When Margot opened her eyes again, night had already fallen.

She glanced around the empty hospital room, a cold smile reaching her eyes.

A nurse entered, holding her medical report. She briefly explained Margot’s condition and informed her to settle the bill and prepare for discharge the next day.

As Margot flipped through her medical records, the phone on the bedside table buzzed incessantly.

The messages were from Maisie.

Maisie had sent dozens of photos, each one flaunting her happiness.

In the images, Joey carried Maisie on his back, walking her home, while Charles, wearing an apron, cooked for her.

The two men surrounded Maisie, their faces brimming with affection.

Piled at their feet were heaps of extravagant gifts.

[Gigi] Maisie wrote smugly.

[Charles and Joey spoil me so much. I must be the happiest little girl in the world!]

Margot glanced at the messages but didn’t reply to a single one.

The next morning, after a night of rest, she completed her discharge procedures and returned home.

As soon as she stepped inside, she saw Charles, Joey, and Maisie gathered on the sofa, watching a movie together.

The two men flanked Maisie protectively. Charles fed her pieces of fruit, while Joey handed her a drink.

The bloodstains that had once marked the floor were gone, thoroughly cleaned away. No one seemed to care.

Margot averted her gaze and silently retreated to her room.

She pulled out a cardboard box and began packing. Piece by piece, she filled the box with belongings until it was overflowing.

Once it was full, she carried the box and walked out.

Not long after, the blaze outside caught Joey and Charles’s attention.

Noticing something was amiss, they both rose from their seats and stepped outside, only to see Margot standing before a large fire pit, throwing items into the roaring flames.

Their hearts sank.

“What are you doing, Gigi?” Joey demanded, his voice tight with alarm.

Margot didn’t respond immediately. Instead, she picked up a veil from the box and held it up, her gaze fixed on Joey.

“Joey, you gave me this when you were seven,” she began, her voice steady but cold.

“We were playing house, and you wouldn’t let anyone else be my groom. You said only I could be your bride.

“You gave me this veil and told me it would be the one I’d wear at our wedding someday.”

Then she tossed the veil into the fire.

The flames consumed it instantly.

Before the shock could register on their faces, she pulled out a charm and looked at Charles.

“Charles, you gave me this when you were fifteen. I was frail and constantly sick back then, always running a fever.

“You couldn’t bear to see me suffer, so you went to Fragrant Hills Church just to pray for my health and safety.”

Once again, Margot threw the item into the fire, her actions swift and resolute.

Next, she pulled out a love letter Joey had written when he confessed his feelings to her.

Then came the glass slippers Charles had gifted her.

After that, it was the princess dress Joey had once given her.

One by one, she threw each token of her past into the flames. Not even the photographs capturing her childhood and youth were spared.

Watching her methodically erase every memory they had shared, Joey could no longer stand it.

He surged forward and grabbed her hand in desperation.

“Gigi, I know you’re still upset about what happened yesterday,” Joey began his tone a mix of frustration and sadness.

“But Maisie is an adopted child. She has never felt secure, and soon, she’ll be marrying into the Stewarts in your place.

“Her days of happiness are numbered. This is something you owe her. Must you fight with her over everything?”

Charles looked at Margot with equal disappointment, a trace of anger creeping into his voice.

“You must have hit your head pretty hard. What Maisie is about to lose is her entire future happiness.

“Maybe Maisie was right—she said you’ve been spoiled rotten and lack even half her maturity!”

Margot shook her head slowly. “No, you’re both wrong.”

It wasn’t Maisie who was going to marry into the Stewart family—it was her.

Without offering any further explanation, she turned and gazed at the smoldering ashes in the fire pit.

Then, without another word, she headed back to her bedroom.

The next morning, as Margot prepared to leave the house, her eyes landed on a pile of gift boxes stacked by the door.

She recognized them instantly. They were from Joey and Charles.

In the past, whenever the two men angered her, they would never allow her to stay upset for more than a day.

Charles, in particular, would camp outside her room, his eyes red with worry.

“Gigi, if you don’t forgive Charles, he won’t leave. He’ll stay here until you do.”

Joey used to show up with a pitiful look, his arms full of gifts.

“Gigi, if you’re still upset, you can hit me or yell at me. Just don’t let it affect your health.”

But this time, neither of them came. Only a cold, lifeless pile of items awaited her.

Margot glanced at the gifts, her expression indifferent. With a self-deprecating smile, she threw everything into the trash can.

Just then, Maisie, who had just gotten up, appeared in the hallway.

She covered her mouth with her hand, feigning surprise.

“Why did you throw everything away, Gigi? Do you think these gifts are beneath you?” she asked in a sickly sweet tone.

“Oh, I told Charles and Joey that you’ve been spoiled since childhood and would definitely find these things unworthy of your attention. I even suggested they give you the original versions of what I have, but they insisted I keep them.

“I’m just a poor, lonely adopted girl, after all. You’re the true lady of the house, but look at how much they dote on you…”

A sneer tugged at the corner of Margot’s lips. Her voice was calm yet sharp. “Then congratulations. This house is all yours now.”

Without waiting for Maisie’s response, Margot turned and walked away, her steps steady and resolute.

Over the weekend, Margot decided to hike up to Serene Church.

She had heard that prayers made there almost always came true and decided to make one for Dominic, who was still in a coma.

She had heard he was once a remarkable figure, a gifted individual, the pride of the Stewarts, but a car accident had left him in a vegetative state for five years.

