Chapter 1

A prison warden handed Rowena Shore a small bag at the entrance to Graystone Prison. He opened the door and escorted her out. "Remember to toe the line in the future. Be a good person."

Rowena clutched the bag and looked down at her hands, which were much coarser than before. Her face was devoid of emotion, and her gaze was empty. She didn't even know what she'd done wrong.

As she puzzled this out, a black Maybach entered her line of sight and stopped before her. Jordan Pallet got out of the car, reaching out a hand toward her. He wanted to help her get into the car.

However, she dodged him and got in without a word.

He retracted his hand and shut the door. Then, he sighed. "I'm the only one who's here to take you home. Your release from prison coincided with Jasmine's cello recital—your parents and brother have gone to watch it."

Rowena slowly turned to look at him. "Why aren't you there, then?"

Jordan hadn't expected that. "What?"

She repeated, "Why aren't you there? Don't you, Mom, Dad, and Roland all adore Jasmine?"

His expression darkened, and he frowned. "What nonsense are you spouting? You're the one we adore. We wouldn't have resorted to sending you to prison to teach you a lesson if not for you doing all those horrible things to Jasmine."

Rowena turned to look at the scenery out the window as they zoomed past. She almost wanted to laugh until she cried at his words.

She was the one they adored? Perhaps that would've been true in the past.

Since childhood, her parents, brother, and even Jordan, her fiancé, had always doted on her. They treated her like a precious treasure—she'd felt like the happiest princess in the world.

But everything had changed after she got into an accident and ended up comatose. Initially, everyone had visited her at the hospital daily. She couldn't wake up, but she still had her consciousness. She'd frequently heard them telling her how much they missed her.

However, one day, they'd started mentioning Jasmine Green's name. Only later did Rowena learn that her family had found another woman who resembled her to act as a stand-in for her because they missed her too much. Jasmine was that stand-in.

Gradually, they'd started mentioning Jasmine more and more. It had made Rowena panic, and she'd desperately tried to wake up.

Everyone had been excited and overjoyed when she'd finally woken up. She'd thought they would no longer need Jasmine since she was back. However, her family had no intention of sending Jasmine away.

Her parents wiped their tears and said, "Jasmine has had a tough life, and it hasn't been easy for her to care for us while you were comatose. Let's allow her to stay with us so she doesn't have to suffer anymore."

Their tears had softened Rowena's heart, and she'd agreed. But later, she'd discovered that her parents, brother, and Jordan loved and cared for Jasmine more than they did for her.

To make matters worse, Jasmine was the scheming and manipulative type. She framed Rowena time and time again. It had started out with her falsely accusing Rowena of slapping her and pushing her down the stairs—and her family had bought it.

Later, she'd gotten into an accident and accused Rowena of being behind it. Everyone had been infuriated by this and berated Rowena for being out of line.

So, they'd worked together to have her thrown behind bars. They'd wanted to show her some tough love and teach her a lesson so she would turn over a new leaf.

Rowena had spent three torturous years in prison, yet now, Jordan was telling her he adored her.

His heart tightened at the sight of her reddened eyes. He wanted to say something, but he was interrupted by the ringing of his phone.

After he answered it, Jasmine's sweet voice filled the car. "It's my first cello recital today, Jordan. Why aren't you here? You're the only one missing."

His gaze softened, and he said gently, "Be good, okay? I'm picking Ro up from prison today."

"Bring her along, then!" she chirped. When he didn't say anything, she said coquettishly, "I know you guys are worried about Ro hurting me again, but I believe she won't do it anymore. Come together! It's my first recital, and I don't want you to be absent."

Jordan chuckled. "Alright, alright. We'll be right there."

He hung up and told the driver to turn the car around. When they arrived at the recital hall, he said to Rowena, "Jasmine is kind and naive, Ro. She's not in the best of health, either. Don't hurt her anymore."

He held Rowena's hand and pulled her forward, not noticing that she didn't seem to have heard a thing he'd said.

