For the Brother They Took from Me

On the day Bryan Ostern proposed to me, my older brother, Ashton, was murdered in a hotel.

The mastermind behind the crime was none other than Bryan’s beloved younger sister, Camila Ostern.

She even had the audacity to record a video and send it to me. In the footage, Ashton had clearly been drugged.

A group of young men and women forced him into a situation so degrading, I could barely keep watching.

The video lasted five hours. His screams didn’t stop—until he stopped breathing.

Bryan, who had always spoiled and indulged her, stood by my side for the first time.

“She went too far this time. She must be punished,” he said.

So I took the video as evidence and filed a lawsuit against Camila in court.

But on the eve of the trial, Bryan brought me to my critically ill younger brother, Aiden.

Holding an oxygen mask to the boy’s face, he cornered me with a demand.

“My sister is just spoiled and stubborn. I’ve already punished her. Sending her to prison will ruin her.”

I broke down in tears—only to receive devastating news that the hospital had refused to treat my brother.

Bryan was forcing me to compromise. And in the end, he succeeded. I withdrew the lawsuit that night.

Afterwards, he kissed me gently on the forehead with a relieved smile.

“Sienna Grain, I still love you. Don’t let this little matter come between us.”

“Our wedding will still happen. I’ll give you the grandest ceremony.”

But I no longer looked forward to the wedding.

All I wanted now was to leave—with Aiden.

To disappear forever, so Bryan could never find us again.

“Miss Grain, your passport and your brother’s have been successfully processed. You’ll receive them in three days.”

I nodded solemnly. “Also, once my brother and I leave the country, please cancel all records of our identities.”

“Are you sure?” the staff member asked, surprised. “Once that’s done, no one will be able to trace you. Have you discussed this with your family?”

An image of Ashton’s lifeless body lying in the church flashed through my mind. My heart clenched.

“I have no other family left.”

After completing all the procedures, I took a taxi home.

But the moment I arrived at the door, a basin of boiling water was poured on me from inside the house.

The scalding pain made my entire body tremble. I looked up and met Camila’s smug, satisfied expression.

“You slut. What kind of love potion did you use to make my brother insist on marrying you? He loved me the most!”

“Give me back my family’s heirloom bracelet. That thing belongs to me. You’re not worthy of it.”

The Ostern Family had a rule: the head of the household would pass down the heirloom bracelet to his wife.

Camila knew Bryan had given me the bracelet when he proposed. That was the reason why she murdered Ashton—to take revenge on me.

The person responsible for Ashton’s death was standing right in front of me.

I wanted so badly to rush forward and stab her. But I couldn’t. I still had Aiden to care for. I had to endure.

Clenching my fists, I replied coldly, “I already returned the bracelet to your brother. If you want it, ask him.”

I would never hold onto anything that belonged to a murderer’s accomplice.

“You’re lying! You seduced my brother just to become Mrs. Ostern. Like hell you’d return that bracelet so easily!”

Camila didn’t believe me. She motioned to the bodyguards behind her. Those men grabbed me, pinning me down so I couldn’t move.

A sinister look spread across her face.

“If you won’t give it back, then I’ll take it myself!”

She reached out and tore at my clothes, ripping off half of my sleeve.

A chill swept over me. I struggled free from the bodyguards and shoved her away. Though I used all my strength, my body had gone weak after days without food or water.

Even so, Camila fell like a fragile flower, landing dramatically on the ground.

Suddenly, a figure stormed into view and landed a vicious kick to my stomach.

I rolled down the stairs, hitting my head hard on the floor.

Dazed, I looked up through the dizziness and saw Bryan holding Camila protectively in his arms, looking at her with concern.

When he turned to me, the coldness in his gaze cut like a knife.

“Sienna, what did Camila ever do to deserve this? Apologize to her—now!”

Apologize?

His eyes were locked on Camila.

I was the one who had been attacked, yet he defended her without hesitation. Was he blind?

She should be the one apologizing!

No—an apology wasn’t enough. She should pay with her life!

Fighting back the rage boiling inside me, I got to my feet, trembling and looked at them.

“I didn’t do anything wrong. I won’t apologize.”

The next moment, someone kicked me hard behind the knee and I fell with a thud.

“Sienna,” Bryan said coldly, “you know I hate disobedience. You have three seconds to apologize to my sister.”

Before the three seconds were up, he signaled his men to force my head down and slam it into the floor—again and again. Only when my forehead started bleeding did he finally stop them.

He picked Camila up in his arms and looked down at me.

“Sienna, think carefully about your brother’s condition before you act again. Don’t let me catch you bullying Camila ever again.”

Then he turned and walked away.

I watched his retreating figure, my hand slowly pressing against my stomach where I’d been kicked.

A tear slipped down my cheek.

Bryan didn’t know I was pregnant.

I had planned to tell him the day he proposed. Now, it no longer mattered.

Once I had taken care of everything for my brother… I would terminate the pregnancy. Someone like Bryan didn’t deserve to be a father.