Karina hadn't expected that after five years, Rowena's acting skills would still be this flawless. Overwhelmed with injustice, she tried desperately to steady herself and reached for the gift box.

"I'm not lying. If you don't believe me, look—"

"Enough!" Nicholas grabbed her wrist, causing the snakebite wound to bleed profusely. "She's your sister, and she's sick. How could you be so vicious?"

Irving had already lifted Rowena in his arms. "Let's get to the hospital first. Rowena can't handle any more stress."

The four of them hurried out without a single glance back at Karina.

"It really was a venomous snake."

Karina knelt on the floor as the venom began to spread, her vision gradually blurring.

She saw Molly Meyer, the maid, rushing over in panic and heard her terrified cries, but Karina's consciousness was already fading away.

"Ms. Karina! Ms. Karina!" Molly knelt beside her, trembling as she patted Karina's face. "Wake up, please!"

Karina was rushed to the hospital in an ambulance. But as soon as she was wheeled into the emergency room, the doctor was urgently called away.

"I'm sorry, but all our doctors have been assigned to the VIP ward," the nurse explained apologetically. "Ms. Rowena's condition has suddenly worsened, and strict orders have come down that all doctors today are to attend only to her. You should try another hospital."

"That's not possible. Ms. Karina won't make it. If we transfer her now, she'll die for sure," Molly said urgently in a voice choked with emotion.

As she lay on the hospital bed, Karina could feel her consciousness flickering in and out. The intense pain had her drenched in cold sweat, but the ache in her heart was even more unbearable.

With the last of her strength, she pulled out her phone and dialed Nicholas' number.

The phone rang for a long time before it was finally answered.

"Nicholas," she whispered, her voice barely a breath. "I was bitten by a venomous snake. Could you send a doctor?"

"Karina!" Nicholas' voice was as cold as ice. "Because of that shove, Rowena's condition has worsened! She has cancer! How can you be so vicious? Even at a time like this, you're still pretending?"

"No, I really—"

The call ended abruptly.

Karina clutched the phone as tears streamed down her face. Wracked with pain, she curled into herself, her consciousness growing hazier.

"Ms. Karina! Ms. Karina!" Molly cried, shaking her desperately. "Don't fall asleep! Please, don't fall asleep!"

But Karina could no longer hold on. It simply hurt too much, and she was unbearably exhausted.

Slowly, her eyes closed.

By the time Karina woke up again, it was already the next day. She slowly opened her eyes, the sharp scent of disinfectant filling her nose.

"Ms. Karina, you're finally awake!" Molly, her eyes swollen and red, rushed to the bedside. Her rough hands grasped Karina's cold fingers. "You scared me half to death!"

"H-How did I survive?" Karina asked hoarsely.

Fresh tears welled up in Molly's eyes. "A kind-hearted doctor couldn't bear to see you suffer anymore, so he secretly gave you the antidote. He said if he had been just ten minutes later, you wouldn't have made it."

Her voice grew more choked with emotion as she continued, "I went to beg Mr. Clarence to save you. I told him you really were bitten by a venomous snake, but he insisted you were faking it. Mr. Irving refused to even see me, while Mr. Luther said you brought it on yourself."

Molly wiped away her tears, her voice growing increasingly shaky. "Mr. Shaffer was the worst of all! I knelt and begged him to come see you, but he said you were becoming more and more unreasonable. He even accused me of helping you lie."

She tightened her grasp on Karina's hand, her rough palm emanating waves of warmth. "Ms. Karina, you've been so good to them all.

"Last winter, when Mr. Clarence was entertaining clients until 3:00 am, you stood in the kitchen in just a thin layer of clothes brewing a hangover remedy for him. And you ended up catching a cold because of it.

"When Mr. Irving's company faced a cash flow crisis, you quietly sold the emerald bracket your grandmother left you. And when Mr. Luther was burning with a high fever, you stayed awake for three days without sleep, until you collapsed from exhaustion yourself."

Molly grew more impassioned as she spoke. "And Mr. Shaffer! Even his own mother couldn't remember the brand of ties he liked or the type of coffee he preferred, but you kept every detail in mind.

"Yet now, they're all hovering around Ms. Rowena—the same woman who once left Mr. Shaffer on the altar and bullied you all your life. How is it that she gets all their love now? Why is the world so unfair?"

Karina listened quietly, feeling as though an invisible hand were squeezing her heart. Tears silently slid from the corner of her eyes, dampening the snow-white pillow.

That pain was ten thousand times more excruciating than the venomous snakebite.

But it didn't matter. Soon, all of this would be over.

