"This is the first time you've called me 'brother' since my mom adopted you." Ian's voice carried a hint of surprise as he looked down at Clara, his dark eyes were unreadable.

Then he added, "You can save those words and say it for the wedding banquet."

A wedding banquet?

She probably wouldn’t even be around for that.

Clara lowered her gaze while staring at the tip of her shoes. She muttered a vague response before escaping as quickly as she could.

Ian did not seem to care. He simply turned back and wrapped an arm around Rea’s waist and introduced her thoughtfully to each guest bringing gifts for her.

Clara stood still in a daze. At some point, their figures had disappeared into the crowd.

The engagement party was filled with people who were all businessmen, who liked to socialize.

She recalled how, in the past, Ian had always found a way to sneak away with his date because he knew how much she disliked such social gatherings.

It looked like he still kept the habit.

Clara let out a slow breath and stepped away, seeking a quiet moment on the terrace. However, before she could walk there, she saw Ian and Rea who had hidden there before her.

"Ian, after we get married, can you set up an art studio for me at the Cumberland mansion?" Rea asked. "I want a space that gets lots of sunlight."

She shook Ian's arm in a flirtatious manner. Before long Ian's indulgent voice drifted to her ears, "You don’t have to wait until after the wedding. Tomorrow, I’ll have Clara move out of the attic. The lighting there is perfect, it’ll make a great studio for you."

"Won’t that be a little unfair? She is your sister, after all."

"A sister isn’t as important as a wife."

He said it so casually, without hesitation. Then, as if to further prove his point, he leaned in and kissed Rea.

This kind of intimacy made Rea blush even more. Though she wanted to hide her reddened face, Ian held the back of her head and deepened the kiss.

Looking at the hot scene inside, Clara put her hand on her chest in a daze. Initially, she felt she would be upset and heartbroken, but she did not feel anything. Maybe she had used to it by now or because she had died long ago. Now, Clara only felt unprecedented peace and relaxation.

She had no interest in being an uninvited spectator. Wandering aimlessly through the halls, she didn’t realize she had ended up in a quiet corner.

Then, a voice, smooth yet laced with malice, sliced through the silence. "You heard everything just now, didn’t you? Does it hurt?"

Clara turned her head around and saw Rea standing before her with smugness on her face.

"Ian had told me everything," she continued. "He said you have … those feelings, like a woman has for a man, for him. However, I suppose it makes sense. He’s outstanding and you were at that … impressionable age."

Her voice was filled with artificial pity for Clara and yet, she suddenly leaned in. Her eyes filled with malice and her tone turned sharp, "However, he said he's only taking you as his sister, yet you have that incestuous thought about him, isn't that too disgusting?”

Clara's body stiffened as if she was struck by lightning. She never thought Ian would tell Rea about this.

Her cheeks flushed from embarrassment and she felt she had just been slapped.

It was clear that Ian had already rejected her and she was dead and their lives would never intersect again. Then why did he feel the need to trample her dignity like this?

She lowered her head and pressed her lips together, unwilling to engage. However, Rea had no intention of stopping.

Arms crossed, she looked Clara up and down with condescension, her stance exuding dominance.

"Ian had made it clear that he doesn’t want you around. You should stop clinging to the past and leeching off the Cumberland Family."

"I’ll be the lady of this house soon and I don’t have the patience to watch a little girl sulk in the corner, playing pathetic games," she continued.

"You’re an adult now, aren’t you? The Cumberland Family has already done enough for you. If you have any self-respect, you’ll leave on your own. Spare us all the unnecessary drama."

Clara’s feet felt like they were nailed to the ground. She stood frozen for a moment before finally forcing out a dry response, "Don't worry. The day after tomorrow, I'll be gone."

She had lowered herself as much as possible, yet Rea still refused to let her go.

"Why the day after tomorrow? Can't you leave tomorrow?"

Clara's throat tightened. She didn’t know how to explain to her that the day after tomorrow wasn’t just the day she planned to move out of the Cumberland Family home, it was also the day she intended to leave this world entirely.

She remained silent, but Rea's expression turned even more displeased.

Just then, an unexpected accident occurred. On the second floor, a maid was cleaning the chandelier. No one knew what she had touched, but suddenly, the heavy fixture swayed dangerously before plummeting straight down and heading directly for Rea.

Clara stood frozen in shock and unable to react but a force from behind shoved her aside with incredible strength. It was Ian.

He rushed forward and caught Rea in his arms, his face tense with lingering fear.

"What happened?!"

Before Ian could even gather herself to speak, she saw Rea trembling in Ian’s embrace with tears welling up in her eyes.

"Don't blame Clara. It's my fault for upsetting her. Thankfully, I'm okay. She's still young, don’t be too harsh on her ..."

Her voice trembled as if she had been truly frightened, tears falling pitifully down her delicate face.

The surrounding guests looked at Clara with subtle glances. Especially Ian. His brows were furrowed and his eyes were filled with anger.

"I would never try to harm her! Even if I wanted to, how could I possibly make a chandelier fall …." Clara tried to explain, but then she caught sight of the slight smirk playing on Rea's lips. She understood instantly. This was a trap.

"Clara! There are witnesses and evidence. What more do you have to say for yourself?" Ian shouted at her.

