This was the fifth time the Norman family had come to propose, and Mabel Jackson had already rejected them four times.

But this time, she said yes.

"Alright. I'll marry Samuel. Even if he has to spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair and impotent."

Her grandmother gasped and covered her mouth. "Mabel, are you out of your mind? Samuel isn't just impotent—he's rumored to bring misfortune to his wives! He's already buried three! If you marry him, you're as good as dead!"

Her father, on the other hand, nodded with satisfaction. "You've finally come to your senses. You're not getting any younger, and our family's status is far from what it used to be. Marrying into the Normans could bring us back from the brink, and we can ask them to help cure your mute sister."

The Norman family had a well-known doctor. It was said he only treated the Norman family and their blood relations.

Melvin Jackson couldn't bear to send Anna to her death, so he had always hoped Mabel would be the one to marry into the Norman family. That way, his illegitimate daughter had a chance at being cured and living a normal life.

Mabel shot her father a cold gaze. "I'm not marrying for Anna."

"Then why are you doing it?"

"I just want you to treat Grandma better and let her live the rest of her life in peace."

She clasped her grandmother's hand. Ever since her mother died and Melvin brought his illegitimate daughter into the house, Mabel's days had been full of hardship. The only person who had ever shown her genuine kindness in the Jackson family was Carol Davies.

Mabel had no standing in this household. If she wanted to stop living at the mercy of others, she had to climb higher.

Samuel Norman, the Scion of New York, was her ticket out.

A flicker of guilt flashed in Melvin's eyes. "Don't worry. You're still an heiress of the Jackson family. I'll prepare a proper wedding gift for you."

Hearing this, Mabel let out a cold chuckle. "What does the Jackson family even have left to give me? I don't want anything. Just treat my grandmother well. Also, after I'm married, give my driver, bodyguard, and private chef to your precious daughter, Anna."

"What? You're not taking them with you to the Normans' residence?" Carol asked with a frown. "Mabel, those three have been by your side for three years, and you've always said how no one took care of you like they did."

Mabel shook her head. "I don't want them anymore. I won't live long after the wedding anyway. Besides..."

Besides, the ones they cared about had never been her.

Just a few days ago, at her birthday banquet, her private chef, Brett Torres, quietly replaced all the pre-ordered dishes with Anna's favorites. Even the plating was done according to Anna's preferences.

Mabel was allergic to mango, but the cake that night was mango-flavored, which was Anna's favorite.

When she confronted Brett, he merely said, "The kitchen messed up. If you don't like it, I'll make another."

When she stepped out to get some air, she stumbled upon her driver, Glen Cabrera, masturbating to a photo of Anna in the Lamborghini she had bought him.

With his eyes half-closed, he moaned Anna's name softly.

Seeing this, her heart twisted with pain.

Now, it made sense why Glen had always rejected her.

As she stumbled away from the scene, she bumped into Julian Spears, her bodyguard, who was pinning a man to the ground and beating him until his face was swollen and bruised.

He growled, "Don't go near Ms. Anna again or touch even a strand of her hair. Otherwise, next time, I'll take your life."

She found out later that the man had harassed Anna at the party, and Julian had nearly crippled him in retaliation.

After learning that Glen didn't reciprocate her feelings, Mabel momentarily considered Julian.

One time, she purposefully hid behind him after being harassed and grabbed his waist in hopes of protection. But he shoved her away aggressively.

"I'm a religious man and have no interest in women. Please have some self-respect, Ms. Mabel."

She'd believed him. From then on, she never touched him again.

But she realized it was all a lie that he made up just to reject her because he liked Anna as well.

Mabel finally understood why all three of them had appeared in her life. They were never there for her but for Anna.

That night, she ordered an investigation into the backgrounds of all three.

What she discovered shocked her as none of them were ordinary people. They were actually heirs to three of Los Angeles' most prominent families.

They had hidden their identities and worked at the Jackson residence to avoid scaring Anna away, hoping to stay close and win her heart over time.

This realization left Mabel smiling wryly to herself.

It's no wonder she couldn't win their hearts no matter how hard she tried because they had already given them to Anna.

To compensate her, Melvin handed Mabel a credit card, so she could purchase some nice outfits and jewels before the wedding.

After all, the man she was marrying was no ordinary person, so she couldn't look shabby.

The first thing Mabel did with the card was look for Glen.

