Chapter 1

After being framed by her half-sister Liora Sterling, Narissa Sterling was sent to a private prison by her doting brother and her deeply devoted fiancé, Drake Kingsley. Inside, she endured endless humiliation.

Upon her release, she explained herself countless times, but her brother Evan looked at her with icy indifference. “Liora is pure-hearted. How could she frame you?”

Her fiancé, Drake, firmly believed. “Narissa, no matter how much you’ve changed, I’ll still marry you, but Liora is innocent.”

And so, they allowed Liora to take her house, seize everything she had and even destroy her mother’s photograph.

Heartbroken and disillusioned, Narissa bought a plane ticket and flew abroad, disappearing completely.

Not long after, Drake and Evan nearly lost their minds searching for her.

——

"Your sentence is complete. You can leave now. As someone with your background, make sure to live decently from now on and stop harming others."

At the entrance of the private prison, the man escorted Narissa to the door, shaking his head in disappointment.

Narissa was the only eldest daughter of the prestigious Sterling Family in the capital. Raised with love and privilege, she was said to be cruel and ruthless, even attempting to drive her own blood-related sister to death. What a waste of such a beautiful face.

Narissa stood on the steps, a shadow of sorrow passing through her eyes as she listened to his words.

A year ago, her father brought Liora, who had been living abroad, back to the family. That was when Narissa learned that her father, who had always been deeply devoted to her mother, had long been unfaithful. He had a child with another woman and even brought her mother, Wilde, into the Sterling Family.

Wilde had taken her mother's place, claiming her father’s love, while her daughter, Liora, not only took everything she had but also falsely accused her of trying to have her killed.

Her father exploded in anger, "Even if you can’t accept Liora, she’s still your sister, the only child of Wilde! How could you treat her like this?"

However, Narissa hadn’t done anything.

His father slammed the phone against her, his anger boiling over. "Look for yourself. The people you hired have already confessed and yet you still won’t admit it."

Trembling, Narissa picked up the phone from the ground. In the video, a man immediately pointed at her with fear at his face. "It wasn’t me. Everything was done because Miss Narissa told me to do it."

Not only that, there were also transfer screenshots, but Narissa hadn’t done any of it. She originally wanted to investigate, but her father sent her straight to the private prison.

She still remembered the look of disgust in her father’s eyes when she was taken away. "I’ve spoiled you too much over the years. Go in there and reflect on yourself!"

Now, thinking back, her heart ached as if being torn apart. Meanwhile, the reporters who had been waiting outside saw her and immediately brightened, rushing toward her.

"Miss Sterling, rumors say you’re insanely jealous and deliberately tried to murder your own sister. Is that true?"

Narissa staggered back under the barrage of questions. Her mind was foggy as she shook her head, saying, "No, I didn’t do anything. This isn’t true."

Before she could say another word, the reporters pressed her further. "Miss Sterling, you claim you didn’t do anything, then why were you locked up here? And why was there no one to pick you up when you were released?"

Her lips trembled and before she could speak, another reporter jumped in, "Miss Sterling, your mother is an award-winning actress. Aren’t you worried that your actions will tarnish her reputation?"

The reporters' words cut into Narissa like sharp knives, each question piercing her heart. She was surrounded, struggling to breathe and when she tried to leave, the reporters quickly closed in on her. Just as she felt she could no longer bear the suffocating pressure, a hand grabbed her and pulled her away from the crowd.

She looked up to see Drake, her childhood friend and fiancé.

Drake, with his fair and handsome features, cast a cold indifferent gaze over the surrounding crowd. His voice, laced with chilling authority, echoed through the air. "This isn’t over."

The reporters were immediately angered, but the next second, they fell silent, for a group of bodyguards in black suits stepped forward and seized all their cameras. The reporters were left furious but dared not speak up. After all, this was the son of the powerful Kingsley Family, who had recently been making waves.

Meanwhile, Drake dragged Narissa away. Inside the car, the atmosphere was heavy with tension.

Narissa glanced at the man beside her. Today was the day she was released from prison and yet, the only one who came to pick her up was Drake. This made her heart ache with a bitter sense of irony.

Drake tugged at his collar, his face cold as he turned to question her, "Are you standing there on purpose, refusing to move? Or are you deliberately playing the victim, trying to say something to frame Liora?"

Hearing his words, Narissa's heart felt like it was being torn apart. It was even more painful than when the reporters questioned her. "I didn’t... I didn’t say anything!"

But Drake didn’t believe her. He snorted coldly, holding his phone in hand as he casually spoke, "If I had come any later, who knows what you would’ve said?"

Looking at his distant expression, Narissa’s heart sank like a stone. How had everything ended up like this?

Before Liora appeared, their relationship was at its best. Narissa and Drake had grown up together as childhood friends. In high school, he would skip class to find her and take her to see the sea. He stayed by her side, comforting her after her mother passed away.

They would take walks together under the sunset and whenever she grew tired, Drake would carry her on his back and take her home.

After graduation, they quickly got engaged, their bond so strong that they couldn’t bear to be apart. But everything changed when Liora came into their lives.

Drake, who had always been her protector, learned the truth and, swayed by his father’s words, passed his judgment. "Liora is kind-hearted. How could you do something so cruel?"

No matter how much she tried to explain, no one believed her. She begged Drake for help, pleading with him not to lock her away in the private prison.

But at that moment, Drake stood by Liora’s side. His expression was icy as he looked at her and said, "When you heartlessly hired someone to harm Liora, did you ever consider the consequences? It was supposed to be a life for a life. Now, you’ve only been locked away for seven months. Compared to the shock Liora endured, what’s the difference?"

Narissa’s eyes turned red as she stared at him. She spoke each word with conviction. "I didn’t do it... I swear, I didn’t."

Seeing that she still wouldn’t admit to it, Drake furrowed his brows deeply. With a grim expression, he pressed the gas pedal. "It seems that even after seven months in there, you still haven’t learned your lesson."

A sharp pain hit Narissa’s heart as she noticed the car wasn’t heading home. Unable to hold back, she asked, "Where are we going?"