She would leave for the uninhabited island. There would be no false affection, no games of substitution, and no one to hurt her anymore.

After two days of recuperation in the hospital, Karina returned home. The moment she opened the door, she was greeted with a rush of cheerful birthday songs and laughter.

The living room was filled with elegantly dressed guests. Glasses clinked as people mingled.

Under the crystal chandelier, countless members of high society raised their glasses in celebration.

Nicholas and her three brothers were gathered around Rowena, celebrating her birthday. Dressed in an exquisite gown, Rowena smiled sweetly, showing no trace of someone who was ill.

When the four men saw Karina return, the smiles on their faces instantly vanished.

"Aren't you supposed to be dying?" Clarence eyed her coldly, his gaze behind the gold-rimmed glasses sharp as a blade. "Well, you look perfectly fine to me."

Irving frowned, the wine glass in his hand reflecting a cold light. "Rowena doesn't have much time left, so can't you be more considerate?"

"Can't you stop lying so much from now on?" Luther asked impatiently, fiddling with his wristwatch.

Nicholas walked over, his voice gentle yet firm. "Rowena's days are numbered, so you'd better not pick fights with her anymore."

He paused before adding, "I know you're bothered by my past with Rowena, but you're my wife now."

Karina felt a sharp twist of pain in her chest.

Wife? All these years, she was the one who had stayed by his side and helped him through his lowest moments. She had allowed him to demand everything from her and had given herself to him without reservation.

Yet, the moment Rowena returned, it was she who ended up marrying him!

Nicholas actually had the nerve to deceive Karina so brazenly and to say with a straight face that she was his wife.

Her eyes gradually reddened, yet the corners of her mouth lifted into a smile, one that ached deep in her heart.

It was the first time Nicholas had seen her like this. A sudden, inexplicable unease tightened in his chest. He was about to speak when Rowena's voice floated from behind him.

"Nicholas, Clarence, Irving, Luther," she said sweetly. "Let's cut the cake together!"

The large screen in the living room lit up and began playing a birthday tribute video.

At first, it showed warm, touching messages from the guests. Then, the images suddenly switched to explicit, intimate photos of Rowena and Dwayne.

The video froze on a final line, written in glaring, blood-red letters.

"This birthday gift was prepared specially for you. I hope you like it, Rowena."

The entire villa erupted into chaos in an instant.

"Turn it off! Turn it off now!" Clarence roared in rage, his voice shaking the crystal chandelier.

Irving yanked out the power cord, while Luther rushed over to the guests, warning them, "Everyone, hand over your phones for inspection. Anyone who dares to spread this will face the consequences."

Rowena trembled violently, her carefully styled hair coming undone. Her face was deathly pale, tears falling in large drops.

"Karina, you've already taken Nicholas from me and stolen the love of our brothers. Now that I'm dying, must you treat me like this?"

She staggered back two steps, then suddenly her eyes rolled back and she fell straight to the floor.

"Rowena!" Nicholas rushed forward in a single stride, scooping her up into his arms.

For the first time, his usually cool and composed face showed genuine panic. "Call a doctor now!"

Before leaving, he turned and gave Karina an icy glare that sent a sharp pain through her entire body.

Her three brothers instantly closed in around her.

"Karina!" Clarence grabbed her wrist, his grip so tight it felt like he might crush her bones. "Look at what you've done to Rowena! We told you she doesn't have much time left, so why do you keep targeting her?"

"It wasn't me!" Karina exclaimed in a trembling voice, shaking her head desperately. "I didn't release those photos."

"The proof is right in front of us, yet you still dare to deny it?" Irving sneered coldly. "In this family, when you make a mistake, you pay for it."

She'd be punished for doing something wrong?

The words struck her with a deep, wrenching pain.

Karina remembered how at 12 years old, Rowena had pushed her down the stairs, and her three older brothers had only said, "Rowena didn't mean to do that."

She remembered how on her 18th birthday, Rowena had thrown her cake into the trash, and they'd said, "She's just playing around."

She remembered that winter when Rowena had locked her out on the balcony all night, and their excuse was, "Rowena hasn't been in a good mood lately."

Yet now, they wanted to punish her?

"Kneel!" Luther commanded coldly.

Bodyguards immediately stepped forward, gripping Karina's shoulders as roughly as if handling a criminal.

She struggled but was forced to her knees on the cold marble floor. Her kneecaps slammed down hard, the pain so sharp it darkened her vision.

Clarence picked up a whip that had been prepared in advance, swinging it through the air with a sharp crack before bringing it down fiercely across Karina's back.

Intense pain exploded through her body. It felt as though thousands of needles had simultaneously pierced her flesh.

