The Laurent mansion glowed warmly beneath the night sky.

Golden chandeliers illuminated the enormous living room. Expensive flowers filled crystal vases. Doctors stood nearby with medical kits while servants hurried back and forth carrying tea, blankets, and medicine.

At the center of it all sat Talia.

Wrapped in a cashmere blanket, eyes red from all the fake crying she had been doing. Looking every bit like the fragile princess of the Laurent family.

"Talia, drink some water first," Lucien said gently.

"You almost scared us to death," Raoul muttered, his face still pale with lingering fear.

The youngest brother, Etienne, crouched beside her worriedly. "Do you feel dizzy? Should we call another doctor?"

Matteo sat closest to her, his hand resting comfortingly on her shoulder. His expression was dark and protective.

"You're safe now," he murmured softly. "Nobody will hurt you again."

Talia lowered her head, pretending to tremble. "I-I was so scared."

Her voice cracked perfectly.

A servant suddenly froze near the entrance. "M-Miss Camille."

The entire room turned silent.

Camille stood at the doorway with a small black suitcase beside her. Her white dress was stained with dried blood. Dark bruises covered her wrists. Her face looked pale beneath the dim lights, but her eyes-

Her eyes had changed completely. Gone was the desperate girl who constantly sought their approval.

What remained now was terrifying calmness.

Lucien frowned immediately.

"Camille?" His brows knitted together. "How did-how did you-?"

Camille stared at him. The question almost made her laugh.

How did she appear in front of them? Is that what they wanted to ask? Or what were they waiting for?

Abandoned in a warehouse waiting to die. Almost raped. Almost murdered. And now he was asking casually as if she had merely wandered off somewhere inconvenient and came back.

"Camille!" Talia instantly stood up. She rushed forward with fake relief shining in her eyes. "Oh thank God you're alright! I was begging them to go back for you-"

SLAP!

The sound cracked violently through the living room.

Everyone froze. Talia's head snapped sideways from the force. A red handprint bloomed across her cheek instantly.

Utter silence.

Talia stared at Camille in disbelief, tears immediately filling her eyes. "Y-You hit me.?"

"How dare you!" Etienne exploded furiously.

Lucien's face darkened. "Camille, have you lost your mind?!"

Raoul stepped protectively in front of Talia. "She's traumatized already! What is wrong with you?!"

Matteo grabbed Camille's wrist harshly. "Enough."

His voice was ice-cold. Camille slowly looked down at the hand gripping her wrist. The same hand that had once slid an engagement ring onto her finger. The same hand that chose Talia over her tonight.

She yanked her arm free violently. "Don't touch me."

Something in her tone made Matteo pause briefly.

Talia suddenly burst into tears.

"I-I know Camille hates me." she sobbed. "But I never thought she'd blame me for what happened."

Camille looked at her quietly. Then she laughed softly. The sound chilled the entire room.

"Hate you?" Camille murmured. Her gaze sharpened like glass. "No, Talia. This is far beyond hate now."

Lucien stepped forward angrily. "Explain yourself right now!"

Camille looked at all of them slowly. Her brothers. Her fiancé. The people she had once desperately wanted to call family.

"You abandoned me."

The room fell silent.

Etienne frowned defensively. "We were thinking of a way to come back-"

"No," Camille interrupted coldly. "You chose her."

Nobody spoke. Because it was true. Camille's eyes landed on Matteo.

"You looked at me while I begged for help," she whispered. "And still chose Talia."

Something flickered across Matteo's face briefly. Guilt. But it vanished quickly.

"Talia was in shock," he said stiffly.

Camille nodded slowly. "Of course."

Always Talia. It's always her.

Talia sniffled pitifully. "Camille.we were all worried about you too."

Camille turned toward her sharply. "Stop pretending."

The atmosphere instantly tightened. Talia's tears paused for half a second. And Camille caught that tiny slip. That hidden irritation beneath the fake innocence.

Camille's lips curved coldly. "You orchestrated the kidnapping yourself. So why are you pretending now?"

The entire room exploded.

"What?!" Raoul barked.

Lucien looked furious. "Camille, enough!"

Talia's face turned pale instantly before she burst into louder sobs. "H-How could you accuse me of something like that?!"

"She's gone insane," Etienne snapped.

Matteo rubbed his forehead tiredly. "Camille, this isn't the time-"

"Not the time?" Camille laughed sharply. Her voice rose for the first time. "I was almost raped tonight!"

The room went dead silent. Even the servants froze.

Camille's chest rose unevenly. "And the men who kidnapped us admitted Talia hired them."

"That's impossible," Lucien said immediately. Without hesitation or without any doubt.

