Clara returned home, exhausted, a box of medicine in her hand.

She took her medicine, but instead of resting, she started packing.

The moment she thought of what she had seen at the hospital, the home that once felt warm now only suffocated her.

Her phone vibrated. It was Vivian calling.

"Clara, want to go shopping? It's your birthday today. I got you a present." Vivian's voice was bright and gentle, just like it had always been.

Hearing that familiar voice, Clara felt her chest tighten, like she could barely breathe.

She didn't want to go, but before she could answer, the front door swung open.

Vivian walked in as if she belonged there. Clara had once trusted her completely, treated her like family, even given her the door code.

Now that she thought about it, it had only made things easier for Vivian and Julian.

Vivian didn't seem to notice anything was wrong. The moment she saw Clara, she slipped her arm through hers like always.

"Clara, why are all your clothes out?" Vivian smiled, eyes curving with warmth. "Going all out just to shop with me? You didn't have to. Though honestly, you look good in anything."

Clara said nothing.

The scene from the hospital hallway replayed over and over in her mind. Julian's voice, full of emotion, saying, "You're the only one I've ever loved." Vivian's trembling reply, "You can't abandon her right now. I won't break up with you."

Every word felt like a poisoned needle, piercing the softest part of her heart.

Betrayed by the two people she trusted most, Clara felt like the world had already ended.

Lost in a daze, she let Vivian pull her along to the mall.

Inside a luxury boutique, Vivian led her straight to a display case.

"Look, I spent forever picking this out for you."

She carefully took out a deep blue velvet box. Inside was a gemstone bracelet, its pendant shaped like a tiny crescent moon. On the back, a line was engraved, "Always shining for you."

Clara froze.

It was something she had once said in passing during college.

Back then, she had stayed up all night working on a project, with Vivian keeping her company until dawn. Looking out the window, she had said, "If someone could be like the moon, always there, always shining for me… that would be enough."

She had long forgotten it. Vivian hadn't.

"I remember you said the moon was your favorite." Vivian fastened the bracelet gently around her wrist, her eyes shining. "Happy birthday, Clara. From now on, I'll be here for every one."

Clara's eyes burned, and a tangle of emotions tore at her heart as if it would split in two.

Growing up in the Sterling family, her birthdays had never been anything more than a formality at family banquets.

Her father, Victor Sterling, and her mother, Margaret Sterling, would be busy entertaining guests. The staff would bring out the cake. Clara would make the first cut, pose for photos, smile, and then it would be over.

No one ever asked what she wanted. No one ever remembered what she liked.

Not until she met Vivian.

Vivian had once saved up from her part-time jobs to buy Clara an out-of-print poetry collection she loved.

She had knitted Clara a scarf by hand, uneven stitches and all, yet it had kept her warm through an entire winter.

She had secretly recorded their little moments together and made them into a video for Clara.

Clara had always believed that, if nothing else, there was at least one person in this world who truly loved her.

But the very person who had promised to always shine for her was secretly planning a future with Julian behind her back.

"Thank you for still remembering my birthday." Clara spoke softly, her voice a little hoarse.

Vivian noticed nothing unusual and kept gesturing excitedly. "I also ordered your favorite chestnut cake. We'll go to our usual place later, that café by the river. Remember?"

Clara nodded, but her gaze fell to the side of Vivian's neck. There was a faint red mark there, like the trace of someone's kiss.

Then Clara suddenly asked, her voice very soft, "Vivian, are you seeing someone? Why didn't you ever tell me? I'd love to meet your boyfriend."

Vivian froze. She instinctively touched her neck, her cheeks flushing slightly before she quickly covered it up. "Oh… we haven't known each other long. It's not serious yet. Once things are settled, I'll definitely introduce him to you."

Clara watched the way Vivian avoided her eyes, and the last fragile thread of hope in her heart snapped.

How she wished Vivian would just tell her the truth.

Then she could simply turn and leave, instead of having to keep playing along with this ridiculous performance.

But they insisted on making her the fool left in the dark.

"Is that so?" Clara tugged at the corner of her mouth, her smile bitter. "That's wonderful."

She gently placed the gift box back into Vivian's hand and turned to leave.

Only to run straight into a firm embrace.

The familiar scent of cedar washed over her.

Clara stiffened and looked up into Julian's eyes.

He wore a dark gray coat, his expression carrying its usual lazy ease. But the moment he saw her, a flicker of panic crossed his eyes before he quickly forced it down.

"Clara? What are you doing here?" he asked, reaching for her wrist.

