The airport lounge.

Eloise Claire scrolled through her phone out of boredom. Suddenly, a video title caught her eye. "What's the Most Willingly You've Ever Done for an Ex You Couldn't Forget?"

Curious, she tapped it open. The screen was pitch black, but as soon as a familiar voice came through, she froze.

"My ex was into beauty. She wanted a nose job," the man said with a light chuckle, like he was remembering something sweet. "But she was scared of the pain, so she ended up using my rib."

Someone in the video whistled. "What's that saying again? A woman is made from a man's rib, right? Damn, Leon, that's real love right there!"

The man just laughed and didn't deny it.

The moment she heard the name Leon, her pupils contracted slightly. She was almost certain that it was Leon Brunner—her fiancé.

His voice continued, and she unconsciously held her breath.

"She was delicate and wouldn't do a thing herself. I even put on her socks for her.

"Oh—and when we broke up, she swore she'd kill herself if I ever moved on. Said she'd wait for me the rest of her life."

The guys laughed louder, teasing him. "Come on, you're saying you never had any feelings for Eloise?"

The second her name came up, her hands clenched. Sweat gathered in her palms.

"Just a thing," Leon said, his voice low, almost careless. "Nothing worth taking seriously."

The words landed like ice water. Every illusion shattered. A numb chill spread up her spine, and her mind went blank.

"Leon, I'm posting this," someone joked.

"Go ahead," he said coldly.

"You're not scared your fiancée will see it and flip?"

"She's just a toy. I've played long enough. Now that my girl's back, I won't let her get hurt again."

Three years. And she was just a toy to him!

A sharp pain stabbed through her chest. She couldn't breathe.

She sat down, hugging herself tight, as if that could hold her together. The departure lounge buzzed with people, yet no one seemed to notice the girl on the floor—someone clearly out of place.

Until a young woman finally spotted her. She rushed over and said worriedly, "Are you okay? Low blood sugar? I've got candy."

But when Eloise looked up, her pretty face was soaked with tears. A complete wreck.

The sweet-faced young woman froze, a little startled. "Why are you crying?" she asked softly.

Eloise shook her head. She didn't have the strength to answer. The young woman hesitated, then gently pried open Eloise's palm and placed a piece of candy in it.

"Sugar helps with the mood," she said, then walked away.

Eloise popped the candy into her mouth with trembling fingers. No sweetness. Only bitterness, spreading across her tongue.

The boarding call echoed overhead. She stood and walked toward the gate, step by step. Even after settling into her seat, the tears wouldn't stop. Her vision stayed fogged, her eyes burning.

Somewhere in that blur, she saw him again. The first time she met Leon.

Back then, her family life was a wreck. She'd spiraled into depression, deep and consuming. Self-destructive thoughts came often. Too often.

She'd gone up to rooftops more than once. The last time, she stood at the edge, and a man appeared out of nowhere, tall and shadowed, his face obscured in the dark. He looked at her foot hovering on the ledge and swore under his breath. "Fuck!"

Just as she closed her eyes and leaned forward, arms numb, he grabbed her from behind and yanked her back. That time, she saw his face clearly.

Sharp jawline and charming eyes. Lips pressed into a thin, unhappy line. He smelled faintly of alcohol.

"Trying to die?" he snapped, voice sharp, eyes cold—like he was looking at a lunatic.

But Eloise only smiled—a sudden, bright, unruly smile. For the first time in a long while, something rippled in her still, dead heart.

She didn't want to die anymore.

Looking up at the tall, handsome stranger, she held out her hand. "I'm Eloise. Wanna date?"

The man looked at her with interest, his eyes almost like he was seeing someone else through her. "Sure."

Just like that, two strangers became lovers.

Leon took her to one therapist after another. He handled her emotions like glass—carefully, patiently. She changed. She laughed again.

When she mumbled about craving pulled pork at midnight, he'd drive across half the city to get it; When she cried from anxiety in the middle of the night, he held her tight, staying awake until morning just to keep her steady.

She'd once believed he loved her—the way she loved him. But now, everything told her otherwise.

It had all been a dream. A dream so fragile and broken, no piece could fit back together.

She wiped her tears and took out her phone. The plane hadn't taken off yet. She dialed the number.