Jasmine was kind? Perhaps she was, but only to them.

The recital hall was large enough to accommodate over a thousand people. Blinding lights shone down on the center of the stage, attracting everyone's attention.

It was a spot Rowena had once dreamed of being in. She used to play the cello, too. She'd been exceptionally talented, and her dream had been to become a renowned cellist.

Now, however, it was an impossible feat. Her time in prison had left its mark on her; she couldn't remove it.

Jasmine was getting ready backstage. Rowena's mother, Melinda Hertz, rearranged the hem of Jasmine's gown while Rowena's brother, Roland Shore, stood behind her and helped her wear a necklace. Rowena's father, Philip Shore, watched them with a warm smile curving his lips.

They were a happy family of four, but they were supposed to be Rowena's family.

"I heard Mr. Francis Quill, the nationally renowned cellist, will be here today. He's been searching for someone to take on as his final apprentice all these years, and I dream of being selected.

"But I'm also worried that he'll actually pick me. What will I do if I have to tour the world with him? You guys won't be able to see me anymore," Jasmine said.

Jordan hurried forward when he heard that and gently tucked her hair behind her ear. "You're so silly. You have to go if you're selected—it's such a rare opportunity. Mr. Quill is very influential in the field of music, and you'll be one of the world's best cellists after becoming his apprentice. We can always visit you every week."

She smiled and was about to say something when she saw Rowena out of the corner of her eye. She hurried forward and clung to the latter's arm affectionately. "You're finally back, Ro!"

Rowena extricated herself, feeling uncomfortable. She made a sound of acknowledgment.

Philip, Melinda, and Roland frowned at that. Then, Philip said, "Change your attitude now that you're back. Stop picking on Jasmine."

Before Rowena could say anything, a staff member came to usher Jasmine on stage. "It's time for you to take the stage, Ms. Green."

Everyone took their seats after Jasmine went onstage. Their eyes glimmered with admiration as they watched her shine.

Rowena bent over to put her chair away after the recital was over and it was time to leave. Her loose collar fell open, revealing the bruises all over her body. Every inch of her once flawless skin was covered in wounds—there wasn't an unmarked spot.

Jordan's eyes widened at that, and he grabbed her hand. His voice shook as he asked, "How did you get all those injuries, Ro?"

The Shores saw them as well. Their expressions shifted drastically.

How had it happened?

Rowena had been subjected to physical abuse from her first day in prison. She'd gone hungry and without sleep all because of Jasmine's order to "take good care of her".

Her expression turned mocking. Jordan was about to lift her shirt to check on her when Jasmine cried out in pain. "Ouch, it hurts!"

She clutched her ankle, her face crumpled from the pain.

Philip, Melinda, Roland, and Jordan instantly forgot about Rowena and ran to Jasmine. Jordan lifted her into his arms, and the Shores surrounded them as they hurried off.

Rowena smiled self-deprecatingly at the sight. She was about to leave when someone stood in her way. She stopped, feeling astonished. "M-Mr. Quill?"

Francis smiled fondly. "I didn't expect you to still remember me, young lady. If that's the case, you should remember that I wanted to take you on as my apprentice three years ago. You turned me down because you didn't want to leave your family, but I'll ask you again now. Are you willing to leave with me?"

"Aren't you here to see Jasmine, Mr. Quill? Besides, I'm now…" She trailed off, looking ashamed. She didn't know what to do.

"I know you were released from prison today. That's why I came to see you. I admire your talent—your background and past don't matter to me. I can't let your talent go to waste.

"I'll make sure you stand on an international stage and turn into the brightest star in the sky. I can even help you change your identity if you don't like your current one," Francis said.

Rowena's eyes lit up at his words. After a brief silence, she said resolutely, "Alright. I'll leave with you!"

Chapter 2

Francis smiled in satisfaction and patted Rowena's shoulder. "I'll arrange everything. We leave in half a month."

