Chapter 1

A clap of thunder split the sky alongside a flash of lightning. Kylie Murphy trembled all over in fright, curling into herself as she fumbled through her bag for her phone and dialed her husband, Isaac Grant.

She had always been terrified of thunderstorms since she was a child, and the phone in her hand was her only lifeline.

The call rang for a long time before it was finally answered.

"Speak." The voice on the other end was low and hoarse, laced with coldness and impatience.

"Zac, I'm on Five Star Road right now. It's raining heavily, and I can't get a cab. Can you pick me up?" Kylie asked gently, her tone a hint of pleading.

She had already called the Murphy residence earlier, but the maid said that the driver had to leave due to a personal emergency. As a result, he couldn't pick Kylie up.

With no other option, she turned to Isaac for help.

However, Isaac replied indifferently, "I'm busy."

As soon as he finished speaking, a sweet voice could be heard through the receiver. "Isaac, can you help me take a look at this—"

Before the woman could finish, Isaac had already hung up.

The rain pounded against the ground, the wind howled, and flashes of lightning split through the pitch-black night sky.

Staring at the screen that had already gone dark, Kylie felt a chill spreading through her heart. Why did the woman's voice sound so familiar?

Could it be…

No, it couldn't.

That person had already gone to Moravia and hadn't returned even once in the past two years. It definitely couldn't be her.

Kylie steadied herself.

Given the situation, waiting wasn't a solution. She could only try to get to the nearest subway station.

Taking a deep breath, she held her bag over her head and dashed out.

It was raining cats and dogs. She couldn't see the road ahead at all. Apart from the sound of the rain and thunder, a panicked voice was also heard.

"Get out of the way! Move!"

Hearing that, Kylie instinctively turned to look behind her, only to see an electric scooter heading straight toward her.

Startled, she instinctively tried to dodge. However, as it was raining heavily, the person couldn't stop in time and crashed into her.

Kylie was knocked to the ground.

…

At Fuschia Manor, the door opened, and a man with long legs wrapped in black trousers came in. The once-polished leather shoes and neatly pressed trousers were now stained with water.

Quickly stepping forward, the maid, Xena York, greeted him, "Mr. Grant."

She couldn't hide the admiration in her eyes.

The man was strikingly handsome, his features chiseled and angular, with a sharp jawline. His appearance was both commanding and refined.

Everything about him radiated an air of nobility.

Isaac's expression remained cold as he strode forward.

Halfway through, as if remembering something, he turned his head and asked Xena in a rich, magnetic voice, "Where's Kylie?"

Xena hadn't expected Isaac to ask about Kylie and froze for a moment. "She isn't back yet," she replied respectfully.

"She didn't call the driver to pick her up?"

Xena paused slightly, her eyes flickering. "No."

Isaac frowned but said nothing more.

It was at that moment that the door opened.

Kylie had returned, but she was drenched.

As she stepped inside, water dripped from her clothes, making her look disheveled. A piece of medical gauze was stuck to her forehead, and she was limping, draped in a man's jacket.

At that moment, the housekeeper, Lydia Bright, walked over from the kitchen. When she saw Kylie in that state, her eyes widened in shock.

"Mrs. Grant, what happened? Are you badly hurt?"

Shaking her head, Kylie explained, "I was hit by an electric scooter on the way back. It's nothing serious."

Even though she said that, her face was as pale as paper, and her voice was slightly hoarse.

Upon hearing this, Isaac couldn't help but let out a faint, mocking laugh. He stood there, looking down at Kylie with disdain.

"What? Because I didn't pick you up, did you pretend to get hit so that you could return and accuse me?"

Kylie was stunned. She looked up at Isaac in shock, not believing that he would suspect her like this.

Her pale lips trembled slightly, and she felt like something was stuck in her throat, rendering her silent for the longest time possible.

Isaac took her silence as admission. He became even more contemptuous. "And you came back wearing a man's jacket. What, trying to make me jealous?"

"I didn't!" Kylie refuted loudly.

A vehicle had really knocked her down. As for the jacket, it was from the man who hit her. He had kindly lent it to her when he saw how drenched she was.

Yet, it was obvious that Isaac didn't believe her. He only gave her a lazy, dismissive glance. "Kylie, it's boring to use the same trick repeatedly."

There was no trace of warmth in his voice, and the disgust in his tone was evident.

Kylie stiffened, her face turning paler.

She had indeed faked injuries before, hoping to gain Isaac's sympathy.

Kylie lowered her gaze, clenching her hands. "It doesn't matter if you believe me or not. I'm not lying this time."

Isaac said nothing. He didn't even spare her another glance, simply turning and going upstairs.

Lydia looked at Isaac's back. Then, he walked up to Kylie with concern. "Mrs. Grant, you're hurt and drenched. You should go upstairs and rest early."

