Mila's days were turning into a delicate tightrope walk.

Everyone in the house, except me, started revolving around Louisa.

Sam, who had previously been indifferent to Mila, was now going out of his way for his sister, ensuring she wasn't the least bit displeased.

Louisa disliked Mila, and so everyone around Louisa treated Mila as if she were invisible.

Over dinner, I noticed Mila hesitating to eat. "Mila, why aren't you eating?" I asked.

Mila looked at me with a lost gaze, her lips moving slightly before she shook her head and reluctantly picked up a piece of food.

That was when I realized that every dish on the table was spicy, something Mila couldn't tolerate.

"Mila doesn't like these dishes, does she?" Louisa said softly, "We'll ask the kitchen to make something else."

Sam slammed his palm on the table in frustration. "Mila, stop being difficult!"

"Yes, Mila, don't cause trouble." Osborne's voice was stern. "If you don't want to eat, then don't."

"I'm not trying to cause trouble," Mila stuttered, forcing a piece of fish into her mouth.

Seeing her chew hard, Louisa asked with a smile. "Doesn't it taste good?"

"Yes, it's great," Mila nodded, forcing a weak smile.

Her head hung low, and tears were welling up in her eyes.

I signaled to the servant, "Make something light."

"What do you mean?" Sam stood up angrily.

I retorted, my voice icy, "Sam, how dare you speak to me like that?

"What's this, now I can't even give an order to make a meal?"

Amelia hurriedly patted his arm, "How do you talk to your sister? Sit down, will you?"

Sam sat down reluctantly.

I didn't push the matter further, giving him a way out. "I've been feeling a bit of heat, I'm craving something light."

"Let Isa eat whatever she wants, we're all family here," Osborne said, instructing the servants to prepare the meal.

As the eldest daughter and the favorite, even though the position of heir didn't fall to me, my word in the house still carried more weight than Sam's.

Osborne's traditional mindset believed that was how it should be.

Sitting opposite me, Louisa frowned, then asked, with a whine, "Isa, do you dislike me?"

"Just shut up and I might like you." I sipped my water. "Don't you know the saying, 'eat in silence, sleep in quiet'?"

Amelia tried to smooth things over. "Come on, let's not argue. Louisa just got home."

This dinner laid all the cards of the Bowin family on the table for Louisa to see.

Maybe she thought Sam, as the heir, wielded the most authority after my parents, but that wasn't the case.

No matter how much she tried to please them, she could never outrank me.

Louisa should really understand her place and not stir up trouble, especially if it is not where I could see it.

My parents and Sam could indulge her all they wanted, but I wasn't having it.

After dinner, Mila slipped into my room.

I was practicing the violin and absentmindedly patted her on the head. "What's up?" I asked.

Lately, Mila had been more distant at home.

Even when she called for me, it was always hesitant.

"I thought you didn't want me anymore," she said quietly.

I chuckled lightly. "Don't dwell on those things."

"I know I took Louisa's place, so I thought it best to just stay out of the way. But…"

I could tell what Mila was getting at. She knew she was in the wrong, and so she was tiptoeing around Louisa, trying hard not to rock the boat. But she was so scared of losing us.

Louisa and Mila’s little squabbles didn't bother me much.

I understood Louisa's need to vent, and if she didn't, Mila'd be consumed by guilt.

A little fire was fine as long as it was contained.

But Louisa seemed to be after more than just letting off steam.

I set down my violin and leaned closer to Mila.

"Sis?" She looked at me with confusion.

"Don't worry about it," I said, pinching her cheek gently, "A lot of things in this world don't have clear answers. From any perspective, there's always a right.

"As for Louisa, I won't acknowledge her."

Mila, who had been feeling down, looked puzzled. "Why not?"

"She crossed my line," I said, narrowing my eyes. "Mila, you know what I want."

Her voice wavered. "But how does that relate to Louisa?"

"You'll find out."

Louisa might have inherited Osborne's cleverness, but she fell short of its true measure.

If she had just kept her head down, I wouldn't have minded supporting a useless person.

But Louisa just couldn't help herself.

She forgot that in the world of fame and power, family ties were the cheapest currency.

Just like I was a Bowin by name, but my real affection was for Mila, not because of blood but something more genuine.

I reached out and tapped her forehead. "As long as you're true to yourself, that's all that matters. I'll always be here for you."

Blood ties were bonds, but bonds were not born out of blood.

Louisa had been back for a while now.

It was only a matter of time before the Kingsley heir got wind of things and showed up at my house. I suspected he was here to discuss the marriage proposal.

This arrangement was something our parents had carefully set up for Mila.