After saying goodbye to him, Rowena left, a flame of hope in life rekindling in her heart. When she got home, she reflexively keyed in her birthday to unlock the door. However, it was wrong.

The beep made her return to her senses. She'd only been gone for three years. Had her family already changed the password?

She thought about how they doted on Jasmine and keyed in the latter's birthday instead. As expected, the door unlocked.

Rowena suppressed the bitterness in her heart and headed to her room. When she opened the door, she found that it had thoroughly changed. It had originally been a dainty princess room, but it was now an adorable pet's room.

There was a golden retriever inside. Not recognizing her, it barked at her when she entered, even pouncing at her with its mouth wide open. It would've bitten her if not for her dodging it.

Rowena paled at the sight of the dog, and she started having difficulty breathing. The dog's fur floated in the air and landed on her, making her skin start to itch.

She was terrified of dogs and allergic to dog fur!

She gasped for breath, and tears formed in her eyes. Her body swayed as she staggered toward where she remembered her allergy medication was stored.

"My medication…" The spot where the medication used to be stored was now filled with a crystal ornament. She couldn't find the medication anywhere.

The dog was even more excited when it saw how scared Rowena was. It pounced on her and bit her leg; she instinctively struggled in fear and kicked it away. It crashed against a table leg and whined in pain.

Just then, Philip, Melinda, Roland, Jasmine, and Jordan returned. This was the scene that greeted them.

Jasmine's eyes turned red when she saw this, and she ran to the dog. She cried, "Why did you hurt my dog, Ro?"

Philip's gaze instantly turned disappointed. He growled, "I thought you'd turned a new leaf, but here you are, taking your anger out on a dog just because we weren't around! It hasn't done anything wrong!"

Rowena felt terrible. Her throat had swelled up so much that she could barely breathe, and her vision was blurry. She could only gasp and force out, "My medication…"

She reached out a hand and felt around for it, barely able to stand.

Roland ignored her agony and snapped impatiently, "That's enough, Rowena! Stop acting! It doesn't matter how tormented you make yourself look—it won't change the fact that you hurt Jasmine's dog!"

Jordan looked at her coldly, too. He shook his head in disappointment and asked, "Why do you insist on picking on Jasmine, Ro?"

With that, everyone left with the dog in tow. They hurried to a veterinary hospital.

Rowena was running out of oxygen, and her vision was getting blurrier. Just as she thought she was going to die, her hand touched a bottle of pills. She grabbed it and hurriedly took a few pills.

It took her a while to recover. She held the bottle tightly, never wanting to experience that again.

She still remembered when she'd first gotten an allergic reaction to dog fur. Her parents, Roland, and Jordan had been so panicked. They'd stayed by her side and cared for her, never allowing her to come into contact with a single dog since then. They'd protected her like she was a fragile piece of glass.

They'd even kept her allergy medication everywhere in case anything went wrong. Now, however, they'd forgotten about her allergies and even thought she was putting on an act.

Rowena's heart ached. She looked at the pet room, feeling cold all over.

As she hesitated and wondered which room to take, a maid walked past and gave her a nasty look.

Then, she said rudely, "This room belongs to Ms. Jasmine's dog, Cookie, now. She adores Cookie, so you'll have to make do with a guest room, Ms. Rowena."

It looked like Rowena couldn't even compare to a dog now. She laughed bitterly and headed to a guest room while holding her bag. She didn't argue. That room no longer belonged to her, but she didn't want it anymore anyway.

…

Philip, Melinda, Roland, and Jordan didn't return that night. Rowena wasn't bothered. She applied medication to her wound after cleaning up and checked her phone. It was rather outdated, but that didn't stop her from using it.

She saw that Jasmine had updated her social media. It was a photo of her and everyone else waiting by Cookie's side. All of them looked equally worried.

Rowena stared at the photo for a long time before putting down her phone and going to bed.

When she headed downstairs the following day, she saw everyone chatting while seated on the couch. Jasmine hurried to her when she saw her and held her hand, pulling her to the couch.

