"Whatever Mitchell wants to do with the house is entirely up to him. The attic is fine. I can stay there," I lowered my head and spoke softly, my voice barely audible.

Mitchell's expression was hard to read. He didn't seem pleased.

Seeing him like this, I felt uneasy and questioned myself. I had already stepped aside in every possible way for the person he held dearest in his heart. Why was he still dissatisfied?

The worst part came during dinner.

The table was covered with an array of lavish dishes.

Mitchell carefully served food to Maggie, who beamed with joy.

I kept my head down, silently eating the plain spaghetti in front of me.

"Nora, why aren't you eating anything else?"

Maggie's sweet voice rang out as she reached over to place a piece of mutton on my plate.

I didn't eat it, silently pushing it to the side.

"Nora, do you have a problem with me? You don't even eat the food I gave you."

Her expression turned hurt, and Mitchell's face immediately darkened.

"Nora! Eat it. Who do you think you're trying to snub here?"

I looked up, a heavy weight pressing against my chest.

"I can't eat this," I said quietly.

I was allergic to many foods. Back at home, our dining table had never featured dishes I couldn't eat. But now, almost everything on this table was something I couldn't touch.

Mitchell had forgotten.

-

"What do you mean you can't eat it? Maggie's trying to build a good relationship with you. Don't be so ungrateful. Eat the lamb."

"It's fine. It's my fault. The kitchen made everything I like today. It's Nora's first day back, so it's understandable if she's unhappy. Nora, tell the kitchen what you'd prefer, and they'll make it for you."

Maggie's eyes glinted with deliberate provocation.

But none of this angered me anymore.

"She's not that fragile. Just because you like it doesn't mean she can't eat it. Nora, stop making things difficult for everyone. Be more considerate."

Mitchell's face was grim, his brows tightly furrowed—an unmistakable sign that he was about to lose his temper.

Once again, he left me no room to explain, immediately assuming I was at fault.

At the boarding school, they taught us: I had to obey the person who fed me and provided for me.

I mustn't make Mitchell angry. If he got upset, it would be my fault.

"Alright, I'll eat it."

I lowered my head and forced myself to eat, taking large bites, desperate to avoid escalating the conflict.

As he saw me eating, his furrowed brow finally relaxed.

Suppressing the nausea churning inside me, I ate whatever they served, lamb included.

But soon, my neck began to itch, followed by an unbearable tingling all over my body. My throat felt constricted, as if someone were choking me.

My trembling hands could no longer hold the utensils. I collapsed onto the floor.

"Oh, my!"

Maggie shrieked and threw herself into Mitchell's arms. His first instinct was to hold her close.

It wasn't until I struggled on the floor, barely managing to retrieve my phone to dial 911, that he finally reacted.

"What's wrong with you?"

When he saw the red welts spreading across my skin, genuine panic flickered in his eyes.

"You're having an allergic reaction! You're allergic to lamb! How could I have forgetten?"

-

By the time I was rushed to the hospital, I could barely breathe.

Thankfully, I made it just in time and narrowly escaped death.

As I lay in the hospital bed, Mitchell sat nearby, fully focused on comforting the woman crying in his arms.

"This is all my fault. If I hadn't served her that food, she wouldn't have eaten it and gotten sick."

"Don't cry. This isn't your fault. She's just stupid—knowing she's allergic and still eating it."

Hah, so it was my fault.

"You're awake, Nora."

Maggie turned, her tear-streaked face lighting up with feigned surprise and concern as she approached me.

Mitchell, however, spoke first, "Why didn't you say you were allergic? Why did you eat it anyway?"

"I told you I couldn't eat it. But if I didn't, you would've been angry," I said, my voice trembling.

Mitchell's expression only darkened further.

"Was this intentional? Are you trying to punish me? To make me feel guilty?"

Had I insisted on eating it? Mitchell's memory was failing him.

Frightened, I shook my head, unsure what I had done wrong but knowing I had to admit fault.

"It's my fault, Mitchell, but I didn't do it intentionally. Please, don't be mad."

"You little…"

He stared at me, drawing in a sharp breath, before pulling Maggie along and leaving in a huff. He didn't come to see me again.

-

Two days later, a nurse came to ask me about the medical bill.

Uneasy, I opened my phone to check the balance, only to find it down to a single digit.

"Could I call someone from home?" I asked hesitantly.

The nurse raised an eyebrow but nodded. "Go ahead."

Mitchell didn't answer my calls. I tried again and again, but he remained unreachable. The nurse grew impatient.

"What about the bill?" she pressed.

"I'll pay it," I replied, flushing with embarrassment under her skeptical gaze.

Another day passed with no word from Mitchell. The nurse returned, her tone sharper.

"You're not planning to skip out on paying, are you? You're an adult. Can't you get in touch with anyone? Do you want me to call the police?"

"I-I…" I stammered, searching for words. "I can leave something as collateral and bring the money later to settle the bill."

The necklace around my neck was my mother's final gift to me. Left to me during her last moments, it had been my anchor through countless lonely nights at the boarding school.

It was also my only valuable possession.

The hospital reluctantly accepted the necklace, allowing me to leave.

"Is it this way?"

For some reason, my memory seemed to falter. I couldn't recognize familiar streets.

With help from the police, I stumbled my way home, exhausted and disoriented.

By nightfall, I finally reached the house. The wind bit into me as I stood shivering outside, only to find that the lock no longer recognized my fingerprints.

I couldn't get in. Through the window, I could hear them laughing.

"Do you like your gift?"

"This ring is beautiful. A pink diamond—how expensive is it?"

"I saw it at an auction and thought you'd love it. The cost doesn't matter. As long as it makes you happy."

The tenderness in Mitchell's gaze as he looked at her was undeniable.

