Chapter 1

"Noelle, are you going to admit your mistake or not?"

Noelle Liddell's mouth and nose were both submerged in water while her throat burned from the choking sensation.

On the brink of death, she opened her eyes and saw her second brother, Frank Liddell, on the edge of the swimming pool. She also spotted her fourth brother, Blake Liddell, holding Xenia Quigley in his arms.

A flash of disbelief crossed her eyes. This scene was so familiar.

Hadn't she died already?

Could it be that she had been reborn back to three years ago, on the very day Xenia was officially adopted by the Liddell family?

Xenia had deliberately framed Noelle at the banquet, making everyone believe that the latter had pushed her into the pool.

Blake was the first to discover them, but he only saved Xenia. He left Noelle, who also couldn't swim, to struggle in the water.

Meanwhile, Frank even pressured her to admit that it was her fault, seemingly refusing to save her unless she confessed.

Desperate and terrified, Noelle begged and forcibly admitted to it, pleading for her brothers to save her. She was only pulled out of the water when she was on the brink of death.

After that, she no longer dared to provoke Xenia and went to great lengths to appease her brothers. But that ultimately didn't get her anything.

Xenia stole Noelle's graduation thesis, but Frank testified for Xenia instead. Noelle was labeled a plagiarist and expelled from school.

When Xenia needed a kidney transplant due to her poor health, her third brother, Carl Liddell, immediately took her to the operating room and performed the surgery himself.

Xenia had to participate in an international competition to boost her credentials, so Blake, Wyatt, and Lucas kicked Noelle out of their team without hesitation.

When Noelle found evidence of Xenia's plagiarism and falsified medical records, she took it to her eldest brother, hoping to expose Xenia.

Instead, she incurred the wrath of the entire family. No one believed her. No one even looked at the evidence.

Her eldest brother, Donovan Liddell, threw her out of the family and ordered her to reflect on her actions.

Ended up homeless and penniless, Noelle went through unimaginable suffering.

Past memories surged like a tide. She stopped struggling and allowed herself to sink to the bottom of the pool. Her eyes were wide open despite her stoic expression as if she had died.

Looking at her brothers surrounding Xenia on the shore, she felt a sharp pain in her chest—even though she had experienced this before.

She thought it was absurd. She was their biological sister, yet she meant less to them than an outsider.

All of Frank's attention had been dedicated to Xenia. Realizing that the sounds of Noelle putting up a fight had ceased, he swerved around and noticed that she had sunk to the bottom of the pool. He paled instantly. "Noelle!" Without hesitation, he dove into the pool.

Xenia's eyes glinted as she saw the scene before her. She felt that it would be better if Noelle died.

Pretending to be meek, she tugged at Blake's sleeve and said weakly, "Blake, I want to save Noelle too. It's my fault that she fell in the water."

Blake was equally concerned. Hearing this, he reassured her, "Don't be silly. Frank's help is more than enough. Noelle is just reaping what she sowed. She won't die." As he turned to look at the pool, his expression grew complicated.

Underwater, Noelle saw Frank swimming toward her. He seemed genuinely worried even though just moments ago, he had forced her to apologize and watched her drown. This time, she didn't want his help.

Mockery crossed her eyes as she turned and swam to the surface.

After the near-drowning incident in her past life, Frank forced her and Xenia to learn to swim. She had been traumatized, but she overcame her fear and learned how to swim to please her brother.

Yet, in the end, he only praised Xenia's bravery in curbing her phobia. No one cared about the lasting trauma Noelle endured—even a minute of neglect under the waters had left her scarred for life.

Everyone only cared about Xenia, not her.

"Noelle, what kind of stunt are you pulling now?" Frank blocked her path. "Do you think pretending to drown can undo the damage?"

He noticed something different about her. He wondered when she had learned how to swim.

Noelle met his gaze. Once, he had been her favorite brother. Donovon had always been strict, but Frank was always close to her. Now, however, only disgust and impatience filled his eyes.

"Frank, don't blame Noelle," Xenia interrupted weakly. "I know she's always disliked me joining the Liddell family. It's my fault for being greedy and wanting a family. You're all important to me."

Blake glowered at Noelle as Xenia sobbed. He bellowed, "Happy now? She wouldn't have become an orphan if her father didn't die to save you! He should've let you die instead of saving an ungrateful wretch like you!"

Frank frowned. "Noelle, you should be grateful. We should treat Xenia as part of the family. It's what our family owes her. It's what you owe her. Got it?"

"An ingrate like her wouldn't understand," Blake hissed. "If she could have, she wouldn't have pushed Xenia into the water. Even saving an animal is more worthwhile than saving her!"

Noelle froze. She would've preferred not being saved at all if she had a choice. Enduring the searing pain in her lungs, she rasped, "You're right. It's my fault. It won't happen again."