"Okay." Kylie nodded before going upstairs.

…

Once inside the room, she was greeted by silence.

Isaac had not returned to the bedroom.

Kylie let out a soft sigh. Then, she received a WhatsApp notification. She took out her phone, seeing a message from her best friend.

"Kylie, look at Cody's status!"

Kylie tapped into Cody Young's status. After scrolling just a bit, she saw it.

"Welcome back!"

When she saw the attached photo, her pupils suddenly contracted—it was a group photo. There were seven or eight people in it, most of whom were familiar faces.

The most striking one was the woman sitting in the center—right next to Isaac was Ella Parker.

Kylie's body swayed slightly. So, she hadn't misheard earlier. That really was Ella's voice.

Isaac's first love was back.

Chapter 2

Kylie felt a storm of emotions inside her as she stared at Isaac in the photo. He was sitting next to Ella, and though he remained expressionless, the corners of his lips were slightly lifted.

It was subtle, but Kylie could still sense that he was in a good mood.

His first love had finally returned, so of course, he was happy.

Kylie gently closed her eyes, her throat tightening with bitterness. It was like swallowing bitter medicine—utterly unbearable.

She set down her phone and slowly walked into the bathroom.

When the water poured over her head, Kylie completely forgot that the doctor had warned her not to let the wound get wet.

After showering, she stepped out of the bathroom. As soon as she walked out, she saw Isaac sitting on the couch.

She was stunned.

Isaac looked at her lazily. Then, he tilted his chin toward a document on the coffee table, after which he said, "Sign it."

Kylie's heart clenched when she saw the document on the table. She walked toward Isaac step by step, her feet as heavy as lead.

She bent slightly and picked up the document. The bold title immediately caught her eye—Divorce Agreement.

Even though she had already expected it, seeing the agreement with her own eyes still caused her expression to change.

She gripped the paper tightly, wrinkling it.

Then, she looked at Isaac, her voice trembling slightly. "W-What does this mean?"

Right after asking the question, she realized how foolish the question sounded. It was practically rhetorical.

Isaac looked at her calmly. "Let's get a divorce. After the divorce, I'll give you four million. Also, the villas at Mountview Estate and Suncrest Hill will be transferred to your name. If you think that's not enough, you can speak with my assistant."

He sounded so plain and flat that he was talking about something casual.

Upon hearing his words, Kylie felt as if her heart had been sliced open. She looked at Isaac, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears.

It was two years of marriage in exchange for four million and two villas.

It sounded like she had all the benefits, but did he not understand that she never wanted those things?

Kylie's eyes reddened, her nose stung badly, and her vision began to blur.

She bit her lip until it paled and stared at Isaac blankly. "Zac, are you asking for a divorce because of Ella? Is it because she came back, so…"

At this, her voice choked with emotion, causing Isaac to look at her suddenly.

She had just taken a shower and now wore a white nightgown. Her long black hair hung smoothly over her shoulders.

She had no makeup on, making her look simple yet beautiful.

The mole the size of a teardrop beneath her left eye only made her seem more fragile, and the medical gauze on her forehead made her look even more pitiful.

For some reason, seeing Kylie like this stirred an inexplicable irritation in Isaac's chest. He frowned deeply as he stood up from the couch, looking down at her.

"Yes," he responded coldly.

That single word was akin to a sharp blade stabbing Kylie's heart.

"Since things are at this stage, I might as well make it clear. You know very well that from the very beginning, I never wanted to marry you. If you hadn't used tricks to win Grandma's favor and made her force me to marry you, I never would have."

His tone was chilling to the bone.

"Now that Ella is back, it's time to end this ridiculous marriage."

All the color instantly drained from Kylie's face. She felt as though an invisible hand was squeezing her heart, making it difficult for her to breathe.

Ridiculous?

So, in his eyes, this marriage was nothing more than a ridiculous farce.

Kylie suddenly fell silent. Then, she bent down and picked up the pen on the table, calmly signing her name on the divorce papers.

Isaac's eyes darkened.

She handed him the agreement and asked hoarsely, "When will we do the paperwork?"

Her words yanked Isaac back from his thoughts, causing his gaze to flicker slightly. "10:00 am."

He took the agreement and turned, leaving without looking back.

"Zac," Kylie suddenly said.

Isaac stopped walking but didn't turn around.

She spoke softly, her voice strained. "I'm sorry... for wasting your time these past two years."

He remained silent as he walked away.

Watching his retreating back, Kylie could no longer hold it in. Her tears fell like rain.

The moment he walked out of her room, Isaac's brows furrowed. Although she had signed the papers with such ease, he should have been happy.

Then, why… didn't he feel even a shred of joy?

