That evening, as the birthday banquet officially began, Sebastian and Violet were nowhere to be seen. It wasn't until near the end of the event, when only close friends and a few business associates remained, that the two finally made their appearance.

Violet had changed into a different outfit. Her face was flushed and her lips were slightly swollen. Meanwhile, Sebastian looked smugly satisfied, his partially unbuttoned shirt revealing faint red marks beneath.

Everyone could tell at a glance what had transpired between them. Guests exchanged knowing looks as their eyes shifted between the pair and me, while my close friends could only shake their heads in silent disapproval.

In my previous life, I would've charged forward and beaten Sebastian senseless. But now, I simply picked up a cup of tea from the table and took a sip.

Violet protectively stepped in front of Sebastian, bracing herself for my outburst. When she saw me completely ignore them both, she frowned with obvious displeasure.

Sebastian pulled Violet closer and began kissing her openly, as if no one else existed. Violet didn't resist, even settling onto his lap.

If the two of them wanted to degrade themselves, what concern was it of mine?

But one of my friends reached his limit. He yanked Violet and Sebastian apart. "Sebastian, Violet is practically Nathan's fiancee! Do you have no shame at all?"

Before Sebastian could respond, Violet exploded. "What the hell, Henry? I recall your family has several projects funded by Sterling Group, no? What gives you the right to lecture me? Nathan hasn't even said a word, so what makes you think you're in any position to scold me?"

"Violet, watch your tongue." Henry Sinclair had always been a true friend to me, and I would never allow her to insult him.

"Mr. Sterling Senior hasn't retired yet, so what makes you so certain that I'd choose you and that you'd receive that 20% stake?"

At my words, Violet froze, then burst into laughter.

"Are you throwing a tantrum?" she said between laughs. "Setting aside the fact that everyone in our circle knows you're devoted to me and refuse to marry anyone else...

"Just look at the other daughters of the Sterling family. The second married abroad, the third locked herself away to create her so-called art, and the fourth is even more pathetic—she's currently in prison. Unless you want to join her there?"

As if remembering something, Violet continued, "Whatever the reason, Nathan, I hope you understand that the grudges of the previous generation should remain in the past. No matter how petty you are about it, your mother isn't coming back to life.

"It's better for everyone if we just move on. Sebastian is innocent in all this."

Innocent? I laughed.

When Mom was pregnant, Sebastian's mother came to our house with him in tow, causing a scene. She insisted that Dad had forced himself on her and then abandoned her, aggressively accusing Mom of being the other woman.

During the confrontation, she pushed Mom down the stairs, killing both Mom and my unborn sibling. Only later did we discover that Sebastian and his mother weren't even Dad's illegitimate family. Sebastian was the child of my late uncle, a notorious playboy who had died young. Despite the truth, he always posed as my younger brother in public.

The true identity of Sebastian's mother was nothing more than a bar hostess. Mom and my unborn brother were the truly innocent ones.

Lost in these painful memories, I fell silent. Violet, mistaking my silence for agreement, said cheerfully, "Oh, that's right! Today is your birthday."

With that, she casually removed one of her earrings and tossed it at me. "Here, this is your present."

Seeing that, Sebastian immediately chimed in, "Vivi, do you think Nate will actually like it? He won't blame me for taking away his original gift, will he?"

As he spoke, he loosened the brand-new tie around his collar. Violet reassured him, saying, "Don't worry. He doesn't like anything except my hand-me-downs. Besides, what do you mean by 'his original gift'? If I gave it to you, then it's yours."

They both snickered mockingly. The earring struck my face hard, its sharp edge cutting a bloody line across my skin. The whole situation was tiresome.

In my previous life, I had indeed loved collecting Violet's used belongings. I treasured the hair clip she wore when we first met, the necklace from our wedding day, and the watch she wore at the succession announcement. I had asked for them all, storing each piece in elegant boxes as treasured mementos of our relationship.

She had mocked me then too, calling them worthless junk that she would throw away after only wearing them once. She said only I would treat such things like treasures.

Objects became precious when we invested them with emotion. Since she didn't love me, she naturally couldn't understand. I sighed and picked up the earring that had fallen from my face, casually tossing it into a nearby trash can.

"Trash belongs where trash goes."

Seeing that, Violet flew into a rage. "Alright, fine! Nathan, don't expect our engagement to go as planned!"

That evening, Sebastian and I arrived home together, his face glowing with satisfaction.

"Nate, so what if you end up marrying Violet? You might get her body, but you'll never have her heart. Actually, she probably won't even let you touch her."

Without Violet around, he finally dropped his innocent facade.

"I was able to cause your mother's death, and I can just as easily steal away your beloved Violet. Just wait and see, everything that belongs to you will eventually be mine."

Sebastian thought he could provoke me, but I merely glanced at him indifferently. "Well then, I wish you luck moving out of the housekeepers' quarters soon."

I ignored him completely after that and walked straight into the house. Later, Grandpa looked for me to inform me that Sophia still needed more time to consider the proposal.

Violet had probably forgotten she even had another female cousin.

Mr. Sterling Senior once had a daughter who fell in love with a police officer. She gave up her inheritance rights to become a police officer herself. Later, both she and her husband died in the line of duty, leaving behind only one daughter.

Mr. Sterling Senior and his daughter had a terrible falling out over her marriage choice. After his daughter's death, Mr. Sterling Senior was filled with regret, but his granddaughter had grown up in the police compound and rarely returned to the Sterling residence.

When I reminded him of her existence, Mr. Sterling Senior realized how much he owed her. Even if she didn't marry me, he'd still leave her a portion of his wealth.

