The bowl shattered, sending the soup splattering everywhere.

A few droplets even landed on Madeline's dress and shoes, startling her into a gasp as she stepped back.

I rose to my feet, towering over Madeline and Rylan, who had suddenly frozen, my voice icy cold. "It's just a bowl of soup, I give it up. But if she still wants to drink, then let her drink it slowly on the floor." My gaze swept across the mess on the floor.

The servant was so frightened that she quickly lowered her head, not daring to make any sound.

Madeline's gentle smile froze for a moment, then she looked shocked, "Tessa, how could you do this? Rylan was just concerned about me..."

"Concerned about you?" I scoffed, cutting her off, "So he's going to let me, someone who just got back from the hospital, go hungry? His favoritism is truly unbelievable."

Rylan's temple throbbed, and he forced his words through gritted teeth. "Tessa! You're simply unreasonable! Apologize to Madeline, and this matter will be..."

"Apologize?" I interrupted him directly, "Who should be apologizing? Is it her, for inexplicably falling into the swimming pool and stealing my soup? Or is it you, for casually humiliating me, your sister, just to please your crush?"

Rylan's face turned from pale to dark. He clearly hadn't expected me to retaliate so sharply.

He clearly hadn't expected me to retaliate so sharply or to use the "sister' status as a weapon against him.

"Fine, very well." He managed a smile through his anger, though his gaze remained icy.

Rylan abruptly turned to the servant beside him and barked, "Take her to the room upstairs and lock her in! Without my permission, don't give her any food or drink. No one is allowed to let her out!"

I was stunned, looking at him in disbelief. "You're putting me in confinement? Just because I didn't treat your precious darling with the utmost care?"

"Think about what you've done!" His tone was unyielding, "When you learn to be considerate, then you can come out."

The servant dared not defy him, approaching timidly and pleading softly, "Miss, please... Return to your room..."

I didn't make any futile struggles.

I straightened my back and turned to head upstairs directly.

The door clicked shut behind me, and I leaned against it.

My stomach ached from hunger, but the burning anger in my chest kept me unusually alert.

My brother? My family? What a joke!

I pounded on the door and kicked it.

But there was no response.

My voice grew hoarse from shouting, yet all I faced was silence.

I wouldn't cry, I would never show weakness.

Three days without food left me weak all over.

They thought this would make me submit. That was impossible!

I searched the room and finally set the curtains on fire.

Flames quickly engulfed the room.

Sure enough, the door was thrown open.

I immediately spotted Rylan, whose face darkened.

A servant rushed in behind him with a fire extinguisher, swiftly putting out the remaining flames.

He stared at the chaos on the floor, stepping towards me with anger.

Before I could react, he suddenly reached out and grabbed my chin.

I let out a muffled groan of pain, forced to tilt my head back and meet his bloodshot eyes.

"Tessa!" His voice was terrifyingly hoarse, every word seemingly squeezed out from between his teeth.

I endured the sharp pain in my jaw, meeting the fury in his eyes, and mocked him.

"Rylan, you locked me in this room for three days without food or drink. Are you satisfied if I starve to death?"

I didn't know why the word "starve to death" angered him again, but the hand gripping my chin tightened its hold even more.

"Tessa, don't forget who rescued you! Without me, you would've starved to death on the street. What's wrong with yielding to Madeline? It's just some soup. Did you have to go so far as to set fire to the home?"

It turned out he was not my real brother...

No wonder Madeline's words could make him sacrifice me without hesitation.

In that case, I didn't care for him anymore, nor did I care for his affection!

Even without him, I could live well. Why should I swallow my pride and be his stepping stone to please Madeline?

"Just because I am not your real sister, does that mean you can control me?" I suppressed the bitterness in my heart, harshly shaking off his hand, "I'm your sister in name, not a tool to please Madeline! You feel sorry for her falling into the pool and snatch my soup for recovery, you care about her feelings and lock me up to starve, but why should I pay for your favoritism?"

His expression stiffened, as if seeing me for the first time. "You weren't like this before! Before, even when you were wronged, you would just follow behind me with red eyes. You would never talk to me like this! Has amnesia made you so bold?"

I looked at him coldly.

So the previous me was so insignificant in his eyes?

