“I've already made the porridge. Eat it or don't. I'm leaving."

Ignoring her, I turned to walk out, but just as I reached the doorway, a sharp force slammed into my back. Anya had shoved me with all her strength, sending me sprawling onto the floor. The pain shot through my arms as I instinctively tried to break my fall.

Before I could get up, a foot pressed down on my spine, pinning me in place.

"You bitch!" Anya snarled, grinding her heel against my back. "How dare you give me that attitude? My brother doesn't even want you anymore—what the hell are you acting so high and mighty for?"

I clenched my fists, nails digging into my palms. But I knew better than to retaliate. Anya thrived on provoking me and I couldn't afford to give Franklin any more excuses to punish me.

"If you know what's good for you, hurry up and divorce my brother and get the hell out of this house!" she spat, her voice dripping with malice.

I felt her foot lift and for a fleeting second, I thought she was done. But then, without warning, she kicked me hard in the ribs. A searing pain ripped through my side, forcing a gasp from my lips. I curled up, clutching my stomach as warm liquid seeped through my hospital gown. Blood. My wound had reopened.

Anya took a step back, wrinkling her nose in disgust. "Somebody, come and throw her out! She's filthy!"

Dragging myself to my feet, I staggered out of the house, gripping the wall for support. My vision blurred from the pain, but I didn't stop until I was far enough away. I told myself that this was it. Anya had her victory. Maybe now, she would finally leave me alone.

But I had underestimated her cruelty.

The very next day, as I lay in my hospital bed, my phone rang. Franklin's name flashed across the screen. My heart pounded as I hesitated before answering.

"Quincy, you vicious woman!" His voice was laced with fury. "Why are you so jealous and spiteful? I only asked you to make some porridge, but you poured boiling hot porridge all over Anya!"

My mind went blank. "What? I didn't—"

"I must've gone too easy on you. This time, you forced my hand."

"What are you going to do, Franklin? I didn't throw porridge at Anya! I didn't! Please, believe me!" My hands trembled as I clutched the phone, desperation clawing at my throat.

But my voice was drowned out by Anya's soft sobbing in the background.

"Franklin, don't be mad at Quincy. It's my fault. I shouldn't have asked her to make porridge for me. She was just angry..."

I could barely breathe. I didn't know if Franklin even heard my pleas before the call ended abruptly. I called him back again and again, but each attempt met the same result—his phone was turned off.

Panicked, I called home instead. The housekeeper picked up and informed me that Franklin had taken Anya to the hospital. I sent him messages explaining the truth, but he never replied.

As dusk approached, I called my father, my only source of comfort. His voice, though weary, was steady. He even chuckled, reminding me gently, "Quincy, make sure you eat well, okay?"

Hearing him treat me like a child made me smile despite the weight in my chest. "I will, Dad. You have to eat well too."

But two days later, my world collapsed.

My father had jumped off the hospital roof.

The moment I heard the news, I tore the IV from my arm and ran from my ward, ignoring the nurse who tried to stop me. My legs carried me as fast as they could to my father's hospital. The attending doctor, his face solemn, handed me a folded piece of paper.

"Miss Quincy... I'm sorry. In a way, maybe it's better that your father is at peace now. He was in so much pain these past few days. Especially the last three days—he wasn't receiving his special medication anymore... He just couldn't endure it any longer."

My breath caught in my throat. "Three days?"

That meant... whether or not I had gone back to make that porridge, Franklin had already decided to cut off my father's medication.

That was my father's life.

Had all of Franklin's words about understanding pancreatic cancer been nothing but lies? He had always spoken so sympathetically, as if he truly understood my father's suffering. But in the end, my father's life meant nothing to him. Less than Anya's fabricated grievances.

My fingers trembled as I unfolded the letter. My father's handwriting, once strong and confident, was now shaky and frail.

[Quincy, from now on, live as you truly wish.]

I didn't understand why he would say that.

My hands clenched around the letter, my nails pressing into the thin paper. I stood there, staring at the lifeless body of the man who had once been my pillar, now lying cold on a stretcher. My chest caved in and the pain was unbearable.

My father was gone.