Camille stared at him blankly. Even now.after everything, he still believed Talia first.

Talia clutched her chest tearfully. "Brother, I would never do that."

Raoul immediately pulled her closer protectively. "We know."

Camille suddenly felt exhausted. So exhausted.

"I knew you wouldn't believe me," she said quietly.

Then she pulled out her phone and everyone frowned in confusion. Camille tapped the screen and a recording began playing.

At first, only static echoed through the room. But then a familiar female voice sounded clearly. It was Talia's voice.

"I don't care what you do to her. Just make sure Camille disappears permanently."

Everyone in the living room froze. Talia's face lost all color.

The recording continued.

"You'll receive the second payment after her body is dealt with."

Another voice laughed. "You really hate your sister that much?"

Talia answered coldly. "She tried to steal my life first."

Silence crashed over the room like thunder. The recording ended slowly and Camille lowered the phone. The atmosphere turned suffocating.

Lucien stared at Talia in complete disbelief. Raoul looked physically sick. Etienne stepped backward slowly. Matteo's expression darkened terrifyingly.

"Talia." he whispered.

Talia immediately burst into hysterical tears. "I-I can explain!"

Her knees hit the floor dramatically.

"You don't understand!" she cried desperately. "I was scared! Ever since Camille came home, everyone has changed! Grandfather gave her the shares! The servants respected her more! I was terrified you'd all stop loving me!"

She grabbed Lucien's sleeve desperately. "Brother, please."

Lucien's face twisted painfully.

"I never wanted her dead!" Talia sobbed. "I just.I just wanted to scare her."

Camille stared at her silently. Even now, Talia was acting and manipulating. Crying beautifully while twisting herself into the victim.

And the worst part? It seemed to be working again.

Raoul rubbed his face heavily. "Talia.why would you do something this stupid."

Not monstrous or evil. Just stupid.

Camille laughed bitterly. Well, what was she expecting?

Etienne crouched beside Talia instantly. "She clearly regrets it!"

"Talia would never actually kill someone," Lucien muttered conflictedly.

Camille's heart finally went completely numb. That was it. That was the final piece. Even with proof.

Even after hearing Talia hire men to destroy her they still protected her first.

Matteo finally looked at Camille. For once, there was no coldness in his eyes. Only complicated guilt. But Camille no longer cared.

She walked upstairs calmly and nobody stopped her. Twenty minutes later, she returned carrying a single suitcase. The entire family looked up. Camille walked toward the door silently.

"Where are you going?" Raoul asked finally.

Camille didn't stop walking. "Away from this pathetic family."

Lucien frowned. "Don't be dramatic."

Camille slowly turned around. The look in her eyes startled everyone. Because there was absolutely no emotion left inside them.

"For six months, I begged silently for all of you to treat me fairly." Her gaze moved across each face. "But tonight I realized something. You people were never my family."

Talia started crying again. "Camille please don't leave because of me-"

"Shut up!" The coldness in Camille's voice stunned the room. "You stole my identity. You framed me repeatedly. You hired people to destroy me."

Her lips curved faintly. "And somehow they still pity you more."

Talia's expression trembled.

Camille looked toward her brothers one final time. "I don't need any of you anymore."

Lucien's jaw tightened stubbornly.

"Fine," he snapped harshly, wounded pride flashing through his voice. "If you want to leave, then leave."

Raoul crossed his arms coldly. "Talia is still our sister no matter what."

The words echoed heavily through the room. Matteo remained silent but his silence said enough.

Camille stared at them for several long seconds. Then she smiled faintly. "Good."

She picked up her suitcase again.

Talia suddenly rushed after her dramatically. "Camille wait-"

She suddenly paused. A strange look crossed her face. She slowly turned back toward the Laurent family.

"But if Camille leaves." Talia bit her lip hesitantly, not wanting to sound too desperate or greedy. "Doesn't she still own thirty-five percent of Laurent Group shares?"

Everyone instantly froze. Lucien's expression changed immediately. Raoul looked stunned. Even Etienne straightened sharply.

Because those shares were enormous. Thirty-five percent of the Laurent Group was enough to influence the entire company's future.

Six months ago, after finding Camille, their grandfather had publicly transferred the shares into her name to announce to the world that the Laurent bloodline had returned.

At the time, nobody objected because they assumed Camille would remain obedient to the family forever.

But now, if Camille left.

Camille watched them carefully and suddenly she laughed. A mocking and painful laugh.

Of course, only now did they panic. Not when she nearly died. Not when she was betrayed. Not when she was abandoned.

But over money. Over power, and over shares.

How utterly disgusting.

Camille slowly tightened her grip on the suitcase handle.

Then without another word, she walked out of the Laurent mansion forever.