"We want to throw you a party to celebrate your return, Ro. Everyone's discussing it now. Come and have a seat so we can hammer out the details together! Now, where were we?" she asked enthusiastically.

Roland frowned at Rowena, looking a little resentful. "You're too kind, Jasmine. I can't believe you want to throw her a party after how she's treated you!"

Philip and Melinda looked equally disapproving. Jordan parted his lips to say something but ultimately remained silent.

Jasmine smirked and buried her head in Melinda's chest. "Come on, guys. Don't be mad at Ro anymore. I'm sure she didn't mean to do it. Besides, I didn't take it to heart, and Cookie is fine. Forgive her this once, okay?"

Melinda laughed at her childish actions, which eased the tension.

Chapter 3

Rowena felt mocked by what seemed to be a touching scene. These people were her family and fiancé, yet they needed Jasmine to convince them not to be mad at her.

Everyone smiled indulgently at Jasmine, and Melinda caressed her head. She said helplessly, "Alright, alright. We'll forgive her this once for your sake."

Jasmine's smile widened. She shot Rowena a pointed look and said, "This is the first party we're throwing since Ro's return. It has to be a grand affair!"

Roland immediately chimed in. "I remember Ro loves roses. I'll have someone import them to decorate the venue."

Melinda chuckled. "Ro loves lemon-flavored cakes. I'll bake it myself."

"I saw a new white gown up for bidding at the auction hall. Ro loves white, so I'll have someone bid for it right now." Jordan pulled out his phone and found a photo of the gown for Rowena. He held it out before her.

They chatted happily and decided on everything before belatedly noticing Rowena's silence. Jordan looked at her in concern. "Do you have anything to say about the party, Ro?"

She couldn't help sneering as she looked at them. "Do I have anything to say? I like tulips, not roses. I'm allergic to lemons. I like blue, not white. Roses, lemons, and the color white are Jasmine's favorites. What do you think I have to say?"

Her words were like slaps to their faces. Philip and Melinda smiled awkwardly and hurriedly apologized. "Sorry, Ro. We mixed you two up; don't be mad."

Roland's expression darkened. He said impatiently, "What do you mean by that, Rowena? It's not like we deliberately mixed things up. Why are you being so calculative?"

Jordan frowned slightly. Then, he said tenderly, "It's our fault, Ro. Since you don't like any of these things, we'll change them all to the things you like. What do you think?"

"Save it." Rowena turned and headed upstairs without another word.

The Shores and Jordan couldn't help thinking the same thing as they watched her leave—she'd changed so much.

…

The following day, when it was time to head to the venue for the party, a few cars pulled up before everyone. Jasmine stepped forward and clung to Rowena.

She said, "We've been apart for so long, Ro. Is it okay if we head to the venue together? I want to spend some time with you and tell you secrets that only sisters should share."

Rowena wanted to say no, but Philip and Melinda gave their seal of approval for this "tender" moment between sisters. "This is the way things should be. You two are sisters, so you should make sure to get along. We'll take the other cars and give you two some time alone."

They smiled and watched Rowena and Jasmine get into the car before leaving. Rowena leaned against the door, ignoring Jasmine.

She didn't know when things changed, but the path started leading toward somewhere more remote. There were fewer people around, too.

She realized something was amiss and turned to Jasmine, her expression grim. "We're not going to the party. Where are you taking me?"

Jasmine smiled sweetly, not answering her. Instead, she clapped her hands. The driver suddenly stopped and whipped out a bottle, spraying it in Rowena's face.

A sickly sweet fragrance wafted into her nostrils, and her vision immediately blurred. Then, she descended into darkness and lost her consciousness.

When she woke up, she found herself bound to Jasmine by a rope. Their limbs were tied, and a ticking time bomb was connected to them. The abandoned factory they were in was empty and covered in dust.

"I've already contacted the Shores and Jordan Pallet, Ms. Green. They'll be here soon. What else do I need to do?" Their abductor looked at Jasmine ingratiatingly, a phone in his hand.