On the day of his cremation, I didn't inform Franklin. I didn't want him there. But somehow, he found out. Just as the ceremony ended, he rushed to the crematorium.

"Why didn't you tell me about something this important?"

I said nothing. The ashes had already settled and so had my heart.

After ceremony, I finally turned to face Franklin. And I asked him a single question.

"Have you ever really loved me?"

Franklin narrowed his eyes at me, his expression turning unreadable. "What do you mean?"

"Quincy, you're the one who refuses to admit your mistakes. You've hurt Anya over and over again and now you dare to accuse me?"

Accuse him?

I let out a faint, bitter smile. What right did I have to accuse him?

All along, I had been the one taking from him. He had given me everything—his time, his effort, his resources. Because of that, I endured all the pain he inflicted on me. I swallowed every insult, every accusation, every moment of disregard because I thought I owed him. But now, I no longer had a reason to endure.

I thought, maybe, I should let go. So, I said, "Franklin, let's get a divorce."

Silence stretched between us. My heart had already gone numb.

Once we were divorced, whether he wanted to be with Anya, spoil her, or indulge her, it would no longer concern me. I would no longer be in anyone's way.

Franklin stood frozen in place, his brows furrowing as if he hadn't expected those words to leave my mouth. I didn't wait for his response. Without another glance, I turned and walked toward the taxi that had been waiting by the roadside.

Back at the hospital, I curled up on the stiff hospital bed in my thick down jacket, but no matter how tightly I wrapped it around myself, I still felt cold. The numbness had seeped into my bones. The young nurse who had been tending to me now refused to care for me anymore, her expression disapproving as she stood by the door.

"Mrs. Gibson, I can't keep watching you like this," she said, crossing her arms. "You're too reckless. Always running out, refusing proper rest... If something happens to you, I don't want to be the one held responsible."

I said nothing. I simply turned my head toward the window, watching as raindrops began to speckle the glass.

Later that night, Franklin sent me a message.

[I'll forgive your threat this time, for your father's sake. But don't push your luck. Behave.]

I stared at the screen for a long moment before turning off my phone without replying.

For the next two days, I did nothing but eat and sleep, following the most routine existence. It wasn't until I was discharged that I turned my phone back on.

Dozens of missed calls flooded in, along with hundreds of unread messages on social media. My fingers hovered over the screen before I clicked in—every single one was from Franklin.

I didn't bother reading them. Without hesitation, I exited the app.

Back at the estate, I stepped through the front door just as Franklin was coming downstairs with Anya. The moment he saw me, his expression darkened and he immediately moved to shield Anya behind him as if I were some kind of threat.

"You still have the nerve to come back?" Franklin's voice was sharp, cutting through the air like a blade. "Quincy, are you so determined to ruin Anya?"

A sharp pain stabbed through my chest, but I forced myself to remain composed. "Then let's go get the divorce certificate today."

Franklin's pupils constricted and for a second, his grip on Anya tightened. Before he could speak, Anya tugged at his sleeve with a timid expression, peeking out from behind him like a delicate, frightened doll.

"Quincy, please don't use divorce to threaten my brother," she whispered. "Last time, too... It was all my fault. I will leave. I will go abroad. Please don't fight with my brother anymore, okay?"

She let out a soft sigh, her voice trembling just enough to make it seem genuine. "I don't mind some hardship, but now that the Gibson Group's stock is crashing...."

At her words, Franklin immediately pulled her into his arms protectively.

"You didn't do anything wrong. Why should you leave?" he said firmly, brushing a hand over her hair as if she were a fragile little thing. "She's just taking out her anger on you because her father died. She can't stand to see you happy."

His words were a dagger to the chest. He truly believed I was that malicious?

Franklin's gaze hardened as he turned back to me. "Quincy, I want you to apologize to Anya in front of the media. Admit that those photos were photoshopped by you, that the story was fabricated and that everything was driven by your jealousy of her."

Hearing his ridiculous demand, my brows knitted together. "What photos? What story? What are you talking about?"

Seeing my reaction, Anya bit her lip, eyes welling with tears.

"Forget it, Franklin," she murmured, voice trembling. "Let's not force Quincy anymore. Just let me go, okay?"

