Tom Howard had spoiled Jane Lawson for more than 20 years.

She had thought that they would naturally end up together, get married, have children, and live a happy life.

Until one day, Tom brought a girl back and told her. "Jane, she's your sister-in-law."

"Tom, my photography work won an international gold award."

Jane Lawson burst excitedly into Tom Howard's room. Overwhelmed with joy, she couldn't help but throw herself into his arms, just like she had countless times when she was little.

But in the next moment, a heavy slap landed on her face.

Hailey Bundred, who had just stepped out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel, delivered the slap before angrily pushing her away.

"Jane, I'm still his official girlfriend, and yet you're throwing yourself at him like this. What's your intention? Are you so shameless that you have to seduce your brother?"

Jane's face burned with pain. Her eyes brimmed with tears, but they didn't fall.

Yes, how could she forget?

Tom had a girlfriend now, and they were going to get married soon.

Jane had been an orphan since childhood. Later, the Howard family had taken her in out of kindness, and Tom had spoiled her for many years. She had long grown used to clinging to him.

She looked at Tom with a mix of grievance and hope in her eyes.

Surely, he wouldn't let her be mistreated like this?

But Tom's gaze was cold, his tone even colder. "Jane, you should know your place!"

'My place?'

Jane let out a self-deprecating laugh. "Sorry! That was thoughtless of me!"

She turned and fled in panic.

The moment the door closed, she heard Hailey's voice. "Tom, I didn't mean to hit her. I just love you too much, and I couldn't hold back my jealousy."

Tom's voice was indifferent. "It's fine. She really needed to wake up."

Was that true?

Jane returned to her room and dialed a number.

"Mr. Westwood, I've decided to go to Eularo to further my career."

On the other end of the line, Mr. Westwood laughed with delight. "You should've done this earlier! With your talent, you'd already be a world-famous photographer by now. When are you coming?"

Jane thought for a moment and replied, "Probably in about 2 weeks."

She needed some time to say goodbye to everything here.

In truth, Hailey was Tom's secretary.

Back then, Tom had placed several resumes in front of Jane. "Jane, help me choose one."

Jane hesitated. "I don't really understand what to look for. Why not let the human resources department handle it?"

But Tom said, "My secretary will probably be interacting with you often in the future. Pick someone you like, so it'll be more comfortable for you."

Hailey was the one she had personally chosen to be Tom's secretary.

What she hadn't expected was that she wasn't choosing a secretary but rather a future "sister-in-law" for herself.

The next day, Hailey seemed to have forgotten about the previous incident and insisted on dragging Jane along to try on wedding dresses.

"Help me take a look. How does this dress look? Your brother is so perfunctory—no matter which one I wear, he just says it looks good without giving any real opinion."

Jane sighed. "It's your wedding dress. As long as you think it looks good, that's what matters."

Hailey pouted and acted coquettishly. "Jane, you know my background isn't great. I'm afraid my taste isn't refined enough and I'll embarrass your brother. But you're different—you're our star photographer with impeccable taste!"

"I'm only good at photography and composition. I really don't know anything about wedding dresses."

Hailey's expression dimmed, her tone tinged with a hint of grievance. "Jane, are you still not accepting me? It was my fault yesterday, I acted impulsively. I'm sorry, okay? Don't be mad at me."

Jane opened her mouth to respond but couldn't find the right words to refute her.

She didn't dislike Hailey, nor was she particularly angry.

She was just struggling to understand how Tom, who used to dote on her endlessly, could suddenly fall for someone else.

Hailey looked up at Tom, who stood to the side, and said considerately, "Tom, maybe we should postpone the wedding until Jane feels better about it."

Tom frowned slightly. "We can't delay the wedding just because she's upset."

Hailey pouted pitifully. "But she's your sister. I want her blessing."

Tom paused for a moment before turning to Jane.

His tone was slightly cold. "Jane, be sensible. Don't upset your sister-in-law."

Jane turned her head away. "I didn't."

Seeing the faint look of reproach on his face, Jane's eyes turned red.

Back when Tom still pampered her, he was the one who couldn't bear to distance himself from her.

When others were around, if she tried to step away from him even slightly, he would unhappily pull her back to his side.

When she went to the countryside to take photos, he went with her.

When she traveled to Afolia to photograph animal migrations, he went too.

He had once said that no matter the time or place, he would always stand behind her. As long as Jane turned around, she would see him.

Jane took a deep breath. "I'm sorry. I didn't handle things properly and caused a misunderstanding with Hailey. I'll be more cautious from now on."

Tom nodded slightly. "Good, as long as you understand."

Jane murmured in a soft voice, "You two continue with the wedding dress fitting. I'm not feeling well, so I'll head out first."

As she turned and left the shop, tears streamed down her face.