It went without saying that Jasmine had orchestrated this. Rowena tried and failed to break free.

She asked coldly, "What the hell are you doing, Jasmine?"

Jasmine chuckled. "What am I doing? Bullying you, of course. Hit her, Tom. Remember to do it where it's not obvious."

She laughed when she heard the muffled groans Rowena let out upon being assaulted.

"Don't think your return will change anything, Rowena. Mom, Dad, Roland, and even Jordan only care about me! Why don't we do something to verify that if you don't believe me?"

Rowena gnashed her teeth and endured the pain, looking ashen. She couldn't help feeling a sliver of hope, though. In the next second, she heard footsteps approach. Tom Brown, the abductor, hurriedly ran away.

The Shores and Jordan arrived. They all looked harried and panicked as they tried to catch their breath. Their hearts clenched at the sight of Rowena and Jasmine looking disheveled, and heartache filled their eyes.

"Ro, Jasmine! Are you two okay?" Jordan asked anxiously. He was at a loss for what to do when he saw the bomb tied to them. It was counting down, and everyone held their breath.

Tears streamed down Jasmine's face, but she pretended to be strong as she said, "The bomb's going to explode soon, guys. You can only save one person! It's okay if I die—save Ro!"

The four exchanged looks. They saw the hesitation and turmoil in each other's eyes, which only intensified their panic.

Rowena and Jasmine both turned to look at them. The desire to live shone in both their eyes.

Chapter 4

Rowena looked calm on the surface but felt doubtful deep down. Would her family and Jordan pick her? In the next second, she saw the apology in their eyes.

Philip was the first to break the silence. "Jasmine is weak and cowardly, Ro. We'll save her first. Give us some time—we'll immediately come back for you once she's out of here!"

No one objected to his words. In fact, they avoided making eye contact with Rowena as they helped Jasmine undo the ropes that bound her.

Rowena's heart sank, and tears of despair filled her eyes. She couldn't help it. Why had she held out hope for them despite knowing the outcome?

She watched as her family and Jordan freed Jasmine and ran out with her in their arms. All that was left for Rowena was their backs.

Once outside the factory, Jasmine threw herself into Jordan's arms and burst into tears. She held onto Philip and Melinda, refusing to let them go. "I'm so scared, guys. Am I still alive? I didn't die?"

They hurriedly comforted her and dried her tears. None of them remembered Rowena was still tied to the bomb.

The seconds ticked, counting down to Rowena's death. She had no choice but to force herself to calm down so she could save herself.

She struggled with all her might, sustaining countless injuries as she did everything she could to finally break free of the ropes. There were only ten seconds left until the bomb detonated. She didn't look back as she ran the fastest she ever had.

The bomb exploded, and the blast got her. It knocked her unconscious.

Rowena was in immense pain when she opened her eyes again. To her utter despair, she'd been locked up. She was locked in the room the Shore family reserved for downtime!

She'd just experienced an abduction. Why had they locked her up instead of taking her to the hospital?

Terror washed over her as the darkness of the room mingled with her memories of the detention room in prison. During her three years in prison, physical abuse and punishments weren't all she'd experienced. She'd also been on the receiving end of endless insults and assaults.

Dirty rats and insects had climbed over every inch of her skin and nibbled at her flesh. Bucket after bucket of cold water had been poured on her, keeping her awake as she suffered. There had always been new methods to torment her.

"Don't hit me… Don't hit me…" Rowena pleaded. She curled into a ball, unable to tell what was reality and what was part of her memory.

The three years behind bars had made her claustrophobic. She couldn't handle being locked in here! She pounded on the door repeatedly, screaming until her throat was hoarse, "Let me out! Why have you locked me in here?"

Just then, Jordan's voice came from the other side of the door. "Stop shouting, Ro. You're not coming out until it's been three days. We thought you'd learned your lesson and become better after being in prison, but the abductor came clean and told us you orchestrated the whole thing!