Isaac didn't dwell on this. He took a deep breath and returned to his study.

That night, he didn't return to the bedroom.

Kylie didn't know when she fell asleep, but she had been woken up by the heat. She opened her eyes, feeling as though she was in a furnace.

Propping herself up, she touched her forehead.

As expected, it was burning hot.

She remembered her wound and the doctor's instructions, guessing that the injury must have been inflamed.

Not wasting any time, she dragged her heavy body and entered the bathroom to freshen up briefly. Then, she left the house instead of calling the family doctor.

Otherwise, if Isaac found out about this, he would probably think she intentionally made herself sick to gain his sympathy again.

…

It was just past 9:00 pm when Kylie sat alone in the hospital infusion room for her IV. She leaned against the back of the bench. Exhaustion took over her, and she dozed off.

She was sound asleep when a shrill ringtone suddenly rang in the silence.

Startled awake, Kylie realized it was her phone ringing. She was shocked to see Isaac's name on the screen. By now, it was already 10:10 pm.

"Hello, Zac—"

"Kylie, where are you?" Isaac asked impatiently.

Looking at the IV in her hand, Kylie bit her lip, saying softly, "Zac, I have something going on right now. Can we do it a little lat—"

Before she could finish, Isaac interrupted her coldly, "Kylie! I don't have time to waste with you! I'm giving you half an hour! Get over here now!"

With that, he hung up.

Kylie lowered her eyes, and her heart ached even more. She took a deep breath and raised her hand. "Nurse…"

…

When Kylie arrived at the state court, she called Isaac.

As soon as the call connected, Isaac's indifferent voice came through. "Something came up. We'll do the paperwork another day."

Before Kylie could say a word, he hung up again. She bit her lip hard. The tears she had been holding back finally spilled over.

She felt wronged and angry.

Did he really not care about her at all?

After crying for a little while, Kylie sniffled and wiped away her tears. Then, she walked away without looking back.

She had promised the doctor she'd return to finish her IV drip after handling things.

When she arrived at the hospital parking lot, Kylie opened the car door to exit.

Then, a gentle, graceful voice suddenly reached her ears. "Don't worry, Isaac. I'm feeling much better now."

Kylie froze at the voice.

Chapter 3

This voice…

Kylie turned her head and looked toward its source. Not far from where she stood, she saw Isaac carrying a woman out of the car.

As if sensing someone's gaze on him, he turned his head.

When he saw Kylie standing there, staring at them blankly, his expression immediately darkened.

He placed Ella into the wheelchair in front of him. Then, he looked up, his cold and sharp gaze shooting straight at Kylie.

Following Isaac's line of sight, Ella also spotted Kylie.

After being momentarily stunned, she smiled and greeted Kylie. "What a coincidence, Ms. Murphy. You're also here."

"Kylie, are you following me?" Isaac questioned her coldly.

Kylie's gaze was still on Ella. When she heard Isaac's question, she paled. Then, biting her lip, she retorted, "I'm not."

Isaac glanced at her, not responding. He then pushed Ella away without another word.

Watching their retreating backs, Kylie stood there, full of loneliness.

Her nose stung again.

So, this was what he meant by "something came up". He was actually with Ella.

Of course, in Isaac's heart, anything related to Ella—no matter how small it was—was still a big deal to him.

Kylie smiled self-mockingly and walked toward the infusion room.

Just like before, she sat alone in the infusion room. She was sick and had to sit there to receive an IV alone, while Ella… had Isaac by her side.

On the other side, Isaac had brought Ella into the doctor's office.

Ella was suffering from a slight fever.

Seeing how anxious Isaac was, the doctor thought for a moment and decided to give her an IV to help bring it down quickly.

Isaac pushed Ella into a nearby VIP infusion room.

As soon as they entered, he froze.

Kylie was sitting alone in the corner, receiving an IV. She looked out the window, her face a little pale and her side profile soft and delicate.

She radiated a faint sadness and loneliness.

For some reason, seeing Kylie like this made Isaac feel like something had slammed into his heart.

A nurse happened to walk over to them and respectfully greeted Isaac, "Mr. Grant."

Kylie stiffened upon hearing that and slowly turned. She was stunned when she saw Isaac and Ella standing at the infusion room door.

Ella was the first to smile. "Ms. Murphy, are you feeling unwell too?"

Kylie didn't respond. After a couple of seconds, she turned away, not wanting to look at them anymore.

Isaac pushed Ella to the seat directly across from Kylie.

After a while, the nurse came over to start Ella's IV.

Ella frowned gently, leaning into Isaac's arms. "Isaac, I'm scared…"

Isaac froze for a moment. Instinctively, he looked up at Kylie across from them.