When I suffered injustice, I endured it and didn't even dare to speak up in rebuttal.

It was ridiculous that my heartfelt devotion was taken for granted by him, and even became the reason for his current criticism of me.

Just then, soft footsteps were heard from the doorway.

I saw Madeline leaning against the door frame as she entered.

Her eyes widened in surprise, and she covered her mouth upon seeing the scene inside the room.

"Rylan, don't be so harsh on Tessa," she said, quickly stepping forward and gently tugging on Rylan's arm. "She must have been starving to do that. After all, anyone would feel terrible if they hadn't eaten for three days."

She changed the subject, looking at me, "But Tessa, even if you're angry, you can't joke about our safety. This house is filled with items that could easily catch fire. If a fire breaks out, the consequences would be unimaginable. If anything happened to you, how worried would we be?"

Her words sounded like she was defending me, but every word implied that I was willful and impulsive, portraying me as a dangerous madman, or even a dangerous person who didn't care about the safety of others.

The fire in Rylan's eyes dimmed slightly under Madeline's gentle persuasion, yet his gaze still held impatience and warning when he looked at me. "Did you hear that? If you dare to cause trouble again, I won't let you off easily!"

Looking at the two people in front of me, I felt a wave of nausea wash over me.

Madeline's hypocritical demeanor disgusted me to the extreme.

Unable to hold back, I freed myself from Rylan's grip and rushed to the bathroom to vomit.

When I returned, they were gone.

I sneered. Having a brother like Rylan was worse than having none at all.

Taking advantage of the servants' shift change late at night, I used a hidden hairpin to pry open the window latch.

The cold wind rushed in immediately.

I made up my mind and climbed onto the windowsill.

The cold wind bit at my cheeks, but thinking of Rylan and Madeline's faces suddenly gave me courage.

Relying on my vague memory, I headed for the Baxter Group.

By the time I arrived at Baxter Group, night had already fallen.

I looked up at the towering skyscraper, feeling uneasy.

My phone had been confiscated, so I hadn't been able to contact Aydan.

I didn't know if he was still at the company or if he would even see me.

But at this point, I had no other options.

Taking a deep breath, I walked into the lobby and approached the receptionist. "Hello, I'm looking for Aydan. I'm his... fiancée."

The receptionist was momentarily stunned, giving me a once-over. "You are his fiancée, but don't have his contact information? Well, Miss..."

Just when I thought the stalemate would continue, the elevator doors opened.

Aydan emerged with several subordinates.

My eyes lit up, and I quickly went to him.

He looked at me, surprise evident in his eyes. "What are you doing here?"

I didn't hold back. "Rylan locked me up without food or water. I don't want to go back."

Aydan's eyes landed on my pale face, a fleeting look of concern crossed his eyes so quickly, I almost thought I imagined it.

He soon instructed his subordinates to leave, telling them to go ahead.

One of them hesitated, glancing at me cautiously. "But Mr. Baxter, the meeting is important..."

Aydan gave him a cold look, immediately silencing him.

He naturally took my hand. "Come with me."

I followed him to the lounge, my growling stomach breaking the awkward silence.

I unhesitatingly ordered the secretary to bring up some coffee and snacks.

Aydan looked at me several times.

I asked while eating, "What is it?"

His gaze remained on me. "You haven't changed. You are still the same as before."

I felt puzzled. "I just lost my memory, not my mind."

"What do you want to do?" Aydan asked calmly from across the table.

"I want to leave Rylan," I said, looking up at him without a trace of hesitation. "I know you initially didn't acknowledge our engagement, but I have nowhere else to go. If you're willing to help me, I can enter into a sham marriage with you. Once I find my identity, I'll dissolve the engagement immediately and won't bother you."

Aydan looked at me, silent for a few seconds, then suddenly smiled. "A sham marriage? You've got some nerve."

He took a sip from the coffee cup, his eyes deep. "Are you sure?"

I hesitated to respond because... He was drinking from my coffee cup, the one I had just used...

After a while, I found my voice again. "Yes, I'm sure."

Aydan checked the time. "Alright, I'll help you. But I have one condition."

"What is it?" I responded immediately.

A smile played on his lips. "After the marriage, you must cooperate with me in public, playing the role of my wife. No matter what you remember later, you can't go back to Rylan."