She would never do something so foolish again. Since they wanted Xenia as their sister, she would quit being theirs.

"Noelle, so you really did it on purpose? Don't you realize that Xenia can't swim? She could've died!" Waves of disappointment washed through Frank. He had simply thought it was an accident but hadn't expected Noelle to push Xenia into the pool deliberately. He wondered when she had become so ruthless.

Just then, the family doctor arrived.

Blake spun toward Noelle and snarled, "You'd better pray Xenia is fine. Otherwise, you're doomed once Donovan is back."

Frank trailed after them, but he hesitated and turned back to look at Noelle. He felt bad for her as he saw her alone with her soaked clothes, looking pale.

"Go back to your room and change your clothes," he urged. "The banquet is starting soon."

Noelle didn't respond. Soon, she was the only one left. She waited until everyone had left before she bent over and hacked violently as though she was coughing her lungs out.

Swallowing the blood surging in her throat, she stumbled back to her room. She lay in the bathtub and closed her eyes, recalling how she had turned vengeful after she ended up homeless. She tried to kill Xenia but failed.

Consequently, Donovan locked her up in a mental hospital, where she was tortured to death by caretakers arranged by Xenia. Noelle clasped her hands on her face and cackled, her voice carrying an eerie chill.

"Very well," she thought. Her gaze was cold when she opened her eyes again.

Noelle got dressed and looked around her bedroom, feeling a sense of unfamiliarity. In her previous life, this room had been given to Xenia while she was relegated to the latter's small room.

She noticed a family portrait on the desk. In it, a young couple held a baby in their arms while being surrounded by six boys.

Unfortunately, her parents had tragically died in a car accident not long after she was born. The driver had saved her first. When he returned to rescue her parents, the car exploded, killing him as well.

Xenia was the driver's only child, who was born frail and sickly. Donovan brought her to the Liddell residence after the accident and raised her alongside Noelle.

Everything changed from the moment Xenia showed up. The brothers Noelle once adored all turned their attention to the new addition of the Liddell residence.

"Xenia isn't in great health, so I hired a chef to make meals suited to her needs. Noelle, make sure she eats properly."

"Noelle, Xenia wants to learn painting too. You've learned enough. Let her have your lessons instead."

"Noelle, drop out of this competition and let Xenia represent the school instead. Although she came in second, she had been preparing for a long time."

"Noelle, Xenia's grades aren't great, but you should attend the same college to look after her.

…

Noelle clutched her head as a dull ache throbbed in her chest. She took shallow breaths, forcing the pain to subside. She was determined to cut all ties with the Liddell family this time. She put the photo away and began packing her belongings.

Not long after, a maid knocked on the door. "Ms. Liddell, the banquet has begun. Mr. Frank requested that you head downstairs after you've changed."

"Got it."

Noelle opened the door and strode toward the lively banquet occurring outside.

Widening her eyes in shock, the maid muttered, "What on earth is she wearing? Has she lost her mind from the trauma?"

Outside, the banquet was in full swing.

Xenia was dressed in an elegant white gown, her dark locks cascading over her shoulders. She looked angelic. Frank and Blake flanked her on both sides, gazing at her with overflowing affection. It was a heartwarming scene, indeed.

But Frank couldn't help but think of Noelle. He had hoped for her to be this obedient and sensible. Instead, she had grown increasingly unruly and arrogant over the years.

"Noelle's here!" someone announced.

Chapter 2

All eyes turned to Noelle as soon as she showed up. Despite the crowd's attention, she remained indifferent.

She wore a simple T-shirt, but an exquisite antique tiara sat on her head. An emerald necklace adorned her neck, while diamond and gold bracelets decorated her wrist. Her finger also bore a large pink diamond ring.

Laughter erupted from the crowd.

"Look at how tacky she is! How could she pile on all her accessories like that? She's like a flamboyant nouveau riche!"

"I bet she's doing this on purpose to show off and make Xenia look bad."

Unfazed, Noelle swaggered up to Xenia and said, "Congratulations. You've finally become a part of the Liddell family."

In her previous life, her nightmare began the day Xenia joined her family. No matter how much she tried to please everyone or how obedient she was, her brothers all still sided with Xenia. Frank had even once said that he wished Xenia were their biological sister.

This time, she wouldn't yearn for some stupid familial love.

Jealousy filled Xenia's chest as she saw how many lavish accessories Noelle had. Nevertheless, she kept her composure.

She shrunk back slightly and tentatively said, "Noelle, I know you're upset, but don't worry. I won't compete with you for your brothers' affection.

"I'll always be an outsider. You're their real sister. How could I possibly compare to you?"

Her eyes reddened as she spoke, looking pitifully fragile.