Jane wiped them away with the back of her hand, then pulled out her phone and booked a plane ticket.

In 2 weeks, she would be boarding that flight and leaving this place forever.

This meant that she would be leaving Tom as well.

Jane stayed out until the early hours of the morning before returning home.

Making the decision to leave took only a moment, but over 20 years of feelings weren't something she could just erase. She wasn't strong enough to truly let go without looking back.

To avoid regretting her decision, she thought it best to minimize her interactions with Tom during the remaining 2 weeks.

When she returned to the Howard family's residence, the house was pitch dark.

Jane didn't turn on the lights and dragged her exhausted body toward her bedroom.

But a voice from the living room suddenly called out to her.

"Jane."

She turned and saw someone sitting on the sofa.

"What is it, Miss Bundred?"

Hailey was wearing a black lace camisole nightdress, sensually leaning against the armrest of the sofa. She smiled. "Tom bought this nightgown for me. Does it look good?"

As she sat up straighter, the faint red marks on her body gradually became visible.

Against the black lace, they appeared even more provocative and seductive.

She lightly touched the marks on her neck and let out a soft moan, feigning pain as she complained coquettishly, "Your brother has no taste when it comes to picking wedding dresses, but his taste in nightwear is impeccable. He said I look so good in this that he couldn't hold himself back."

Jane stood on the staircase, looking down coldly at her performance. She curved her lips into a mocking smile. "Stop it, Hailey."

"Stop what?"

"Your lust."

Hailey burst into laughter. "But your brother likes it when I'm lustful. The moment he got home, he couldn't wait for me to change into this nightgown, and then…"

"You don't have to continue. I don't want to hear it."

"Whether you want to or not, it's the truth. He's obsessed with my body. So what if you've had over 20 years of feelings for him? Men will always choose the one who pleases them in bed."

Jane had no patience for further conversation. She turned and said, "Keep performing your little show. I'm not interested in watching."

But Hailey wasn't done. She lifted her dress and chased after Jane. "From this far, you probably can't see the marks your brother left on me. Jane, don't go. Come take a good look…"

As she spoke, Hailey caught up and grabbed Jane's arm.

A wave of nausea surged up in Jane's stomach, and she instinctively pulled away. "Don't touch me!"

Not far away, Tom emerged from his bedroom. "What are you two talking about so late at night?"

Just as Jane was about to explain, Hailey shot her a sly smile before immediately morphing her expression into one of terror.

"Ah—!"

Hailey tumbled down the stairs.

"Hailey!"

Tom put down the glass of milk he was holding and rushed over, scooping Hailey into his arms. "Are you okay?"

Hailey lay weakly in his embrace, speaking softly, "I'm fine. Don't blame Jane. She didn't mean to."

Tom looked up at Jane, his gaze filled with disappointment.

"Jane, no matter how dissatisfied you are with Hailey, you shouldn't have pushed her down the stairs! Do you know how dangerous that was?"

When he turned back to Hailey, his tone became one of tender concern.

He leaned down and gently picked her up. "Let's go back to the room. I need to check if you're hurt."

Hailey blushed and said coquettishly, "In the future, let's not be so affectionate in front of Jane. It's normal for a younger sister to be possessive of her brother. You used to spoil only her, and now I've suddenly appeared—it's hard for her to accept. We need to be more considerate of her feelings and give her time to get used to it."

"She'll have to get used to it sooner or later," Tom said coldly.

He carried Hailey steadily back to their room, and as he did, Hailey turned her head and flashed Jane a victorious "V" sign.

Jane suddenly felt like the world had become unrecognizable.

Hailey's arrival had shattered her world into pieces.

She couldn't understand why Tom would fall for someone like Hailey.

Was it, as Hailey claimed, that in the choice between love and lust, men would always choose lust?

Jane didn't know.

And now, she didn't want to know.

The next morning, Jane went to the magazine office.

She had been a columnist photographer there for three years and had great relationships with her colleagues.

The editor-in-chief, Jordan Robinson, was surprised to receive her resignation letter. "Is this about your salary? If so, just say the word, and I'll talk to the director."

Jane smiled and shook her head. "Thank you, Mr. Robinson, but it's not about the salary."

"Then why are you leaving?"

"I have other plans."

Jordan smiled knowingly. "Oh, I see. You're planning to marry Tom and become Mrs. Howard, right? It makes sense. He's been picking you up and dropping you off every day for years, rain or shine. He clearly cherishes you. If you're marrying him, that's a good thing—I won't stand in your way."

Hearing the first half of his comment, Jane wanted to explain.

Tom was indeed getting married, but the bride wasn't her.

But by the time Jordan finished, she no longer felt like clarifying.

The entanglement between her, Tom, and Hailey was too complicated to explain in a few words.

All she wanted now was to complete her resignation process quickly and leave this sad place in two weeks.