"I'll go through with the engagement," she said.

Eloise was the illegitimate daughter of the Claire family in California. Her mother had once been the patriarch's first love. But under family pressure, he'd married a more "suitable" woman, even though her mother was already pregnant at the time.

Before she died, Eloise's mother made him promise to take care of her. Eloise still remembered how stunned and small she felt the first time she saw Claire's manor.

It looked like a palace. A place that had trapped her mother—and now, trapped her too.

No one in the Claire family liked her. Even the maids called her a bastard. Yvonne Claire, the daughter of the official wife, had bullied her since childhood.

Later, Eloise's father forced her into an arranged marriage with the son of the Bronner family—a man rumored to be hideously ugly—just to keep Yvonne from being married off instead.

She stared at the WhatsApp contact her father sent her, fingers trembling slightly. Then she steeled herself and tapped "Add to contact."

Leon was possessive and controlling. Even if he didn't love her, he wouldn't let her go. The only way out was to marry someone else.

She typed, "Hi, I'm Eloise."

No reply. She blinked, confused, then felt a light tap on her shoulder.

"Hey!"

She turned. It was the same sweet-faced young woman from the airport. Pale, too pale—like illness clung to her skin.

"I'm Aurelie. What's your name?"

"Eloise."

"Don't be sad, okay? Everything passes eventually. I've been through a lot too, and I got through it."

Eloise's anxious heart settled a little. She stared out the window, dazed, watching the clouds drift by. Today was Leon's birthday. She'd traveled back overnight from another state just to celebrate with him. She hadn't slept at all.

But earlier, he'd told her he didn't have time to pick her up. Her thumb rubbed absently along the edge of her phone as she followed the crowd off the plane.

Then—a voice. It sounded too familiar.

"Ellie."

Eloise's head snapped up. Not far ahead, Leon stood in a black suit, waving at Aurelie Berna. His face was soft, and his gaze was warm, resembling still water in the sun.

Eloise's heart dropped. Her hand clenched tightly around the hem of her dress. "Didn't he say he didn't have time?" she thought.

As Eloise stood frozen, Leon—like he sensed something—suddenly looked in her direction. The moment he saw her, his brows drew together in a faint frown.

"Come here, Eloise." His tone left no room for argument, and she forced herself forward.

The moment Aurelie saw her, she blinked in surprise, then broke into a big, bright smile. "Oh, it's you! You must be Leon's girlfriend, right?"

Eloise stared at her for a second. "And you're..."

Before Leon could answer, Aurelie jumped in. "I'm his cousin."

Leon frowned but didn't say anything.

When they got to the car, Aurelie offered to take the back seat. Eloise nodded and was just about to climb into the passenger seat when Leon stopped her.

"Sit in the back. Ellie's not feeling well. It's uncomfortable back there."

He looked serious and calm, like it was nothing. Eloise hesitated, then slowly stepped back and didn't say a word. But the bitter taste in her mouth wouldn't fade.

She got carsick easily, and Leon knew that. In their three years together, she had never once sat in the back seat.

The tension thickened. Aurelie quickly tried to ease it, chirping about games they could play at the birthday dinner later.

Eloise just sat there, silent.

Leon frowned again, glancing over at her. "What's with you today? Why are you being so off?"

A sharp pain stabbed through her chest, like someone had rammed a knife right in. He knew she didn't like crowds. He'd always known...

Outside the window, rain started to fall. Typical southern weather—changing in a blink.

Then her phone rang. It was her father. "Elle, clear out your things from the room. The new maid needs a place to stay."

The Claire's manor had more rooms than anyone could count. And they couldn't spare even one?

Silence filled the car. Stifling. Eloise felt heat rising in her cheeks, like someone had slapped her hard.

She closed her eyes. Exhausted.

"I want to get out."

Leon didn't stop. "No time to take you back. The party's starting. Ellie's been abroad for years—everyone's excited to see her."

Eloise's nails dug into her palms. Her eyes burned. The tears almost fell, but she tilted her head back and swallowed them down.

Her mother's keepsakes were still at Claire's manor. If she didn't get them soon, they'd probably toss them out.

"No need to take me. Stop the car."