Franklin's fury escalated. His voice rose sharply as he shouted my name, "Quincy, how long are you going to keep up this act? Do you really think I won't divorce you?"

"Then let's get divorced." My voice was steady, unaffected. I didn't know what was going on, but divorce was my goal anyway.

Franklin let out a cold, furious laugh, his grip tightening into fists. "Alright. Fine. We'll go right now."

Without another word, he released Anya, stormed forward and seized my wrist in a painful grip before dragging me outside.

I turned around just in time to catch Anya curling her lips into a triumphant smile.

That smug expression made something snap inside me.

"Wait."

My voice was calm, but firm.

Franklin stopped in his tracks, looking back at me with an expression that clearly said, I knew it. He thought I was backing out, that I would take back my words at the last moment and beg him to stay.

His lips curled into a mocking smirk. "What? Changed your mind already?"

I met his gaze without hesitation. "We need our marriage certificate, household registration book and the divorce agreement."

Franklin's smirk faltered for a split second before he sneered. "Fine. Let's see how long you can keep up this act."

Without wasting another second, he pulled out his phone and called his assistant. "Bring a divorce agreement to the City Hall. You have thirty minutes." Then, as if to provoke me, he raised an eyebrow. "Go get the documents."

I didn't respond. I simply turned and walked upstairs.

Inside the bedroom that had once been ours, I went straight to the safe. I retrieved all the necessary documents and made my way back down.

Anya, as if afraid that something might go wrong, clung to Franklin's arm. "I'll go too," she said softly.

Franklin didn't even hesitate. "Alright."

Of course, he indulged her.

The car ride was silent, apart from the occasional sigh Franklin let out, as if he were waiting for me to crack under pressure. His gaze lingered on me, searching for any hesitation.

I ignored him.

Instead, I scrolled through my phone, only to be met with a storm of online gossip.

In the two days I had my phone turned off, rumors had exploded across social media. Intimate photos of Franklin and Anya were everywhere. Someone had even written elaborate stories, painting the affair between the foster brother and sister.

The comment section was ruthless, filled with insults targeting Anya.

No wonder Franklin was furious. But I didn't care.

When we arrived at the City Hall, his assistant was already waiting. The man handed Franklin a document, which he skimmed through before shoving it at me.

"I'm not being unfair to you," he said, his tone almost arrogant. "I'm giving you twenty percent of my assets. It's not much, but it's more than enough for you to live an ordinary life."

He thought I'd be dissatisfied, that I'd argue and drag this out. That I'd use this as an excuse to cling to him.

Instead, I took the agreement without hesitation, signed my name and even said, "Thank you."

Franklin's face stiffened. He clearly hadn't expected that.

Before he could react, I had already walked into the office.

Behind me, Anya's soft, syrupy voice floated through the air.

"Franklin, do you think she's really serious about this?"

Franklin scoffed. "Serious? Without me, how will she survive? She's just putting on a front."

Yet, when the divorce was finalized, when the official red-stamped certificate was placed into his hands, Franklin didn't look triumphant.

He looked... unsettled.

As we stepped out of the building, he kept staring at the divorce certificate, as if he couldn't quite believe it had actually happened.

"Quincy." His voice was low, measured. "If you admit your mistake and beg me now, I might consider giving you a chance to remarry me."

I let out a soft chuckle, shaking my head.

"No need."

I didn't bother looking back. I simply turned and walked away.

Franklin took a step forward, as if to stop me—but before he could, Anya suddenly clutched her head and collapsed into his arms.

"Franklin, I feel dizzy..."

His attention snapped away from me instantly.

"Anya!" He scooped her up without hesitation, his face twisting in concern. "What's wrong? I'll take you to the hospital."

And just like that, he was gone.

Back at the villa, I wasted no time. I packed my belongings, ignoring the emptiness that crept into my chest. There was no reason for me to linger here any longer.

Within the hour, I was in a cab, heading straight to the airport.

Just as I was about to board my flight, my phone buzzed with a message from an unknown number.

[Miss Quincy, regarding your father's death, I believe there's something you need to see.]