Clara stepped back sharply, avoiding his touch.

At that moment, Vivian spoke softly, a hint of reproach in her tone. "Julian, how could you forget what day it is? It's Clara's birthday."

Julian froze. He really had forgotten.

Clara wanted to leave.

But a warm hand gently closed around her wrist.

It was Vivian.

"Clara, please don't go, okay?" Her voice trembled slightly. "Ever since you remarried, we've barely spent any time together… I just want you to shop with me for a little while. Just a little while, please?"

Clara lowered her eyes and looked at that hand.

Once, that hand had held hers all night when she had a fever. It had hugged her while she cried after her first divorce. It had wiped away her tears when Victor and Margaret announced that she was not their real daughter.

But now, that same hand had just slipped out of Julian's grasp, only to reach for her again.

How ironic.

Clara said nothing. She simply tried to pull her hand free.

Just then, Julian strode over.

His gaze burned with concern, but it was not for Clara. His eyes landed on Vivian's face, his tone edged with reproach. "Vivian, you look awful. I'm taking you to the hospital."

Vivian shook her head, her eyes reddening. "I'm not going. Clara hasn't agreed to have cake with me yet…"

"If she doesn't want to, then forget it!" Julian's voice darkened. At last, he turned to Clara, his eyes cold. "Clara, Vivian has given you everything she has. You can't even spare her this little bit of time? Do you even feel anything?"

Clara let out a faint, bitter smile. "Julian, you're right. I don't."

Julian looked at Clara's expressionless face, and a sudden wave of panic rose in his chest. Did she know something?

Clara tried again to pull free from Vivian's hand. Vivian seemed to twist her wrist slightly, and her brows drew together.

Julian's eyes darkened. He stepped forward. "Clara, you hurt Vivian."

"Julian!" Vivian suddenly raised her voice and rushed in front of Clara, spreading her arms. "Don't talk to Clara like that!"

Julian froze. "Vivian?"

"I said I'm not going to the hospital!" Vivian's eyes were red, her voice shaking, yet unusually firm. "Either you leave right now, or you stay and spend Clara's birthday with her. Choose."

"But you look terrible. What if—"

"There is no what if!" Vivian cut him off, tears finally falling. "It's Clara's birthday today. Are you going to celebrate it with her or not?"

Julian went still and instinctively looked at Clara.

Clara had lowered her head, her long hair hiding her face, but the slight tremble of her shoulders betrayed her.

Julian clicked his tongue, as if trying to cover the panic in his heart. "Fine, fine. I'll celebrate it with her, okay?"

Vivian took a deep breath and turned to Clara, her voice softening. "Clara… it's your birthday today. I ordered a cake, bought you a present, and booked a table at your favorite café… Please don't leave, okay?"

Clara's eyes burned.

How badly she wanted to believe this was real.

But she knew better than anyone that this was only another performance put on by the two of them.

"Thank you for the gift. I really like it. As for the cake… you two can have it."

With that, she turned and left.

Silence fell behind her.

A few seconds later, she heard Julian say quietly to Vivian, "I'll take you home."

"No." Vivian avoided his hand. "If you treat her badly, I'll leave right now. I'll disappear forever, and you'll never find me again."

Julian was silent for a long time before finally giving in. "Fine. I'll treat her well."

Clara did not look back, but her steps slowed for a moment.

So Julian's tenderness toward her had only been an illusion created by Vivian's words. How ridiculous. Vivian had been with Julian just to make him treat Clara better.

Clara kept walking, every step feeling as if she were treading on the edge of a blade.

She should have hated Vivian.

But she couldn't bring herself to.

Because Vivian truly loved her.

And she truly loved Julian too.

But in this world, some things could never coexist.

Clara stumbled back into the empty mansion and collapsed onto the couch, the tears she had been holding back finally spilling over.

Grievance, humiliation, and betrayal tangled together inside her, suffocating her.

Her phone suddenly rang. The screen lit up with a single word, "Mom." Clara stared at it, and despite everything, a faint flicker of hope rose in her chest.

She took a deep breath, wiped away her tears, and answered the call.

"Clara, there's a family dinner tonight. You should come." Margaret's voice carried no warmth at all, only impatience.

Clara's heart sank. Her voice came out hoarse. "I'm not part of the Sterling family anymore. Why do you still want me there?"

Margaret sounded even more irritated. "Your sister invited you. Just come."

Her sister?

Clara froze for a moment before realizing that Margaret was referring to the real daughter of the Sterling family.