Leon kept driving. Aurelie frowned and lightly tapped his arm, her voice sweet as syrup. "Stop the car. She looks like she's in a rush. Must be important. Aren't you her boyfriend? Try acting like it."

The air went still, and the car pulled over immediately.

Eloise gave Leon a long look, then turned to Aurelie and said softly, "Thanks."

Aurelie smiled, sugar-sweet. "Don't mention it. There should be an umbrella in the trunk."

Eloise blinked, then shook her head. She opened the door with a pale, graceful hand.

The moment she stepped out, the car sped off like it was fleeing a curse.

She let out a bitter laugh. Three years of dating, and she never even knew he kept an umbrella in the car.

The rain hit hard, cold, and cutting. She kicked off her heels and walked barefoot all the way back to Claire's manor.

Lights blazed inside the house. Glass shattered somewhere. She rushed in too fast. A sharp, stinging shot through her foot—glass had sliced it open. She flinched.

The maids stood stiffly in the yard, eyes cold and judgmental. She ignored them until she saw what was on the floor. Her eyes snapped wide.

A photo frame that was cracked beyond saving. Inside the frame was a picture of a beautiful woman holding a girl's hand, which was now soaked and smeared with water.

Her chest ached. Her heels slipped from her hand, landing with a dull thud. She knelt and picked up the frame, her fingers trembling over the ruined photo.

"Mom..." Her whisper broke the silence.

"Well, isn't this Eloise, the first daughter of the Claire family? What happened to you? I thought you landed the Brunner family heir. Why do you still look like a wreck?"

A sharp, arrogant voice rang out. Eloise looked up and locked eyes with the woman descending the stairs. Hatred flared in her gaze.

Her face was pale. She spoke through clenched teeth, "Yvonne, whatever you've got to say, say it to me. This was the last thing my mom left me."

Yvonne let out a mocking laugh like she'd just heard the world's best joke.

"And? That doesn't make it special. She's not my mom." She examined her freshly manicured nails, her voice full of scorn.

"Your precious Leon just proposed to his ex at the birthday party. And you're here crying over your mommy?"

Then Yvonne tossed her phone toward Eloise, the screen already lit up with a paused video. The man in the video was Leon. And the woman standing across from him... was Aurelie.

Eloise's pupils shrank. Her ankle throbbed, the pain flaring up. Her eyes turned red, and the tears were close.

Seeing her go pale, Yvonne smiled with satisfaction. She took her phone from Eloise's hand and put it away. "Heard you finally agreed to that arranged marriage with Dad, huh? Should've done it earlier. Sure, Mr. Bronner is ugly, but he's loaded. Just like your gold-digging mom—both of you love money."

Yvonne lounged on the couch like a queen tossing scraps. "Dad says the wedding's in 20 days."

Eloise's fingers curled into fists. She was about to snap—when Yvonne suddenly added with a grin, "Oh, and by the way—Leon's ex said no."

Eloise didn't even know how she made it back to the apartment. One hand clutched her heels, and the other held the photo tight to her chest. Still, it got soaked. The woman's beautiful face blurred even more.

She collapsed to the cold floor and broke down. Cried hard. She wiped the photo again and again, but her tears kept falling, smudging everything. Her sobs turned ragged. She lay there, gasping.

Then, a knock at the door. The next second, a pair of black leather shoes stepped into view.

Leon stood there, staring at her curled up on the floor. His brow twitched. He picked her up and set her on the couch, his face full of frustrated pity.

"I just didn't take you to Claire's manor. Was that really such a big deal?"

Was it?

Right then, Eloise saw it clearly. The man she loved wasn't the same anymore and hadn't been for a long time.

Before she left Claire's manor, she heard the whole story. Leon and Aurelie were a perfect match. Talented guy—beautiful girl. Everyone used to envy them. No one knew why they broke up.

Back then, they were California's golden couple. Aurelie would mention some tiny little thing, and Leon would remember it like scripture.

She looked at the man in front of her and gave a bitter smile. So this is what it feels like—when someone doesn't love you. It's painfully obvious.

Even if he'd treated her well these past three years, she could still tell—he was looking through her, missing someone else.

She pulled away from his arms, her voice calm, distant. "It's a big deal."

Leon yanked at his tie, annoyed and drained.