She happened to be looking at him as well. Their eyes met, and he felt a strange, indescribable feeling rise in his heart.

When Ella noticed Isaac's attention was on Kylie, her expression changed.

It was also at the same time that the nurse inserted the needle into the back of Ella's hand. Ella's voice immediately took on a tearful tone. "Isaac… Isaac…"

Isaac's attention was instantly pulled back.

With a slightly stiff movement, he reached out and gently stroked Ella's hair. "It's okay now," he uttered tenderly.

Kylie paled at the scene, feeling as if a sharp knife had pierced straight into her heart. She could feel that fatal kind of pain so clearly.

Even the spot on her hand where the IV needle was inserted started to sting.

She gently closed her eyes, concealing the sadness and pain in them.

Couldn't they wait for her to leave? Were they really this unrestrained?

Kylie sniffled and forcibly held back the tears welling up in her eyes. She turned her gaze to the window, refusing to look at them again.

Just then, her phone sounded.

She took out her phone and saw a message from Marcus Ingram, the producer of "Flower & Mist".

"Murmury, your previous audition was excellent! After having a discussion, we've unanimously decided to have you voice the female lead, Scarlett Turner. If you're free tomorrow morning, come by and sign the contract."

When Kylie read the message, her eyes flickered slightly.

She genuinely loved voice acting. In university, she studied in the film academy's acting department, specializing in voiceover.

Back then, she had participated in dubbing an animated film under the name "Murmury".

From that point on, she started to shine in the voiceover industry. Her followers on Twitter even skyrocketed to over six million.

But right after she graduated, she married Isaac. Isaac's mother, Margaret Wood, wouldn't allow her to pursue voice acting and told her to stay at home as a full-time housewife.

For Isaac, and to win over his mother, she had no choice but to give up her dream and obediently stay as a virtuous wife.

She didn't re-enter the voiceover world, only occasionally posting her clips on Twitter.

Marcus had reached out to her several times through Twitter, sincerely inviting her to audition for the female lead, and even sent her the character bio.

In the end, Kylie couldn't keep turning him down and agreed to give it a try.

Or rather, deep down, she didn't really want to refuse.

She had gone to the audition just two days ago, and today, she received a message from Marcus. Had it been before, she would have hesitated, torn over whether she should go, but now…

She calmly replied to Marcus, "Okay."

Just after replying, her phone rang.

When she saw the caller ID, her eyes flickered.

She reached out and swiped to answer. "Hello, Mom—"

Before Kylie could finish, the woman on the other end interrupted her sharply, "Come home right now!"

Kylie was stunned. "Did something happen? I'm currently—"

Her mom, Lana Chandler, cut her off again, "I don't care what you're doing! You have half an hour. Get back here immediately! Otherwise, don't ever come back to this house again!"

Chapter 4

Lana's tone was sharp, full of rage.

Without giving Kylie a chance to respond, Lana ended the call.

Staring at the phone screen that had already gone dark, Kylie lowered her eyes, her dark pupils unreadable.

…

Five seconds later, she took a deep breath and looked toward the nurse's station. "Nurse."

The nurse, Amy Jack, walked over to her. "What is it?"

"Could you please remove the needle for me? Something urgent came up. I need to go."

Amy instantly frowned. "Again? You left before finishing your IV earlier. Can't you just sit still and let the fluid finish?"

Kylie smiled helplessly. "It's really urgent."

"Fine, it's your own body. If you don't care about it, there's nothing we can do," Amy grumbled, pulling a cotton swab from her pocket and removing the needle.

"Thank you," replied Kylie softly.

Pressing down on the cotton swab with one hand, she got up and left.

During this entire time, she didn't even glance in Isaac and Ella's direction. It was as if they were strangers.

Isaac furrowed his brows. Without a word, he stood up and chased after Kylie.

Ella's expression darkened for a second, but she didn't say anything.

…

Outside the infusion room, Isaac looked at Kylie in front of him. "Stop!"

Kylie paused slightly. Not turning around, she asked stiffly, "What do you want?"

"Turn."

Kylie clenched her teeth and took a deep breath before turning.

"You didn't finish your IV. Where are you going?" Isaac asked coldly.

She didn't look at him as she replied indifferently, "That's none of your business."

Suddenly, she seemed to think of something and added with a hint of sarcasm, "You can relax now, Mr. Grant. I didn't follow you."

Isaac was tongue-tied, thinking that Kylie now had a temper. She used to be so docile and spoke gently with him, but she now dared to talk back.

He couldn't be bothered to think about what had caused her change, only wanting to make one thing clear. "Kylie, let's keep the divorce from Grandma for now."

Upon hearing this, Kylie lowered her eyes.

She knew Isaac wanted to hide the divorce from Rachel Clark, his grandmother, because he was worried about her health and how she might not be able to handle the shock.