When she pushed open his room door, she caught sight of him hastily shoving a custom-made doll into the cabinet.

She saw clearly that it was a doll modeled after Anna.

It seemed like Glen was no longer satisfied with just using photos to satisfy himself.

"Ms. Mabel, didn't anyone teach you to knock before entering someone's room?"

Even after being caught, he didn't react much. He remained composed, aloof, and indifferent.

Mabel crossed her arms and gave a sarcastic look. "The door was open, and I did knock. You were just too focused on whatever was in that cabinet to hear it."

His expression remained indifferent as he asked, "What do you want?"

"Come with me to the mall. I need to shop."

"It seems like it's going to rain. You shouldn't go out now, Ms. Mabel." Glen glanced at the watch on his wrist, his voice flat.

She nearly laughed aloud. She knew it was almost noon, and Anna would be returning from her hospital visit soon. It was clear Glen simply didn't want to leave.

"If I can't go out just because it might rain, what do I even need a driver for?"

"Ms. Anna's coming back soon. Aren't you going to spend time with her?"

Mabel's chest tightened as she saw his expression.

Glen was the first man she had feelings for. However, she gave up after less than six months of trying. He was nothing like she had imagined. He was cold, indifferent to everyone, and disliked going out.

Now she understood that every time he tried to stop her from leaving around noon, it wasn't about the weather. It was because he wanted to see Anna, who returned from treatment at precisely that time each day.

"What are you going to do if I don't want to spend time with her?" Mabel raised her brow and challenged. "If you don't want to go, then don't bother staying in the Jackson residence anymore. Get out."

Glen frowned, surprised by her attitude. "What's gotten into you today?"

She'd never treated him like this before. Normally, whenever they met, she'd flirt with him or purposefully fall into his embrace. But today, she seemed distant.

She offered him no warmth. "I'm the heiress while you're just an employee. If you don't want to be my driver, then leave."

"I'll come with you." He stood from his chair and walked over to Mabel's side.

They headed downstairs together. Halfway down, Mabel spotted Brett, who was supposed to be in the kitchen, and Julian, who usually stayed in the training room. Both were standing in the living room, grinning warmly at Anna, who had just returned home.

She had never seen them smile with such tenderness and affection.

"Are you going out, Mabel?" Anna looked at her when she spotted her.

Mabel didn't respond, but Melvin suddenly spoke up. "You should go together. Anna hasn't shopped in a while either."

Before she could respond, Julian and Brett had already stepped forward.

"I'll come as well to protect... Ms. Mabel," said Julian.

"I need to shop for tonight's ingredients," Brett added.

Their intentions were obvious, and Mabel couldn't even bother to expose them. They were just using any excuse to be around Anna.

At the mall, Mabel bought a number of outfits. Meanwhile, Anna stood quietly by the side and didn't buy a thing.

The three men kept urging her to pick something, but Anna only signed back, "Dad gave the money to Mabel. I shouldn't spend it."

It wasn't until Mabel picked out a white evening gown that Anna tugged on her sleeve. "Mabel, I really like this one. Can I have it?"

Mabel's tone was cold as she asked, "Why should I give it to you? Haven't you taken enough from me already?"

Anna bit her lip and started crying after hearing her remarks.

The three men panicked when they saw her crying.

Glen's gaze turned sharp, like a blade, and he glared at Mabel. "It's just a dress. Why won't you give it to Ms. Anna?"

Julian's voice was filled with hostility. "You already have so many while Ms. Anna hasn't bought a single thing. Don't you think that's unfair?"

"Ms. Mabel, your attitude toward your sister is appalling!" Brett's tone was even worse.

Mabel's eyes and voice went cold as she saw them all rush to defend Anna. "Unfair? You're talking to me about fairness for an illegitimate child? Oh, stop making me laugh!"

Anna burst into tears and ran away as soon as she finished speaking.

"Don't blame Mabel. I'm fine. I'll go first," she choked out before leaving.

Seeing this, the three men didn't hesitate and ran after her.

And just like that, Mabel was left alone despite the fact that she had hired all three of them in the first place.

When she left the mall, it really started to pour.

Glen didn't come to pick her up, and Julian was nowhere to be seen either.

She tried to hail a cab, but they just kept driving away one after another and didn't stop for her.

The sky darkened gradually. She held up her umbrella and walked aimlessly along the street, bored and restless.