Noelle sneered. With that flawless act of hers, Xenia was indeed a remarkable actress. In her previous life, she had been a victim of Xenia's facade. She only saw the latter's true colors before her death.

Seeing this, Blake quickly intervened, "Don't cry, Xenia. You're not an outsider. From now on, you're my real sister."

Xenia dropped her gaze, a hint of smugness flickering in her eyes. Just then, Frank handed her a box. "Xenia, this is a gift for you."

Looking surprised, Xenia exclaimed, "Frank, wasn't this gift meant for Noelle? How could I possibly accept it?"

Noelle was not surprised when she saw the limited-edition figurine in the box. In her previous life, Frank had also "kindly" taken it upon himself to give the figurine she had waited for so long to Xenia as a form of apology.

"Take it," Frank urged. "She owes you this."

Visibly upset, Blake chimed in, "Noelle, even though Xenia doesn't hold a grudge about you pushing her into the water, and Frank has also given her a gift on your behalf, where's your gift for her?"

Noelle nodded. "I'm aware of that. That's why I've prepared a heartfelt apology gift." She began removing the accessories she wore, placing them one by one on a tray.

"Donovan gave me this antique tiara and this emerald necklace was from Frank.

"This century-old Ginrex herb was from Carl, and Blake gave this rare pink diamond ring.

"Wyatt gave this emerald bracelet, and finally, this gold trophy was from Lucas."

After placing everything on the tray, Noelle continued, "These are all very important to me. As a token of apology, I believe that giving these represents my utmost sincerity."

She anticipated that Blake would demand that she offer something to Xenia as a reparation, so she had prepared these items in advance.

Since Xenia's arrival, her brothers hadn't given her any meaningful gifts. Only these valuable items remained. After all, her brothers would ultimately reclaim these with various excuses and give them to Xenia instead.

Blake froze once he saw the items on the tray. Knowing that these were all items Noelle had cherished, he couldn't fathom her intention.

Frank's expression turned grim. "Noelle, what are you on about?"

"As I said, this is a token of my sincere apology. Do you think it's not enough?" Noelle remained calm and unwavering.

Astonishment crossed Xenia's face when she saw the items Noelle had laid out. She couldn't comprehend Noelle's actions. She wondered if this was the latter's attempt at appearing at a disadvantage to gain leverage.

"These are the gifts your brothers have given you, Noelle," she quickly said. "They're far too valuable. I can't possibly accept them!"

Infuriated, Blake fumed, "Exactly! These gifts were meant for you. How could you just give them away to others like that?"

Xenia's smile faltered. She bit her lip before saying, "Yeah. I'm just an outsider, Noelle. I don't deserve such gifts."

Realizing his slip, Blake immediately corrected himself and said, "Xenia, that's not what I meant. I'll pick out something new for you. You shouldn't take something someone else has already used."

"Thank you, Blake," Xenia said, beaming at him.

Blake's heart softened. He thought that this was how an obedient younger sister should act.

Meanwhile, Frank felt somewhat helpless. "Noelle, why are you throwing such a tantrum again?"

Noelle had always treasured these gifts, forbidding anyone from touching them. He hadn't expected her to give them all away as an apology gift.

Was she trying to sever ties with them? Or was she doing this to spite him because he had taken the figurine meant for her to compensate Xenia?

He didn't think that there was a chance that Noelle would willingly give these items to Xenia.

"Frank, she's just trying to vent," Blake said. "Noelle, do you think we can't tell? When will you be as sensible as Xenia?"

Looking indifferent, Noelle replied, "These gifts are worth tens of millions of dollars. Isn't that enough for an olive branch? Or are you reluctant to give these to Xenia?"

Blake was rendered speechless. He wondered how she could have possibly drawn that conclusion. They were two different things!

"O-Of course I'm not that kind of person," he sputtered in front of Xenia.

"Then you all shall witness that I have shown Xenia a sincere gesture of apology."

Frank was slightly irritated. "Quit the nonsense, Noelle."

How could she give such valuable gifts to someone else? He felt that, even if she were to spite Blake, she shouldn't have also given the gifts from other brothers away.

"I'm serious about this, Frank," Noelle said. She shoved the tray into Xenia's hands. "These are yours now." She didn't want her six brothers anymore, either.

A hint of awkwardness flashed across Xenia's face. Sensing that Frank and Blake were somewhat enraged, she felt uneasy holding the tray.

She had been caught off guard by Noelle's actions and hadn't expected Noelle to give these to her as a peace offering. The Liddell brothers might resent her if she didn't handle this situation carefully. She wondered why Noelle had suddenly become so difficult to deal with.

Before Xenia could respond, Noelle spun around and left.

"Noelle, stop right there!" Blake was furious. Using the gifts he had given her to apologize to Xenia—what kind of apology was that? Still, Noelle gave no heed to him and left promptly.

