Chapter 2

When I returned home, I found all my belongings thrown downstairs. Looking up, I saw Rachel staring at me haughtily.

"This room is mine now. Take your trash and get out!"

I glanced at Rachel. She was the sister my brother Ethan had adopted. When she first came to our family, she was timid. But after seeing how my brother often humiliated me, her attitude towards me changed.

I was about to take my things to the storage room when something in the trash caught my eye. I quickly picked it up – it was my necklace, with its pink gemstone now shattered.

My mind went blank. Sophia had bought me many things, but after her death, my brother took away everything she had given me. He said I didn't deserve to keep Sophia's gifts. This gemstone necklace was the only memento I had left, and I cherished it dearly. Now Rachel had smashed it.

Angrily, I held up the necklace and looked at Rachel. "Who gave you the right to throw away my things?"

But Rachel just rolled her eyes. "My brother said everything in the house is mine. I can throw away whatever I want!"

"This was a birthday gift from my sister-in-law!" I said, emphasizing each word.

But Rachel didn't apologize. Instead, she became even more arrogant. "So what? I'll throw away what I want! Besides, your sister-in-law is dead, what's there to commemorate?"

"Anyway, I'm not blood-related to your brother, so I can definitely be his wife in the future! Come on, call me sister-in—Ah!"

I couldn't hold back anymore and slapped Rachel hard across the face.

"Aria Night, how dare you hit me! Aren't you afraid I'll tell my brother?!"

As my anger rose, I was about to hit her again when a strong force pushed me away. I crashed into the window, knocking over a huge vase. Shards flew everywhere, leaving bloody scratches all over my face.

When I opened my eyes, I saw my brother Ethan glaring at me furiously.

"Aria Night, have you become so lawless that you're bullying family members now?"

I suddenly looked up. "Brother, she insulted Sophia first—"

"Brother, I shouldn't have wanted Aria's room. If she hates me, I'll leave right away!" Rachel interrupted me, crying as she spoke. She was about to leave when Ethan held her back.

He looked grim. "You're my sister. Who dares to make you leave?"

My heart clenched painfully. Before I could say anything, Ethan turned his gaze to me:

"It seems that when I'm not around, some people forget their manners. If that's the case," he paused, "you'll kneel here all night. You can get up when Rachel is in a better mood tomorrow!"

Hearing this, Rachel's eyes filled with glee and arrogance. "Well then, I'll do as brother says~ Sister, you—"

A dull pain began to spread in my chest. I glanced at Ethan, whose eyes were filled with coldness. I knew that anything I said would be useless, so I simply knelt down on the glass-covered floor.

Ethan's expression grew even colder as he looked at me. He snorted and went upstairs.

The glass shards were extremely sharp, and my knees and legs immediately started bleeding profusely. Rachel took out her phone and snapped many photos of me. After making a face at me, she went upstairs.

The room quickly fell into darkness. The cold seeped into every inch of my body. The pain in my stomach surged again. I trembled, trying to reach for my pain medication, but I couldn't hold on and passed out.

I was jolted awake by cold water being thrown on me. Opening my eyes, I saw Ethan looking at me coldly.

"Stop playing the victim. You didn't feel sorry when you got Sophia killed or when you bullied Rachel!"

He looked at me with disgust. "Today is Rachel's birthday. I've sent you the address. Your job is to make her happy."

"Aria Night, do you think I'll forget what you did just because you act remorseful and guilty?" Ethan laughed coldly. "Drop that fake, disgusting act! You owe Sophia too much, and it's still not enough!"

I watched Ethan's retreating back and muttered with a bitter smile:

"Brother, it won't be long now. Soon, I'll be able to repay everything."

Only one day left.