Just as she lost her sense of direction, a few thugs jumped out from a nearby alley and blocked her path.

"Hey beautiful, where you headed?"

"Aren't you lonely being all alone? Do you want us to keep you company?"

Mabel became alarmed when she noticed the men's sinister expressions. She instinctively yelled out, "Julian! Help me!"

But Julian didn't appear. Instead, one of the men who got agitated by her cries lunged forward and grabbed her.

"Mm, you smell good. I've never had a woman of this caliber before!"

"Guys, drag her into the alley! Let's have some real fun!"

"No! Let me go! Julian! Where are you? Help me!" Her fear intensified and swallowed her whole. She screamed, kicking and punching at the men, but one of them struck her hard across the face.

"Bitch, if you keep screaming I'll kill you!"

The slap left her ears ringing. Her strength drained, and the men dragged her into the alley.

One pinned her down, straddling her waist, and reached for her clothes while another leaned in, breathed in her scent, and desperately kissed her neck.

"I can't hold it anymore, I'm taking you now!"

Mabel wanted to fight back, but she didn't have the strength.

As she watched the raindrops fall slowly beneath the streetlamp, a dreadful thought crept in. She believed it'd be easier if she just died there.

After all, no one loved her anymore besides Carol.

But the next second, she saw Anna's face.

Anna signed. "Mabel, don't be afraid. We're here to save you!"

The man pinning Mabel down was yanked away. Julian and Glen fought the thugs and took them down in moments.

Meanwhile, Brett removed his jacket and put it over her shoulders. "Ms. Mabel, are you okay?"

"How are you here?" Mabel looked around, dazed. She was already some distance from the mall. What were the chances they'd just happen to be here?

"We've actually been following you." Anna signed. "When I saw you were in danger, I wanted to help right away. But Julian said that we needed to teach you a lesson. Knowing how terror feels can help you to be less selfish the next time. Are you okay?"

Mabel pressed her lips together, and tears rolled down her cheek without warning as she watched Anna's hands move around.

She slowly looked up, disbelief evident in her eyes as she stared at the three men in front of her.

They had been there the entire time, watched her get attacked, heard her scream for help, yet did absolutely nothing.

Her heart shattered into pieces.

Anna reached out to support her, but she snapped, "Don't touch me!"

Julian stepped in front of her protectively. "What's wrong with you? If Anna hadn't insisted on saving you, you'd already be ruined!"

Glen's tone was cold. "You really are hopeless."

Crushed with disappointment, Mabel limped out of the alley.

The car was parked along the roadside. She got in and didn't say another word.

As soon as they arrived home, their father hurried out to welcome them.

"Anna, you are finally back! Look at this! One of Los Angeles' big three families just sent over a full load of betrothal gifts, asking for your hand in marriage!"

Mabel walked inside and was greeted with a room filled with jewelry and accessories.

There was gold, jewelry, luxury clothes, shoes, and special edition handbags. It was too many to count.

Anna shook her head in surprise, signing that she had no idea what was going on.

Mabel's gaze shifted to the three men standing by the door.

The faint smiles on their faces pierced her heart like needles.

The Cabrera family spokesperson was the first to speak. "Mr. Cabrera mentioned that he would get Ms. Anna whatever she desires. He would even bring the stars in the sky down for her if she asked for them."

The Torres family followed. "When Mr. Torres heard that Ms. Anna couldn't find anything she liked today, he bought out every store in Los Angeles. Ms. Anna, you can go pick any clothes you want whenever you like."

"Ms. Anna, since you like white gowns, we've packed over a hundred, complete with matching shoes and accessories for you. If you wish, we could supply new ones every day for you to select from," the Spears family added as well.

The three of them had gone to such tremendous lengths to satisfy Anna. Just because she didn't get the dress she desired, they were throwing the world at her feet.

Melvin wrapped an arm affectionately around Anna. "My precious daughter, look how adored you are! These are the three most powerful families in the city. Marrying any one of them would bring you endless happiness!"

"Dad, I'm still young. I don't want to get married yet." Anna signed quickly. "And besides, I think Glen, Julian, and Brett are all very nice! I'm not someone who only values money or status!"

Hearing her say this, all three men wore looks of admiration.

However, Mabel broke the moment. Her voice was cold as she said, "I'm sorry for disturbing everyone, but choosing a husband can wait. Right now, I have something more important to deal with. I'd like those not related to this household to leave."