"Noelle is becoming more and more outrageous!" Frank remarked, frowning. He felt upset. He had bought the emerald necklace for her with his first salary—it was symbolic.

Blake, on the other hand, felt like he had hit a wall. Frustrated, he said, "Exactly. She did this on purpose to spite us."

Hearing their conversation, Xenia gritted her teeth. Noelle's tactic had indeed worked, but Xenia wouldn't let her succeed.

Holding the tray, she began to meekly say, "Frank, Blake, did I do something wrong again? I will never take Noelle's most treasured items. What should I do?"

She cursed at Noelle inwardly, seething at the latter's attempt to sabotage her.

Blake scowled. "Since it's her token of apology, just accept it! I bet she'll regret this in three days." He snorted. He couldn't wait to berate Noelle once she came crawling back.

"How about this, Xenia?" Frank began gently. "Just keep the items for Noelle now. Things will be fine once she calms down."

Noelle had thrown such tantrums in the past, but everything turned out fine in the end. He found it hard to believe that she would willingly give these items away.

"Alright. I'll keep them safe," Xenia concurred, flashing them a smile.

Frank sighed, remembering how Noelle used to be just as sweet and obedient. He hoped she would return to her senses soon. He glanced at Xenia again, feeling glad she wasn't like Noelle.

…

Noelle lay down once she was back in her room. Perhaps it was because she had caught a cold after falling into the water, but she felt dizzy.

She closed her eyes, her mind racing with thoughts of leaving the Liddell family and living independently.

In her past life, she could've been able to apply to a prestigious university with her excellent grades. But because of Blake's order, she enrolled in a community college with Xenia.

In college, she always cleaned up after Xenia and took the blame for her mistakes. If she disobeyed, her credit cards would be temporarily disabled. Despite being a daughter of a wealthy family, her life was worse than that of a poor student.

Ultimately, Xenia even stole the thesis she had diligently worked on and framed her for plagiarism. She was then expelled. Noelle refused to let that happen again.

She would attend a prestigious university and pay her tuition fees and living allowances with prize money from gaming competitions. With the skills from her past life, she could definitely make a name for herself in the gaming industry.

After the banquet ended, Frank went to Noelle's room. He hesitated before knocking on her door, but there was no response. The door was also locked.

"Frank, Xenia seems to have a fever. Hurry up and have a look at her."

Hearing this, Frank withdrew his hand from Noelle's door. He went downstairs and saw Xenia's flushed face, clearly running a fever.

"I'll drive. Let's head to the hospital now."

While Frank and Blake rushed Xenia to the hospital, Noelle lay in bed in her bedroom on the second floor.

Her face was flushed, and she was sweating incessantly. Throughout the entire night, she felt lightheaded and was constantly haunted by nightmares.

Chapter 3

The next morning, Noelle's phone buzzed continuously with notifications.

After the noise woke Noelle up, she checked her phone, her expression dark. These notifications were all from a forum app, and her message inbox was flooded with insults.

She was no stranger to such insults, as the incident of her pushing Xenia into the pool last night had been uploaded to the campus forum.

Xenia was very popular in school, and most people began berating Noelle.

Despite her throbbing headache, Noelle jumped into the fray and lashed back at her haters. The number of comments on the forum spread to over a thousand, causing the page administrator to think that the forum had been hacked.

After posting her response, she tossed her phone aside and lay back down. Now that she no longer had to please the Liddell brothers and care about her reputation, she would just live however she wanted.

Not long after, a maid knocked at her door. "Ms. Liddell, it's time to get up for school. You're going to be late."

It wasn't until then that Noelle realized she still had to go to school that day. She splashed cold water on her face to wake herself up.

If she wanted to leave the Liddell family, she had to graduate and get into a university far away from here. She changed into her uniform and headed downstairs with her backpack.

Just then, Frank and Blake turned up.

Noticing Noelle's slightly flushed face, Frank walked over and instinctively reached out to her forehead to check her temperature.

But Noelle dodged his hand and headed to the dining room instead. She took a seat, knowing that she needed to eat breakfast to get better and gain the energy to focus on her studies. She was aiming for Yole University, after all.

Frank's hand paused mid-air. As he awkwardly lowered his hand, Blake snorted and said, "I told you she's an ingrate. Unlike Xenia, who has always been weak, she's as strong as an ox. She's burning up just because she fell into the water last night and caught a cold.

"But Noelle? She'll never get sick!"

Frank fell silent. It was true that Noelle had always been in excellent health. He approached the dining table and said, "Xenia's sick, so you'll have to take care of her for the next few days at school until she's fully recovered. Got it?"

Now that Noelle had become more rebellious as she grew older, he thought he couldn't spoil her like before. He would force her to learn if she didn't know how to be grateful.

