"Claire! What's wrong? Why are you throwing up like this?"

Mom and Dad rushed forward in panic, their voices full of concern.

I stood where I was and tilted my head. "Oh my, Claire. You're vomiting like you're pregnant or something."

A heavy silence fell over us.

"Stop talking nonsense!" Claire shrieked, as if she'd been terribly wronged. "I don't even have a boyfriend. How could I possibly be pregnant? Just because you… you've done shameful things doesn't mean you can accuse me!"

Watching her tearful display, Mom and Dad couldn't bear to see her suffer.

Dad's eyes flashed with anger. "Amanda, how dare you spread such vicious rumors about your sister! You have no sense of decency!"

Mom looked deeply disappointed. "Amanda, you've gone too far! Claire has never been around men. How could she possibly be pregnant?"

I blinked, my expression innocent. "I was just making an offhand comment. But since Claire is throwing up like this, we should probably have a doctor take a look."

"No need!" Claire blurted before she could stop herself. She quickly covered her mouth and coughed lightly a couple of times, her eyes darting around in panic. "I just ate something bad. I'll be fine after some rest."

With that, she collapsed weakly against Mom.

Mom and Dad rushed to help her inside, fussing over her anxiously.

I watched their retreating figures thoughtfully, my mind working. Claire's reaction seemed off. It was like she already knew she was pregnant.

A powerful surge of curiosity sparked inside me. I walked straight into the villa and joined Mom and Dad around her bedside.

"Claire, I'm really worried about you, so I called a doctor. He'll be here any minute. If something's actually wrong, it's better to find out early. That way, Mom and Dad won't have to worry."

Hearing my thoughtful words, Mom and Dad both looked pleased.

Claire's face instantly turned pale. She buried herself in Mom's arms with a whimper. "Mom, I don't want to see a doctor."

Mom patted her back sympathetically. She was about to speak when a deep voice suddenly came from the doorway.

"That won't be necessary."

My brother, Ethan Hartley, walked in and looked me up and down. He made no effort to hide the disgust in his eyes.

"So you're Amanda? Let me make something clear. Even though we share blood, Claire is my only sister. Her affairs are none of your business."

He walked straight to Claire's bedside and gently wiped away her tears. "If Claire doesn't want to see a doctor, she doesn't have to. She has me to look after her."

Claire threw herself into Ethan's arms, sobbing. "I knew I could count on you!"

I watched the two of them, and something clicked in my mind. I spoke up innocently. "You and Claire have such a close relationship. Even though you're not blood-related, you're so affectionate with each other!"

The moment those words left my mouth, everyone's expressions changed.

Ethan jerked his hands away as if burned, his ears turning red, fury blazing in his eyes. "What the hell are you talking about!"

Claire sobbed quietly and looked at me with tears streaming down her face. "Amanda, how can you say that about Ethan and me? Are you trying to change the subject? Are you spreading rumors about me so Mom and Dad will stop asking about your child?"

Her lips trembled as she bit down on them, looking utterly disappointed. "Actually… When I found out what happened to you, I was going to ask Mom and Dad to help you get justice. I never thought you'd treat me like this."

Mom tensed immediately. "What happened? Amanda, who hurt you?"

I sat down with an amused expression. "I have no idea. Claire, who exactly hurt me?"

"Amanda, don't be afraid. It wasn't your fault." Tears of sympathy filled her eyes. "I found out that a few months ago, you were… dragged into an alley by seven thugs… And they did those horrible things to you."

Claire sighed and reached for my hand.

"This wasn't your fault at first, but Amanda, how could you be so foolish? Why did you keep getting involved with them?

"The first time was forced, but later… how could you keep meeting up with them voluntarily? The neighbors near the alley all said that every few days, they'd see those men going in and out of your place half-naked."

She stopped talking at just the right moment and lowered her head, as if she couldn't bear to say more.

"Outrageous! How can you be so shameless!" Dad roared, his face flushed an angry red.

Mom clutched at her chest and pointed a trembling finger at me in despair. "Amanda, tell me this isn't true."

"Amanda, you have no sense of shame!" Ethan glared at me furiously. "The Hartley family doesn't have room for someone like you. Get out of this house right now!"

I looked at their twisted expressions and suddenly found the whole situation absurd. I'd never done any of this, but even if it had really happened, shouldn't my own family be concerned that I'd been violated?

"Amanda, even though… even though you've been reckless, I believe you won't continue down this path." Claire looked at me pleadingly. "As long as you're willing to admit your mistakes and cut ties with those men, Mom and Dad will definitely forgive you."