"It's just something small." Then he got up and left. The door slammed behind him. Loud. Final.

Eloise flinched. A second later, her phone buzzed. It was a message from Yvonne. A photo. Her tears slipped out again and hit the screen. Leon was standing outside Aurelie's place. Arms full of roses. But Aurelie never came down.

That night, Eloise barely slept a wink.

This apartment had been a gift from Leon. He said it was meant to be her safety net. But Eloise didn't want it anymore. She took the deed to the property office and had the name changed back to Leon's.

"I'll return everything you gave me," she thought.

Staring out at the green trees beyond the window, she felt herself drift. It had been a long time since she'd really looked at the world outside.

Suddenly, her phone buzzed—a message from Aurelie. After a long pause, Eloise replied to it.

Aurelie asked to meet at a café. When Eloise arrived, Aurelie was already seated, smiling brightly the moment she walked in. "Hey, Elle! Want something to drink?"

Eloise froze for half a second, then walked over slowly and pulled out the chair. It had been so long since anyone called her that. To most, she was just "Eloise." To the Claire family, she was "the bastard daughter." And only Leon used to call her "Elle."

Now she realized—even that had probably just been his way of remembering Aurelie.

"Whatever's fine."

Maybe it was the exhaustion on her face or the silence that hung between them, but Aurelie let out a quiet sigh.

"Elle, I'm sorry."

Eloise froze, staring at Aurelie with confusion clouding her eyes.

Aurelie stirred her coffee slowly, her expression dimming.

"I have a congenital heart condition," she said quietly. "I won't live past 25. My birthday's in less than two weeks."

The words hit like a bomb. Eloise's hand clenched tightly around the hem of her dress. She didn't understand why Aurelie was telling her this.

"I lied to you that day. I'm not Leon's cousin," Aurelie went on. "We were once a couple. But when I went abroad for treatment, I broke up with him."

Eloise sat in silence, letting the words sink in. She hadn't known any of this.

"Later, I heard he wasn't doing well, so I faked a suicide attempt to force him to move on. Then I heard he was with you. I was genuinely happy for you both.

"I don't have much time left. All I wanted was for you two to be happy. But I know I've shaken things up, and for that, I'm sorry. I know my presence has made your life harder."

Eloise didn't speak right away. Her mind flicked back to the airport—to the moment she'd collapsed in tears, to that little piece of candy Aurelie had handed her. Looking back, none of it had ever really been black or white.

Finally, Eloise looked up. Her gaze was calm as she said, "I forgive you."

Aurelie's eyes lit up. She smiled, wide and radiant.

Then chaos exploded. A glass shattered nearby—someone had dropped it, maybe thrown it—and the sound cracked through the café like a gunshot. Aurelie's smile faded instantly. Her face drained of color as she clutched at her chest, fingers digging in.

Eloise bolted up and rushed to her side. "Aurelie! Are you okay? Aurelie!"

Her lips were pale, her body shaking. She baely managed to whisper, "The meds... In my bag..."

And then she collapsed.

Everything around them turned into noise—voices, footsteps, panic—but all Eloise could hear was her own pounding heartbeat. Her hands trembled as she dug into Aurelie's bag and pulled out the bottle of pills.

Just as she was about to give her the medication, someone slammed into her from the side—hard. She crashed to the floor, the impact driving glass into her palms. Blood pooled fast.

She looked up, dazed. It was Leon standing there. His glare was ice cold, his voice ragged and sharp.

"I never thought you could be this cruel. Yeah, I love her. And if anything happens to her, I'll stay by her side for the rest of my life. Is that what you wanted?

"If Aurelie dies, I'll never forgive you." Every word was a knife, slicing through her without mercy.

Eloise stared at him, stunned, her lips trembling as she tried to speak and explain, "I didn't..."

But Leon didn't give her a chance to speak—he scooped Aurelie into his arms and ran out without a word.

Everyone else just stared, pointing, whispering like spectators at a show.

Eloise used to fear that kind of attention. Now, she felt nothing. Just numb.

She slowly got to her feet, blood dripping steadily from her torn palms. She didn't look at anyone, didn't care. Step by step, she walked out of the café and hailed a cab to the hospital.