"Noelle, Xenia's father saved your life, but you almost killed her," Blake chimed in. "You must take good care of her to atone for your sins!"

Noelle merely hung her head low and indulged in her breakfast. Her appetite wasn't great, but she still forced herself to eat.

With less than 100 days until the entrance exam, she was determined to leave the Liddell family behind once it was over.

Annoyed by her indifference, Blake snatched her utensils away and snapped, "I'm talking to you! Are you deaf?"

Noelle glanced up at him, her eyes cold and unblinking.

"You shall fetch some warm water for Xenia when she takes her medicine, and you shall buy lunch for her at the cafeteria. You'll have to hurry up so the food doesn't get cold," Blake ordered. "If she needs to use the bathroom, you must go with her.

"Her father saved your life, so you owe her this. Do you understand?"

"Understood," Noelle replied coldly, though she had no intention of complying.

She left the Liddell residence with a stoic expression, gazing up at the sky to force back her tears. She had thought that living her life over again wouldn't upset her anymore, but Blake's earlier words pierced her heart like a needle.

Memories of how Frank had stayed by her side all night when she was sick during childhood were still vivid in her mind. Back then, Blake even told her jokes to coax her to take her medicine.

But because Xenia was born weak, her brothers' attention was always drawn to her first whenever she fell sick.

Later on, even when Noelle had a fever, she had to bear it alone.

Suppressing her sorrow, she got into the car and closed her eyes to rest. She reminded herself that she just had to bear it a little longer. It was less than 100 days to go.

When she arrived at school, she went straight to her senior-year classroom. As soon as she entered, the noisy classroom fell silent. Rumors of her outburst on the forum spread across the school, and everyone wondered if she had lost her mind.

"I wonder what triggered Noelle to give up on herself completely."

"I think it's because she can't improve her reputation anymore, so she's given up on maintaining a façade. She's just being herself now."

Noelle did not heed the whispers around her, though she could hear them. She dropped her bag down on her desk and went straight to sleep. She slept through the entire morning.

At lunch, Xenia arrived at the classroom. She was still on an IV drip, and her appearance immediately gained the sympathy and care of her peers.

Noelle frowned, changing another position in her nap.

After a while, someone slapped her desk hard. She glanced up impatiently, irritation evident in her eyes.

Xenia was standing in front of her, flanked by her lackeys, who looked very pissed.

Squinting at them, Noelle realized that the women before her were Gwen Hopkins and Betty Yates. They always followed Xenia around and constantly spread rumors about Noelle, even fabricating lies to bring up her brothers.

"Noelle, what would you like for lunch?" Xenia began meekly. "I'll go get it for you. Please don't be mad at me, okay?"

"No need," Noelle replied coldly.

"How dare you!" Gwen hissed. "You're so ungrateful. Xenia is already sick!"

"Exactly! Noelle, you should be taking care of Xenia instead. She got sick because of you!"

Xenia coughed weakly and interjected, "Don't say that, guys. I can take care of myself. I've always been on my own. Stop criticizing her, or else she'll get upset."

"Xenia, you're just too kind. No wonder people take advantage of you!"

Annoyed, Noelle got up and prepared to leave the classroom. Just as she exited, Xenia suddenly hurried toward her.

Her IV stand fell over, and she coincidentally fell on the broken glass. What a coincidence, indeed.

The classroom erupted into chaos, and Noelle sensed an impending headache. She was just about to say something when her vision went black, and she fainted.

When she woke up, the scent of disinfectant filled her senses. She wondered if she was in the school infirmary.

"Your temperature is 103°F. You've been pushing your body too far. Are you trying to burn yourself alive?"

Noelle glanced to the side and saw a man in a white coat. He was tall and lean, with indifferent eyes peeking from behind his mask.

She remembered now. This was the new school doctor, an attractive man who had caught the attention of many female students. Yet, he had a sharp tongue.

He didn't stay long and soon left.

Thanks to the IV drip, Noelle sat up and felt much better. She lowered her gaze and asked, "Can I leave now?"

"Wait until your family comes to pick you up," Cedric Greene drawled out from his chair. "I don't want to be responsible if you die on the way."

He indeed lived up to his reputation of having a sharp tongue.

"I don't have a family," Noelle replied hoarsely.

Blake's concerned voice echoed from outside as soon as her words fell. "Xenia, are you okay? How did your injuries get so severe?"

"It's just a minor injury, Blake. Please don't blame Noelle. She didn't do it on purpose. I was careless and knocked over the IV stand."

Gwen added fuel to the fire, saying, "That's not true! Xenia wanted to help Noelle get lunch, but she refused Xenia's offer. She then tripped her out of revenge. We all saw it all with our own eyes!"