I laughed lightly and looked at her calmly. "I don't know any thugs. Why would I apologize? Besides, Claire, didn't I just tell you? Lies have consequences."

"Amanda, why do you keep saying that?" Claire forced out a few tears, her performance flawless. Her hand trembled as she pulled out her phone and thrust the screen in front of everyone. "If I'm lying, then how do you explain these photos?"

In the photos, I wore revealing clothes and lay suggestively among several men. As if that wasn't damning enough, she swiped to another photo of me holding a baby.

Mom and Dad looked livid.

"Those photos are fake," I replied. I then reminded Claire once more. "I'm telling you again. Lies have consequences."

"I'm not lying! I—"

"Fine," I cut her off calmly. "Just don't regret it later."

With the rebound system in place, I had nothing to lose. Her words would come back to haunt her. Claire could wait for her own actions to come back and bite her.

Seeing how unconcerned I was only made Mom, Dad, and Ethan angrier.

"Amanda, it's good that you're willing to admit it." A smug smile tugged at Claire's lips as she offered fake comfort. "Mom, Dad, don't be angry anymore. Amanda just made a mistake."

Mom pulled her into a warm embrace. "Claire, you're so understanding. You're not feeling well, so your dad and I won't bother you anymore. Get some rest. If you still feel sick, I'll take you to see a doctor tomorrow."

With that, they reluctantly closed her bedroom door. The looks they gave me were full of contempt.

I didn't care in the slightest. My smile widened.

The next morning, I slept soundly until dawn. Suddenly, a roar shattered the quiet.

"Claire! What happened?"

"Who did this? Who the hell did this?"

Claire's crying echoed throughout the entire villa. I stretched lazily and strolled over to see what all the commotion was about.

In Claire's room, seven half-naked men were being pinned to the floor by security guards. Her eyes were red and swollen, her body covered in marks, and she trembled as she curled up in the corner of the bed.

"Animals! How dare you touch my daughter!" Dad kicked over the nearest man, his eyes blazing with fury.

"Touch her? She threw herself at us!"

The man turned to Claire with a lewd grin. "Come on, little vixen. Tell mommy and daddy what really happened. You invited us over last night. We know each other so well. Why are you playing innocent now?"

He pulled out his phone and shoved the chat history in everyone's faces.

"Come over tonight and keep me company.

"I miss you all. I'll be waiting at home. It'll be more exciting here."

Mom and Dad staggered back in shock. Ethan stared at the screen, disbelief flooding his eyes.

"It's fake! This is all fake!" Claire screamed, tears streaming down her face. "I don't even know them! I never sent those messages!"

She grew more distressed as she spoke, tears streaming down her face. "Why are you lying about me? I don't know any of you."

"Lying? We're not lying! The chat logs are right here!" The man shoved the chat logs in their faces again.

Claire's face went deathly pale. Her lips parted as if to explain, but no words came out.

I leaned against the doorframe, watching the scene with a cold smile. Now she knew what it felt like to be falsely accused.

"It's you!" Claire suddenly looked up and glared at me viciously. "Amanda Hartley! You sent these thugs to hurt me!"

I sighed. "Me again?"

"Yes! It was you!" Claire shouted indignantly through her tears. "Amanda, what did I ever do to you? Why would you send these men after me? These men... they're obviously your former clients!"

I let out a cold laugh. "You're saying I have an improper relationship with these men? Fine, Claire. Show me your evidence. Let me see it."

"I will!" Claire looked prepared for this moment. She shot me a vicious glare. "Amanda, you're forcing my hand!"

A cruel glint flashed in her eyes. She quickly tapped her phone and played a video on full volume. Suggestive moans and heavy breathing instantly filled the room.

Without thinking, Dad whirled around and slapped me hard across the face. "I knew it! Claire has always been well-behaved and sensible. She would never do something so shameful! This was all your doing!"

My cheek burned, and my ears rang.

"I defended you, and this is how you repay me? By hurting your sister!" Mom's gaze turned poisonous as she looked at me.

Ethan pulled Claire's trembling form into his arms and roared at me. "You shameless whore! Get out of this house right now!"

Claire shot me a triumphant glance before putting on a magnanimous expression. "Amanda, I don't blame you. As long as you apologize, I'm willing to forgive you."

My gaze swept across their hate-filled faces before finally settling on Claire's pitiful expression. "Apologize? Why should I apologize?"

I pointed at the video still playing. "The person in that video is clearly you."