I agreed without hesitation. "I agree!"

After our conversation, he turned to me. "You'll stay at my apartment tonight. We'll sign the agreement tomorrow and then head to court."

I was a bit taken aback by the speed, but I didn't dare question it.

Meanwhile, at the Lloyd family mansion, Rylan had discovered my absence.

He gripped the broken window latch I had pried open, his eyes blazing with fury.

He knew my personality too well. I used to be docile. I would hesitate for a long time before even raising my voice to him, let alone break through a window to escape.

But now, I had dared to brazenly defy him.

He took a deep breath, yet his chest felt as if a boulder was pressing down on it, stifling him.

His anger was mixed with an indescribable irritation and a hint of panic he refused to acknowledge.

The servants in the living room, seeing his dark expression, shrank back, pretending to be busy, fearful of catching his ire.

Rylan walked to the center of the living room, his gaze sweeping over the empty sofa, recalling how I used to wait for him there every morning. But now, there was nothing here.

A sudden emptiness surged within him.

The next moment, he raised his arm and with a swift motion, sent the items on the table crashing into countless pieces.

Rylan stared at the shards on the floor, the veins on his forehead throbbing.

His usual calm and composed demeanor was gone, leaving only a furious rage.

He had expected me to apologize tearfully, trailing behind him like countless times before. But I didn't.

I had not only run away but left without even a word.

"Get everyone here!" he shouted at the servants, his voice a roar, "Send people out to find her! Search every nook and cranny of the city if you must, but find Tessa!"

The servants hurriedly complied, rushing to arrange the search, terrified of the consequences of delay.

Rylan stood there, his gaze dark and menacing.

Suddenly, he bent down, picked up a sharp shard of porcelain, and cut his hand deeply.

He then took a picture of the wound and sent it to me.

...

By the time I received his message, I had already finished washing up and was lying in bed.

Exhaustion swept over me. Several days of hunger and torment had taken a toll on my body.

Just now, to avoid being laughed at, I specifically chased everyone away before wolfing down my food.

My phone was a new one from Aydan.

I ignored Rylan's message and prepared to sleep.

As I was drifting off, I heard Aydan's voice from the next room, speaking on the phone.

Though quiet, I could catch a few words.

"Rylan, Tessa is with me." His tone was calm and steady.

Whatever was said on the other end, Aydan continued, "She's not in great shape. She needs rest. There's no need for you to worry."

Rylan held his phone, his expression dark.

Aydan's call extinguished his frantic anxiety over not finding me, yet ignited a new, inexplicable anger.

"Who was that?" Madeline asked, holding her bag, ready to leave.

"Aydan," Rylan tossed the phone onto the sofa, "Tessa is with him."

Surprise flickered across Madeline's face, then relief. "It's good she's with him. I was worried that something might happen to Tessa if she went out alone."

She said, making a move to leave. "I should get going, I've imposed on you long enough."

Rylan didn't hear her.

He stared out into the dark night, his emotions a tangled mess.

In the past, whenever I saw him injured, I would be the first person to appear in front of him.

But now, I seemed to have cast him aside.

The thought sent a wave of panic down his spine, clutching at his heart until he could hardly breathe.

How did I, who used to only have eyes for him, become so disobedient after losing my memory?

Seeing that he ignored her, Madeline said again, "Rylan, I want to go to the art exhibition in Southbay tomorrow. I heard that the paintings on display this time are magnificent. Will you go with me?"

Rylan snapped back to reality, looking at the gentle Madeline beside him, his irritation slowly dissipating.

Compared to my reckless behavior, she was so much more considerate.

He nodded, "Alright, I'll go with you tomorrow."

...

When I woke up and went downstairs, I saw the agreement lying on the table.

I read it carefully, and after confirming everything was correct, I signed my name without hesitation.

Aydan watched as I signed, a hint of a smile in his eyes, before signing his name as well.

"Let's go to the court," he said naturally, putting the agreement away.

The court wasn't busy, and the process was quick.

When the marriage certificate was handed to me, a sense of unreality washed over me.

Overnight, I was married!

"Snap out of it," Aydan said, taking my hand, "I'll take you out for a nice meal, and then we'll go somewhere this afternoon."