"Exactly!" Betty chimed in. "Despite being sick, Xenia still cared about getting lunch for Noelle. Who knew Noelle would be so evil?"

Fury boiled over Blake. His tone was laced with anger as he boomed, "Where's Noelle? Get her out here this instant! How dare she let Xenia get her lunch instead?

"Xenia's father should've let her die in that accident to save his daughter from such torture!"

A mocking smile crossed Noelle's face. Indeed, Blake would believe whatever Xenia said.

A second later, the curtains beside Noelle were forcefully drawn back. She glanced up, looking particularly pallid with her charred lips and sickly complexion.

"Noelle, you—"

The moment Blake saw her, he held his tongue back.

Chapter 4

Noelle hung her head low and began hacking violently. Her thin back was hunched as though she might cough up her lungs.

"Don't think that I won't teach you a lesson just because you're pretending to be sick!" Blake snapped. "You were supposed to look after Xenia at school, fetching her water and food. Yet you dared to have her serve you instead!

"Not only were you ungrateful, but you even intentionally tripped her. Do you even have any conscience?"

Holding back a cough, Noelle managed to say, "I didn't push her. She fell on her—"

"Are you trying to say that she fell because she lost her balance? Do you think I'd believe such a poor excuse? Are you going to admit that you did it on purpose?"

Noelle's eyes stung as she straightened her back. "I'm not."

The slap hit her like a sudden gust of wind, sending a wave of unbearable pain through her cheek. But the pain she felt was nothing compared to the ache in her heart. It hurt so bad that she felt numb from the agony.

"Blake, why did you hit her?" Frank strode in and dragged Blake aside, who was still seething.

"She did something so malicious and still refuses to admit it. I don't have such a ruthless and unrepentant sister!"

Standing at the door, Xenia looked pitiable with her bandaged hand. Her eyes reddened as she began, "Blake, I said it was my fault. It has nothing to do with Noelle."

"Xenia, you're just too kind. I have to teach Noelle a lesson today so she doesn't go down the wrong path!"

As Blake raised his hand again, Cedric suddenly rose to his feet. The screech of his chair against the floor reverberated across the room.

Noelle glanced at him. Looking impassive, Cedric leaned against his desk and asked, "Are you Ms. Liddell's family?"

Frank nodded. "Yes. We're her brothers."

"She has a fever of a temperature of 103°F, and I suspect that she has an infection. She has to undergo further checkups. She also has hypoglycemia and is slightly malnourished!"

"I-Is she really sick?" Blake sputtered, visibly stunned. He thought she'd been faking her illness to avoid taking responsibility.

"Then you might want to check your eyesight," Cedric suggested calmly. "It's so obvious, yet you can't tell."

Noelle's pale complexion was a telltale sign of her sickness. How could they not see it?

"What are you implying?" Blake gritted out.

"Nothing. I'm being very clear," Cedric replied coldly, frowning. "Although she's your adopted sister, it's your responsibility to care for her since you took her in."

Realizing that Cedric had assumed that she was the Liddell brothers' adopted sister, Noelle sneered.

"She's our biological sister. She's not adopted," Frank quickly said.

"That's quite hard to tell," Cedric quipped, raising an eyebrow. "If you hadn't said she was your sister, I was about to report to the police that someone here is abusing a minor."

Blake's gaze fell on Noelle's swollen, red cheek.

"What do you know?" he snapped. "I'm teaching her a lesson!"

Frank fell silent. He had thought that Noelle was healthy, unlike Xenia, who might get sick from falling into the pool.

Sneering at Cedric, Blake continued, "You've no idea how often Noelle likes to avoid responsibility by faking illness. This time, she even made Xenia fall on purpose.

"Xenia's father died saving her. Sometimes, I truly want to cut open her heart to see if she has any conscience!"

Noelle's throat burned with pain. She wanted to explain but ultimately said nothing. Even if she did, they wouldn't believe her anyway.

Xenia bit her lip. "This is all my fault. I shouldn't have been so clumsy and tried to force myself to bring food to Noelle."

"It's indeed your fault," Cedric concurred. "Since you're sick and on an IV drip, you shouldn't be in class. You were clearly aware that you shouldn't overwhelm yourself while you're sick, but you still chose to cause trouble. Stop acting like being weak gives you reason."

Noelle widened her eyes in disbelief as she stared at Cedric. She couldn't believe that he was defending her. She wondered if he believed her side of the story.

Her eyes reddened. Even a stranger could see the truth, but her brothers didn't understand. Or perhaps they understood but chose to side with Xenia instead.

Xenia froze. She gritted her teeth, wondering what was up with the school doctor. Didn't he see how she tried to help Noelle despite being sick? Why didn't her kindness move him? Why did he defend Noelle instead?