Drake’s face remained expressionless, but a flicker of softness passed through his eyes as he replied, "Today is the day Liora is celebrating Mr. Sterling’s birthday."

Hearing that name, Narissa’s pupils quivered. She clenched her hands tightly but didn’t speak and the atmosphere grew heavy with tension.

At first, when Liora came to live with them, Narissa treated her very well. She would give Liora anything she liked without hesitation such as clothes and jewelry.

However, Liora always seemed to harbor hostility towards her. At the time, Narissa didn’t know that Liora was her father’s child. When their father appeared, Liora clung to his arm, acting coyly and proudly. She lifted her chin as she looked at Narissa with a smug expression.

Narissa couldn’t understand why Liora held such animosity towards her.

But their father told her, "Liora has grown up without a father, so she craves fatherly love. As her sister, you need to learn to be understanding towards her."

Narissa had always felt uneasy about Liora, but after hearing her father’s words, her heart softened toward her.

After a few more incidents, when she realized Liora clearly disliked her, she stopped trying to get close.

But everything changed seven months ago when Liora personally had her sent to the private prison. It was only today that she was finally released.

Narissa still remembered the phone call from her father a few days ago. His words were cold and dismissive. “Narissa, this was just a lesson for you. You should be thankful for Liora’s kindness.”

"She grew up without a father, wandering outside for so many years and going through hardships you can’t even imagine. I hope you can get along with her," her father had said.

His words made it sound like she was the one targeting Liora, unwilling to live peacefully with her.

But in truth, after learning the situation, Narissa had let go of her resentment and tried to build a good relationship with Liora. It was Liora who refused and repeatedly went against her.

Liora even framed her for hiring someone to commit murder and played the victim, convincing their father to send her to a ruthless private prison that swallowed people whole.

The seven months in that prison had drained her completely. Now, all she wanted was to leave everything behind and escape from their world.

Noticing her silence, Drake seemed to realize something was off. His tone stiffened as he explained, “Liora has been waiting for you for a long time. She genuinely wants to see her sister. That’s why I rushed. Besides, you were the one at fault in the first place. You…”

Before he could finish his sentence, Narissa cut him off, unwilling to hear more.

“I understand,” she said flatly.

Drake fell silent. Narissa turned her face to the window, her expression blank as she stared at the passing scenery. She clenched her fingers tightly and took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm in her heart.

She had known Drake for years and once thought they were perfectly in sync, until Liora appeared.

No matter how many times she explained, he always believed Liora's words, convinced that she was malicious and had tried to harm Liora.

Now, there was no point in explaining. Drake didn’t believe her and her father had abandoned her. This brought a sharp ache to her chest, but she forced herself to suppress the tears threatening to fall. Her lips twitched into a bitter, stiff smile.

It didn’t matter. Soon, on Liora's birthday, she would disappear from their lives forever.

Chapter 2

It was her father’s birthday. Midway through the ride, Narissa asked to stop and buy a gift, but Drake coldly refused. “There’s no time. A gift isn’t urgent right now.”

The car pulled up directly to the entrance of the banquet hall. Drake went to park the car and shortly after, Narissa received a text from him, telling her to head inside first.

As she entered the grand hall, the soft, calming music filled the air. Just as she walked in, Bella, who had always been at odds with her, appeared with a group of people and immediately surrounded her.

The other party looked down at her with disdain, pinching her nose as if she were disgusting.

“Narissa, how can you be so disrespectful? Is the Sterling Family out of money now? You didn’t even bring a single piece of jewelry. You’re embarrassing us, the noble ladies of high society.”

The women behind her giggled, their laughter dripping with mockery. “You call yourself the eldest daughter of the Sterling Family? You’re even worse than your sister.”

Bella sneered, "It's laughable. You're the daughter of Astrid, the renowned actress who was adored by all of the capital, yet, look at how you turned out, you’re worse than the daughter of a mistress. No wonder your father ended up cheating!"

Narissa’s mother, Astrid, had been a renowned actress who won every major award in the entertainment industry. When Narissa’s father first laid eyes on her, he was instantly smitten and relentlessly pursued her until she agreed to marry him.

To be with the man she loved, Astrid left her career behind and gave birth to Narissa. Tragically, when Narissa was sixteen, Astrid died in a car accident.

During the time when Narissa was falsely accused, her father had been caught multiple times in ambiguous, flirtatious situations with women. It was later uncovered that one of those women was none other than Liora’s mother.

At that time, Narissa asked her father, "Why are you doing this? Can you face mom?"

Her father’s expression changed, becoming cold. "If I truly owed your mom, I should never have raised you. I should have killed you when you were born. If not for you, how would your mom have died?"

This sentence still cut through Narissa’s heart like a knife when she thought back on it. After her mother died, her father blamed her for her mother’s death. Like everyone else, he believed that everything was her fault.

Narissa felt a deep, hidden pain. If only she hadn’t asked her mother to go buy the cake, perhaps none of this would have happened. But now, it was too late.

To her, her mother was the one she couldn't allow anyone to insult.

So, even though she knew Bella's words were meant to provoke her, Narissa couldn’t hold herself back. She raised her hand and slapped Bella across the face. “Shut up. I won’t let you speak badly about my mother. And even if I’m not a Sterling Family member, I’m still a board member of the company. You have no right to speak to me like that.”

Bella’s eyes instantly reddened, her anger bubbling to the surface. “You filthy woman, how dare you slap me! My father won’t let this go!”

Narissa looked at her coldly, a cruel smile curling on her lips. “I’ll be waiting for him.”

Just then, a gentle and elegant voice came from behind. “Narissa, what are you doing here?”

Upon hearing the voice, Narissa froze, the weight of all her suppressed emotions crashing over her. Her eyes welled up and she turned to look.

But just one glance was enough to freeze her blood and send a chill through her entire body.

Chapter 3

The person who appeared was dressed in a pure white suit. His features were as handsome as a painting and his eyes, soft as a gentle breeze, landed on Narissa.