The Kingsley family was influential, and our partnership would bring significant benefits to the Bowin family. Fortunately, Bruce Kingsley, the heir, was a well-put-together man; otherwise, I might have had to throw a fit right then and there.

Bruce arrived unannounced, and Mila and Sam were still asleep.

I had no choice but to greet this prospective brother-in-law myself.

He shook my hand politely. "Ms. Bowin, it's been a while."

I nodded coolly. "Yes, it has."

"I came by today specifically to discuss the marriage between our families," Bruce said.

I gave him a quick once-over. "Mr. Kingsley, if you're visiting, you should have given us a heads-up. I would have had the chef prepare lunch."

"I came on a whim and didn't expect Mila to still be resting. I apologize for the intrusion."

"No trouble at all. Please, come in."

Bruce accepted the invitation without protest and settled onto the sofa in the living room. I turned and went back to the staircase to have the kitchen prepare lunch.

In no time, Louisa appeared from seemingly nowhere. Dressed in a pink sundress with her hair in a loose ponytail and her youthful, delicate neck on display, she looked every bit the part of a teenager.

At the sight of Bruce, Louisa's eyes lit up with excitement.

Bruce noticed her gaze and looked up, momentarily surprised, before rising and smiling. "Hello, you must be Ms. Louisa Bowin, I'm Bruce."

Since Mila was at home, Louisa had taken on the title of Ms. Louisa Bowin.

Not long ago, she had been quite the instigator; if I hadn't been around, Mila would have been caught in a tough spot.

"Hi," Louisa said shyly, "What brings you here?"

"I'm here to discuss the engagement with your sister Mila," Bruce replied with a smile.

I froze for a moment.

I had expected he might be here to cancel the engagement or suggest a different match.

So, the Kingsley family was still on board.

Louisa seized the opportunity to speak up.

She sweetly said, "So, you're the fiancé my parents have mentioned but whom I've never met before?"

Bruce remained composed. "No, actually, I'm your second sister's fiancé."

Louisa didn't get disheartened. She smiled coquettishly. "If I wasn't switched at birth, you would have been my fiancé."

"That would mean I'm not meant for, you, Ms. Louisa Bowin, and there's no need to force it," Bruce said, his tone calm.

Bruce's reaction was unexpected.

Given that he and Mila didn't have any particular affection for each other, choosing a different partner wouldn't have been surprising.

However, if Mila were truly with him, it might have been a decent match.

"Louisa," I said, walking into the living room, "I need to discuss your sister's wedding with Mr. Kingsley. You should go back to your room for now."

Louisa pouted. "Can't I stay? Are you going to discuss something I'm not allowed to hear?"

Bruce chuckled lightly and said to me, "Ms. Louisa Bowin seems young and curious about the details of marriage."

I raised an eyebrow.

As Louisa's face brightened, Bruce added, "Perhaps Ms. Bowin should talk to your father about arranging a match for her, to satisfy her curiosity."

"I must have misunderstood Louisa's intentions," I said smoothly, turning to Louisa with a gentle smile. "In that case, I'll bring it up with Mom and Dad."

Louisa's smile faltered.

She seemed to want to argue but couldn't bring herself to say anything further.

In the end, she stood up in a huff and left the room.

As she passed me, she leaned in and whispered, "Sister, if you're so willing to hand over your boyfriend, wouldn't it be better if you gave him to your younger sister instead?"

I kept my expression neutral. "Make sure to call Dad down."

She shot me a glare before heading upstairs.

Though Louisa whispered, her voice was far from quiet.

Bruce's gaze lingered on me for a moment. His expression remained calm, showing no sign of disturbance despite Louisa's remark.

When Louisa wasn't around, it was only me, Sam, and Mila, and I was the only one without a marriage match.

People outside couldn't understand why Mila, who hadn't even graduated high school yet, had a suitor while I didn't.

They were even more puzzled by the fact that Mila was paired with Bruce, who was much older than she was.

Everyone thought that while Bruce was indeed a catch, it was hard to believe that someone as young as Mila would be happy about it.

"Your marriage to Mila is tentatively set for early spring next year. That's what our father wants," I said calmly.

Bruce nodded. "I have no objections. But, does Mila agree?"

I paused for a moment, then handed him a cup of coffee with a neutral expression. "Mr. Kingsley."

His eyes darkened as he took the cup, his fingers lingering on its surface as if it were a prized possession.

Before long, Osborne arrived.

He and Bruce exchanged pleasantries before diving into the main topic of discussion.

Throughout the meeting, Bruce clutched the coffee cup tightly.

Despite the coffee being cold, he held on to it as though it were something precious.