"Do you know that Jasmine is still burning up with a fever from the scare you gave her? We're going easy on you by locking you in there—your punishment won't be this simple if you continue like this!"

Rowena felt like she'd been struck by lightning. Jasmine was the one who'd planned this—how had she ended up being at fault?

She leaned against the door and cried, "I didn't do anything! I have claustrophobia—let me out of here!"

Jordan's expression darkened. "You never had claustrophobia in the past. Why would you suddenly have it now? Stop making excuses!"

"When in jail, I—" She wanted to explain, but Jasmine's voice interrupted her.

"Mom, Dad, maybe you guys should let Ro out. I'm sure she didn't mean anything by it."

Melinda held her hand and sighed. "You're just too kind."

Roland said nastily, "It's just a detention of sorts. How can you let her out after what she's done to you? This is the punishment she deserves!"

Jordan stopped Jasmine from heading to the attic and told her to leave. "You need to rest, Jasmine. I'll buy you an expensive necklace to make up for the fright you experienced, okay?"

The rest of the Shores agreed. "Chanel's just launched a new bag…"

Their footsteps faded, and despair washed over Rowena. She pounded on the door again. "Let me out!"

She lost her voice from all the shouting, and her body wouldn't stop trembling. She grabbed everything around her to try to make her way out. Her hands were bloody from trying to break the door down, but it remained firmly shut. In the end, she passed out due to fatigue.

When she woke up, the smell of disinfectant wafted into her nostrils. Her phone had been placed beside her, and it was ringing.

Rowena propped herself up with difficulty and checked it to see that Francis was calling her. She hurriedly answered it.

"I've bought your plane ticket, Ro. Did you receive a message confirming it?" he asked.

She checked her messages and was delighted when she saw one that had a link with her boarding pass attached. "Yes, I have. We're leaving in seven days, right? I'll be there. Thanks for the plane ticket."

The door was pushed open as soon as the words were out of her mouth. Jordan ran to her and held her hand, his voice cold as he asked, "What plane ticket?"

Chapter 5

Rowena didn't expect Jordan to suddenly appear. She was briefly taken aback before she locked her phone and calmly brushed him off.

"It's nothing. You misheard me. Are you here to take me away so you can lock me up again?"

He didn't expect to hear that. He was surprised when he met her empty gaze.

Frowning, he said, "Don't be so sharp-tongued, Ro. You're the one who did something wrong, yet Jasmine still pleaded with me and your parents on your behalf to have you let out. We won't hold this against you this time, but don't ever try something like this again."

He glanced at his phone. "Focus on your recovery. Jasmine's still in the hospital, too. I need to go care for her."

The door shut behind him, leaving Rowena alone again. She was covered in injuries, and her lips had cracked from how dry they were. No one was there to care for her.

A nurse came to change her bandages and kindly fed her some water. She even told her some gossip. "There's a young woman who's got it all—her situation is something out of a fairy tale.

"She only has a fever, but a handsome guy brought her here, panicked as hell. Her parents even reserved the whole floor for her. Her brother arranged for countless experts to come and see her, saying that they had to make sure she was fine. Her family and boyfriend refuse to leave her side—you should see how doting they are."

When Rowena didn't respond, the nurse asked, "How about your family, miss? Why isn't anyone here to care for you when you're so badly injured? They're so irresponsible."

Rowena looked at her and smiled self-deprecatingly. "The people you just talked about are my family and fiancé."

The nurse faltered before smiling awkwardly. "Is that so?"

She hurried off after changing Rowena's bandages, not daring to look back. Silence descended upon the hospital ward again. Rowena shut her eyes to get some rest.

For the next two days, she listened as the nurses expressed their envy over the love and concern being showered on Jasmine. She acted like she didn't hear them.

She and Jasmine were discharged on the same day, but nobody bothered to pick her up. She headed home alone.

That afternoon, a maid entered a room to clean it before suddenly crying out in shock. "Mrs. Shore, someone broke your heirloom bracelet!"