"Where?" I asked, looking up at him.

"To the art exhibition in Southbay. I heard Madeline really wants to go," he replied, a playful glint in his eyes.

After eating, Aydan had arranged for someone to pick us up.

The exhibition hall was large, filled with paintings and sculptures of various styles, and many visitors were there to see them.

I stayed by Aydan's side as he patiently explained the background of each piece.

Suddenly, he remembered something interesting. "You used to love painting."

I tightened my grip on his hand and turned to him.

It was the first time someone had told me about my past.

"Once, for Rylan's birthday, you spent three months drawing a picture for him, and it's said you stayed up all night several times to finish it. You excitedly presented it to him, only for him to toss it aside while he was picking out a gift for Madeline." His fingers gently brushed the back of my hand, his voice devoid of emotion.

My heart felt as if it were being squeezed by something, a dull ache spreading through my chest, yet I still couldn't recall any details.

"Later, Madeline saw the painting and said she liked the colors. Rylan gave it to her." Aydan continued, leading me forward, "You didn't cry or make a fuss, you just never mentioned painting again."

These unfamiliar past events, through his words, formed a vague picture in my mind, bringing a strange sense of melancholy.

At that moment, I suddenly wanted to know about my past.

I wanted to know if Rylan, like a brother to me, was always so biased.

But...

A hint of a smile flickered in my eyes. "Are you trying to sow discord between my brother and me?"

He looked at me instinctively, "Can he be considered your brother?"

True enough, I was just someone Rylan had taken in.

Just then, a familiar voice came from behind us.

"Rylan, this painting is so unique. Let's take a picture here." It was Madeline.

Aydan and I exchanged a glance, a knowing smile in his eyes.

He then wrapped his arm around my shoulders, whispering, "Things are about to get interesting."

I let him hold me and turned towards the voice.

Rylan was standing not far away with Madeline, seemingly aware of our gaze, and they turned to look at us.

Rylan's face darkened immediately upon seeing me with Aydan.

"Tessa!" he barked, anger evident in his voice, "What are you doing here with him?"

Madeline quickly moved to Rylan's side, holding his arm, "Tessa, did you hear we were coming and follow us? There's really nothing between Rylan and me..."

I scoffed, "You and Rylan can do whatever you like."

Rylan stepped forward and grabbed my hand, ordering forcefully, "Tessa, come back with me!"

"I'm not going back." I raised my head to meet his gaze, showing no trace of fear in my eyes. "Rylan, I'm not the same Tessa I used to be. You're neither my biological brother nor someone who truly cares about me. Why do you think you can control my life?"

"How dare you!" Rylan's emotions were completely out of control.

Aydan immediately stepped in front of me, his eyes cold and sharp as he looked at Rylan. "Rylan, don't go too far. If you dare lay a finger on Tessa, I will make Lloyd Group pay the price."

The atmosphere between the two instantly became tense.

I couldn't understand why Rylan was so angry. "Rylan, I don't get why you're so upset. Even when you made me suffer for Madeline, I never stopped you from pursuing your happiness. But now, I'm just with my fiancé, so why are you so furious?"

"It's different! Because you love me!" Rylan's words blurted out, but he was suddenly interrupted by Aydan.

"That's enough." Aydan interrupted Rylan's unfinished words, grabbing his wrist forcefully, making Rylan loosen his grip.

The two were about the same height, and their eyes met in the air, filled with hostility.

"Don't go too far." Aydan's gaze was as sharp as a knife.

Rylan's face went dark, and he shook off Aydan's hand, his chest heaving violently. "Aydan, this is between her and me. It's none of your business!"

"She's with me, which makes it my business."

Madeline stood nearby, looking pale and uneasy as she watched the scene unfold, wanting to step forward but too afraid to do so. She could only whisper, "Rylan, Tessa, let's talk it over calmly. Don't make a scene here."

Rylan's actions paused, his gaze dark and complex as he stared at Aydan, then at me, with an expression I couldn't decipher.

Madeline quickly stepped forward and grabbed his arm, "Rylan, let's go, let's not stay here..."

Rylan glared at me fiercely, then looked at Aydan, and was finally dragged away by Madeline, who was half-persuading him.

Before leaving, he threw out one last comment, "Tessa, you'll regret this!"