Karina clenched her teeth hard, the taste of blood spreading in her mouth. Yet, she stubbornly refused to make a sound.

"Will you admit your mistake?" Clarence asked icily.

"I didn't do anything wrong," Karina replied, forcing out the words with difficulty.

Another crack. This time, the blow landed even harder. Blood immediately soaked through her thin dress, spreading across her back like a crimson bloom.

"I'll ask again," Clarence said. "Will you admit your mistake?"

"I didn't… do it."

The whip lashed down again and again on her body, each strike feeling as though it were tearing her soul apart. Blood gradually soaked through her white dress, pooling in a glaring red on the floor.

"Stop. Please stop hitting her," Molly cried, kneeling down. "Ms. Karina will die. She really will."

But the three Fleming brothers turned a deaf ear, and the whipping continued relentlessly.

Karina was starting to lose consciousness. In a daze, she heard Luther scoff and say, "Since she refuses to admit her mistake, we'll keep whipping her until she does."

When the final strike landed, she could no longer hold on. Darkness flooded her vision as she passed out completely.

Before sinking into that darkness, the last thing she saw was the glaring pool of blood on the floor and the cold, indifferent eyes of her three brothers.

…

Karina was left alone in her room for three entire days.

Lying in bed, she could clearly hear the cheerful laughter and conversations coming from next door.

Rowena's soft whining, her three brothers' gentle coaxing, and Nicholas' low laughter cut into Karina's already battered heart like a knife without end.

"Rowena, take your medicine."

"But it's so bitter."

"Be good. I'll give you candy once you finish."

"Feed me, Nicholas."

Karina buried her face into her pillow, her nails digging deep into her palms.

She had thought she was already numb to the pain, but with every breath, a sharp ache still pierced her chest.

On the morning of the fourth day, she managed to get out of bed. Using the wall as support, she slowly made her way to the stairs, where she happened to overhear an excited discussion below.

"I heard a pod of dolphins had been spotted nearby recently," Nicholas said, his voice unusually cheerful. "Rowena has always wanted to see them."

"Let's go right away then," her three brothers said at once.

Clarence added, "It'll be a good chance for Rowena to relax."

Karina froze on the landing, her fingers trembling slightly as they gripped the railing.

The wounds on her back hadn't yet healed, so every step felt like fire burning across her skin.

"Karina?" Rowena suddenly looked up, her voice bright with surprise. "You're finally up and about!"

All four men turned their heads simultaneously, their gazes shifting to Karina on the stairs.

She had grown terribly thin. Her loose nightgown hung emptily on her frame, and the bruises on her exposed wrists had yet to fade.

Rowena walked upstairs and warmly looped her arm through Karina's. "We were just about to go see the dolphins. Won't you come with us?"

Karina instinctively pulled her hand back, a gesture that instantly made Rowena well up with tears.

"Karina, even though you ruined my reputation, I already forgave you," Rowena said, her voice choking with emotion. "I don't have much time left, so I don't want to hold onto grudges anymore."

"Karina!" Nicholas strode over and stepped protectively in front of Rowena. "Rowena is extending an olive branch, and this is how you respond?"

Luther chuckled coldly and said, "Exactly. Just look at Rowena and then look at yourself. The difference speaks for itself."

Karina bit her lip until she tasted blood.

Looking at the four men who had once been closest to her, she suddenly felt they were complete strangers.

In the end, to please Rowena, she was forcibly taken aboard the yacht.

The vast expanse of the blue sea stretched endlessly before them, and the sunlight reflecting off the deck was dazzling.

Rowena excitedly suggested having a barbecue, but the four men immediately frowned in disapproval.

She lowered her head, her voice as light as a feather. "I'm going to die anyway, so can't I just do what I want?"

"Don't say that!" Irving quickly covered her mouth. "We've already contacted the best specialists abroad. You'll be fine."

Karina sat quietly in the corner, watching them busily prepare for the barbecue. No one remembered she was allergic to seafood, just as no one remembered the wounds still healing on her back.

Nicholas suddenly noticed her and asked, "Why aren't you eating anything?"

"I'm allergic to seafood," Karina answered softly.

An awkward silence instantly fell over them.

Frowning, Nicholas was about to stand and call the chef to bring other food when a sudden fierce wind swept across the sea.

The yacht lurched violently, the grill overturned, and scalding charcoal scattered in every direction.

"Watch out!"

Karina watched as all four men threw themselves toward Rowena, forming a protective wall around her.

As for herself…

"Ah!"

A cluster of embers landed on the hem of her dress, instantly igniting a fierce blaze.

She rolled on the deck in agony, screaming. But not a single person glanced back at her.