Biting her lip, she asked, "Then, when are we going to do the paperwork?"

Isaac was surprised for a moment when he heard that. "What's the rush?"

Deep in her heart, she wanted to help Isaac and Ella because they had been forced to be apart for so long. Yet, instead of voicing that thought, she answered, "I just want the four million."

Sure enough. As soon as her words fell, Isaac's expression instantly turned cold. Looking down at Kylie, he sneered. "Don't worry. You'll get every penny. I'll let you know."

With that, he turned and walked away without looking back.

Kylie stood there in a daze, staring at his back, unwilling to look away.

Ella was finally back, which meant he no longer had to endure Kylie as his wife. She told herself that it was time to move on—for both herself and Isaac.

It wasn't until Isaac vanished from sight that Kylie turned and left.

…

After parking the car at the Murphy residence, Kylie walked into the villa.

"Hello, Ms. Murphy," greeted Henry Murphy, the butler.

"Henry." Kylie nodded at him.

Just as she finished speaking, a cold voice came from the living room. "Kylie, get over here!"

Kylie's eyebrows twitched slightly as she walked toward the living room.

As soon as she entered, Lana stormed toward her.

The moment she stopped in front of Kylie, she raised her hand and slapped Kylie hard.

The slap caught Kylie completely off guard. Her body swayed uncontrollably a couple of times. She clutched her face, staring at Lana in disbelief.

When she answered the phone, Kylie could already tell that Lana was in a terrible mood, but she never imagined she would receive a hard slap the moment she returned to the house.

At that moment, a low cry suddenly rang out. "Mom!"

A woman seated on the couch suddenly stood up and quickly walked over, reaching out to grab Lana's hand. "Mom, don't hit her! I believe she didn't do it on purpose!"

"Lottie, stay out of this! I'm going to beat her to death if I have to!" Lana was so furious that her face turned red. Anyone who didn't know better would have thought Kylie had committed some unforgivable crime.

Lana pointed at Kylie, shouting furiously, "How could someone as selfish as you be my daughter?"

Kylie lowered the hand covering her face. She slowly turned to look at Lana, her eyes slightly red. "What exactly did I do?"

"Stop pretending! You know what you did perfectly! Tell me the truth. Did you meet Mr. Ingram from 'Flower & Mist' recently?"

Kylie frowned at that, not understanding why Lana would suddenly ask that. "Yes, so what?" she asked in return.

Lana sneered. "Good, so you admit it! Just now, your sister got a call from their production team. They said they've found someone more suitable to voice the female lead! Did you badmouth your sister in front of Mr. Ingram?

"Is that why she lost the opportunity? That role was practically already in her pocket! This is all your doing! How could you be so vicious? Do you just not want to see your sister succeed?"

Chapter 5

Hearing Lana's words, Kylie looked at her in disbelief. She never expected that Lana would think of her this way.

Was she so worthless in Lana's eyes?

Kylie couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh. "If I were really that capable, I wouldn't have been here, getting slapped by you."

She paused for a moment, taking a deep breath, before looking at Lana again. "Mom, whether you believe it or not, I have never said a single bad word about Charlotte in front of Mr. Ingram. I didn't even know she auditioned for 'Flower & Mist'."

Lana became even angrier, her eyes widening. "You're still pretending! Your sister posted about it in the WhatsApp group early on, but how dare you say you didn't know!"

At that moment, Charlotte Murphy, Kylie's sister, spoke up. "Mom, calm down. I believe Kylie didn't mean it. I've forgiven her, so please don't blame her anymore."

Kylie looked up at Charlotte, feeling that this so-called consolation was extremely fake.

Even if Kylie were to tell Lana now that she had never opened the family group chat and didn't see the message, Lana probably still wouldn't believe her.

She had already decided Kylie must have said something to Marcus that made Charlotte lose the role, so no matter how much Kylie explained, it was pointless.

Pointing at Charlotte, Lana snapped, "Look at how considerate Charlotte is! She's still standing up for you after all that you've done. How could you treat someone who's been so good to you like this? Have you lost your conscience?"

Good to her? Heh. Kylie would have really thought Charlotte was a good sister, had it not been for that incident.

Before Kylie could say anything, Lana added, "Since you refused to admit that you said something to Mr. Ingram, then tell me why you went to see him."

Kylie's throat tightened as she spoke in a low tone. "It could be because I'm friends with him, or because I was invited to tour the recording studio. I could have ten thousand reasons to be there. Why do you have to assume I went there to hurt Charlotte, Mom?"

At this point, she looked up at Charlotte. "Or did Charlotte tell you that?"