It lay on the floor in pieces. Melinda's vision went black at the sight of it.

"Check the surveillance footage! I want to know who did it!"

Upon checking the footage, they found that only Rowena and Jasmine had walked past that room that day. Everyone's expressions darkened at that, and Philip and Melinda looked at Rowena reproachfully.

The orchestrated abduction was still fresh in their minds, so they reflexively thought she'd done it. "Did you break the bracelet, Ro?"

"No." Rowena looked numb. "You can check the fingerprints on it if you don't believe me."

"That's enough! How much longer are you going to lie to us, Rowena? Who else could it be if not you?" Roland snapped. He looked at her in disappointment, not even stopping to think about other possibilities.

Melinda and Philip were equally disappointed. Philip said, "Fine, then. You can kneel outside the house since you refuse to admit your mistakes! Come in when you see sense!"

A group of bodyguards stepped forward and grabbed Rowena by the shoulders. They pushed her out of the house.

She didn't struggle or try to explain this time; she knew there was no point. She was already numb to the situation, anyway. She stood there silently.

It was pouring outside, so Rowena was soon drenched. The coldness of the rain seeped into her bones, and someone kicked her in the back of the knee, making her fall to the ground.

She didn't do anything wrong, so she tried to get to her feet. However, as she propped herself up, someone kicked her again.

The friction rubbed her palms raw, and the wounds stung. Her injuries had barely recovered, so the attacks made them split open again. Blood dyed her clothes red.

Rowena stubbornly raised her head and looked in through the floor-to-ceiling windows. She watched the heartwarming scene unfold inside the house and listened to the sounds of laughter coming from within. Endless darkness and pain overwhelmed her heart.

Chapter 6

Jasmine's favorite dishes were on the table, and she beamed as everyone took turns to scoop food onto her plate. Only when her plate was overflowing did she say, "Stop, guys! You know I can't eat too much—I can't finish this."

Rowena didn't know whether it was the rain or her tears that blurred her vision. She still remembered how her family and Jordan had always firmly believed in her no matter what had happened.

They'd always sided with her, even saying, "Everything you do is right, Ro. We believe in you."

Back then, everyone had been willing to change their preferences for her sake, so meals had been catered to her tastes. Now, however, they'd given their love and care to Jasmine.

The scene before Rowena's eyes slowly faded as she slipped into darkness. She didn't know how long she kneeled there; she couldn't take it anymore and passed out.

When she woke up again, she saw Jordan's handsome face before her. He blew lightly on a spoonful of chicken broth and held it to her lips when he saw that she was awake. "You must be hungry. Have some."

It had been cooled to the perfect temperature and warmed her stomach. Rowena couldn't understand why he was suddenly being so nice.

"Did something happen? Why are you suddenly being so nice to me?"

She looked at him coolly, her gaze distant and indifferent.

He faltered. "We checked the other surveillance camera's footage and saw that Jasmine was the one who accidentally broke Mrs. Shore's bracelet. She was too scared to admit it before; don't get mad at her."

Rowena found the whole thing to be a joke. She shut her eyes, not wanting to talk to him anymore. She'd been through so much suffering—did he think a simple explanation of Jasmine being too scared to own up to her mistakes could pacify her?

Then again, there was no point in pursuing the matter. Jordan and the rest of her family were so indulgent of Jasmine that they would never punish her.

She clutched her phone tightly, wishing that time would pass faster. She wanted to get to the day of her departure.

Jordan felt resigned when he saw her like this. He said gently, "We're going to get married soon, Ro. Can you be happier? Don't be like this for our wedding."

Rowena slowly opened her eyes and looked at him. "Our wedding? When did anyone say anything about that?"

He was taken aback. Then, he smiled and asked, "Have you forgotten? Our families made a pact for us to marry before we turned 27. You're already 26 this year, so it's the perfect time."

Rowena belatedly recalled that promise. She lowered her eyes and licked her chapped lips. "Are you still willing to marry me?"