It was her older brother, Evan. Behind him stood a group of friends, including Liora, who was dressed in a pristine white gown. She looked fresh, graceful and charming, with a soft and sweet demeanor.

As she observed, Narissa saw Drake, her ex-boyfriend, standing by Liora. He looked at her with gentle affection, smiling as he whispered something to her.

Seeing this scene, Narissa felt her mind momentarily go blank. Before she could say anything, she heard Bella crying as she rushed up to Liora, accusing her, “Liora, your sister is so mean. I just asked why she didn’t bring any jewelry to the banquet and she hit me. She even said I’m the daughter of a mistress. Do I deserve to be hit because my mother was a mistress?”

Narissa immediately wanted to rebut, but before she could, Liora spoke up first, her eyes reddening. “Narissa, even if what Bella said wasn’t right, you can’t hit people.”

Narissa looked coldly at Bella. "If she hadn’t insulted my mother, I wouldn’t have hit her."

Upon hearing this, Drake frowned, a trace of annoyance flashing in his eyes. "Narissa, that’s Liora’s friend and the daughter of the Thorne family. Even if she was wrong, you shouldn’t have hit her in front of everyone."

Surrounded by countless curious and judgmental gazes, Narissa clenched her fists, feeling isolated and cold inside. Just as she was about to say something, a figure stepped in front of her.

It was Evan, his handsome and gentle face showing an apologetic smile as he turned to Bella. "Narissa has been pampered since she was young, so I apologize on her behalf."

Narissa's expression immediately stiffened as she glared at him. "Evan, I'm not at fault. It's her that has a filthy mouth."

Evan's smile remained soft, but his eyes turned cold. Sering this, Narissa's mind cleared in that moment, realizing that her brother was angry. But why?

He parted his lips with a neutral smile and spoke emotionlessly, "Narissa, it's all the same."

Narissa gritted her teeth, her gaze fixed on his calm yet distant face, her heart tightening with pain.

Upon hearing his words, Bella blushed slightly. She lowered her eyes, then said shyly, "For your sake, I'll let this bad woman go."

Liora’s face twisted with hurt and grievance. “I know you’ve always disliked me and you despise my mom for being a mistress. But, Narissa, my mom and dad couldn’t help what happened. We didn’t choose our own birth. If I could, I would’ve wanted to be the legitimate daughter of my dad, with a brother who loves me.”

She sighed in helplessness. “Not everyone is as lucky as you, born into the Sterling Family as the eldest daughter. I’m sorry!” Tears welled up in her eyes and she couldn’t hold them back any longer, running off in distress.

Drake instinctively wanted to chase after her but paused, his dark eyes fixed on Narissa. There was a mix of disappointment and displeasure in his gaze. "Narissa, do you know how happy Liora was that you could come out today? Yet, you say such hurtful words. I’ve been too indulgent with you in the past and that’s why you’ve turned out this way."

He turned and hurried out without looking back and the people around them cast awkward glances. Narissa felt her anger boil over.

It was Liora’s mother who had seduced her father, yet she had the audacity to say such things about wanting to take her family away.

Fury surged through her, but when she met her brother’s calm gaze, her heart froze. She felt absurd and sorrowful. “Evan, do you also think this is my fault?”

Evan’s expression softened with helplessness. He rubbed the bridge of his nose, his eyes filled with a hint of fatigue. Looking at his younger sister, whom he had watched grow up, he couldn't help but sigh and explained in a soft tone, “Narissa, we were just picking out a gift for you, that’s why we didn’t pick you up earlier.”

The tone in his voice seemed as if he was dismissing something, which made Narissa freeze for a moment. She remembered how her brother used to gently deal with people who pursued him, only to later discard the things they had given him.

Now, however, the person he was brushing aside was her. Narissa remained silent, just quietly looking at him.

In truth, he hadn’t always been like this. Back when their mother had died in the car accident, he had always been so protective of her.

When they were younger, his favorite toys were off-limits to everyone, but if she wanted them, he would give them to her without hesitation.

Even when he went abroad for his studies, he made sure to come back every month to visit her and bring her gifts.

It wasn’t until the car accident happened, where she survived only because their mother had shielded her with her body, that her brother became even more protective. He hired bodyguards to ensure her safety, constantly fearing that something would happen to her.

But everything changed after Liora and her mother appeared.

Chapter 4

Narissa tugged at her stiff lips and slowly said, "I understand."

Evan's expression briefly turned cold, but he quickly regained his composure.

That moment was so brief that Narissa thought she had imagined it, but then, with a slight parting of his lips, Evan said, "Since you understand, don't do it again next time."

Narissa clenched her teeth, her expression tense. "What do you mean?"

Evan's expression turned cold as he retorted, "Do you really want me to be so blunt? You know that Bella is Liora's close friend, yet you still call Wilde a mistress and say you're not targeting Liora?"

Hearing this, Narissa struggled to suppress her anger and finally understood what he meant. "But, she was the one who spoke ill of Mom first."

Thinking he would understand, she was instead met with disappointment in his eyes. "Drake was right, you’ve really been spoiled."

The words struck Narissa like a blow, leaving her stunned. Even though she knew Drake would side with Liora, she hadn’t expected her brother to do the same.

In disbelief, her heart sinking, she asked, "Bella said Dad cheated because Mom wasn't good enough. Don’t you feel angry when you hear that?"

Evan stared at his proud, headstrong younger sister and replied, each word deliberate, “At that time, Liora was just a newborn. How could she understand anything? Liora is right, though. Her birth wasn’t something she could choose. You don’t need to blame her for it."

Narissa didn't even know how she had been targeting Liora. At this moment, it felt like she was momentarily transported back to the time before she entered the private prison.

When Liora was attacked, her father dragged her out of bed, accusing her of deliberately hiring someone to kill her, calling her malicious.

Although she hadn't done it at all, they said someone had identified her, making her meet with countless disdainful stares. At that time, all she wanted was to explain and uncover the truth.

Her brother had stepped in, looking at her with a cold, emotionless gaze and said, "Narissa, no matter what you’ve done, I will always stand by you. But you still need to face the consequences.”

