Elena gave up and requested the hospital to keep her condition strictly confidential.

Even if the treatment succeeded, the survival rate would only extend her life by a few years. To her, trading those few years for one month of peace was worth it.

After hanging up the phone, Elena turned to see Ethan approaching from behind. He noticed her anxious expression, and an inexplicable unease stirred in his heart.

“Who were you calling? Why are you so flustered?” he asked.

“Oh, don't worry about it.” Elena hurried to follow him as she saw he was about to leave.

Ever since Ethan was discharged from the hospital, she had been like his shadow, never leaving his side.

“I’m heading back to the family estate. You stay here and wait for me like a good girl,” Ethan said, patting her head.

Elena had always disliked the atmosphere of the Scott Family’s old estate. Back when Ethan wanted to adopt her, the estate’s residents had strongly opposed the decision, leading to a major fallout between them.

In recent years, Elena only visited the Scott Family estate on New Year's Eve, worried they would label her rude if she didn’t. Even though she faced cold shoulders and humiliation, she gritted her teeth and went to pay her respects.

“I want to go with you,” she said firmly.

Her gaze was unwavering. With so little time left, she couldn’t afford to waste it. Every second spent with Ethan mattered.

Ethan was a bit surprised. Normally, the mere mention of visiting the estate would make her retreat instantly. Today, however, she was unusually proactive.

“Not afraid of their words?” he asked.

“Other than your words, I don’t care what anyone else says,” Elena replied, pointing to her ears. “In one ear, out the other.”

Ethan chuckled. He remembered that the estate had recently hired a chef from Elena’s hometown.

If she went, she could enjoy some familiar dishes, so he agreed to take her along.

What Elena didn’t know was that Sienna would also be there.

Today’s meal was meant to discuss Ethan and Sienna’s wedding. After the car accident, Ethan had taken Sienna to register their marriage without informing his family in advance. Now that things had unfolded the way they did, the Scott Family could see how deeply Ethan loved Sienna.

Reluctantly, they agreed to the marriage.

There was one condition though: Sienna had to leave the entertainment industry.

“Sienny, our Scott Family doesn’t like women putting themselves in the spotlight, especially in an industry with such a bad reputation. Leave your career before joining our family—that’s the old man’s stance as well,” said Esther, Ethan’s mother. Her tone was indifferent, neither warm nor cold.

Sienna wasn’t Esther’s ideal choice, but she was leagues better than Elena. Esther was determined to prevent Elena from staying by Ethan’s side and causing more trouble.

“Elena, Ethan is about to get married. You’re already grown up—it’s not appropriate for you to keep living with him. Find some time to move out,” Esther said firmly.

Esther had never liked Elena. She’d dropped countless hints, both subtle and direct, but Elena always pretended not to understand. Now, using Ethan’s impending marriage as an excuse, Esther seized the opportunity to push her out.

Elena couldn’t figure out what she had ever done to deserve this treatment.

“Mom, Ellie can live wherever she wants. She’ll make her own arrangements,” Ethan interjected.

“After you marry Sienny, having such a third wheel around—are you fine with it? Would Sienny be fine with it?” Esther shot back, deliberately dragging Sienna into the conversation.

Sienna knew exactly what Esther wanted her to say. But having just been forced to agree to leave the entertainment industry, she was already feeling resentful.

“Auntie, I’ll listen to Ethan,” Sienna said with a practiced smile. “Besides, Ellie has been with Ethan for so many years. It’s not something she can easily change overnight.”

Esther’s expression darkened further. “It’s all the fault of that worthless mother of hers, bringing such trouble into the world.”

Elena’s body stiffened at the cruel words. Even after dinner, while waiting for Ethan in the courtyard, Esther’s harsh comment echoed in her mind.

Ethan’s marriage was a significant event, and the entire Scott Family was bustling with preparations. Yet Elena felt increasingly lost. She could sense Ethan’s kindness and affection toward her, but why did he still went on in marrying Sienna?

