"Victoria, let's see how long you can keep pretending," Cassian said, his eyes glinting with cold menace.

He yanked Madeline toward him and pressed his lips to hers in a bold, forceful kiss.

Joshua reached out almost instinctively and gripped my wrist. "Vicky—"

He was worried that I would cause a scene, but I simply turned around quietly and walked straight toward the stairs.

Rather than staying here and watching their R-rated behavior, I would rather go back to my room and get some rest. I even thoughtfully reached over and turned the central air conditioning up by 4°F.

"Damn it!" Cassian shouted.

Behind me, I heard the heavy thud of him kicking the front door hard, followed by the roar of his engine as he sped away.

Joshua stood frozen, staring blankly at my back. His expression was too tangled to read. "Vicky, didn't you use to love Cassian more than anything? Why now—"

So Joshua knew all along. I had thought he didn't.

Back then, Joshua was the one who forced me to give up on being with Cassian. Just because Madeline once said she liked Cassian, he kept creating opportunities for them to be together even though Cassian and I were about to get engaged.

Joshua even drugged Cassian and me the day before our engagement party and sent Cassian to Madeline's bed. Then he put me in bed with another man and personally arranged for the Turner family elders to catch us in the act.

The next morning, everyone stood at the door, pointing fingers and calling me shameless.

When Cassian rushed over, he was barely able to stand. "Maddie told me before that you were seeing many men behind my back, and I didn't believe her. But today, you really taught me a lesson."

He slammed the clothes down onto my still-naked body to cover me. "Victoria, loving you is the most disgusting thing I've ever done in my life."

A sharp pain suddenly shot through my ankle as the dog I had raised for ten years bared his teeth at me.

Madeline walked over with a smile. "Victoria, you've been away from home for so many years that the dog doesn't remember you. He thinks you're an intruder and is trying to protect me."

Joshua stood beside Madeline as always, like her guard. "The dog didn't mean anything by it. Don't make a big deal out of nothing," he said.

I looked down at the dog that I had rescued from the highway, and in the next second, I kicked him away without hesitation.

I looked up at Madeline. "Of course. I won't hold a grudge against such a heartless beast."

I meant those words. I couldn't even do anything about being betrayed by my own brother and my childhood best friend, let alone a dog.

Joshua's gaze darkened. Madeline, on the other hand, thought I was mocking her. Her expression immediately soured.

A moment later, I felt a sudden warmth in my nose. Something was trickling down uncontrollably. I wiped it, finding my hand covered in bright red blood that wouldn't stop.

Joshua's expression shifted. He practically rushed over and grabbed my wrist. "What's going on? Come on, we're going to the hospital."

The system's voice echoed in my mind. "Don't worry. This is a normal reaction. Since you're about to leave this world, your body's functions are beginning to fail."

Joshua's palm was burning hot and even trembled slightly.

Madeline pressed her hand to her temple, her body swaying slightly. "Joshua, I feel a little dizzy. I might have caught a cold when Victoria pushed me into the water that day."

Joshua glanced at me, then at Madeline. In the end, he let go of me without a second thought and bent down to scoop her into his arms. "I'll call the doctor to check on you right away," he said.

Madeline wrapped her arms around his neck. When she looked back at me, her eyes were filled with blatant smugness.

I had no interest in watching her performance, nor did I care who Joshua worried about. I casually rolled up two pieces of tissue and stuffed them into my nostrils, then looked up at the calendar on the wall. There were only two days left before I left this place.

My phone buzzed. The screen lit up with a message and a photo from Madeline.

"Don't think that Joshua will soften his heart just because you've been acting pathetic lately. In his heart, you'll never compare to me. And do you really think that Joshua punished those 13 men for your sake?"

My chest tightened sharply, and a wave of panic made me gasp for air. But the next moment, I forced myself to calm down. For as long as I could remember, Joshua had never broken a promise to me.

Madeline had always loved using this method to drive a wedge between Joshua and me, filling us with mutual suspicion until our relationship fell apart. I took a deep breath to steady myself, then opened the photo.

In that instant, my entire world collapsed. In the photo, the 13 people Joshua had sworn to punish were driving luxury cars or had women on their arms. Their lives were even more glamorous than three years ago.

The phone slipped from my hand and hit the floor with a thud, but I barely heard it. Only one thought remained in my mind—if they were never punished, what was the point of my three agonizing years of abuse in prison?

Back then, Joshua was convinced that I had hired those thugs to hurt Madeline. He refused to search for them publicly for the sake of the Caldwell family's reputation unless I apologized to her. I kneeled on the floor and begged her repeatedly.

Madeline leaned into Joshua's arms. "But I'm scared whenever I see Victoria now. What should I do?"

Joshua looked down at me. "Victoria, go spend three years in prison. Come back when Maddie isn't afraid of you anymore."

Tears covered my face as I said, "Then swear that you'll make those 13 men pay a heavy price."

I had traded my life for a single promise from Joshua. But now?

I spun around and rushed over, grabbing Joshua by the collar. When I spoke, I realized that my voice was shaking violently. "Why are those 13 men still living perfectly fine?"

Joshua's pupils shrank. The next moment, he shook my hand off without hesitation. "Maddie is the victim, and even she has forgiven them. Why are you still holding onto this?"

I gripped his collar harder, my knuckles turning pale with strain. "She's the victim? If she's the victim, then what am I?"