He stood by her side because she was his biological sister, not because he believed in her.

In order to punish her, they had been eager to send her to a private prison, unwilling to even listen to her explanation.

Now, Evan looked at her with a calm gaze, but a trace of disgust flashed in his eyes as he said, "Narissa, you are my sister, so no matter what, I will stand by your side without question. ButI don't want to see this kind of thing happen again."

Instantly, Narissa felt unfamiliar with the tall, familiar man in front of her.

That year, she broke down in tears at her mother's funeral and her brother was only seventeen at the time. He tightly held her hand, his voice hoarse and restrained, "Narissa, stop crying. Even without Mom, there's still me, your brother. I'll protect you for the rest of your life and never let anyone hurt you."

Back then, he kept his promise. No matter what happened, he would always stand by her, protect her and believe in her.

But now, though he still stood by her side, his heart had already shifted. She understood that the brother who once promised to protect her for life no longer loved her.

Chapter 5

The atmosphere at the banquet became tense and awkward. During the event, Elowen learned everything and he was so furious that his face trembled. "Wicked daughter, as soon as you come back, there’s nothing but trouble."

Upon hearing this, Narissa looked at him, feeling utterly disheartened.

Liora’s mother patted Elowen’s back and shot Narissa a disapproving look. "Narissa, today is your father’s birthday. Not only did you forget to bring a gift, but now you’ve also upset him. Please, don't make him even angrier."

The words made Elowen even more furious. "Even Liora knows to bring a gift. After all these years of raising you, I’ve only raised an ungrateful child."

Narissa had endured seven months of suffering, being bullied, insulted and subjected to inhumane treatment. And now, after finally returning, her father’s only concern was that she hadn’t brought a gift.

Narissa suppressed the searing pain in her chest and looked at her father with a bitter smile. "To you, it seems I’m less important than a gift."

Elowen’s face twisted with fury, his chest heaving with anger as he slapped her hard, sending her crashing to the floor.

The pain on her face was unbearable, but her gaze remained stubborn as she looked at him. "Dad, if Mom was here, she would surely hate you."

Elowen was momentarily stunned, unable to speak, but Wilde smiled and spoke softly, "Narissa, you're overthinking. If Astrid knew, she would surely want your father to be happy."

Upon hearing these words, Elowen's expression softened. He nodded and muttered, "Wilde, you’re right. Astrid will understand me up there.”

He then turned to Narissa. "Narissa, stop embarrassing yourself. If your mom saw you like this, she'd be furious."

With that, they turned and left, leaving Narissa standing there, her heart filled with disbelief.

Narissa was subjected to countless strange stares, but she remained silent, never responding to the gossip.

It wasn't until Drake came looking for her, a person who had rarely reached out to her recently.

Her heart, numb from everything, was momentarily stunned. Just as she processed the situation, she heard him say, "Narissa, you've made Liora cry. Come with me and apologize to her."

It turned out that he approached her because of Liora. Even though Narissa had become accustomed to everyone focusing on Liora, a sharp sting of pain still flickered in her chest.

Drake reached out to grab her, but she quickly pulled away, leaving him momentarily stunned. "Narissa, you’re the one at fault here. Liora has been running around preparing for the banquet ever since you left. This was your responsibility, don’t you know how exhausted she is? Yet now, you…"

He stopped abruptly, unable to continue, as he noticed the tears streaming down her face.

For a moment, his mind recalled how long it had been since she cried. It was ever since her mother passed. The sight of her tears left him frozen, a sharp pain shooting through his heart.

Narissa's eyes reddened with anger, her whole body trembling as she asked him, word by word, "Drake, would you apologize to someone who insults your mother?"

He didn't answer and Narissa repeated firmly, "I won't apologize, not even to Liora. She doesn't deserve it."

Drake's face darkened completely and even the last trace of pity in his eyes disappeared. "When did you become so unable to distinguish right from wrong? You need to understand that it was Bella who spoke those words, not Liora. Can't you be more rational?"

Narissa slowly raised her eyes, locking onto his gaze, determined not to miss any hint of emotion in his expression. Her voice was calm yet steady as she asked, “Drake, did you do all of this on purpose?”

Had he deliberately stopped her from buying a gift? Had he intentionally sent her to the front hall, forcing her to face a crowd of people who supported Bella?

Bella had always been her nemesis, constantly making trouble for her. Most of the people invited by Liora were ones she didn’t get along with and he must have known that.

She still couldn’t bring herself to believe Drake was capable of doing such a thing. But when she saw the brief flicker of panic in Drake’s eyes, a wave of disappointment and bitterness filled her heart.

Drake quickly regained his composure, but when he looked at Narissa, whose face had turned pale, he felt somewhat a twinge of guilt and unease. He lowered his voice, attempting to explain, “The incident where you almost caused Liora’s death needs to be addressed. That’s why I made sure people knew you were released from prison. But don’t worry, once this is over, our engagement will remain standing.”

Tears had dried from Narissa’s face, yet the pain in her chest felt like a dagger being driven deeper. She suppressed it as much as she could, but the more she tried, the more broken she became. “How many times do I have to say it for you to believe me? I didn’t do it. It was Liora who framed me on purpose! But none of you, not a single one, has ever stood by me or been willing to believe me.”

Her voice trembled as she let out a bitter laugh, the sound hollow and full of despair. If he had ever wanted to believe her, he would have done so already. But he never did.

A faint, mocking smile crossed her lips as she forced herself to speak the words, her heart completely numb. “Drake, I’ll call off the engagement. You can marry Liora instead!”

Drake froze for a moment before his anger flared. “Can you stop acting on impulse? We’ve been together for so many years. Do you think this is something you can just end so easily?”

Narissa took a deep breath, her voice calm yet resolute. “I’m not acting on impulse, Drake. I’m simply giving you what you’ve always wanted.”

“I only see Liora as a sister…”

Just as Drake was about to explain, his phone buzzed. Narissa caught a glimpse of the screen, where “Darling Liora” was displayed as the caller ID.