Charlotte immediately looked hurt. "Kylie, h-how could you suspect me? I-I…"

Lana fumed even more. "Enough! At a time like this, you still want to pin the blame on her! If her friend didn't see you visit Mr. Ingram, we'd still be kept in the dark!"

Kylie narrowed her eyes slightly.

Sure enough, Charlotte must have said something to Lana.

Lana grabbed Kylie's clothes, pulling her over. "Apologize! You must apologize to Charlotte! Then, talk to Mr. Ingram and make sure he takes Charlotte back!"

Every word out of Lana's mouth was like a sharp knife stabbing Kylie's heart.

Lana was just that biased. Even though Kylie was her biological daughter, Charlotte was adopted.

Looking down, Kylie took a deep breath. "I don't care if you believe me or not, but I didn't do it. I won't admit to something I didn't do, and I won't apologize, either."

"Why y-you!" Lana was even more furious when she heard that. She raised her hand again.

"Mom!" Charlotte quickly grabbed her hand. "No! Don't hit her! I forgive her! Please calm down!"

Lana was so angry that the veins on her forehead were bulging. She pointed at Kylie and shouted, "Kylie, if you don't apologize to Charlotte, then don't come back to this house!"

Upon hearing Lana's words, Kylie looked up, staring at her in disbelief.

After all that, Lana still didn't believe her.

There was no way Kylie would apologize. Never.

Her expression gradually returned to calmness. Without saying another word, she turned and walked off.

Charlotte's pupils contracted slightly.

Kylie didn't compromise?

…

In the past, the moment Kylie heard Lana say something like that, she would have apologized on the spot, but this time…

Lana was also stunned. She had been confident that Kylie would give in, but…

She felt as if she had been slapped in the face, humiliated.

Enraged, Lana stormed over to the coffee table and grabbed a glass cup lid, hurling it hard at Kylie's back.

The lid struck Kylie squarely on the right shoulder blade. She hadn't expected Lana to do something like that. The pain made her stumble forward.

Her body swayed several times before she managed to steady herself, albeit barely.

A sharp pain radiated from her shoulder blade, but the physical pain couldn't compare to even one percent of the pain in her heart.

Charlotte had a frightened expression, covering her mouth with her hand and crying, "Kylie! Are you okay?"

Lana was still raging as she glared at Kylie, threatening, "Get out! If you've got such an attitude, then leave! And if you leave, don't come back!"

At her words, Kylie's eyes instantly turned red. She fought back her tears and stepped forward, walking out firmly and resolutely.

"Kylie!"

"Let her go! I want to see just how tough she really is!" Lana's merciless voice came from behind her.

After leaving the villa and getting back into her car, Kylie could no longer hold back her tears. They spilled from her eyes uncontrollably.

She covered her chest with one hand. It ached so much. She felt as if a knife was gouging her heart one cut at a time.

Why did Lana have to treat her this way?

Kylie was her biological daughter. Why couldn't Lana give her even a little bit of trust?

Was it just because… Kylie hadn't grown up with her?

Chapter 6

Sometimes, Kylie really couldn't understand why Lana didn't like her.

When she was one year old, Lana took her out to play. Due to a moment of negligence from Lana, human traffickers had kidnapped Kylie.

It was said that back then, Lana was devastated, heartbroken, and so guilty that she even attempted suicide several times.

No one wanted to see her fall into such despair that Jonathan Murphy, Kylie's dad, went to an orphanage and adopted a girl, hoping she could accompany Lana and distract her.

That girl was Charlotte.

When Kylie was 19, she was found and brought back. By then, Charlotte had already lived in this home for a full 18 years.

She had never thought that returning to this family meant she had to replace Charlotte's position in the hearts of her family, but why couldn't they give her even the most basic trust?

Was she destined to be emotionally estranged from her own kin for life?

The wound on her forehead throbbed faintly, but her heart hurt more.

Despite Kylie's forehead being wounded, Lana didn't even utter a word of concern. In her heart, there was only Charlotte.

She didn't know how long it took before she finally calmed herself down.

Taking out a mirror from her bag, she suddenly made a firm decision when she saw how haggard she looked.

Sniffing, she wiped her tear-streaked face before starting the engine and driving off.

…

In the afternoon, Kylie received a call from Isaac, answering, "What is it?"

Hearing her rather indifferent tone, he frowned.

"Grandma wants us at the Grant residence for dinner at 6:00 pm. Meet at the usual place," he uttered, getting straight to the point.

Hearing this, Kylie couldn't help but let out a cold chuckle.

The "usual place" he mentioned referred to the foot of the hill beneath the Grant residence.

Rachel often invited them for dinner, but Isaac had never once picked her up.

Each time, he made her wait at the foot of the hill at the appointed time to ride up together in his car.

That way, Rachel would think they had arrived together.