The servants of all three families exchanged confused glances and were just about to step out when she continued, "While I was shopping today, my driver disappeared. On the way home, I was attacked and nearly raped. My bodyguard only showed up at the last moment. And now that I'm home, the chef hasn't even prepared dinner. Since the three of you failed your duties today, shouldn't you be punished?"

The three men exchanged glances, but neither spoke first.

Mabel added, "If you don't want to be punished, leave the Jackson residence right now, and don't ever show your faces to me again."

Glen answered immediately once she had done speaking. "I failed to do my duty. I'll accept whatever punishment you have for me."

"So will I," Julian said. "Do as you please."

"Me too," Brett added.

When Mabel saw their reactions, she let out a sneer silently.

She couldn't believe the heirs of the three major families were actually willing to accept punishment for Anna.

It seemed like her charm really was something else.

"How dare you! Do you even know who they are?" one of the servants blurted out, unable to hold it in.

But Glen immediately stopped him. "This is a Jackson family matter. Leave us."

Julian lowered his eyes and asked softly, "How do you want to punish us?"

Mabel's voice was steady. "Each of you let me slap you three times."

Brett frowned. "What?"

"If you don't want to, then feel free to leave."

Glen was the first to agree. "Fine. I accept."

The other two had no choice but to agree as well. "We accept as well."

"No! They didn't fulfill their duty today because they were with me the whole time. Please, don't punish them. If anyone should be punished, it's me!"

Anna ran forward, standing in front of the three men to shield them.

Mabel raised an eyebrow. "Alright then."

The next second, she hit Anna in the face twice, quickly and hard.

"Anna!" All three men rushed to her side in panic.

Glen grabbed Mabel's wrist. "What are you doing, Ms. Mabel? Are you insane? How could you hit her—she's so kind!"

"If you have to hit somebody, hit me! Do not touch her!" Julian shouted.

"I won't let you lay another hand on her!" Brett asserted.

Mabel looked at them and gently caressed her burning palm.

"She asked to take your punishment. I simply granted her wish."

At this point, Melvin finally couldn't take it anymore and growled, "That's enough! Get back to your room!"

"Fine." Mabel nodded and cast one last glance at the three men. "Remember that you each still owe me six slaps."

Back in her room, Mabel walked into the bathroom, turned on the shower, and let the cold water soak her hair and body.

She showered for a long time, washing herself with body wash and desperately attempting to remove the stench of those thugs off her skin.

Her eyes welled up with tears as she remembered how, while she was being assaulted, the three of them simply stood by and watched.

After showering, Mabel picked up a hidden photograph of her late mother that she had stashed away in her room.

Her mother's smiling face brought her a sliver of warmth.

"Mom, I miss you so much."

She was exhausted and fell asleep right on the carpet while hugging the photo close.

An unexpected thunderstorm awoke her in the middle of the night as lightning and thunder crashed outside.

She was just about to shut the window when a shadow caught her eye.

Before she could react, she felt pain in her shoulder, and everything went black in the next second.

When she woke up again, she was lost in the middle of a deep mountain forest.

It was already daybreak, and it was raining heavily.

Mabel was completely soaked, and her eyesight was blurry.

"Is anyone there?" she called out around her, but no one answered.

Panic rose in her chest as she fumbled in her pocket for her phone and called Glen.

She called him 99 times, and each one was declined.

The rain eventually stopped, and the sun blazed overhead.

Her heart froze as she stared down at her slowly dying phone.

She was already cold to the bone and starving, barely able to hold on.

"The hundredth time. Glen, this is the last time I'll call you."

This time, he answered. "Hello, Ms. Mabel."

"Why didn't you answer my calls?" She was trembling with rage.

However, his tone was distant as he replied casually, "I'm sorry. Ms. Anna was going out for morning tea, so I decided to accompany her. I'll come get you after dropping her off."

Hearing this, Mabel froze. "How do you know where I am?"

Glen didn't answer and cut the call.

"How could you be so cruel!" She smashed her phone to the ground in a fury.

She knew that this was all his doing.

He actually went to such lengths to stand up for Anna.

Mabel staggered to her feet and made her way out of the forest mountain.

By the time she reached the roadside, her feet were bloodied, and her stomach was growling from hunger.

She walked from sunrise to sunset before finally managing to catch a ride home.

The moment she stepped inside, the servants rushed over.

