Chapter 1

In my past life, Ethan fell into ruin because of me—imprisoned, his family destroyed.

Before he died, he spat blood and begged me: "In the next life, please don't cling to me anymore."

Reborn back to senior year before everything went wrong, I decided to grant his wish.

I distanced myself from him, endured bullying, and quietly planned to leave for a distant land.

Yet when I was humiliated, he watched coldly from the sidelines. When I was slandered, he kicked me while I was down.

He said: "An ungrateful wretch—I'm sick of her."

But when I finally boarded the plane to leave, he came chasing after me like a madman.

The day Uncle Wilson brought me home, he said to Ethan: "Lily is a hero's daughter. From now on, you must take good care of your sister."

Because of that one sentence, Ethan took care of me for ten years, from age eight to eighteen.

I suffer from selective mutism—emotionally closed off, learning difficulties, lacking even basic self-care abilities.

When I was ten, classmates locked me in the equipment room while Ethan wasn't around, watching me break down. When Ethan found out, he blinded one of the perpetrator's eyes. For this, the academically excellent boy not only received disciplinary action but was also made to kneel all night by Uncle Wilson.

At twelve, I got my first period during the school sports meet. Face flushed, he bought me my first pack of sanitary pads and stammered through asking the school nurse to teach me about it.

At fifteen, I was tricked by bad people to a hotel and nearly assaulted. He rushed in desperately and pulled me out from those thugs who carried knives and guns.

Back then, his voice trembled with urgency as he struck my palm: "Will you ever follow strangers again?! Running off like that! Never listening!"

He hit hard. I cried from the pain, but I didn't blame him.

Because that hand of his was covered in injuries from saving me.

He was so good to me, yet I distanced myself from him when I turned eighteen.

All because at a class dinner, drunk, he said: "Lily's such an idiot. When she was little, I thought she was cute and was willing to take care of her. Who knew she'd still be this 'cute' at eighteen? If her parents hadn't died saving my dad, I wouldn't bother with this burden!"

From that day on, I woke up an hour earlier every morning, took the bus to school alone, avoiding his schedule.

At school, I ate lunch by myself, no longer joining his group.

When Morgan, the girl pursuing him, cornered me in the hallway to bully me, I no longer looked to him for help. Instead, I kept my head down and silently endured Morgan's malice.

I became even more silent and obedient. Whether at school or home, I stopped causing him any trouble.

But now he blocked my bedroom door: "Lily, how long are you going to avoid me?"

I gripped my backpack straps and ducked under his arm. He suddenly pinned me against the wall: "Just because I said something stupid when I was drunk, you're going to hold a grudge this long?"

I knew his drunken words weren't genuine resentment—it was because we'd argued that day.

Despite my mutism, I also cared about beauty.

That day I'd shortened my school skirt like Morgan did and happily showed it off to Ethan. His face darkened: "Who said you could wear such a short skirt? Change it back!"

After all, I'd painstakingly altered the uniform myself, and he wouldn't let me wear it. I clutched the skirt protectively: "Why can Morgan and the others wear it but I can't?"

"Can you compare yourself to her? Don't you know your own situation?"

Actually, I knew he meant that my mental state wasn't fully developed, I couldn't protect myself properly, and a short skirt would attract bad people. But in that moment, emotions got the better of me and I scratched three marks across his face.

Feeling depressed, he vented with those harsh words while drunk.

Returning to the present, I whispered: "Yes, because of those harsh words."

Then I pushed past him and walked out.

He pounded the wall behind me: "Lily, you're really heartless! I've taken care of you like a slave for ten years! If I really thought you were a burden, why would I act like your dog? Isn't what you're doing now breaking my heart?"

Bang.

Uncle Wilson's bedroom door opened. He yawned and said: "You two leaving this early? Ethan, drive slowly and take good care of Lily."

Ethan and I stopped arguing abruptly. Neither of us wanted the adults to notice, so we had no choice but to leave the house together.

At the door, Morgan greeted Ethan cheerfully: "Ethan, good morning."

Morgan had been chasing Ethan for three years. After learning they lived in the same neighborhood, she waited at his door every morning.

But Ethan always treated her like she was invisible.

Of course, except when she was bullying me—then Morgan also treated me like I was invisible.

Seeing both our faces tense, Morgan's lips couldn't hide her excitement: "Did you two fight?"

Ethan ignored her, steadying his bicycle and asking me: "Lily, you've decided. Continue this cold war, or ride with me to school?"

I said nothing, head down as I walked past him.

He didn't try to stop me either, gritting his teeth: "Fine, don't regret this!"

Then he looked at Morgan: "Morgan, get on."

Morgan gasped with delight and climbed onto Ethan's bike.

The boy rode past me quickly, the puddle water splashing and dirtying my school skirt hem.

I watched his cold, retreating back and Morgan's smugness, suppressing the deep ache in my heart.

Ethan, don't worry. This lifetime, I won't hold you back anymore.