After the doctor finished dressing her wounds, he reminded her, "Keep it dry for a week." She nodded.

When she returned to her apartment, she wasn't alone.

Leon was on the couch, long legs crossed, face unreadable. His eyes flicked to her, filled with something she couldn't place.

"What's going on?" he asked. Eloise followed his gaze. The property deed. Her chest tightened.

"I don't like this place anymore." Something in her voice hit him in a strange way. This was the first gift he ever gave her. She'd always taken such good care of it, made it feel like home.

Now she didn't like it. And for some reason, that bothered him more than he expected.

Leon nodded slowly, his face still stiff. Then, a pause. "Let's call off the wedding."

For a moment, Eloise's heart hollowed out. But then she smiled and nodded. "Alright."

He hadn't expected that. No crying, no pleading. Just acceptance. And somehow, that made his chest tighten with a new, dull frustration.

He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Ellie told me it wasn't you. She's not doing well. I don't have the energy to deal with a wedding right now."

Eloise stayed quiet. It all sounded so ridiculous, but she didn't say a word.

What was the point?

Eloise lay in bed, eyes blank, mind flooded with fragments of the past. She glanced at her phone.

Fifteen days until the wedding, to Mr. Bronner.

A sudden commotion came from the hallway. She pushed off the covers and walked to the door.

"I'm not marrying her." Leon's voice was sharp over the phone.

"You can't do this to Eloise. She's been with you for years—what do you mean, you're not marrying her?!

"If I'm the reason you're doing this to her, then what's the point of me being alive? I'm just a burden!" It was Aurelie's voice.

Eloise stood frozen, not sure what she was feeling. Then came Leon's voice again—gentle, helpless.

"Alright. I'll marry her. But please, take your meds, okay?"

The bitterness crept up her throat. Her chest tightened, and images from the past drifted in.

Back at Claire's manor, she wasn't even treated as well as the maids. Her mother used to turn the simplest ingredients into warm, comforting meals, but after she passed, Eloise barely ate. Anorexia followed. She grew thinner by the day.

When she got together with Leon, he started cooking for her, trying new recipes every day, refusing to let her eat alone. Whenever she lost her appetite, he'd stop everything to sit beside her and say, "I'm here. You have to eat, alright?"

That same voice echoed now, but for someone else. Tears slid down her face, falling onto the floor, pooling silently.

Eloise let out a dry laugh and crawled back into bed.

Fifteen days and then she'd be gone. It's fine. Once she leaves, it won't hurt anymore.

She was woken by noise. She stepped out of the room and locked eyes with the woman across the hall. Aurelie looked back at her, guilt flashing in her soft gaze. She looked fragile, pitiful.

Leon immediately stepped in front of her, shielding her with his body. His voice carried a hint of irritation.

"Why are you looking at Ellie like that? She's not well. I brought her here to recover. Didn't you pass that nutritionist exam or whatever? Great—you can take care of her."

For a second, Eloise's heart stopped. Then she looked up and smiled.

"Sure."

She was leaving anyway. Consider it repayment for all those years Leon had treated her well. After that, she'd disappear.

The second her eyes landed on the table, her pupils shrank. Her mother's keepsake was gone!

She had brought it back from Claire's manor that day and left it right there on the table. How could it be gone?

"Maybe Leon moved it. That has to be it," she told herself, trying to stay calm.

She flung open every cabinet and tore through every drawer.

Nothing!

Nothing!

Still nothing!

Panic surged through her chest, her hands beginning to shake uncontrollably.

Leon came out of the bedroom, eyes drowsy, face dark with irritation. "What are you doing? It's the middle of the night—Ellie can't handle noise, you know that."

She didn't even register the sting of his words. She looked at him, desperate, like a wild thing that lost its mother—her face fragile, frantic.

"Where's my mom's photo?" she asked, her voice trembling, barely above a whisper.

Leon frowned, eyes darting away.

She saw it—saw the flicker—and her body moved before she could think. She grabbed his arms tightly, nails digging in.

"Where is my mom's photo?!" she screamed, raw and breaking.

Leon scowled, pulling away, his voice sharp and full of disdain.

"I threw it out, alright?!"

"What... did you say?" Those words hit Eloise like a bomb. She froze, unsure if she'd heard him right.

