Chapter 2

Grandpa Sterling trembled, his face drained of color as he stared at the two small boxes.

His lips quivered, and he tried to reach out to stop me. “Caleb, Seraphina… she was just confused for a moment…”

I didn't respond. I just took a thick folder from my bag and placed it next to the urns.

“Inside are 88 agreements, and the information and accounts of 88 men.”

“Over the past six years, I personally dealt with each one. Every single one was a struggling student I used to sponsor.”

Grandpa Sterling’s gaze slowly shifted from the thick folder back to the two urns, and the last flicker of hope in his eyes finally died.

He sighed deeply, then pulled a contract agreement from his drawer.

“…Alright, I agree.”

The agreement stated in black and white: Once Seraphina Sterling's legs healed, Caleb Knight would regain his freedom.

“I hope you’ll honor your promise.” I looked at the agreement as if it were a joke.

Seraphina Sterling’s legs had healed three years ago.

Grandpa Sterling nodded, tears streaming down his face. “I’ll handle the divorce. You can leave in three days.”

He pulled out a black card, offering it to me. “This is compensation…”

I shook my head, refusing it.

Just then, my phone screen lit up. It was a taunting message from Damon Thorne.

I tapped on it, and a video automatically played.

In a dimly lit hotel room, Seraphina Sterling and Damon Thorne were entangled, their vulgar sounds filtering through the speaker.

“Seraphina, if Caleb Knight found out about this, would he be furious?”

“Who cares about him? He’s just a scheming gold-digger, a manipulative opportunist. He’ll always be your stand-in.”

Before the video ended, another image popped up.

On the screen, a fresh, still slightly beating heart was tossed into a Mastiff’s food bowl.

Damon Thorne laughed triumphantly. “Caleb, look, this is your comatose sister’s heart. Fed to a dog. At least it served some purpose.”

Seeing my sister’s heart desecrated like that, my chest tightened, I could barely breathe. I felt like I was about to pass out.

So, my sister’s death was all his doing. How dare he!

After I calmed myself, I showed the video to Grandpa Sterling. “Grandpa, is there any reason for me to stay with Seraphina Sterling?”

“I’ve lost everything. The kindness the Sterling family showed me all these years, I’ve repaid it.”

Grandpa Sterling also trembled with rage at the cruel footage. He leaned on me, tears streaming down his face. “My boy, our Sterling family has wronged you so terribly…”

“If you hadn't tirelessly cared for Seraphina for five years, she never would have walked again. Whatever you ask for, I’ll grant it!”

“I’ll go catch that scoundrel right now and bring him back to apologize to you!”

I gave a faint smile and bowed to him. “Grandpa, there’s no need.”

“Please don’t tell Seraphina Sterling that I’m leaving.”