Louisa took a taxi home by herself. When she opened the door, the whole house was filled with Simon’s familiar scent. She pressed down the dull pain in her chest and started packing up her and Micah’s things. When the seven days were over, she would take Micah and leave for good.

As she was leaning tiredly against the wall, Louisa stared at the neatly packed boxes and slowly closed her eyes. At dawn the next morning, she carried a bouquet of white chrysanthemums she had prepared earlier and drove to the cemetery.

Louisa knelt by the tombstone and gently wiped it clean as she spoke happily, “Mom, Dad, I’m going to marry Mr. Perkins soon. Don’t worry about me. They say he’s weak and sickly. I’m sure he won’t be able to boss me around. I won’t get hurt there.”

She then paused with her fingertips brushing over the smiling faces in the photo on the tombstone. Tears filled her eyes, but she forced a small smile as she continued, “I’ll take good care of Micah. His heart will get better, so he’ll grow up healthy. You both should rest peacefully, okay?”

After she left the cemetery, Louisa had lunch and wandered aimlessly around the city for a while before heading home. But as soon as she pushed open the gate, she froze in shock. The normally quiet, simple garden was completely transformed.

Colorful balloons floated in the air, ribbons hung from the trees and soft yellow lights wound around the branches. A sweet scent drifted all around. Louisa couldn’t help but frown as stepped forward cautiously. Suddenly, every light turned on.

A crowd of people jumped out from the shadows, shouting together, “Louisa, happy birthday!”

Rebecca stepped forward from the crowd, pushing a giant birthday cake. Her smile was bright and warm.

“Louisa, I know the interview last time was unfair to you. Simon saved me, but you got hurt instead. I’ve been feeling so guilty. So today, on your birthday, I wanted to make it up to you and apologize.”

Louisa’s face immediately turned grim. She rushed forward, raised her hand and flipped the cake to the ground. Her voice cracked with anger, “Who told you to do this? Who gave you permission to do this in my house?”

Rebecca was frightened with Louisa’s reaction. Her eyes were reddening as she was said. She opened her mouth to speak, but Louisa cut her off, her whole body trembling.

“Get out! I’ve never celebrated my birthday! And I don’t need your fake apology!”

Simon rushed over as he immediately pulling Rebecca behind him. His expression was full of frustration as he scolded Louisa.

“Rebecca was just trying to do something nice for you and apologize. How can you act like this? Where are your manners?”

Louisa just gasped before staring at him in disbelief with tears filling her eyes.

Her voice shook as she responded, “She doesn’t know … but you don’t know either?”

Simon knew exactly what this day meant to her. It wasn’t just her birthday. It was also the anniversary of her parents’ death. Since she turned eighteen, she had never celebrated it.

His eyes flickered with worry and guilt when he saw her pain. But when he looked at Rebecca’s innocent and pitiful face, he let out a helpless sigh.

“Rebecca meant well.”

“Enough. Get out!”

Louisa didn’t let Simon finish. She pushed through the crowd and ran outside with tears streaming down her face. She didn’t want to fight with anyone today.

“I’ll go apologize to Louisa!”

Rebecca quickly followed Louisa. Once she already caught up to Louisa, she grabbed Louisa’s arm. Her eyes were still red, but filled with cold cruelty as she whispered, “Today’s the anniversary of your parents’ death, right? Simon knows … yet he still let me throw this birthday party for you.”

“Tell me, do you really think he loves you?”

Her words struck Louisa like a spark to dry wood, igniting all her fury. Louisa spun around and raised her hand to slap Rebecca. But before her palm could land, Rebecca stepped back with a sly smile and let herself fall backward into the swimming pool.

At that exact moment, Simon and his friends arrived. All they saw was Louisa with her hand raised and Rebecca falling into the water.

“Rebecca!”

Simon’s face went pale. Without hesitation, he dove into the pool and scooped Rebecca into his arms. Rebecca clung to him, shivering in her soaked clothes. Her voice trembled with pain as she cried, “Louisa, I just wanted to say sorry … Why did you push me?”