Without hesitation, he walked away, heading toward Liora, who stood in the distance, smiling and waving at him.

Narissa’s heart grew colder. She lowered her eyes, took a deep breath and left the banquet without looking back.

Chapter 6

When Narissa returned home, she discovered that her old room was now filled with Liora’s belongings.

The maid, Lily, approached her and said, “Miss, this room now belongs to Miss Liora.”

Lily’s gaze held a hint of pity as she looked at Narissa. Narissa stood frozen outside the door for a long moment before she finally spoke, her voice hoarse and trembling, “Then… where are my things?”

A minute later, Lily led her to a guest room covered in dust, her expression somewhat awkward.

"Miss, since you left, this room has been used to store your things. I'll clean it up right away."

Narissa pressed her lips together and said nothing. She spent more than half an hour searching through the guest room but found that the only photo she had with her mother was missing.

After her mother's death, her father refused to let anyone mention her. He took down all her mother's works, had all the family photos of her burned, saying he didn't want to see them because they reminded him of sadness.

At that time, she had secretly hidden a photo frame with the only remaining picture of her and her mother. She had kept it carefully in a cupboard.

Remembering this, she hurried to her old room, only to find a photo frame placed at the bedside. The photo was unmistakably the one of her and her mother.

With great care, she picked it up. The photo was perfectly preserved, showing her mother holding her with a gentle smile. Unable to hold back her tears any longer, they began to fall. However, through her tears, she noticed something familiar; a hairpin.

It was the one her brother had specially designed for her, along with the necklace her mother had given her and the earrings Drake had once gifted her.

These things, which she had carefully kept and never dared to wear, were now taken by Liora.

Unable to control her emotions any longer, Narissa trembled as she reached out to grab what was rightfully hers.

Behind her, a surprised voice called out, "Narissa, what are you doing in my room?"

Narissa clenched the items tightly in her hand. She shut her eyes, wiped away her tears and then, without hesitation, turned around and slapped her across the face.

Liora screamed as she was knocked to the ground and Drake rushed over in a panic, quickly helping her up. His face was filled with anger as he looked at Narissa, “Narissa, are you out of your mind? She’s your sister!”

Seeing the tears on Liora’s face, he became flustered and hastily called for someone to bring ice.

Normally, Narissa would have restrained herself, but now she was completely enraged, losing all sense of control. “Sister? She’s just the illegitimate child of my father’s affair with someone else.”

With a sharp slap, Narissa was sent crashing to the ground, her arm scraping the floor and bleeding.

With eyes burning with anger, she cupped her face, slowly lifting her head, only to meet Evan's cold gaze from above, looking at her as though she were something filthy.

Drake and Evan positioned themselves on either side of Liora, their postures protective. With a cold sneer, Drake uttered, “You’ve gone too far. The only reason you’re out of that private prison so quickly is because of Liora.”The words “private prison” struck Narissa like a blow to the chest, instantly bringing back the horrors of her nightmare. But witnessing this scene only deepened the wound in her heart.

It felt as though someone had taken a knife and sliced through her chest repeatedly, the pain so intense that she could barely catch her breath.

Evan acted as if nothing had happened, casually reaching out to help her up while gently asking, "Does your face hurt?"

How could he speak to her like that when he had been the one who slapped her?

Narissa's eyes flashed with anger as she wrenched herself free from his touch and stood on her own. She gripped the items tightly in her hand, feeling an intense fear of losing them, as if she couldn’t hold on to what was rightfully hers.

With a fierce, trembling voice, she confronted Liora, who stood behind Drake. "These are my stuff. How dare you take them without my permission?"

Liora's face softened with a hint of guilt, her voice laced with feigned innocence. "I'm sorry, I just thought the necklaces were so pretty. Drake and Narissa gave them to me. I didn't mean to take something that was yours."

Upon hearing these words, Narissa's eyes trembled and her heart tightened with a sense of helplessness. She slowly turned her gaze toward them. "Is that so?"

Drake and Evan were immediately taken aback, as the once bright and smiling eyes of Narissa had now lost all their light.

For some reason, both of them felt a sense of unease. Evan suppressed his anxiety and coldly declared, "Liora just arrived and doesn’t have any jewelry. If you like something, I’ll buy it for you."

Drake hurriedly stepped forward and reached out to grab Narissa, but he was met with the shock of how cold her hand was. His voice softened in an attempt to explain, "Narissa, it’s not a big deal. If you like something, I’ll buy it for you."

Narissa remained silent, her gaze fixed on the gifts they once gave her. Back then, they spared no effort, spending months choosing the perfect surprises for her.

But now everything had changed. Their hearts had changed and these gifts seemed to lose their meaning.

She forced a small, bitter smile and without warning, released her grip. The delicate jewelry fell to the ground and the sound of it crashing against the floor made everyone in the room change their expression.

Narissa's cold gaze turned to Liora, who was visibly uncomfortable. Her voice was light but cutting as she spoke, "Liora, weren't you always the one who liked to steal other people's things? If you want them, they're yours."

She didn’t want anything anymore, neither the people nor the things. She wanted it all gone.

Liora's expression froze, a flash of malice flickering in her eyes. Without warning, she shoved Narissa to the ground and then bent down to pick up the fallen items.

Chapter 7

With a loud thud, Narissa’s body was forcefully knocked to the ground, causing the frame holding her mother’s photo to fall from her arms.

In the next moment, the frame shattered upon impact, scattering glass shards across the floor. Her and her mother’s photo was left torn and scarred.

Tears welled up and streamed down her face. Her breath slowed as she stared at the broken photo, frozen in place. Desperately, she reached out, trembling, attempting to pick up the photograph from the broken glass. But before she could, Drake suddenly held her tightly, stopping her from moving.

His heart clenched as he saw her on the verge of breaking. He grabbed her trembling hand and pressed gentle kisses to her forehead, his voice shaky with concern, “Narissa, please don’t cry. It’s dangerous to touch the glass, I promise you, the photo will be fine.”