Leon avoided her gaze. "It's not good to keep things from the dead around the house. Ellie needs peace and quiet to recover."

This time, Eloise heard him clearly. Her hands slowly dropped to her sides. Her eyes flushed red, and tears began to fall silently, hitting the ground one by one.

She was going insane. How could Leon throw away the only photo her mother had left behind? He knew how much her mother meant to her.

"Where did you throw it?" Her voice was hollow, drained of life, only disappointment left.

"I don't know. It was probably taken away with the rest of the trash." As soon as the words left his mouth, Eloise turned and ran, but Leon grabbed her arm.

His face was filled with disapproval as he looked at her pale expression.

"Are you crazy? It's pouring outside!" His grip was so tight it left a red mark on her skin.

But at that moment, it wasn't her arm that hurt—it was her chest. If she couldn't find that photo, she didn't even want to imagine what would happen.

Rain pounded down as Eloise threw herself into the storm. She found the nearest dumpster and shoved it over, sinking to her knees and clawing through the wet trash.

The stench was overwhelming, but she didn't notice. She moved on instinct, digging, searching, desperately hoping to see that photo.

Thunder cracked overhead, making her flinch and curl into herself. Rain streamed down her back, soaking her through, but she didn't feel the cold—only the raw, empty ache in her chest.

Nothing!

She staggered to the next dumpster. Her fingers were pale and shriveled from the water, and her eyes stung from the rain. She couldn't tell what was rain and what were tears anymore.

Then she saw it—just for a moment. A soft figure, smiling at her, reaching out a hand. "My sweet Elle..."

Eloise dropped to her knees. She stared blankly at the woman in front of her, eyes glassy with hurt. The injustice in them was almost spilling over.

"Mom, I miss you so much!" She rushed forward, wanting to hold that figure—but the next moment, it vanished.

She collapsed to the ground. It had been an illusion. Her trembling voice whispered into the puddle beneath her, nails scraping the concrete, drawing faint lines of blood.

"Please, Mom! Don't take the last thing you left me." Her left hand brushed something solid, and she froze. Slowly, she pulled it out—it was the photo frame.

Water had seeped inside, ruining the already-faded picture. But she didn't care. It was still here. It wasn't gone. She clutched it tightly and broke down, crying hoarsely in the rain.

Inside his car, Leon sat motionless. The wipers screeched across the windshield. He stared at Eloise in the downpour, kneeling in the filth, clinging to a ruined photo.

His face was expressionless. But his hands were trembling on the steering wheel. He closed his eyes. And saw, again, the memories—those times Eloise had tried to end her life, again and again.

When he opened them, she was already collapsed in the rain.

He pushed open the car door and ran to her. And when he saw the soaked, half-destroyed frame still held in her arms, his pupils trembled. His throat tightened.

He bent down and scooped her up. Raindrops clung to her lashes. He reached to wipe them away—but jerked back from the heat of her skin.

"Elle, I'm taking you to the hospital."

Leon set her in the back seat and started the car.

Eloise was still conscious but burning up—hot one second, cold the next. Her teeth chattered uncontrollably.

She tried to open her eyes, just to see where she was, but she couldn't.

Then Leon's phone rang. She heard his urgent voice. "What? Ellie has a fever? I'm heading back now."

Something inside her went hollow. A single tear slipped down her cheek and landed on her arm—it burned.

Back at the apartment, Leon jumped out and ran off. No hesitation. No second glance.

Eloise sat there, clutching the photo of her mom. She waited and waited. The sky started to lighten, but Leon never came back down.

Her body kept burning. She was trembling now. With shaking hands, she pulled out her phone and called for an ambulance.

Every second after that dragged like a lifetime. Her limbs felt weighed down, her skin hot and crawling, like bugs were eating her alive.

Finally, the ambulance arrived. The moment she heard the siren, she let go and closed her eyes.

When she opened them again, the sharp smell of disinfectant filled her nose.

She struggled to sit up—and then, out of nowhere, pain exploded across her cheek.

She stared in disbelief. Leon was standing there, face dark, eyes full of disgust.

His look stabbed through Eloise like a knife while she gripped the sheets tightly. "What the hell is your problem?"