Louisa’s whole body shook with rage. She lifted her hand again, but Simon caught her wrist and shoved it away.

“Louisa, that’s enough! You’ve gone too far!” he roared.

The edge of the pool was wet and slippery. Louisa stumbled backward, lost her footing and fell hard into the pool. The icy water swallowed her, while a sharp pain burst across her forehead as blood trickled into the water.

Simon’s heart clenched when he saw Louisa sinking. He almost let go of Rebecca to save Louisa. But Rebecca clutched his shirt desperately with her pale face and spoke weakly, “Simon, I’m so cold. My body hurts … I think I’m having aftereffects from before.”

Simon froze for a split second. After that, he looked down at the fragile woman in his arms and carried Rebecca out of the pool without a second glance. After all, Louisa could swim. This was a small pool. So, she wouldn’t drown.

“Hurry! Get Rebecca to the hospital!” he shouted.

The group left in a grand rush as they left Louisa all alone. She struggled to climb out of the pool with her clothes dripping wet. Blood from her forehead mixed with tears and pool water, blurring her vision.

The freezing cold and stabbing pain mixed together, which broke down her last bit of strength. Louisa fell to her knees, crouching on the ground and sobbed helplessly. After she cried until her chest hurt, she finally wiped her tears, forced herself up and hailed a taxi to the nearest hospital.

The doctor cleaned her wound, bandaged her forehead and reminded her to stay warm so it wouldn’t get infected. But when she returned to the empty house, her fever got worse. Her body burned while her mind grew foggy. Eventually, she drifted into a deep sleep.

Louisa had a long dream. In it, her parents were alive, Micah was healthy and their family lived happily without worry. Simon had chased after her for a long time. In the end, they built a warm and loving home together.

But when Louisa opened her eyes, everything was nothing but a lie. The next day, Louisa felt a little better and called her best friend to meet up.

“Are you really leaving?” Alexis asked softly, her eyes filled with sadness.

Louisa smiled and nodded as she answered, “Yes, I am. Don’t forget to visit me in Boston.”

They sat together for a long time, talking about childhood memories and how their lives had changed. When it was time to go, Louisa hugged her friend tightly, then turned to leave. But instead of going home, she went to a bar alone.

She wanted to numb the ache in her heart, so she ordered several strong drinks and downed them one after another. The alcohol burned her throat, which made her relieved. She didn’t know how long she had been drinking when a familiar figure appeared in front of her.

Rebecca stood there in an expensive dress as she was holding a glass of wine. She looked down at Louisa, while giving her a mocking grin.

“Louisa, you’re hurt and still came here to get drunk? You really live without shame.”

Louisa looked up at Rebecca’s fake, self-righteous face. Rage boiled up inside her. Before she could stop herself, she already slapped Rebecca hard across the face.

The sound was sharp and clear. Rebecca held her cheek, but she smiled faintly instead. Without warning, she then dropped her wine glass. The glass shattered, sharp pieces scattering across the floor.

Rebecca calmly took off her high heels and stepped barefoot onto the shards. Pain flashed across her face, but she bit her lip and stayed silent. Just then, Simon burst into the bar, his expression dark and furious.

“Rebecca! Why are you here?”

Rebecca’s eyes instantly filled with tears. She looked pitiful enough to stir anyone’s heart.

“The company asked me to come discuss a project. But I waited for so long with no one ever showed up. Then, I saw Louisa here and just wanted to say hello.”

She glanced at Louisa and added in a shaky voice, “But Louisa must still be angry. She hit me the moment she saw me.”

Simon’s jaw tightened. He turned to the bartender. The bartender swallowed nervously and stammered in response, “Miss Jacobson did … did hit this lady.”

Simon’s gaze turned ice-cold.

“Louisa, are you still going to deny it? What project meeting takes place at a bar? Did you set this up to lure Rebecca here on purpose?”

“If someone hadn’t told me you were here drinking, I’d have worried about you and never realized how cunning you’ve become!”

Louisa laughed bitterly, like she had heard the funniest joke.

“I’m cunning? Simon, you must be really blind.”

Simon then wrapped his arm around Rebecca and started to leave.