Narissa struggled desperately in his arms, her voice choked with emotion, "Let go of me! This is the only photo I have left of my mother, it's mine!"

Drake quickly grasped her bloodied hand, his tone urgent, "Stop moving, your hand is hurt."

Watching this, Evan was about to speak, when he noticed Liora reaching for the photo. In an instant, both of their expressions shifted.

As Liora reached for the photo, a shard of glass cut her hand deeply and blood began to flow. Drake immediately released Narissa, his face pale with concern as he grabbed Liora's hand, his voice frantic, “Liora, you're bleeding!"

Liora looked guilty, her face full of regret. "Narissa, I'm so sorry. I just thought your mom was so beautiful and I’ve been thinking about her kindness, so I kept the photo by my bed, looking at it every day. I didn’t mean to steal it"

Narissa stared at Liora, her mind racing with disbelief. What had her mother ever done for them? The only person they had ever truly taken from her was her father and yet they shamelessly placed her mother’s photo at their bedside. How could there be such cruel people in this world?

If her mother were to see this, how heartbroken she would be.

A deep sorrow settled in her heart, but no one seemed to notice. Evan wore a serious expression as he quickly called for the family doctor to tend to Liora’s wound.

Liora, on the other hand, dismissed her bleeding hand with a soft, guilty smile. "It's nothing. Just a little blood. As long as the photo is fine, that's all that matters."

Everyone around her seemed overly concerned for Liora, asking if she was in pain. Meanwhile, Narissa bent down carefully to pick up the bloodied photograph. It was an old picture, the paper now soaked with blood and her mother's face was partially obscured by the red stains that had seeped into it.

It felt just like the moment when her mother died in front of her. When she regained consciousness from the dazed state, she found herself cradled in her mother's arms, her mother's face already disfigured and covered in blood.

Her hands shook uncontrollably as her emotions completely broke down. Overcome with rage, she fainted on the spot.

Before losing consciousness, she saw two figures rushing toward her in a panic, but even as her eyes lost focus, no emotion stirred inside her.

When she finally woke up, she was met with Liora’s face, full of guilt. But the words that came from her mouth were in stark contrast to her expression. "Narissa, I was only trying to be kind, I didn't mean to do it. You’re not mad at me, are you?"

Narissa remained silent, her face expressionless, while Liora smirked, dropping the pretense. "Narissa, do you see how easy it is to replace someone? This is just the beginning. I will make everyone who once loved you fall for me instead."

Her eyes gleamed with determination. "Whether it’s Evan or Drake, they will both be mine."

Narissa’s eyes grew empty, her gaze distant as she processed the words. She didn’t respond.

Liora’s smile deepened, laced with malice. "Do you know why Evan suddenly started treating you differently?"

Slowly, Narissa lifted her head, her gaze locking onto Liora with a sense of urgency. "Why?"

She needed to know why her brother no longer cared for her. Had she done something wrong? She would change if it meant he would still love her.

Liora, as though prepared for this moment, stirred the medicine in her hand with a smug grin. "I just had a priest say that your fate is cursed. He said you bring misfortune to everyone around you. And he even claimed that your mother died because of you. So, your brother believed him."

Narissa’s body trembled and the numbness in her heart was replaced by a sharp, searing pain. No wonder her brother's attitude had changed so suddenly and he kept his distance from her. It was all because he believed in those words, thinking that her mother's death was caused by her.

Narissa tightened her fist, her eyes squeezed shut in unbearable pain.

During this time, Drake came to see her two or three times, but she remained silent. He would squat by her bed, speaking softly, "Narissa, the doctor said you’re overexerted. You mustn’t think too much. Liora was only concerned about you, which is why she took the photo. I know you hate her because she is the daughter of your father and Wilde, but you'll understand once you get to know her. She's actually a very kind person."

It was only when the photo was mentioned that Narissa reacted.

Drake lowered his head and kissed Narissa's cheek. "Narissa, Evan took the photo to be fixed. I'll come see you once I get back from work."

Evan came to see her in the evening, holding the photo that had been fixed. However, his mother's face was already blurred. "Even though Liora tried her best to save the photo, it's already too blurry."

Narissa looked at the photo, which no longer showed any recognizable features and said softly, “Throw it away!”

Evan clenched the photo and looked at her with a shocked expression. "Narissa, Liora has worked so hard to save this photo.”

If it weren't for the photo, there wouldn't have been any trouble. But now she didn't see the need to discuss it further because the situation had already unfolded.

However, she began to speak, her voice hoarse, "Evan, you think I caused Mom's death, don't you?"

The air was still and silent. Evan didn't say anything, but she had already received her answer.

Narissa recalled how, after their mother's death, some relatives looked at her with disgust, saying, "Why did she survive the car accident while her mom died? I think she must have killed her mom."

At that time, Evan had angrily reprimanded those who spoke ill of her, even falling out with relatives over it. The 17-year-old him had frantically comforted her, "Don't listen to them, it was just an accident, it's not your fault. You're my beloved sister and you will always be."

Looking back now, everything felt like a dream.

At this moment, Elowen walked over, his face as dark as could be. "Nothing happened these past few months while you were away, but the moment you return, everything turns into chaos. When will you ever be as obedient and sensible as Liora?"

As he spoke, Narissa remained silent.

Elowen looked at her with disappointment, as though she could never live up to his expectations. When he finished speaking, Narissa finally responded, "I'll move out of here."

Her mother had left her a company and she no longer wanted to stay in this place.

It seemed that Evan understood what she was thinking. His expression briefly froze before he spoke, "Narissa, I've already asked Liora to start learning and getting hands-on experience with your company."

Chapter 8

Elowen nodded in agreement at his words. "You're going to marry Drake, so just stay at home and take care of things."

Narissa hadn’t expected that they would try to take away the only thing her mother had left her. Her fingers clenched so tightly that they turned white and she could no longer contain her anger. "That was something my mother left for me, it’s my company. What right do you have to make this decision on your own?"