Joshua frowned with impatience. "You're the one who hired them to hurt Madeline. That was your punishment for what you did. Besides, I've already made them apologize to her."

Apologize? The moment I heard that word, a loud ringing filled my ears.

That night resurfaced in my memory with agonizing clarity. I remembered the dim lights and the crushing weight pressing down on me. All night long, those men groped me and hurled insults at me relentlessly. I was in so much pain that I lost consciousness and couldn't even stand the next day.

I once thought that was the most painful moment of my life, but it was nothing compared to this moment.

I looked at the brother I had once trusted and relied on without hesitation. My words came out slowly, as though they were forced through clenched teeth. "They ruined me. You gave me your word. How could you break your promise? I'm your sister—"

Madeline walked over and interrupted me. "Victoria, my parents always used to say that we should forgive whenever possible. I've already forgiven you, so stop fussing over such a small matter."

Joshua looked at Madeline with pride. "Do you see that? Even as an orphan, Maddie is so reasonable. You're not even as sensible as she is."

Madeline smiled softly. She leaned in close and lowered her voice. "The guys asked me to pass along a message. They said it's been three years and they've missed you. They didn't have enough fun with you last time, so when they see you again, they'll make sure you're satisfied."

The last thread of my sanity snapped completely. I used all my strength and slapped her hard across the face.

I roared as if I had lost my mind, "So it really was you! Why? No matter how much I disliked you, I never thought of hurting you. Why would you—"

Before I could finish speaking, a much heavier blow landed on my face. The immense force knocked me straight to the floor. My ears buzzed, and my vision went dark.

Joshua stood before me with a grim expression. "Those hundred slaps back then still didn't teach you a lesson, did they?"

His voice was ice cold. "You actually had the nerve to bully Maddie right in front of me. No wonder you're so vicious that you could do something so subhuman. It's a good thing that your plan backfired on you. Otherwise, even killing you wouldn't be enough to make amends to Maddie."

I clutched my face, my eyes bloodshot. The hatred in my heart nearly swallowed my reason. "I hate you! If I could, I would kill both of you."

Joshua fell silent for a few seconds, as though he had finally made up his mind. "Vicky, I've clearly spoiled you too much. That's why I let you spend those three years in prison so comfortably, yet you're still just as unrepentant as ever."

He pulled out his phone and tapped the screen, his voice firm and cold. "This is the last lesson I'll teach you—people who do wrong must pay the price for their actions."

The moment the screen lit up, my blood ran cold. The screen showed the footage of my abuse from three years ago. Those men had filmed my torment from every angle for their entertainment.

My body began trembling uncontrollably. I felt cold all over, and even breathing grew difficult. "No… this can't be happening…"

I couldn't find my voice and could only stare at the screen. Back then, Joshua personally told me that he had destroyed every single video.

I snapped my head up and looked at him, my eyes wide with fury. I lunged at him while still on my knees. "Joshua, please don't send that out. I'm begging you."

The suffering that I had endured wouldn't vanish even if I left this world.

Joshua's expression was terrifyingly calm. "I swore by Mom and Dad's grave that I would raise you right. As your older brother, it's my responsibility to discipline you. I believe that they would agree if they were watching."

After he finished speaking, he clicked the send button without hesitation.

Joshua walked over and grabbed my wrist. "Come here and apologize to Maddie for what you just did."

The instant he touched me, the terror from three years earlier crashed over me like a tidal wave. I scrambled backward, desperate to get away.

I shrieked and fought with every ounce of my strength. "Don't touch me! Please, don't touch me! Let go of me!"

My reaction enraged Joshua, and he furrowed his brow. "Victoria, you're being far too headstrong. What are you trying to pull now? To make sure you learn your lesson, I'll give Maddie the entire Caldwell family fortune as her wedding gift."

My ears rang incessantly. I couldn't make out a single word Joshua said. All I could hear were wild laughs echoing in my head.

"Clean yourself up tonight. At the wedding tomorrow, I need you to walk onto the stage and publicly apologize to Maddie, giving her your most sincere blessings. Otherwise, don't bother coming back to this house," Joshua said.

The moment the door closed, I could no longer hold myself together and collapsed onto the floor.

My phone vibrated frantically. Countless unknown numbers kept calling, and messages popped up one after another. They were all full of insults, morbid curiosity, and malicious mockery.

I wrapped myself tightly in the blanket, wishing I could just die right then and there. But I couldn't do that yet.

…

The next day, all the large screens on Brightvale's skyscrapers broadcast the wedding of the century between the Turner and Caldwell families.

I stood at the edge of the rooftop, watching Joshua scan the crowd from the altar as if searching for someone. Madeline noticed his distraction and tugged on his arm to keep him moving forward.

The scene before me suddenly overlapped with my memories. Back then, when Cassian and I were about to get engaged, Joshua said with reddened eyes, "I'll personally walk my beloved sister into her next chapter of happiness."

He kept his word, except that sister wasn't me.

The voice of the system sounded in my mind. "It's time. We should leave."

I stepped forward without a second thought, and a sense of weightlessness instantly hit me. The wind whistled past my ears. As I fell through the air, my eyes briefly met Joshua's, and I smiled.

"Joshua, how could three years of my life and the entire Caldwell family be enough to make amends to Madeline? Let me use my life to make her wedding even more spectacular," I said.