“Ah … Louisa, I did everything you wanted … and you still won’t forgive me?”

Rebecca groaned in pain as she was unable to move. Only then did Simon notice Rebecca’s bare feet with blood pooling beneath them. His face turned dark with rage. He scooped her up into his arms and glared at Louisa like she was a stranger.

Without giving her a chance to explain, his voice turned cold and cruel, “Louisa, you’ve gotten bold! Now you bully others without fear. Take off your shoes and walk home barefoot! I’ll punish you for your parents’ sake. If they were still alive, they would never let you become so arrogant!”

After that, he turned to his bodyguards and gave his final order.

“Watch her carefully. Make her walk back barefoot!”

Louisa trembled as she asked, “Why?”

Simon’s gaze were icy cold as he spoke threateningly in a sharp tone, “It’s because you hurt Rebecca without a care. If you don’t do as I say, Micah’s surgery tomorrow will be delayed.”

The moment he spoke, Louisa’s face turned pale. She stared at his merciless expression. Her shaky laughter fading as tears spilled down her cheeks. Slowly, she bent down, slipped off her high heels and placed her bare feet on the icy ground.

“Fine, I’m leaving.”

Simon gave a cold snort and carried Rebecca away. With every step Louisa took, sharp pain shot through her feet like needles piercing her skin. The gravel at the bar entrance and the rough sand along the roadside cut into her flesh, but none of it hurt as much as the ache in her heart.

As she walked, memories of their past flooded her mind.

The very first time Louisa confessed, Simon said, “Louisa, you’re still too young.”

The tenth time, he told her, “Louisa, I only see you as a sister.”

The fiftieth time, his eyes held back desire as he said, “I want you to like me for who I am, not just because you depend on me.”

And on the ninety-ninth time, before she could even speak, Simon pulled her into his arms with his voice choked with emotion. “Louisa, I’ll accept it even if it’s just a reckless impulse!”

Simon used to hold her whenever she felt wronged. He would tell her to fight back and never let herself be bullied. When Louisa sprained her ankle, he stayed home for two whole months. He would work remotely just to care for her. He had been her legs, carrying her everywhere she wanted to go.

Now, that same love had turned into a blade stabbing her heart.

Each step left painful as she kept bleeding. Louisa didn’t know how long she walked before she finally reached home. By then, her feet were a bloody mess, cut and bruised, tiny stones and sand clinging to the wounds. Every movement brought excruciating pain.

Leaning on the doorframe, Louisa staggered inside and immediately called the family doctor. After he treated her injuries, she was lying on the sofa as she trying to calm down. Then, her phone vibrated. It was Simon.

She froze for a moment, but she then answered the call almost without thinkin. Before she could speak, a breathless, sticky voice came through the line.

Rebecca panted softly, speaking, “Simon, I feel so awful …”

Simon’s voice was low and tense as he said, “You’ve been drugged. Don’t be scared, I’ll take you to the hospital.”

Rebecca’s tone turned sweet and coaxing as she responded, “No … If we go to the hospital, people will see. I don’t want anyone to know.”

Louisa’s hand shook violently as she clutched the phone. She could hear fabric rustling on the other end. Then Rebecca’s soft groan rang out, followed by her pleading words.

“Simon, help me … ”

Her voice was seductive, almost whispering, as she continued, “I know you love Louisa. I won’t tell her about this. I’ll leave New York afterward. Just … just think of it as repaying the debt of saving your life, okay?”

Silence hung in the air, broken only by Rebecca’s breathless moans. Then, Louisa heard Simon’s heavy breathing and the distinct sound of clothes falling to the ground before the call ended abruptly. A loud ringing filled her ears as her mind went blank.

Louisa shot to her feet and stumbled into the bathroom, ignoring the sharp pain in her injured feet. She knelt by the toilet and retched violently. Acid burned her throat as tears streamed down her face, blurring her vision.

She stayed there all night, vomiting until dawn. Then, her phone rang again. This time, it was the nurse’s urgent voice.

“Miss Jacobson! Micah’s having an emergency. The doctors are treating him now. Please come quickly!”