Jordan held her hand tightly and said seriously, "Of course! My biggest wish since childhood has been to marry you. I don't want anyone but you."

She met his gaze. Then, she smiled. "But I—"

She wanted to tell him that she didn't want to marry him anymore. Before she could finish her sentence, a commotion outside interrupted her.

Jasmine's screech entered everyone's ears. "Jordan Pallet!"

Jordan hurriedly put down the bowl of chicken broth and darted out of the room when he heard that. Rowena got out of bed and followed him slowly as well.

Jasmine held a knife to her wrist and slashed it lightly, making blood ooze out. Her eyes were red, and she looked haggard and crazed.

The Shores and Jordan stood around her, looking anxious. They eyed her knife warily, afraid she would actually hurt herself.

"Calm down, Jasmine. Don't be like this!"

"That's right! Just tell us what happened. Why are you suddenly doing this? Tell us! No matter what the problem is, we can resolve it together!"

Chapter 7

Jasmine's eyes turned even redder when she saw Rowena. She said tearfully, "I'm sorry, Mom and Dad. I'm sorry, Roland. We can be family again in my next lifetime!"

She slashed her wrists, deeper this time. Blood poured out. She smiled in despair and shut her eyes.

"Jasmine!" everyone shouted in unison, looking panicked. They ran to her and held her.

A note fell out of her clasped hand. On it was a simple sentence. "I like you, Jordan. Don't get married, please."

Everyone fell silent at that. Roland was the first to speak. "Let's take Jasmine to the hospital!"

The others snapped to their senses and fluttered around like headless chickens. Finally, Jordan hoisted Jasmine into his arms while Melinda tried to stop the bleeding. She wanted nothing more than to endure the pain on Jasmine's behalf when she saw the latter's furrowed brows.

The group left in a hurry, and Rowena silently returned to her room. She'd expected this to happen.

…

Everyone was back home when Rowena woke up the following morning. They sat around her bed, looking at her in concern.

"Do your wounds still hurt, Ro?" Melinda blew on the scratches on Rowena's palm, her touch light as she changed the bandage.

Roland sat nearby, peeling an apple. Philip had someone bring him a teddy bear, which he placed by Rowena's bedside.

He said, "You could never fall asleep without a teddy bear, Ro. Your old one has gone missing, so I've gotten you a new one."

Jordan brought her a tray of nutritious food for her breakfast. He even wanted to feed her.

"I made this for you, Ro. They're all your favorites, so have a taste."

Rowena almost thought she'd traveled back in time when she saw how nice they were being to her. This was how they'd treated her when she'd been sick in the past. For a moment, she couldn't help drowning in this fake warmth.

The four were relieved after she finished her breakfast and looked much more relaxed.

Melinda asked in trepidation, "Are you feeling better now, Ro?"

Rowena instantly extricated herself from the warmth when she saw the expectant looks on their faces.

"What do you guys really want? Let's hear it."

They exchanged looks and hesitated.

After a while, Melinda finally spoke up. "Our hearts are breaking for Jasmine, Ro. The silly thing adored Jordan but didn't dare say anything because she didn't want to take him from you.

"Still, she couldn't take it when she heard you two were getting married. That's why she tried to take her life. Her biggest wish is to have a wedding with Jordan, even if it's fake. Can you… can you grant her wish?"

Jordan hurriedly said, "Don't worry, Ro. It's just a fake wedding to make her wish come true. You're the only one I love—that will never change."

Roland added, "You and Jordan grew up together, Ro. Shouldn't you have faith in him? This is Jasmine's only wish—let it come true."

"Exactly. Jasmine isn't the healthiest—she might do something extreme if her wish isn't granted," Philip said.

They thought they would have to spend a long time persuading Rowena, but she calmly said, "Sure. Do whatever you want."

She wanted to tell Jordan that she didn't even care if he actually married Jasmine. With that, she coldly chased them out of her room.