As the crowd gradually dispersed, the tension in the air finally eased.

I looked at Aydan's tense profile and couldn't help but tug at his sleeve, "What did he mean?"

Aydan turned around, the coldness in his eyes faded, and his tone was calm, "It's nothing, he's probably just angry and talking nonsense."

"But..." I wanted to ask more, feeling that Rylan's words held some hidden meaning.

"Don't think about it." Aydan interrupted my thoughts, "There's an important dinner party tonight. I need you to come with me."

At that moment, the questions I wanted to ask were on the tip of my tongue, but I swallowed them back. Perhaps Rylan was just saying things irrationally because he was so angry.

After all, he had been selfish and domineering, and he probably couldn't stand the fact that I, who used to be completely obedient to him, no longer paid attention to him.

I nodded with a smile, "Sure, I'll go with you."

When I got home and dressed up, I was only greeted by the driver he sent.

The driver told me that Aydan received an urgent project and would be late. He asked the driver to take me there first.

The car smoothly entered the parking lot of the banquet venue. I walked into the banquet hall alone.

As soon as I entered, I felt a burning gaze on my back.

Turning around, I saw Rylan standing not far away, with Madeline by his side.

His gaze bore into me with a smoldering anger.

I ignored him, turned away, and picked up a glass of juice.

Ahead, someone exclaimed, "Someone threw several luxury watches into the swimming pool!"

I didn't want to join the commotion.

Just as I was about to turn around, Madeline suddenly appeared from nowhere and grabbed my wrist, pulling me sharply toward the pool.

"Tessa, I slipped!" She screamed, her body falling into the water, dragging me with her.

The cold pool water swallowed us both immediately.

I choked on a mouthful of water.

In the chaos, I struggled to free myself from her grip, using all my strength to swim to the edge.

Just as I grabbed the side of the pool, I saw Rylan jumping into the water without hesitation, swimming towards Madeline.

I didn't look back, gritted my teeth, and climbed onto the shore.

I barely took a few steps when Rylan's angry shout came from behind, "Tessa! Did you push Madeline into the water on purpose? Apologize to her!"

I stood soaking wet, shivering from the cold, waiting for the attendant's shawl.

"Apologize?" I snorted, brushing water off my face with irritation, "She pulled me down. If anyone should apologize, it's her!"

Madeline had just been pulled out of the pool by Rylan, lying soaked in his arms.

Hearing my words, she immediately burst into tears, pointing at me with a heart-wrenching cry, "Tessa pushed me into the pool on purpose. I was just talking to her, trying to clear up any misunderstandings, but she pushed me into the pool."

I couldn't stand her hypocritical act any longer, so amidst the surprised gasps of the crowd, I kicked Madeline back into the swimming pool. "What I care about is whether you, such a bitch, can stay away from me!"

Madeline shrieked and thrashed about in the water, while Rylan's face turned dark with anger.

At this moment, he couldn't care about anything else, turning around and jumping into the pool again to frantically rescue Madeline.

Once they both climbed out of the pool, drenched, Rylan immediately sent Madeline to a guest room to change clothes.

I, too, wrapped myself in a shawl, watching this spectacle coldly.

Moments later, Rylan returned quickly, his eyes bloodshot, staring at me. "You didn't lose your memory, did you? You're jealous because I like Madeline, jealous of the attention she gets from me, so you keep targeting her. When you used to chase after me, you used such clumsy tactics to attract my attention. It's disgusting!"

His words were malicious, but I sneered.

Just then, Aydan cut through the crowd and rushed over.

Clearly having just received the news, he hurriedly came over.

As soon as he saw me, his face darkened, and he quickly walked to my side. "Tessa, are you alright?"

I didn't respond, turning to look at him.

In Aydan's surprised gaze, I gently pushed him aside a bit, then reached up to grab his collar, reaching up to kiss him.

The moment we kissed, everything around us fell silent.

I released him and pulled out the marriage certificate from Aydan's pocket, holding it up high for Rylan to see.

"Rylan, see? Aydan and I are married. Now I love him, only him. You and that bitch mean nothing to me."

Seeing the marriage certificate, Rylan became angrier.

He stared at the certificate intensely, "What did you say? You're married?"