He looked at her like she was filth. His tone cut deep as he continued, "Real clever. Opening Ellie's window just to get her sick."

Eloise froze, then shot back, "I didn't."

Leon's expression darkened even more. "You switched her meds, too. She had a seizure last night—almost died!"

Eloise had no idea why Leon believed it was her. Her throat felt dry, but she still said, "I didn't do it."

Seeing her refuse to admit it only fueled Leon's rage. He let out a cold laugh.

"Oh? Still denying it, huh?" His eyes landed on the photo frame sitting on the table. He smirked and picked it up.

Eloise saw what he was doing, and alarm bells went off in her head. "What are you doing?!"

"Just showing you what happens when you mess with Ellie." The moment the words left his mouth, he dropped the frame.

Smash!

The glass shattered into pieces. Eloise's heart clenched hard. "No!"

She reached for it, but Leon was faster. He grabbed the photo inside with his big hand.

Then he looked at her, smiled, and began tearing it. In half. Then in quarters. And then into scraps too small to recognize.

In that moment, Eloise swore she heard her heart break.

"No!" The cry tore from her throat, raw and full of anguish.

She watched as Leon flung the pieces out the window. A gust of wind scattered them into nothing.

Eloise stared blankly. Her shoulders sank. Her whole body seemed to collapse in on itself. She dropped onto the bed, lifeless.

Her fingers curled tightly, digging hard into her palms, as if the physical pain could numb the emotional pain inside.

Then she turned her head and saw Aurelie standing in the doorway, wearing a smug, triumphant smile.

A chill ran straight through Eloise; even her fingertips felt cold.

What was there left to doubt?

The sweet, gentle act—that was all it was. An act. But Eloise still couldn't figure out what she'd done to deserve this kind of revenge.

It had all been a setup. Her own personal hell had been scripted and directed.

She stared coldly as Leon pulled Aurelie into his arms, eyes full of worry. A

urelie, red-eyed, looked at her and said gently, "It must be a mistake. Elle would never hurt me, Leon."

Leon frowned and gently patted Aurellie's head. "Ellie, you're still too kind."

Then he scooped her up in his arms. "Silly girl, you can't just run around. I'm taking you for a checkup."

After they left, Eloise sat on the bed with a bitter smile.

She pulled out her phone and checked the time.

Five days left.

Back at her apartment, she packed everything she owned into a suitcase. Years of living here, yet she couldn't even fill one bag.

Pathetic. She sat on the floor, stunned as the door suddenly swung open.

Leon stormed in, eyes frantic. "Ellie needs surgery. You're a match. I need your heart—now."

Eloise froze. She couldn't believe what she'd just heard. He wanted her dead.

She shook her head. "No."

His face darkened. Lips pressed tight, fury in his eyes.

Before he could speak again, the hospital called. "Mr. Brunner, I'm sorry. Ms. Berna didn't make it."

The phone slipped from his hand. His arms dropped to his sides. His face turned cold and lifeless.

Then he looked at her, like he'd snapped. "It's all your fault. If you hadn't switched her meds, if you'd just given her your heart, she'd still be alive!"

Eloise backed away from his crazed stare, but he lunged and grabbed her.

He locked her up.

Leon grabbed the pliers and ripped out all ten of her nails.

The pain was blinding, like red-hot wire stabbing straight into her fingers, tearing flesh like serrated steel.

Eloise broke out in a cold sweat. Her ears rang sharply and loudly. Darkness crept into her vision. She could smell blood—rusty, metallic, sickening. Her stomach churned.

Pale and shaking, she looked at him. "I told you it wasn't me." Yet, he said nothing, just stood there, watching her in silence.

She passed out more than once, slipping in and out of the pain, and when she finally came to again, he was gone. The window was open. Something in her snapped.

She had to get out.

She crawled toward it, stumbling and gasping, dragging herself up with raw, bleeding hands. The second her fingers touched the frame, a fresh wave of agony shot through her, but she didn't stop. Her back was drenched in sweat by the time she pulled herself up and through.

Today was it. Her last chance.

It was the third-floor—high, but not fatal. She looked down, the ground spinning beneath her. All she could hear was her own ragged breath, the pounding of her heart, and then, without a second thought, she jumped.