"Oh, Jane, what date is the wedding? Be sure to send me an invitation so I can toast to your happiness!"

Jane gave an awkward smile.

At that moment, the receptionist, Wendy, excitedly knocked on the door and peeked her head in. "Jane, your boyfriend is here to pick you up again! And he's brought a surprise this time!"

Jane walked out of the magazine office and immediately saw Tom leaning against his black Cullinan, lost in thought.

As she approached, she finally understood what Wendy meant by "a surprise."

The interior of the black car was filled with bright red roses, blooming vibrantly.

Except for the passenger seat, the backseat and the trunk were completely stuffed with roses.

Behind her, she could still hear the voices of a few close female colleagues from the office.

They were hiding behind the company sign, sneaking glances in their direction, giggling and nudging each other.

Whenever Tom came to pick her up, he often brought her something she liked.

Cakes, drinks, or a variety of snacks she enjoyed.

Her colleagues had seen it many times, but they still teased her every time. "Whenever your boyfriend shows up, the whole office gets a treat. We're really benefiting from you, Jane!"

Jane always tacitly acknowledged these remarks, brushing them off with a smile. She would then share whatever Tom brought with everyone.

Now, they were probably all waiting for a chance to divide up the roses in his car.

She called out, "Tom."

Tom lifted his head, but his expression was unpleasant, his demeanor still icy. "Show some respect. I'm your brother."

Jane froze for a moment.

Then she slowly nodded. "Okay."

"I was too harsh last night. Don't take it to heart."

"Okay."

"But you're not a child anymore. Pushing someone down the stairs like that is dangerous. Don't ever do it again."

Jane looked up in disbelief, her anger bubbling over. "So, you're here today to interrogate me?"

Tom's expression darkened. "You still don't realize what you did wrong, do you?"

"Tom, you've known me for over 20 years. Even if I really wanted to harm her, I wouldn't be stupid enough to do it in my own house!" Jane shouted in frustration but instantly regretted it.

What was the point? She was leaving anyway.

No matter how much she explained, it wouldn't change anything.

"Forget it. Leave. Stop bothering me at work."

When Jane returned to the entrance of the workplace, her previously cheerful colleagues seemed to notice something was wrong and looked at her with concern.

"Jane, did you have a quarrel with him?"

"Don't be mad. He brought all those roses to apologize. Give him a chance!"

"Exactly, Jane, you're so lucky, but you don't even realize it. A boyfriend like him is one in a million!"

Jane kept a neutral expression and said quietly, "Stop crowding around. Get back to work."

Her strong photography skills gave her a respected voice in the magazine office.

The younger colleagues listened to her, reluctantly returning to their desks, looking disappointed.

Wendy, who was the closest to her, tugged on her sleeve and asked softly, "Jane, can I ask for just one rose? I saw his car was full of flowers, and even prepared a vase."

Jane felt a headache coming on. "I'll buy you one myself later. I won't let your vase sit empty."

Back at her desk, she was still distracted and irritated.

She tried to process some photos she had taken earlier, but her phone buzzed.

[Image] [Image] [Image]

[Which one do you like best? Blushing shy face.jpg]

Hailey had sent several pictures of various nightgown styles.

Rather than nightgowns, they looked more like lingerie.

The designs revealed far too much, leaving little to the imagination.

Moments later, the messages were all deleted.

Hailey. [Sorry! Sent it to the wrong person.]

Jane turned off her phone and shoved it into the drawer.

They both knew Hailey hadn't sent it to the wrong person. She did it on purpose.

It wasn't until after work that Jane retrieved her phone and turned it back on.

There were no missed calls.

No texts.

No WhatsApp messages.

Nothing.

Before, if she didn't respond for more than half an hour, Tom would call her nonstop or rush to the office to find her.

Now, he didn't.

Her Twitter feed notified her of a new post.

When she opened it, the scene was all too familiar—

The black Cullinan, filled with vibrant red roses.

Hailey was holding a large bouquet, standing in front of the car with a radiant smile.

The caption read: [Thank you, my love. This is the best birthday gift I've ever received.]

'Oh, so, today is Hailey's birthday,' thought Jane.

Everything in the car had been prepared for Hailey.

After work, Jane didn't feel like going home.

But Tom’s mother, Linda Howard, called her, worried. "Jane, why are you working so late these days? It's not safe for a young girl like you. I'll have Tom pick you up."

Jane no longer wanted to ride in his car.

Neither the passenger seat nor the roses belonged to her anymore.

"There's no need, Linda. I'll take a cab home."

"Alright then. Stay safe, dear."

Jane hailed a ride and returned home, only to find Tom and Hailey already there.

Hailey was dragging a large suitcase out of her room. "Jane, you're back!"

Jane was instantly furious. "Who gave you permission to go into my room?"