She felt that something was wrong as this trick of hers had always worked. Rendered speechless while feeling aggrieved, Xenia hung her head low.

Blake immediately spoke up for her. "Xenia is at class while sick because the entrance exam is only 100 days away. She can't afford to miss classes. She wanted to improve her relationship with Noelle, but unfortunately, the latter didn't appreciate it."

Noelle found it absurd. Blake had reminded her to take good care of Xenia this morning, yet it didn't cross his mind that such things would also affect her studies.

He knew that the entrance exam was less than 100 days, but Xenia's grades mattered more than hers.

"Blake, take Xenia back home to rest," Frank ordered.

"Frank!"

"Are you defying me now?"

Blake fell silent and left with Xenia.

Silence enveloped the infirmary again.

"Noelle, it's fine if you don't want to take care of Xenia anymore, but you shouldn't do such things in the future again."

Noelle kept her head down. Her throat was throbbing in pain, and she didn't want to say anything more. She pulled the blanket over her head, wanting to be left alone. She didn't want to see her brother.

"If you keep up with this nonsense, even I can't cover for you anymore," Frank warned, his tone tinged with irritation.

He pulled back her blanket. "Come with me. We need to talk!"

He had to talk to Noelle. Xenia couldn't afford to suffer anymore.

Cedric pressed down on Frank's arm and glared at him. "She can only leave once this IV bag is finished. Family members shall wait outside."

The cold and unyielding look in his eyes made it difficult for Frank to refuse.

Glancing up in surprise, Noelle realized how tall Cedric seemed in front of her brother. She noticed a red, ugly scar on his wrist, which stood out clearly.

She also had a similar scar on her legs from a car accident when she was younger. She wondered if he had also been in a car accident.

But Frank was unwavering. "I'm her brother, and I'll take her back. We have a doctor back home."

"In this case, why did you let her suffer a fever for so long?"

Noting Noelle's pale face, Frank replied diffidently, "She didn't tell anyone she was sick." He had tried to touch her forehead earlier, but she had avoided him. Thus, he didn't think he should be blamed for that.

Perhaps she was deliberately exacerbating her condition to avoid responsibility.

"Mr. Liddell, I'll call the police for child abuse if you insist on taking her," Cedric said, sounding displeased. "According to the law, the child can apply for personal safety protection if they are subjected to domestic violence."

"I'm her biological brother. I'm her guardian!"

"But I saw you hit her earlier. There's surveillance footage as evidence. I'm sure the police will make a fair judgment."

Cedric was calm and composed yet unwavering. "She doesn't want to go with you right now. You have no right to force her."

Noelle's heart skipped a beat. She stole a glance at the man who stood in front of her.

Chapter 5

The infirmary was silent.

Noelle opened her mouth to speak but ultimately said nothing. Words seemed powerless at this moment. She had explained herself countless times before, but her brothers never believed her.

Frank swallowed hard and eventually released his hand. Looking disappointed, he glanced at Noelle and said, "If you keep being stubborn, I won't be able to defend you once Donovan returns. Think about it."

As soon as he left, Noelle breathed a sigh of relief and leaned back against the headboard. A hint of self-deprecation crossed her eyes as she wondered what she should think about.

Should she bend the knee and tiptoe around them like in her past life, only to end up being driven out of the family and dying a miserable death after being locked in a mental hospital?

She wouldn't do that again.

"Here."

A cold compress wrapped in gauze appeared before her.

Noelle took it and pressed it against her swollen cheek. Glancing at the man beside her, she whispered, "Thanks for what you did earlier."

"Why didn't you defend yourself?" Cedric asked icily.

A wry smile crossed Noelle's face as she lowered her head and said, "Believe it or not, but I've explained countless times in the past and even showed them the evidence. However, they never believed me. They just thought I was lying."

The room fell into a brief silence.

Noelle had no intention of explaining further, as most people who heard her story thought she was simply being disobedient.

"It's hard not to believe you."

Noelle's heart skipped a beat. She questioned if he really believed what she said.

Cedric stepped forward and felt her forehead. "The fever's gone down."

Amidst her daze, Noelle realized how cool and soothing his hand was. She felt much better now. She glanced at his wrist and asked, "Did you get that scar from a car accident?"

Cedric froze before quickly withdrawing his hand. After a brief silence, he removed the empty IV bag and replied, "Yes. It was from a car accident." He propped his hand against the table, keeping his back to her. His expression was indiscernible against the light.

"I have one on my leg, too," Noelle said, pulling up her skirt slightly. "Here. Doesn't it look similar to yours?"

Cedric turned around. Her toned thigh came into view, the scar standing out starkly against her skin. But her skirt was pulled a little too high. He glanced once and swerved around. "Don't lift your skirt in front of men."

"But you're a doctor."

Cedric's throat tightened. He was a man as well. Had no one taught her this?