Evan frowned and spoke up, "Because I have shares in the company and I have the right to make this decision. Now, just stay at home and rest. The doctor said your health is very weak, so don't worry about the company."

When the door closed, Narissa's eyes filled with tears and a single tear rolled down her cheek.

Whether it was the photo or the company, she hadn't been able to hold on to any of everything her mother had left her.

During this time, Drake made an effort to visit her every day. When he learned about the situation, his eyes were filled with compassion as he held her gently and comforted her in a soft voice, "Don’t worry, once we’re married, all these things will be yours again. No one can take away what belongs to you."

But his words no longer stirred any emotions in Narissa’s heart. To cheer her up, Drake showered her with an endless supply of her favorite stuffed toys.

The entire room was soon filled with plushies, decorated in her favorite pink tones, turning it into Narissa’s favorite place to spend time in the house.

Yet one day, as Narissa woke from an afternoon nap, she overheard Liora’s voice, "You gave Narissa so many dolls, but what about me?"

Her tone was filled with both coquetry and dissatisfaction. Through the white sheer curtain, Narissa saw two figures leaning close to each other.

Drake’s voice was tense, carrying a hint of panic. “Narissa is still inside. Let’s talk outside.”

Liora let out a soft snort. “No, why are you scared? She is asleep. You give her dolls but not me? Hmph, I’m not talking to you anymore.”

As she spoke, she turned to leave. Drake glanced nervously toward the room and seeing no movement inside, he quickly pulled her into his arms. He gently tapped her nose with a doting smile. “Silly girl, if you want some, I’ll buy them for you too.”

Liora’s fingertip trailed down his chest, slowly moving up to his Adam’s apple. “But, I want these ones. Will you give them to me?”

Drake grabbed her hand firmly, his expression turning cold. "Liora, please be good."

Liora let out a soft snort, her face full of grievance. "But I just want the ones here!"

Drake's expression softened again. "If you want, I’ll buy you more, but the ones here are off-limits."

Through the curtain, Liora's eyes flickered with a mix of jealousy and hatred as she looked toward inside. Her expression shifted to one of triumph as she lifted her head and kissed Drake's lips.

Drake’s throat bobbed as he tried to push her away. “Let’s go somewhere else.”

Liora's voice carried a playful laugh. "Haven't we been doing this all along these days? Let's do it here. Narissa won’t notice."

He exhaled slowly, seemingly reassured and lowered his head to bite her pale neck with abandon. "You little seductress."

Their intimate, breathy whispers echoed through the room. The long-numbed heart of Narissa ached sharply once more, a wave of coldness spreading over her body.

After they left, she collapsed by the trash can, vomiting violently. For days, as she drifted into sleep countless times, Drake and Liora had already been entangled in their secret affair.

While they were lost in their reckless entanglement, Narissa recorded everything.

Not long after, she moved out. Every time she thought of that room, all she felt was disgust.

When Drake found out she had moved, he rushed to her in a panic. “Narissa, why did you move out?”

Narissa fixed her gaze on him and said, enunciating every word, “Because it’s dirty.”

His face instantly turned pale. Seeing this, Narissa curled her lips into a faint smile. “A dirty room is disgusting if it’s not cleaned properly, right?”

Hearing her words, Drake’s heart, which had been racing, finally settled down. He let out a slow sigh of relief. However, something about her words felt off, though he couldn’t quite figure out why. “You’re right. It does need a good cleaning.”

There was a hint of regret in his heart, realizing that he wouldn’t be able to visit this place anymore.

With that thought, a trace of guilt crossed his face as he spoke, “Narissa, we’re about to get engaged. I’ll make sure you have a grand wedding.”

Narissa barely tugged at the corners of her lips, but there was no trace of a smile in her eyes. “Before the engagement, I’ll give you a surprise.”

Drake pulled her into his arms, a pleased smile curving his lips, his eyes soft with affection. “What’s the surprise?”

“It’s a secret.”

He was momentarily stunned, then chuckled helplessly, tightening his embrace around her. He whispered, “Narissa, do you know? I’ve been going crazy wanting to be with you.”

Narissa remained silent. Only she knew that they wouldn’t be getting engaged, because she planned to leave this place on Liora’s birthday and there were only five days left until then.

Chapter 9

After he left, she hired a private investigator. Watching the figures outside the window, she spoke in a calm tone, “Keep an eye on him.”

On the first day, she received an update about Drake’s whereabouts. He had gone to her mother’s company, picked up Liora and then the two went to a hotel, not returning home until late at night.

The following updates were a series of intimate photos. She stared silently at the stuffed animals in the room. With a steady hand, she cleared them all out and set them on fire.

The next day, she learned that her brother had known all along about Drake’s affair with Liora behind her back and that he had even gone abroad to buy a necklace for Liora.

She read the message without a flicker of emotion on her face. She began to pack up everything in her mother's house and erased all traces of herself, even cutting herself out of the family photo and replacing it with Liora.

On the third day, she sold all the clothes in the three large suitcases. When Drake and Evan walked through the door, they froze upon seeing the luggage.

Drake's right eyelid twitched involuntarily, a wave of frustration rising in him, as if something was slipping out of his control.

He strode toward Narissa, his eyes fixed on her with a look of unease. “Narissa, what are you doing?” His tone was tight with tension.

Evan glanced around and when he noticed many of the clothes were gifts he had personally given her, his brow furrowed in surprise. He looked at Narissa, waiting for an explanation.

Narissa felt their probing gazes on her, her heart tightening involuntarily. She maintained a calm demeanor, her expression giving nothing away. "We're about to get engaged, so I thought I'd start packing."

The two of them relaxed, not giving it much thought. Evan casually took out a gift box, revealing a necklace inside. "This is the one I got for you from abroad."

Narissa glanced at it for a few seconds, recognizing it as the same necklace he had given to Liora. Her tone was distant, "Thank you."

Evan frowned at her cold response. In the past, Narissa had always been thrilled to receive gifts from him. She would always smile brightly when he brought something back.

He suddenly realized that it had been a long time since he’d seen her smile.