Seeing her disheveled appearance, they quickly helped her up. "Ms. Mabel, are you alright?"

"I'm starving. Where's Brett? Tell him to make me something to eat."

She licked her cracked lips and collapsed into a chair by the dining table.

But what she got was nothing more than a cold meal.

Brett stood in front of her with an expressionless face and said, "Dinner hours have passed. This is all that's left."

Mabel took a quick peek over the meals and noticed they were all Anna's favorites.

At that moment, her fury exploded.

She swept the entire table of food onto the floor and barked, "Brett, you're my chef! Not Anna's!"

"Ms. Anna is your younger sister, and it's just a meal. There's no need to be so petty." His tone was laced with disdain.

Mabel felt like her entire body was in agony, as though her organs were being torn apart.

She had always treated Brett well. The kitchen utensils were all custom-made to his liking, and even the decor was chosen to suit his taste.

She had forgiven him countless times for messing up the flavors, thinking it was just an accident.

But the truth was, she should've known that he had always been cooking Anna's favorite dishes.

It wasn't just one meal. By now, it had probably been hundreds.

"That's enough. I don't want to hear anymore. If you hate cooking for me so much, you won't have to anymore once I'm married."

"What?"

Her voice was so soft that Brett hadn't quite caught what she said.

"Nothing." She glanced around the living room before asking, "Where's Julian?"

"He's not here."

"Where did he go?"

"Ms. Anna is attending a banquet tonight. He went with her to protect her."

It felt as if a sword had been plunged directly through her chest. Mabel pulled her pale lips together in a line.

"Show me last night's surveillance footage of the second floor."

In the surveillance room, Mabel pulled up the footage from the early hours of the previous night.

She recognized the group of people that had taken her into the forested mountains.

They were the Cabrera family's bodyguards.

So, Glen really was the one behind this.

Julian had also heard the commotion and rushed out from the next room, thinking that something had happened to Anna.

Even though he saw Mabel being taken away, he did nothing.

He even lingered in front of Anna's door for a long time and only returned to his own room once he was sure she was sound asleep.

The dull ache in Mabel's chest turned into a sharp knife that twisted relentlessly. The pain was so intense she could hardly breathe.

She had told herself not to care, yet it still hurt so much.

Mabel sat in her room, dazed, for quite some time before Carol entered.

"Mabel, you were gone all day yesterday. Where did you go?"

Not wanting to worry her, Mabel shook her head and lied, "I was just out taking care of something. Sorry for making you worry, Grandma."

"What happened to your arms and legs?"

After walking all day, her arms were scraped by thorns, and her legs were covered in cuts.

She looked completely battered, yet Brett hadn't even asked about it.

However, Carol noticed it right away.

By now, Mabel clearly understood who truly cared for her and who never did.

"It's nothing, just a little fall. Grandma, did you need something?"

"You're getting married tomorrow. I don't have much to give you, but this bracelet was left to me by my mother, and now I want to give it to my dearest granddaughter." As Carol spoke, she began to cry. She slipped an emerald bracelet onto Mabel's wrist.

"Thank you, Grandma. Are you sure you don't want to give it to Anna? She's always wanted it."

"Don't be silly. You're the one I love most, so of course it's for you." Carol stroked her hair gently. "You're getting married soon, but I can't bear to let you go."

Unable to hold it in, Mabel threw herself into her arms and cried for a long time. It wasn't until her friend called, inviting her to a bachelorette party, that she finally got ready to leave.

As she walked downstairs, Glen and Julian had just returned.

When Glen saw her, he approached first. "Ms. Mabel, where are you going? I can drive you."

"I wouldn't dare trouble you. Who knows if I so much as look away for a second, someone might take advantage of it to dump me in the middle of nowhere and leave me to find my own way back."

He frowned in response to her remarks.

He wondered if she knew what happened yesterday.

"What do you mean by that, Ms. Mabel?"

However, Mabel didn't even bother looking at him. "There's no need to drive me. I'm driving today."

"I'll go with you." Julian followed after her, but she stopped at the door.

"Anna's going to a friend's birthday party tonight, isn't she? She's so beautiful. What if something happens to her?"

Upon hearing this, he stopped in his tracks.

Mabel curled her lips into a cold, mocking smile, then drove away without looking back.

In Julian's heart, Anna would always come first.

At the Scarlet Club, Mabel was in an extremely bad mood. After a few drinks, she soon lost her ability to stand.