The moment she hit the ground, something cracked. Her thigh screamed like it'd been split open, her left arm went numb, and her throat filled with the sharp taste of blood, but she didn't pause.

She couldn't. Leon was insane. If she stopped now, she was dead.

She pushed through the pain and ran, bolting toward the road, limbs barely working, lungs burning.

A car skidded to a halt in front of her, the window rolling down slowly.

"Get in."

Eloise got into the car. She looked at Yvonne sitting in the driver's seat and couldn't help but ask, "How did you get here?"

Yvonne blew a smoke ring, her expression complicated. "Tomorrow is the deadline. If I don't come to find you, am I supposed to get married?"

This sentence shut down all of Eloise's words, and she fell silent. "I understand."

Yvonne took her to the hospital, and after her wound was bandaged, they sat in silence facing each other.

Yvonne looked at her sister, feeling a mix of emotions she couldn't quite describe. She couldn't say she loved Eloise, but she also couldn't say she hated her.

Eloise's appearance indeed made her and her mother a laughingstock, and over the years she did many things to hurt Eloise.

When she saw Eloise being bullied by others so badly, she was actually a little annoyed. Eloise could only be bullied by her.

Seeing Eloise's pale face, Yvonne stood up with a frown and handed her a USB drive.

Eloise looked at the USB drive in her palm and stared at Yvonne in confusion, "What is this?"

Her fingers still ached painfully, and Eloise's face was pale at the moment.

Yvonne looked at her like this, curled her lips. "Fool, do you really think Aurelie treats you as a sister? You are really stupid; her heart disease has long been cured! These dirty things she did, consider it as my compensation to you over the years, I don't owe you anymore in the future."

Impatiently, but Eloise could tell that she cared about her. The USB flash drive in her hand suddenly felt like it weighed a thousand pounds, heavy. She plugged the USB flash drive into the computer and, upon seeing what was inside, her face instantly turned pale.

Eloise's lips trembled, "She, she could actually do such a thing."

Yvonne looked disdainful, "These people only care about their own survival, they don't care who dies."

Aurelie did have a heart condition, but she has been cured.

The Berna family sponsored many welfare homes in the city, and went to great lengths to find a girl who matched Aurelie's blood type. Then, they dug out that girl's heart. A vibrant life was lost just like that.

It seems that Aurelie also faked her death this time.

Eloise clenched the USB drive in her hand and sent the evidence to the lawyer. Those who do wrong must receive punishment.

Eloise looked up at Yvonne and said softly, "Yvonne, thank you."

Yvonne turned her head awkwardly, "Don't be so presumptuous, I just don't want to owe you anything."

With that, she pulled out something from behind her.

Eloise took a closer look and realized it was a photo of her and her mother!

Joy surged through her in an instant, a smile playing on her lips and in her eyes as she looked at Yvonne in surprise.

Yvonne saw her so happy, the frown between her eyebrows gradually disappeared. "At first, I had thoughts of bullying you, but I also knew that this was the only photo left by your mother for you. I kept a backup, and what I smashed back then was the backup. This is the original."

A wave of emotion swept through her heart as Eloise tremblingly took the photo with both hands, holding it tightly to her chest, tears glistening in her eyes.

She thought she would never see the keepsake left by her mother again in her lifetime, but she didn't expect to regain it so soon.

"Thank you, Yvonne."

Yvonne turned her head slightly and said, "I transferred one million to your account. Dad refused to give you a dowry. But you went on my behalf, so I will give it to you."

After saying that, Yvonne strode away, her back carrying a hint of fleeing. Eloise watched her departing figure, unable to snap out of her daze for a long time.

Fortunately, she was able to leave Leon.

When night fell, a middle-aged man in black knocked on Eloise's ward with a respectful attitude.

"Ms. Claire, Mr. Bronner sent me to pick you up."

Eloise nodded and, as she got on the car, she looked out the window at the scenery that was constantly receding, feeling a bit dazed.

Finally, it was time to leave.

On their way to the Bronner estate, the driver adjusted the rearview mirror. His voice was low, almost reverent.

"Mr. Bronner has been waiting for you for years, Ms. Claire."

Eloise's fingers froze around her mother's photo. Years?