Drake, noticing her lack of enthusiasm, raised an eyebrow and took out a bright red engagement dress. "I know you don’t want to go out, so I thought I’d pick this one out for you."

Narissa stared at the dress for a few moments. She had seen this dress in a photo before, on Liora.

Narissa had always preferred softer, lighter colors. Only Liora would like such a bright color. Seeing she didn’t smile, Drake felt a pang of anxiety. "What’s wrong? Don’t you like it?"

"I don’t like such bright colors. This color is something only Liora would like."

Upon hearing this, Drake's expression froze. His face shifted between different emotions before he finally spoke, "I thought you girls would like something like this. I’ll take you to pick something you like instead."

Narissa’s smile was faint. "It doesn’t matter anymore. It’s not like I’ll need it."

"How could you not need it..." Drake started to protest, but just then, both their phones vibrated. They checked their phones, exchanged a glance and then turned to Narissa. "We have to step out for work for a while."

Not long after they left, Narissa received photos of them visiting Liora.

It was Christmas Day and her father had taken Wilde out for a trip, leaving the house eerily quiet. Meanwhile, at her brother’s private villa, fireworks lit up the night sky. In the photo, Evan was gently ruffling Liora’s hair with a look of fondness.

Narissa stood alone on the balcony, gazing at the fireworks lighting up the sky. She thought to herself, if they no longer loved her, then she wouldn't need them either.

On the fourth day, she sold all her clothes for money, which she donated to children in impoverished areas. As she looked around at the empty room, Elowen returned and was taken aback. "What's going on here?"

Narissa casually replied, "We're getting engaged. I’m just tidying up in advance."

Ironically, the household maid had sensed she was about to leave, yet her family remained unaware.

Chapter 10

Elowen truly believed her words and didn't take them to heart. He turned to leave.

Narissa called out to him. She stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, bathed in the warmth of the sunlight, her voice soft as she spoke, “Dad, this is the last time I will call you."

For a brief moment, Elowen seemed to see a reflection of his younger days with Astrid. His mind wandered for a moment.

Snapping back to reality, he looked at his daughter, his expression softening somewhat. "Once you're married, stay calm. Whatever mistakes you make after that, no one will be there to help you."

Narissa lowered her gaze, a faint, sarcastic smile playing on her lips. On the fifth day, everyone was busy preparing for Liora’s birthday celebration.

Narissa, on the other hand, spent her money collecting all the videos that exposed Drake’s affair and arranged for the media to publicize them across the entire internet.

She even went as far as purchasing ad space on the big screens on the streets, determined to let everyone know about the affair between Drake and Liora.

Moreover, during this time, she had thoroughly investigated the events where Liora had framed her and now, with irrefutable evidence in hand, it was clear that Liora had orchestrated everything herself.

By the time the truth came to light, they would likely already be on their private island, as Elowen had planned to publicly acknowledge Liora's identity during her birthday celebration that night.

All of this was no longer her concern. She had already booked her ticket and was on a flight overseas.

Meanwhile, on the island, Drake had searched for Narissa everywhere, but couldn’t find her. Eventually, he learned from Evan that she hadn’t come because she was feeling unwell.

Drake was stunned in surprise, “Narissa’s not feeling well?”

Evan, with a hint of impatience in his eyes, replied, “It’s just an excuse. She’s probably off somewhere throwing a tantrum.”

Hearing this, Drake couldn’t hide his concern, “Aren’t you worried about her?”

Evan, with an air of indifference, was slightly taken aback by his sudden concern. He gave Drake a look and said, “She’s always been spoiled and temperamental. It’s probably just another tantrum over Liora.”

He paused, then glanced at Drake curiously, “But you, why are you suddenly concerned? Today’s Liora’s birthday, don’t make her upset.”

Drake’s expression darkened, his gaze toward Evan filled with displeasure. "Evan, Narissa is your own sister."

He furrowed his brows, his fists tightening in frustration. "She’s been acting off these few days and now she’s suddenly gone from home. Didn't you think about these things?"

Evan stood frozen, as if struck by lightning. The smile on his lips froze and he remained silent for a long time.

Drake didn’t wait for him to respond. His face darkened further as he repeatedly dialed Narissa’s number, but it remained unanswered.

For some reason, since the morning, an overwhelming sense of unease gnawed at him.

The unease that had been building inside Drake reached its peak when he learned that Narissa had not arrived. His mind began to replay everything that had happened recently and a wave of guilt washed over him.

In the past few days, due to Liorayao’s birthday, he hadn’t had much time to spend with Narissa. It was only now that he realized Narissa had barely spoken to him lately.

Once she returned, he promised himself he would spend more time with her. But before he could even begin searching for her, his phone buzzed with a message from his assistant. “Mr. Kingsley, your relationship with Miss Liorayao is trending online. You’d better take a look!"

He paused, confused. What could be going on with him and Liorayao? But as soon as he clicked the link, his mind went blank.

The internet was flooded with numerous intimate photos and videos of him, spreading across every platform. The comments were filled with people questioning his relationship with her.

Without hesitation, he turned to his assistant. "Take down the trending topic immediately. Block all information. We can't let Narissa find it out."

As he spoke, his voice trembled with anxiety. He kept telling himself that these things could never reach Narissa. "If we act quickly, Narissa won’t find out."

But the next moment, his secretary’s words shattered all his hopes. The secretary’s voice was filled with panic, "Mr. Kingsley, the trending topic is too big right now. We can’t take it down."

Drake, furious, threw his phone to the ground, his face dark with rage. "Useless!"

He scrambled to use his connections to remove the trending topic, but no sooner had he succeeded than it shot back up again. His frustration reached its peak and he quickly typed a message to Narissa, hoping to explain everything.

‘Narissa, everything online is false. I have nothing to do with her, please believe me.’

Drake couldn’t bear the thought of Narissa, who had always despised cheaters, seeing the news. He couldn’t imagine how furious she would be.

But after hitting send, Drake froze completely. A message appeared on the screen. ‘The message failed to be sent.’

It seemed Narissa had blocked his number.