"Ms. Mabel, stop drinking. Who irritated you this time? Is it your driver, bodyguard, or chef?"

"Why did you guess those three? Couldn't there be anyone else who'd make me upset?" she mumbled.

"Oh, come on, Ms. Mabel. Lately, you haven't talked about any other man. It's always the same complaints where your chef forgets to cook for you, your driver vanishes to pick someone else up, or your bodyguard takes time off and leaves you to get hurt..."

Mabel slumped on the couch, sobering slightly. "Is that so? I've let them hurt me that much, huh? But it won't happen again because I'm firing all of them!"

"What about your sexual happiness if you marry Samuel? The man isn't even functional! And on top of that, he's cursed! Every wife he's had has ended up dead!"

Mabel didn't care. "So what? I am not scared. If I die, I will die. What is there to be afraid of?"

Her friends exchanged glances and felt pity for her, but none of them said a word.

"Well, let's drink like there's no tomorrow! We're not going home until we're completely wasted!"

After finishing their drinks, the group headed back to the dance floor.

Mabel had majored in dance and moved with striking grace.

Fueled by alcohol, her dancing grew wild and reckless, instantly drawing the attention of every man in the room.

One of them approached her and wrapped his arm around her waist. "Miss, let me buy you a drink?"

She tried to push him away, but her strength was gone, and her resistance looked more like flirting.

The man grabbed her and tried to drag her off. "Come on, let's get a booth."

When she refused, he pulled harder and twisted her wrist painfully. Thus, she turned and slapped him across the face. "Let me go!"

"Bitch! You don't know what's good for you, huh?"

With that, he lifted her up in his arms and began carrying her upstairs.

Her friends were still lost in the music and completely unaware of what was happening.

"Ms. Anna, take it easy with the drinks."

At that moment, Julian and Glen had arrived at the bar with Anna.

By chance, her classmate's birthday celebration was held at the same location.

Anna nodded sweetly and took a small sip. But as she lifted her head, she saw Mabel being dragged upstairs.

She frowned and thought, "What a small world."

"Let me go!" Mabel struggled with all her might. In the chaos, she caught sight of Julian and Glen. "Julian! Glen! Help me!"

When both men heard her voice, they glanced up at her.

"Ms. Mabel."

Just when she thought she was saved, they turned away and ran in the opposite direction.

Anna was in danger, so they hurried to protect her.

"Ms. Anna, are you alright? Did anything happen? Do you feel sick? Do you want to go to the hospital?"

Even as she shook her head in firm refusal, Glen said nothing but simply scooped her up and carried her out.

Meanwhile, Julian merely glanced back at Mabel before following them closely.

At that moment, Mabel gave up on all of them.

The man carried her into a private room and threw her hard onto the sofa before climbing on top of her.

But she grabbed a vase from the table, smashed it, and pressed a shard to her own neck, threatening him, "If you touch me, I'll die right in front of you."

The determination in her eyes made him freeze. "Whoa, don't go that far! We're just here to have fun!"

She did not speak but merely pushed the shard deeper, and blood welled up instantly.

"Psycho!" he cursed and stormed out.

Only then did Mabel gradually drop her hand.

She was utterly exhausted.

Mabel couldn't even remember how she got home. All she knew was that when she arrived, the three of them were waiting for her outside her bedroom door.

Glen noticed the wound on her neck and frowned. "What happened?"

Mabel didn't answer and asked instead, "Did you want something?"

"Ms. Mabel," he began, "Ms. Anna can't speak, and that's already difficult enough for her. We're here to ask you to please stop hurting her."

Mabel chuckled. "Hurt her? When did I ever hurt her?"

Julian's expression turned sour. "Weren't you the one who sent those men to target Ms. Anna tonight? And then you shouted for help on purpose to distract me?"

"Who told you I was the one behind that? Is that really what you all think of me?"

Brett finally spoke after a pause. "Ms. Anna has always treated you with nothing but sincerity. You shouldn't repay her like this."

The three of them came to her in the middle of the night, not out of worry for her but for Anna.

Suddenly, Mabel felt cold. The chill spread from her chest through her entire body, and she couldn't stop trembling. "Get out all of you!"

"If you really can't stand Ms. Anna, then maybe you should consider getting married. I believe a lot of men would be willing. If you want, Mr. Cabrera can marry you."