Drawn by curiosity, she moved closer to the family’s meeting hall. From inside, she could hear the tone Esther used with Sienna had completely shifted.

“Sienny, after you leave the industry, your focus should be on supporting your husband and raising children. Being the daughter-in-law of the Scott Family is far more complicated than you might think,” Esther said with an air of authority.

“And as for Elena—you’re too softhearted. Keeping her around will only bring disaster to your marriage with Ethan.”

Elena didn’t wait to hear the rest. She turned and left quietly, her heart sinking. Esther and Sienna shared the same goal: to drive her away. They would stop at nothing to make it happen.

Her mind was a chaotic mess as she wandered aimlessly, eventually reaching the gates of the old estate. She tripped over something she couldn’t see and fell hard onto the ground.

Tears welled up in her eyes, blurring her vision, and through the haze, she saw Sienna standing before her.

“Still playing the pity card? Do you think this will let you stay by Ethan’s side forever? I’ve been meaning to ask—when are you planning to move out?” Sienna’s tone was sharp, her posture exuding the authority of someone who considered herself the rightful partner.

Elena felt suffocated. Sienna stood tall, lecturing her as if she were already Ethan’s legitimate wife. It was just one step away—soon, Sienna would officially claim that title.

Looking down at her scraped palms, Elena let out a faint laugh. “What if the Scott Family found out that on the day of the accident, it was you who tipped off the paparazzi? That you deliberately orchestrated the chaos to stage a car crash, almost costing Ethan his life? Do you think you’d still be able to marry him then?”

Sienna’s face froze for a moment, but she quickly recovered, letting out a chuckle. “You know quite a bit. Unfortunately, it won’t make any difference.”

The blaring sound of a car horn cut through the air.

A car came barreling toward them, out of control. In an instant, Sienna’s expression changed. She shouted, “Ellie, watch out—”

With all her strength, she pushed Elena aside, stepping directly into the car’s path.

Bam!

As Sienna was hit, Elena saw Ethan sprinting toward them, his eyes bloodshot with panic as he yelled for someone to call an ambulance.

He held Sienna tightly in his arms as he carried her away, not sparing Elena even a glance.

Elena’s initial fear and shock gradually gave way to bitter self-mockery. So this was how it was—no matter how much fondness Ethan might have shown her, the most important person in his heart was still Sienna.

The contract had only promised that she could win Ethan’s affection. It had never guaranteed that he wouldn’t marry Sienna.

In the cold, sterile hallway of the hospital, Elena curled up on a bench, waiting outside the room.

Though Sienna had taken a hard fall, the car had braked just in time. She wasn’t seriously injured, only shaken from the experience.

The incident at the gates of the Scott Family estate left the entire family furious.

Esther stormed into the hospital, her anger blazing. Without warning, she slapped Elena hard across the face.

“It’s because she was trying to save you that Sienny ended up in danger! How many lives do you think you have to trade for her peace of mind?”

Elena was stunned by the slap, unable to react. When Esther raised her hand for a second strike, Ethan arrived just in time to stop her.

“Ellie is a victim too! How can you treat a child who’s just been through such a scare like this?” Ethan said firmly.

“Child? Ethan, take a good look. Do you really think she’s the kind of well-behaved child you imagine? What kind of ‘good child’ would harbor such filthy thoughts toward someone twelve years her senior?”

Boom!

Elena’s mind went blank, as if it had exploded. Each word from Esther was like a sharp slap to her face, cutting deeper and deeper.

Ethan drove the dazed Elena home in silence. When they arrived, she remained motionless, lost in her thoughts.

He gently took her hand, startled by how cold her palm felt.

“Ellie, we’re home. Don’t be afraid—I’m here,” he said softly.

Her tears, held back for so long, finally broke free, spilling down her cheeks uncontrollably.

“Ethan, is liking someone really so filthy?” she asked, her voice trembling.