Held in his arms, Maggie smiled radiantly, brimming with happiness.

For a moment, I was dazed.

Every year on my birthday, Mitchell would prepare a gift for me well in advance, putting so much thought into it.

Back then, he had looked at me with that same tenderness.

I knocked hard on the door, again and again. Eventually, Mitchell came to open it.

"What are you doing here?" He seemed surprised. "Why didn't you tell me you were coming back?"

"The hospital kept demanding payment, but I couldn't reach anyone."

"What?" Mitchell frowned, but before he could say more, Maggie walked over.

"Nora, come inside. Are you feeling better? Do you need money for the payment? Let me transfer it to you."

"I'll handle it," Mitchell said, sending me a transfer of 15 thousand dollars.

"Is that enough?"

-

I nodded, ready to head out and redeem my necklace.

"Where are you going now?"

"My necklace. I pawned it at the hospital."

Before I could leave, Maggie stopped me.

"It looks like it's going to rain. You just got out of the hospital, so you shouldn't run around. Let the driver handle it."

I didn't want to agree, but Mitchell's stare made it clear—if I refused Maggie's suggestion, he'd be furious.

The driver was gone for a long time but came back empty-handed. The nurse said the necklace was missing.

I immediately rushed over to the hospital.

"How could it be gone? How could it just disappear? It's only been two hours! I told you I'd bring the money to get it back!"

"Well, there are so many people coming and going in the hospital. We don't know what happened. At least you don't have to pay for the treatment."

I grabbed the nurse, pleading and demanding an explanation.

"Enough! Stop embarrassing yourself! Mom gave you that necklace, and you handed it over so carelessly! Now it's gone—who's to blame for that?"

Mitchell pulled me away, apologized to the nurse, and dragged me out of the hospital.

"I'll ask someone to look for it. Stop causing a scene. Why are you yelling in public? Do you have no shame?"

His harsh words left me speechless.

-

I locked myself in my room that night, unable to sleep.

For some reason, the loss of that necklace left me terrified and restless.

It was one of the few things in my life that truly belonged to me, and yet, I couldn't keep it safe.

That night, I dreamt of my mother. She stroked my face, her smile so gentle, her eyes full of pain.

"My darling, why have you become so thin? Has Mitchell not been taking care of you?"

I held back my tears and hugged her, crying uncontrollably.

"Who's been bullying you? Should I teach them a lesson? Was it Mitchell?"

"No, Mom. Mitchell treats me well." I couldn't stop the tears. "Mom, I miss you so much. I'm so tired. I lost the necklace you gave me. I'm so useless."

The next day, I stayed in my room all day, not wanting to see anyone.

Mitchell didn't come to check on me, but Maggie did.

When I saw her, I tried to close the door, but she raised her chin, revealing the necklace I'd lost.

"How did you get that?"

While I was stunned, she pushed the door open and walked in.

-

"Give me back my necklace!"

"Why should I? Mitchell already gave it to me. He said you don't deserve to wear it, that only I can."

Maggie avoided my hand, smirking triumphantly.

"That necklace was my mother's! Give it back to me!"

I didn't care about anything else, but I couldn't let this go.

When I lunged for it, she stepped back.

As I stumbled and fell to the floor, she laughed mockingly.

"Look at you. Where's that campus belle aura you used to have? You're nothing but a joke now, looking like a beggar."

When I tried to get up, she kicked me in the back, watching me struggle. Then she stomped on my hand.

"Tell me, what's the point of living like this? Nora, Mitchell doesn't want you anymore. You're the most useless person in this house!"

She walked to the window, holding the necklace, and slowly loosened her grip.

"You want it? Too bad—I'm not giving it to you."

"No!" I grabbed her leg, shoving her aside, and lunged at her like a madwoman.

"Maggie! You've already taken Mitchell! You've taken this house! Why won't you just leave me alone?"

I didn't know how it happened, but when I came to, Maggie was clutching her stomach, collapsing in pain.

"Maggie!"

Mitchell stood at the door, his face a mix of shock and fury, shouting her name.

"My stomach hurts," Maggie cried, looking at me tearfully. "Nora, why did you push me?"

Mitchell's slap landed with full force, sending me to the ground, my head buzzing.

"Nora! You're despicable! After all this time, you haven't learned a thing! I don't want to see you ever again!"

He scooped Maggie into his arms and left without looking back.

As they left, Maggie shot me a vengeful look. Her lips moved as she said silently, "You're done for."

-

That look, that moment, overlapped with memories of our high school graduation.

An overwhelming fear gripped me.

Was I going to be sent back to that hellish place? Was Mitchell going to abandon me again?

No! I couldn't go back!

Terrified, I burst into tears and ran after Mitchell, grabbing his arm.

"I didn't push her! Mitchell, please believe me!"

"Get off me! Do you even realize she's pregnant? You're trying to kill her! I should've left you in that school forever! How could I have such a cruel sister? Why don't you just die?"

He flung my hand away and left, just like before, not once looking back.

My face stung, but all I could hear was his voice echoing in my mind.

"Why don't you just die?"

That sentence merged with the nightmares of my days in school, where every moment felt worse than death.

"Mitchell, you might not know this, but I've already thought about dying so many times…"

Rolling up my sleeves, I stared at the scars on my arms, a testament to all the times I couldn't go on.

I walked to the window, looking down at where the necklace had fallen, and dialed Mitchell's number.

"Mitchell, if I die, will you believe me then? I didn't push her. She took Mom's necklace."

"Then go ahead and die!"

His voice on the other end was impatient and harsh.

Sitting on the windowsill, I dropped the phone and let out a resigned laugh. Then, with my eyes closed, I let myself fall backward.