Violet was determined to gain complete control of Sterling Group, not realizing she could never have it all. I was curious to see how things would unfold for Violet this time around.

On the day of Grandpa's 80th birthday, all the prominent figures in our social circle attended. To ensure the banquet would proceed smoothly, his doctor, Dr. Stevenson, and I conducted another thorough examination of Grandpa's health.

Sebastian spotted me and walked over. In the past few days, Violet had taken him shopping at numerous luxury boutiques.

A quick glance at his social media revealed post after post showcasing their intimate moments together.

When he saw me, he approached with a smile. "Nate, Vivi is truly wonderful. She took me shopping for so many luxury items. Not only that, but she personally took my measurements, saying she wants to have custom suits made for me."

Seeing that I was ignoring him, he continued, "Vivi also said that even after you two are married, I shouldn't feel like an outsider with her. We're all family, so it's only natural for her to take care of me."

My conversation with Dr. Stevenson kept getting interrupted. I turned around, ready to tell him to get lost but froze when I noticed the pin on his chest. That pin had been a birthday gift from my parents when I was young.

My parents had loved each other deeply. Mom had personally designed the pin, and Dad had commissioned the finest craftsman abroad to create it. It represented their wish for my lifelong happiness and fulfillment.

Later, after that terrible incident—when Mom died and Dad's heart died with her, leading him to withdraw from the world entirely—I never received another birthday gift from my parents.

That pin was one of a kind in the world. I treasured it so much that I couldn't even bring myself to wear it.

I grabbed Sebastian by the collar and shoved him into a corner, towering over him as I demanded, "Where did you get that pin?"

Sebastian suddenly began to choke up, "Nate, even though you've always resented me, I've always considered you my big brother. Vivi only bought me a few clothes because she felt sorry for me. Even if you're angry, you shouldn't resort to violence!"

I wasn't buying his act. Without loosening my grip, I snarled, "Tell me where you got that pin! Who gave it to you?"

Sebastian just stared at me with wide eyes. Disgusted, I reached to snatch it away, but my wrist was firmly caught by another hand.

A cold voice spoke from behind me. "Nathan Hamilton, what do you think you're doing? Do you plan to assault someone in broad daylight?"

Violet protectively stood in front of Sebastian, glaring at me furiously. "Is this how the Hamiltons treat their family members?"

Seeing Violet, I understood everything. Violet had said she was coming today to "make things right" with me because of my cold attitude at my birthday banquet. Panicking, Sebastian deliberately staged this scene.

However, I had no patience left for these two. I pushed Violet aside and looked directly at Sebastian. "The pin. Hand it over."

A flash of guilt crossed Sebastian's face, but seeing Violet standing beside him, he became defiant again.

"Vivi bought it for me. Nate, you're being so petty. You have so many nice things already. Why do you have to steal mine?"

"Is that so? Where did she buy it? Can you even tell me what brand it's from? Someone, hold him down and remove that pin!"

I ordered the security guards to act, but Violet immediately shielded Sebastian behind her.

"I'd like to see who dares! I'm the eldest daughter of the Sterling family. Harm me, and you'll answer to the Sterling family! Nathan, I'm telling you, I bought that pin for him myself. You're assaulting someone in broad daylight. Don't think I won't call the police on you!"

Hearing her words and seeing Sebastian cowering behind her, I was completely enraged. Violet had clearly seen that pin before.

Even if she had forgotten, with her discerning eye, she couldn't possibly miss the exquisite craftsmanship. It wasn't something you could buy at any ordinary store.

Yet, she still chose to protect Sebastian.

I laughed coldly. "Fine, call the police. Let them investigate thoroughly whether I'm falsely accusing an innocent person or whether the Hamilton family is harboring a thief!"

Seeing my ruthless demeanor, Violet was momentarily stunned. She looked at Sebastian with some doubt, then remembered her purpose for coming today.

"Nathan, I know I went too far the other day and you're angry, but we're still getting married…"

Before Violet could finish speaking, Sebastian shakily removed the pin with trembling hands.

"Anything Vivi gives me is precious beyond measure. But I don't want it to make my own brother angry. If you like it, Nate, please take it. I'll gladly give you whatever you want."

Violet's expression softened, but upon hearing those words, she snatched the pin away. "You can't give it to him! You can't let him have his way every time!"

In the struggle, the pin struck the marble planter and shattered. I completely lost control and grabbed Violet by the throat, snarling, "Do you have any idea what you just broke?"

Violet began gasping for air, crying out for help to those around us. The guests were shocked, pointing and whispering among themselves.

"What on earth is going on? Are the elite not even bothering to keep up appearances anymore?"

"Someone help! Don't let this turn into a tragedy!"

With the crowd's urging, Sebastian seized the opportunity to kick me hard, sending me crashing into the corner.

"Nate, I can endure your resentment toward me, but how can you treat Vivi like this?" Sebastian supported Violet, speaking with feigned helplessness.

"I had no idea Mr. Nathan was this kind of person in private."

"It seems Mr. Sebastian is the decent one. Though he usually keeps a low profile, he appears to be quite upright."

"Is Mr. Nathan acting out of unrequited love? He's been chasing Violet for years without success, so he must be bitter about it!"

"How pathetic. He's just a man who can only keep the woman he loves through violence. I have no respect for him!"

The crowd's criticism grew louder as I stared fixedly at the shattered pin. I struggled to my feet to gather the pieces, but Sebastian stepped on my hand.

"Oh, sorry about that, Nate."

I clenched my fists, but things were suddenly interrupted by a female voice. "What are you people doing?"

Looking at the newcomer, I suddenly smiled. She came, which meant she had agreed to be with me.