"Mr. Torres is willing, too."

"And Mr. Spears as well."

"What now? You can all speak on behalf of the three major families? Don't all of you want to marry Anna?" Mabel retorted.

She couldn't believe that they were all willing to sacrifice their marriages just to stop her from hurting Anna.

But as they wished, she would get married tomorrow.

The room fell silent. After a long pause, Mabel finally spoke. "Don't worry. I'll stop 'hurting' her soon enough."

Glen's voice rose in urgency. "So, have you decided who you're going to marry?"

"Anyone but you." Then, Mabel raised a hand to pinch the bridge of her nose. "I'm tired. You all should leave."

The three had no option but to turn and go. Glen, however, paused and returned her gaze shortly before leaving.

"Ms. Mabel, you truly have everything. You have everything you've ever wanted. Your wardrobe is stuffed with clothes, your jewelry box is overflowing, and you have far more than Ms. Anna has. Could you just be a bit gentler to her? She can't even talk. You, at least, still can."

With that, he left.

The door shut behind them, and the last trace of light vanished from the room.

As Glen's words echoed in her mind, she let out a bitter laugh.

She didn't know why they assumed she was happy.

On her 16th birthday, her mother committed herself by jumping from a building after learning of her father's infidelity and the presence of his illegitimate daughter.

Every piece in her closet was what Anna had already tried on and rejected. It was the same for the jewelry. They only reached her after Anna didn't want it.

She never wanted those things. But her father had warned her that if she didn't wear them, she was forbidden from going out and bringing shame to the family name.

It wasn't her fault that Anna was born mute, yet everyone treated her like she was the cause of it.

Now, to make up for it, she was being forced to marry Samuel—the crippled, impotent Scion of New York from the Norman family.

And still, Glen said she was the lucky one?

She closed her eyes, and a tear slipped down her cheek.

By dawn, Mabel had packed everything.

Through the window, she saw the Norman family's Maybach already parked outside. It had been waiting for quite some time.

Her father stepped in. "Are you ready? Someone from the Norman family is here. It's time for you to leave. Your grandmother couldn't bear to watch you go, so she's not coming. You will be on your own now, so be careful over there."

"I know." She then gestured toward the room. "There's too much stuff. I'm not taking any of it. Please help me throw it all away."

"Throw it away? Are you not coming back?"

"I don't even know if I'll make it out alive." She smiled faintly. Even if she did survive, she would never come back.

"And what about those three?" Melvin hesitated.

"Like I said, they belong with Anna."

She dragged her bag downstairs and spotted Brett in the kitchen. Breakfast was cooked.

"Ms. Mabel, I've made your breakfast."

"It's not my favorite. Give it to Anna."

As she approached the front door, Glen came hurrying over. "Ms. Mabel, are you using the car today?"

She wanted to say that she had a long journey ahead, but before she could, he cut her off and said, "I was planning to take Ms. Anna to the hospital."

"Go ahead," she replied indifferently.

Seeing the change in her attitude, he frowned. "So you did hear what I said last night."

He thought their words had finally reached her. What he didn't know was that she didn't need them anymore.

"Ms. Mabel," Julian called out as he helped Anna down the stairs. "Ms. Anna was assaultedyesterday, and she's in a frightened state. I'd like to take a day off to stay with her."

"Sure." Mabel agreed without even thinking. "Take as much time off as you want."

"What?" Julian hadn't caught what she said, and neither did the others, as their full attention was on Anna.

"Nothing. I'm leaving now. Goodbye."

She dragged her suitcase behind her and walked out of the Jackson residence without looking back.

Glen stared at her retreating figure, his lips pressed into a thin line.

He noticed that in just a few days, she seemed like a completely different person.

If it had been the old her, she would have thrown a fit today. Despite the fact that none of them were with her, she remained calm.

Julian looked up and said, "Ms. Mabel has grown up."

Brett sneered. "Or maybe she's just weighing her options, deciding which one of us to marry. Once she gets back from this trip, our peaceful days are over."

Mabel got into the Maybach and instructed the driver, "Start the car."

The Norman family's driver noticed the empty front steps and inquired, "Is there no one to see you off, Ms. Jackson?"

Mabel turned her head for one last glance at the old estate, then shook her head. "No one."

The car sped off, leaving dust in its wake, and she pulled her gaze back.

From that moment on, she would never fight Anna for anything again.