"This scar can be treated," he said. "Why haven't you done it?"

Noelle's face fell as pain gripped her heart. Her third brother, Carl, said that this scar represented her parents. He promised to personally help her remove it one day when he had time.

She believed him.

But in the end, he looked at the scar disgustedly, saying that he hated it and would never treat it. He blamed her for their parents' death and told her that the scar was the mark of her bringing doom upon them. He said that she should remember it for the rest of her life.

She was devastated back then, believing that she was indeed responsible for her parents' death. She became even more servile to please her brothers.

Recalling the past knocked the wind out of Noelle. She couldn't tell Cedric that now, so she deflected, "How about you? Why haven't you treated yours?"

"I'm a man. It doesn't matter. But for a woman, it's better to get it treated."

Noelle forced a smile. "Maybe later."

Seeing her lower her head, Cedric said nothing further and sat nearby.

He turned on the television, and Noelle noticed that the screen showed a gaming live stream. To her surprise, her sixth brother, Lucas, was currently competing.

Lucas had skipped Xenia's banquet for this competition, but he had ultimately lost to the youngest son of the Greene family in Beville.

In her past life, Noelle remembered how Lucas' opponents had relentlessly mocked him after he lost. He was so enraged that he recruited her and his brothers into his team when he returned.

Although they failed the qualifiers, they made a comeback in the repechage. They eventually made their way to the finals, only to face the Greene family's team again.

Back then, Noelle spent countless hours training and analyzing the Greene team's strategies just to beat them.

Xenia wasn't in the lineup because her gaming skills were poor. She could only be a substitute and couldn't make it onto the main team.

Noelle loved playing alongside her brothers. She relished the bliss of having no one else to interrupt them as a family. She was so entranced by the competition that she even neglected her college entrance exam preparations.

But just as they won a critical round and the championship was within reach, the Liddell brothers made Noelle step down and had Xenia take her place.

Ultimately, they won the national championship. Her brothers stood on the podium with Xenia, basking in the glory of her efforts. Xenia held the trophy that should've been hers, smiling happily in the center of the group.

Noelle felt her heart shatter into pieces as she watched the game on the television. It seemed as though the hole in her heart could never be mended.

"Why are you crying? This isn't some soap opera worth getting emotional over."

Jolted out of her reveries, she wiped her tears from her face. Her emotions had overwhelmed her as she recalled her past.

A tissue held between two slender fingers appeared before her.

Embarrassed, Noelle took the tissue and turned to Cedric shyly, "Do you play this game?"

"You should prioritize your college entrance exam preparations, not the game." Cedric slouched back in his chair, paying no attention to her. He was focused on the competition.

Noelle also turned to the screen and said solemnly, "Team Luminark will lose."

It was Lucas' team.

A smirk played on Cedric's lips as he said nonchalantly, "You've got a good eye."

As she expected, Team Luminark lost.

Noelle saw how furious Lucas looked on screen. In a fit of rage, he even smashed his keyboard. His temper was as terrible as always.

Seeing him lose made her feel a twinge of satisfaction.

Once Lucas returned, he would surely reorganize his team. Nevertheless, she wouldn't compete for the Liddell family anymore.

She would fight for herself and become a professional player, earning enough money to go to college and support herself. She no longer wanted her living expenses to be cut off at a whim to coerce her into compliance, nor did she want to give up on applying to prestigious universities and end up attending a community college with Xenia instead.

Financial independence was the only way for Noelle to escape the Liddell family's control.

Professional gamers didn't have much commercial value now, but by the following year, livestreaming would go viral. They could earn money through live streams.

With her gaming experience from her past life, it was the quickest and easiest way for her to make money.

She silently steeled her resolve.

After the live stream ended, Cedric glanced back at her and removed her IV needle. He pressed a cotton swab on the back of her hand and said, "Your medicine is on the table. You can leave after you take it."

"Thank you!" Noelle said, grabbing her medicine and leaving the infirmary.

As soon as she left, a young man sauntered in and began to playfully say, "Ced, it's rare to see you playing hero. But that woman doesn't have a great reputation at school. They're roasting her on the forum. Don't let her fool you."

Leaning back against his chair, Cedric looked less aloof. He seemed to ease up as he asked, "Why are you still here?"

"I'm curious as to why you chose this high school to work as a doctor. You even skipped Magnus' competition. He was so distracted looking for you that he nearly got blindsided by the Liddell kid. Tell me why, and I'll leave right away."

Cedric removed his mask and rolled up his sleeves, revealing a hideous scar.

Alfred Parham's expression darkened. "Have you not let it go yet? It's been ages. That car accident has nothing to do with you!

"Wait, don't tell me that this woman is—"

"Shut up."

Closing his eyes to rest, Cedric ignored him.