After a brief silence, she finally nodded. "I understand."

By the time she arrived at the Sterling residence, the dinner had already begun.

The moment she pushed the door open, every eye turned toward her. Whispers erupted, sharp and unpleasant.

Each word felt like a blade stabbing into her heart. Clara clenched her fists.

Julian walked over and cast a cold glance at those whispering. They fell silent immediately.

Just like the day she had fallen for him, this was how Julian used to protect her.

A sharp pain tore through Clara's chest. Julian noticed her ashen face and frowned.

She had seemed off these past few days.

"You okay?" he asked quietly.

At that moment, Victor and Margaret stepped forward. The hall fell silent.

Victor spoke, "We've gathered everyone here today to announce something important. After confirmation, Vivian is our biological daughter."

It felt like something exploded in Clara's mind.

Vivian… was the real heiress?

She looked at Vivian in disbelief.

At the announcement, Vivian's face turned deathly ashen.

She shot to her feet, anger flashing in her voice. "You promised me you wouldn't say this in front of Clara!"

The entire room fell silent.

The next second, all eyes were on the newly acknowledged heiress as she hurried to Clara, her voice low and apologetic. "Clara… I'm sorry. I didn't know they would do this."

Clara stared at her, her chest rising and falling rapidly.

Suddenly, Clara laughed, tears slipping down her face. "Vivian… what else do you want to take from me? Just take it all. My husband, my family, love, friendship… take everything. Just don't hurt me anymore."

Vivian froze, all the color draining from her face.

"Clara, what are you saying? If you're upset about them announcing this, I can ask them to adopt you as their goddaughter, okay? We can still be family. We can still be sisters."

Clara felt something close to absurdity wash over her.

She slowly lifted her head and looked at Vivian, her gaze calm. "How long are you going to keep pretending, Vivian?"

Vivian's face went pale in an instant. "Clara, I really am doing this for you… I don't want to lose you, and I don't want you to have nowhere to go…"

"Doing this for me?" Clara let out a faint, bitter smile. "If that were true, you wouldn't be taking my money for your tuition, living in a place I arranged for you… while sleeping with my husband."

Tears burst from Vivian's eyes as she instinctively looked at Julian. "Julian, I never meant to hurt her…"

Julian frowned deeply, about to speak, but Margaret had already reached her limit.

"Clara!" Margaret snapped sharply. "Do you have any manners left? Vivian was kind enough to let you stay, and this is how you act? Who do you think you are?"

Before she finished, she raised her hand, about to slap Clara across the face.

In a split second, a figure rushed forward and threw herself in front of Clara.

A sharp crack echoed through the room.

The sound of the slap rang clear.

It didn't land on Clara's face, but struck Vivian hard across her left cheek.

Clara froze, her pupils shrinking in shock.

She watched as Vivian's tender cheek flushed red almost instantly, a trace of blood appearing at the corner of her lips. Clara's heart clenched.

"Vivian…" Clara reached out instinctively, her voice trembling. "Are you… hurt?"

The next second, Julian yanked her away with enough force to make her stumble.

He rushed to Vivian, gently cupping her face, his voice tight with urgency. "Where are you hurt? Are you dizzy? Do you need to go to the hospital?"

Vivian shook her head, though her tears kept falling.

She didn't look at Julian. Instead, she turned and spread her arms again, shielding Clara. Her voice was thick with tears, yet unwavering. "Mom! You're not laying a hand on Clara again!"

Margaret stood there, stunned, her hand still frozen midair. "Vivian? You… you took that for her?"

Vivian bit her lip and met Margaret's gaze. "She's the person I care about most."

Margaret's face turned livid as she pointed at Clara. "Look what you've turned her into! No respect, no sense of boundaries!"

"Enough!" Vivian practically shouted. "You keep saying you've taken me back, but do you even know me? You have no idea how good Clara has been to me! All you care about is your image, your reputation. You can't even give her basic respect!"

Standing behind her, Clara listened to it all and suddenly let out a quiet laugh.

She stepped forward, standing beside Vivian, and looked calmly at Margaret. "Mrs. Sterling, you're right. I do lack manners. After all, growing up, all I ever got from you was punishment and scolding. You never once had the patience to actually teach me any."

Margaret's face went deathly ashen.

Julian looked up sharply, staring at Clara in shock. Was this really the same quiet, obedient Clara?

Vivian froze as well, her eyes filled with pain.

Clara didn't look at anyone again. She turned and walked away.