In the past, Kylie willingly compromised and played along with him, but this time…

"No need. We'll head there separately," she responded coldly before ending the call.

Isaac was shocked.

Did she just reject him?

Someone else in the room had overheard the conversation since the office was quiet. The man teased, "Wow, I didn't expect that she'd actually turn you down."

He had striking features and sported messy maroon-dyed hair in a classic playboy perm. Sitting beside Isaac with one leg crossed over the other, he radiated a carefree and unruly vibe. He was none other than Isaac's younger brother, Tobias Grant.

Isaac put away his phone and turned to look at him, asking flatly, "What are you doing here?"

Tobias straightened up, looking expectant. "I saw Cody's status. Did Ella come back?"

"Yeah."

Tobias smiled. "Finally! It's been two years!"

He paused for a moment, then looked at Isaac again. "So, what are you going to do about your relationship with her? You two were such an enviable couple back then! If Kylie hadn't barged in, you guys might've already been married by now.

"If you ask me, you should just divorce Kylie and marry Ella. You've known each other for so many years. And if Ella hadn't saved you from the fire back then, you'd probably be dead. Just for that alone, you should've pledged yourself to her!"

Isaac couldn't help but curl his lips slightly. "Kylie has already signed the divorce papers," he stated plainly.

Tobias was stunned. "What? How could Kylie possibly agree to divorce you? She loves you so much."

Isaac's expression didn't change at all, but a trace of cold mockery flickered in his deep, dark eyes. What Kylie loved was his money.

Before Isaac could respond, Tobias continued on his own, "But honestly, it's good that you're divorcing her. Grandma forced you to marry her in the first place. You never had any feelings for her."

Not wanting to discuss the topic any further, Isaac stood up and walked out. "Let's go home."

Tobias followed closely behind.

…

As soon as Tobias' car drove into the Grant residence, the sound of a rather harsh engine revving came from behind.

Hearing the sound, Tobias excitedly said to Isaac, "Isaac, stop the car!"

Isaac brought the car to a stop.

Tobias immediately opened the door and got out. He could tell it was no ordinary machine, just from the engine sound.

He was curious to see who it was.

In the distance, a black heavy motorcycle was heading toward them. With a screeching halt, the bike stopped at the entrance of the villa.

Then, the person kicked down the kickstand, which landed firmly on the ground.

Tobias walked over curiously. As he got closer, he realized the rider was actually a woman.

She wore a black studded leather jacket on her upper body. Her long, straight legs were wrapped in black skinny pants, and she had a pair of black biker boots on.

The woman reached up and took off the black helmet on her head.

Holding the helmet in one arm, she casually tossed her silky hair. The haze-blue hair glinted dazzlingly in the sunlight.

Matched with a princess-cut hairstyle, she looked both fierce and stunning.

Tobias was visibly and utterly amazed.

However, when he saw the woman's face, he was completely stunned. He pointed at her with a look of disbelief. "Y-You…"

Perhaps he was too shocked, but Tobias stammered without managing a full sentence.

The woman lazily turned her head and glanced at him, her eyes carrying an air of superiority.

"Kylie!" Tobias shouted.

Kylie didn't respond. With a cool movement, she got off the bike and strode toward the villa confidently, still holding her helmet.

As she passed by him, she didn't even pause for a second. She walked straight past him as if he didn't exist.

Once Tobias snapped out of his daze, he rushed over to Isaac, exclaiming in disbelief, "Isaac! Did you see that? That was Kylie! It was actually Kylie!"

Isaac narrowed his eyes slightly, his expression unreadable.

Opening the car door, he got out and uttered flatly, "Let's go."

As the two entered the villa, they heard Margaret questioning Kylie in a raised voice. "Kylie, w-what are you weaning? And your hair… This is utterly improper! What are people going to think about us if they see you like this? No well-bred woman looks like you!"

Chapter 7

When Isaac and Tobias walked in, they saw Kylie sitting on the couch. She was swinging her legs lightly, looking rather relaxed.

Even with Margaret reprimanding her, she remained calm and indifferent.

Kylie tugged at the corner of her lips slightly.

In the past, to please Isaac and Lana, and to be a daughter-in-law that Margaret would be satisfied with, she changed her original style to resemble Ella and Charlotte.

By doing so, she thought she could make Isaac notice her more and win over Lana and Margaret, but no matter what she did, she still couldn't compare to Ella and Charlotte.

Kylie was tired.

She no longer wanted to cater to others.

Thinking of this, she lifted her eyes to look at Margaret, who wore a dark purple dress. Her hair was pinned up into a bun with a hairpin. She had delicate makeup with a refined temperament, radiating elegance and nobility from head to toe.

Margaret was Isaac and Tobias' mother, making her Kylie's mother-in–law.