Now, as she was about to marry him, she thought, "In happiness and adversity we rise and fall together."

She would do everything she could to help him wake up.

Even if he never did, she would care for him for the rest of her life, with no one else by her side.

She walked slowly, her devotion unwavering. She had not expected to run into some familiar faces.

Charles and Joey had accompanied Maisie, their knees slightly scraped from the climb. All three looked equally stunned to see Margot there.

Maisie’s eyes were red. She touched her cheeks and spoke with a choked voice, “Gigi! Charles and Joey heard the miracles of this church, so they insisted on coming to pray for me…”

Margot ignored her and focused on her prayers, silently chanting in her heart:

"May the heavens bless our marriage, and may my future husband wake up and live a life of peace and joy."

Seeing her praying so devotedly, the three of them were all silenced.

After a while, Charles could no longer hold back and grabbed Margot’s arm.

"You've been pampered since childhood so what are you doing, running here like this? There are almost ten thousand steps before we reach the church. No one is worth all this effort from you!"

Margot smiled. "And Maisie is worth all that?"

Joey instinctively retorted, "May is different. She's the most important person to me."

It was clear that at seventeen, when he confessed his feelings to her, Joey had claimed that Margot was the only one he loved, yet now, the most important person had become Maisie.

Margot laughed through her tears.

"Yes, so the person I'm praying for is also the most important person to me."

With that, Margot withdrew her hand, took a few steps to the side, and slowly resumed her climb.

Looking at her determined expression, Charles sighed deeply.

"I understand now. You’re praying for me, right? Then this is enough. I don't need you to endure this suffering."

Joey looked at her with eyes full of pity. "Gigi, I don't need it either. Let it go."

Margot said nothing.

She glanced indifferently at them, then turned to face the front.

Her attitude sent a chill through Charles and Joey.

For the first time, they didn’t pay attention to Maisie and couldn’t help but follow her up the mountain.

Time passed slowly, and as evening approached, they finally reached their destination.

Margot, her knees covered in blood, painfully made her way into the church.

Near the entrance, she found a set of stationery to write down her prayers.

The two men, following closely behind, saw the initials "DS" written on the paper and frowned.

Obviously, it was not referencing either man.

"Who’s this DS?"

The moment Margot placed the written prayer into the wooden box near the table, Joey suddenly seized her arm.

His eyes were blazing with anger.

He could accept Margot praying for Charles, but beyond that, he could not tolerate any other man’s involvement.

Margot couldn’t understand Joey’s intentions.

He had just declared that Maisie was the most important person to him, yet now he was showing such jealousy about her actions.

She was about to speak when Maisie suddenly tripped and fell to the ground.

Joey and Charles rushed forward without a second thought, ready to help her up.

Tears filled Maisie’s eyes as she refused their support. “You’re sore from the hike up here. Please don’t worry about me.”

She then looked up at Margot. “Gigi, could you help me to a seat so I can rest for a while?”

Before Margot could respond, Maisie walked over and leaned against her.

Margot instinctively tried to push her away but lacked the strength, so she passively allowed Maisie to rest against her.

Just as they passed a few seats, Maisie grabbed Margot’s arm.

The once-soft, delicate expression on her face turned into one of challenge.

“Do you think you can capture their attention with such petty tricks, Gigi? In your dreams!”

Margot was confused by Maisie’s sudden change and was about to speak when she saw Maisie raise her hand and slap her own face a few times.

As she struck herself, she began to cry loudly.

“I was wrong, Gigi! I’m sorry! Please don’t hit me!

“I promise I won’t fight you for Charles and Joey’s attention anymore. Please, have mercy on me!”

The loud sound quickly caught the attention of Charles and Joey, who were just a few steps away.

The two men rushed over and saw Maisie’s face, covered in slap marks, tears streaming down her face.

Enraged, Charles immediately stormed over and shoved Margot away.

Too weak to resist, Margot crashed into a light stand before hitting one of the church benches.

Her forehead instantly started bleeding.

Joey looked at her, his eyes filled with fury.

“What the hell, Gigi! Maisie has suffered for over ten years without any parents. Even when she came to the Johansons, she was just an adopted daughter!

“You’ve always had everything, why do you have to target her? I’ve found out they’re already preparing for the wedding, and in just a few days, she’ll be married off. Do you really want to fight her for this?”

“Don’t be so gentle with her, Joey. She’s becoming more and more unreasonable! This isn’t the first time you’ve caused trouble for Maisie, Gigi.

“A few years ago, we could say you were immature, but now that she’s about to get married, you still won’t let it go. How can you be so malicious as a sister!”

Margot thought the pain would be over, but their cruel words cut her deeply.

Hurt, sadness, despair, and pain welled up inside her, so overwhelming it nearly suffocated her.

“It wasn’t me! She staged it herself. There are surveillance cameras all over the place. You can check for yourselves—”

Before she could finish, Maisie covered her face with both hands and cried, “Guys, my face hurts so much. Will I be disfigured...?

“And what wedding are you talking about? Who is married?”

The two men’s expressions instantly changed.

Joey was the first to react, immediately gathering Maisie into his arms.

“It’s nothing. I’ll take you to the hospital right now.”

“You misheard us, Maisie. I’ll find the best doctor for you. You won’t have any scars.”

As their footsteps grew fainter, Margot could no longer hold back her tears, tightly clutching the charm in her hand.

They were all wrong.

The one marrying into the Stewarts was her!