"I used to think you were just childish and spoiled. However, now, you’re willing to drop a chandelier on someone? This is beyond immature … it's despicable!"

The words sliced into her like a knife.

Clara stared at him, unblinking. She was unable to believe what she was hearing. He knew that having no real family was her deepest wound. Yet now, for Rea’s sake, he had chosen to plunge the knife himself.

She just stood there, mumbling and trembling uncontrollably. However, Ian had no time to spare her another glance. He turned back to Rea, lifted her into his arms and carried her away to the hospital without hesitation.

The main characters had left so the engagement party could no longer continue. The guests quickly dispersed, leaving Clara sitting alone on the couch with hollow eyes.

She tried to call Ian to explain but each of her calls got declined.

It wasn’t until the first rays of dawn broke through the sky that Ian finally returned, looking tired as he walked in with Rea.

Clara hurried forward and greeted him, "Brother, I swear I didn’t do it."

However, Ian didn’t even lift his eyes. He simply pulled Rea along and kept walking. He did not even bother to acknowledge her.

Desperate, Clara ran to block their way. Her eyes were already wet with tears as she spoke. Her voice choked with emotion. “Can you believe me this one time? You used to say that you would always believe in me."

She spoke through quiet sobs, tears falling like scattered pearls.

From childhood until now, no matter what happened, Ian had always trusted her without question. She had once asked him why. 

Back then, he had simply smiled, ruffling her hair with a look of effortless warmth in his eyes and said, "Since I'm your brother, it's natural to trust you."

However now, Ian only stared at her coldly and said coldly, “Doing something wrong and still not admitting it is a disgrace. Now, kneel down and apologize to Rea right away,”

Clara's eyes widened. With bloodshot and swollen eyes, she looked up at him in despair.

This was Rea's plan all along.

Now, she, the victim, was expected to apologize to the perpetrator.

Hiding behind Ian, Rea's eyes flashed with smug satisfaction.

“There are only two people in this world I’d ever kneel to. They are Grandma and Mrs. Cumberland.”

“If you insist this is my fault, then I’ll return it to her.”

Clara spoke calmly, then reached for a nearby wine bottle and smashed it against her own head.

Bang!

Warm liquid gushed from her scalp as fresh blood trickled down her face.

A sharp ringing filled her ears, her vision blurred and through the crimson veil, she stared at Ian and asked, "Is this enough?"

“You’re insane!”

Ian rushed forward in panic, his eyes wide with horror as he took in the blood streaking down her face.

"Driver! Get the car ready!"

His usually composed voice trembled as he barked orders.

[System Alert: Host is critically injured. One day of life remaining. Activating soul power to repair the wound.]

A cold, mechanical voice echoed in Clara's mind and as if by magic, the gash on her forehead began closing at an unnatural speed.

Ian turned his head just as Rea gasped in surprise.

“Clara, there’s no wound on your head at all! I understand that you’re upset about me and Ian's engagement, but you can’t resort to self-harm just to scare us.”

When Ian heard her accusation, he froze. His gaze flickered to Clara’s forehead and when he saw that it was indeed unscathed, his expression darkened with fury.

“Clara! When will you stop? First, you try to harm someone with a chandelier and now you’re resorting to fake self-harm?”

“If I had known you’d turn out like this, I never would have let my mother bring you home!”

Standing alone in the grand living room, Clara felt a coldness seep into her bones, colder than anything she had ever known.

She had only one day left to live and yet the only family she had, the brother she loved most, was saying he regretted ever taking her in. He did not ... want her anymore.

The realization struck her like a thunderbolt, her vision blackened and for a moment, she nearly collapsed.

Ian’s expression was unreadable as he turned away and he pulled Rea away with him. He didn’t spare Clara a second glance at all.

Today was the last day. Clara descended the stairs and found Ian just as he was about to leave with Rea.

She bit her lip nervously before mustering the courage to call out, “Brother, can we have dinner together tonight? Just the two of us.”

She just wanted … to say goodbye properly.

Ian frowned because he thought this was another inappropriate confession. When he was about to refuse, Rea placed a gentle hand on his arm.

“Let her have this moment, Ian. I have to go home tonight anyway. Spend some time with your little sister. You wouldn’t want to make her sad.”

With her urging, Ian finally relented.

Clara finally got the answer she wanted, but as she watched them stand side by side, a perfect picture of harmony, an unbearable sadness welled up inside her.

She watched their figures disappear through the doorway before taking a deep breath and turning back to her room.

There wasn't much time left for her.

Ian and Rea had just gotten engaged. Having a dead person's things in the house would bring bad luck.

She didn’t want to trouble anyone, so she needed to gather her belongings now and burn them before she was gone.

However, when she looked around the room, she hesitated. Everything in it, from her clothes to her toiletries, even her schoolbag, had been personally chosen by Ian. He actually was not someone who was particularly attentive.

However back when she first arrived at the Cumberland Family’s home, she hadn’t known she was allergic to milk. She had unknowingly drunk what the servants gave her. As a result, she broke out in hives and developed a high fever in the middle of the night.

If Ian hadn’t checked in on her and brought medicine … she didn’t know how much worse it would have gotten.