Ethan had once accused her of being filthy too, telling her to leave if she ever had such thoughts again. It was the first time he’d spoken so harshly to her, shattering the confidence she’d always had in her feelings.

It was just an age gap. She had never thought that something as simple and pure as liking someone could be considered so shameful.

From the moment Elena was sixteen and realized her feelings for Ethan, until she turned twenty-one, she spent five years praying that she would grow up faster, praying that Ethan would slow down his plans to marry Sienna.

The day Ethan went to register his marriage with Sienna, Elena tried everything to keep him. In a desperate moment, she took a pair of scissors and aimed them at her wrist, hoping to force him to change the date.

Ethan was no longer the same as before.

His cold, indifferent voice shattered the last bit of reason Elena had left. “Elena, no one can stop me from marrying her. If I had to choose between you and her, you would never be the answer.”

That day, the sharp scissors slid across her delicate wrist, blood pouring out, but Ethan still walked away without a second glance.

Elena, in her despair, pleaded for even the smallest bit of Ethan’s affection—just a trace of his love was enough to let her breathe.

But it seemed like he had forgotten everything.

Ethan avoided Elena’s gaze. This time, he didn’t scold her harshly but instead told her not to talk about her feelings for him so openly anymore.

“Ethan, you hate that I like you. You think my feelings for you are disgusting, don’t you?”

“Ellie, I am your elder. I’m twelve years older than you.”

“You’re only saying that because you like Sienna,” Elena shot back.

Time and time again, Elena lied to herself, telling herself that Ethan didn’t care for Sienna that much. But each time, she was slapped with the harsh reality—he was kind to her, but even kinder to Sienna.

“My engagement with Sienny is set. Stop making a scene. I can forget everything you’ve said, but if you want to stay by my side, you’ll have to forget too.”

Ethan dropped Elena off at her house, but as he turned to leave, his body swayed, and he leaned against the wall, unable to calm the storm inside him.

Elena was starting to resemble her mother more and more, especially as she blossomed into a graceful young woman. Everywhere she went, there were traces of her mother in her.

But how could he, a friend of her mother, ever think of her that way?

The hospital called, saying that Sienna refused to eat. They were at their wits' end, and by the time Ethan arrived, Sienna was in tears, asking the doctor if the scars on her face would remain.

She had injured her face while saving Elena, and for a female celebrity, that was a potentially career-ending scar.

Ethan moved to comfort Sienna, wrapping his arms around her and gently patting her back. “Don’t worry, I’ll find the best doctor to help you remove the scar. It won’t leave any trace.”

Sienna buried her face in his chest, sobbing, her shoulders shaking with each breath.

“Ethan, will you still want me?” she asked, her voice trembling.

“Of course I will.”

“Then... what about the wedding?”

“Just discuss it with my mother. You can do whatever you want,” Ethan said, his tone indifferent. He had no particular thoughts about the wedding.

The Scott Family needed dignity, and Sienna wanted a grand ceremony. It was only natural for her and Esther to come to an agreement.

Sienna wasn’t seriously injured, and on the day she was discharged, she pouted and whined to Ethan, “Ethan, can I stay with you? My ankle’s still a little swollen, and it would be easier for you to take care of me. What if something happens when I’m alone...?”

Without hesitation, Ethan shut her down, extinguishing her hopes.

“No, Ellie doesn’t like having anyone else in the house.”

Sienna froze. He had refused her for Elena’s sake?

“Then… can you stay with me tonight? I’m a little scared alone.”

Ethan agreed, and Sienna smiled contentedly. “I knew Ethan would always be the best to me.”

Elena spent the whole night waiting for Ethan, but he never showed up. When she finally picked up her phone, a message from Sienna popped up on OurTalk.

It was a photo of Ethan, with the caption: "Ellie, Ethan just couldn't leave me at ease, so he's staying with me tonight. You don't need to wait for him, get some rest."

Elena stared at the screen, her face expressionless. She stared at the message, scrolling back and forth for a long time.

What was Sienna doing?

Claiming her territory?