With a smile, Kylie commented calmly, "You don't like it? Well, you'll have to endure it a little longer. Not that it matters, anyway. You won't be seeing me much longer."

Upon hearing this, Isaac glanced at her with a flicker of unreadable emotion.

Margaret instantly frowned, her tone unpleasant. "What do you mean? What nonsense are you talking about?"

Before Kylie could respond, a kind voice rang out. "Margaret, it's just hair dye. Don't worry about it."

An elderly woman in a suit walked over from the dining room. Her silver hair was pinned neatly behind her head. Though aged, she was full of spirit and had a rosy complexion.

With the support of a cane, each step that she took was steady.

It was Rachel, whose eyes brightened the moment she saw Kylie. However, upon noticing the medical bandage on Kylie's forehead, she frowned right away.

"Kylie, how did you hurt your forehead?"

Hearing Rachel's words, Kylie felt the warmth in her heart.

The funny thing was that she had met quite a few people after she injured her forehead. Yet, only Lydia and Rachel had shown their concern about her injury.

Standing up, Kylie walked over and grabbed Rachel's arm, helping her to sit on the couch. "I bumped into something. I'm fine now, though. Don't worry, Rachel."

Rachel looked at her. "Are you sure you're fine? Don't you lie to me."

"I'm not lying." Kylie smiled.

"Good, then." Rachel nodded. Then, she smiled and complimented, "You suit this hairstyle! It's unique! You're naturally beautiful, Kylie. You can pull off any hair color or style."

Margaret frowned again. "Rachel, look at that color, though. It's—"

"Shut up! It's just hair color," Rachel interrupted.

Margaret didn't say anything more but still stared at Kylie disapprovingly.

Tobias was dumbfounded.

Rachel was tolerating this? Back when she saw his hairstyle, she had nearly shaved his head.

If Margaret hadn't stopped Rachel, Tobias would have been bald. He couldn't believe that she was this tolerant when it came to Kylie.

Tobias immediately walked over and sat down next to Rachel. "Grandma, look at her outfit and hair color. Can you really—"

Before he could finish speaking, Rachel smacked him hard on the head.

"Ouch!"

She glared at him. "Show some respect! That's your sister-in-law."

Tobias rolled his eyes. "What sister-in-law? She and Isaac already—"

"Tobias!" A deep, gravelly voice suddenly rang out.

Tobias froze, remembering what Isaac had told him on the way back. Pouting, he stopped talking.

…

Not long after that, everyone walked toward the dining room to eat. At the table, everyone ate in silence.

Halfway through the meal, Margaret couldn't help but glance at Kylie suspiciously.

In the past, during meals, Kylie would always think to serve Rachel, Isaac, and her. She would even peel shrimp or remove fish bones, all by herself, never asking anyone else.

However, today, Kylie only served Rachel, ignoring Isaac and Margaret.

What was going on?

It wasn't as if she wanted Kylie to serve her, but this sudden change surprised her.

Tobias looked at Kylie's calm profile. A glint flashed past his eyes as if something occurred to him. He turned to look at Isaac. "Isaac, now that Ella's back, I noticed her foot still hasn't improved!"

As soon as he said that, the atmosphere in the room shifted. He saw Kylie's fork freeze midair, and the calm expression on her face stiffened for a moment.

Tobias snorted to himself as he thought, "Feeling uncomfortable now, aren't you? Hmph! Let's see how long you can keep up the calm act!"

Margaret asked Isaac, "Ella's back?"

Nodding, Tobias answered for Isaac. "Yeah, she just got back."

Rachel's expression also shifted slightly. She glanced sideways at Kylie but said nothing.

Just then, Isaac's phone rang. He took it out, and upon seeing the caller ID, his expression briefly changed.

"I need to take this call," he said, standing up.

…

A while later, he came back, looking somewhat anxious. "Grandma, Mom, I have to go. I've got something to take care of."

With that, he turned to go.

"Hold it," Rachel said.

She paused, then lifted her eyes to look at Isaac and asked in a neutral tone, "What's the matter? What's so urgent that you have to leave right now?"

"Ella's foot suddenly hurts. I need to check on her," he replied honestly.

Hearing that, Kylie lowered her eyes, chewing the food mechanically. She was stoic as she had guessed.

Anything about Ella, no matter how small, could throw him into a panic.

Rachel's face immediately darkened. "Then, she should go to the hospital and see a doctor! What do you have to do with it? What? Do you think if you go there, her foot will stop hurting?"

After she said that, Rachel picked up a piece of rib and placed it on Kylie's plate. "Sit down and keep eating."

Isaac's brows immediately furrowed. "Grandma, I have to go!"

He paused for a moment before adding, "You know… that I bear some responsibility for Ella's car accident."