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!”

Louisa snapped out of her daze. Ignoring the pain in her injured feet, she grabbed her coat and ran out the door. She stumbled her way to the hospital and rushed straight to the emergency room. Nurses hurried in and out, but there was no sign of a doctor.

“Where’s the doctor?” Louisa asked urgently.

The nurse looked away, stammering nervously. Louisa’s heart sank. This hospital was run by the Griswolds Family. Everyone there followed Simon’s orders. That meant Simon had to be involved.

She spun around and dashed for the top floor with her panic growing with every step. As she neared the elevator, she overheard two nurses whispering as they stepped out.

“Miss Harrison is upstairs. I heard she got hurt badly last night and has been dizzy all day. They couldn’t find anything wrong, so Mr. Grisworth called in all the top specialists for her.”

“Shh! Mr. Grisworth said no one can talk about this, or you’ll get fired!”

Louisa’s blood froze. Her heart pounded wildly as she raced up to the top floor, only to be stopped by several bodyguards.

“Let me through! I need to see Simon. My brother is in critical condition and he needs a doctor!” Louisa shouting with her voice breaking, while pushing at them desperately.

The bodyguards didn’t move. One of them spoke in a flat voice, “Miss Jacobson, Mr. Grisworth ordered that no one enters today. Don’t pretend your brother is seriously ill to get in. Mr. Grisworth won’t fall for it.”

“He’s dying! Get out of my way!”

But no matter how she begged or fought, they wouldn’t let her pass. Instead, the bodyguards lifted her off the ground and half-dragged her back to the elevator. Louisa stumbled away and ran to the emergency room door. The moment she pushed it open, a long and flat beep rang out.

The room fell silent except for the sharp, piercing tone. Louisa walked forward slowly with her body trembling. On the bed, Micah was lying still. His young face looked pale. The corners of his lips were slightly curved as if he had simply fallen asleep.

She held his tiny hand gently and whispered, “Don’t be scared, Micah. I’m here to take you home.”

A nurse’s eyes filled with tears. She stepped forward and held Louisa’s shaking shoulders.

“Miss Jacobson, I’m so sorry for your loss.”

Louisa’s whole body trembled. A wave of suffocating pain crashed over her, making it hard to breathe. She opened her mouth, but no sound came out. She tried to call the funeral home, but her fingers wouldn’t work. The nurse helped by calling and giving them the details.

Before long, the funeral staff arrived and quietly took Micah away. The hallways stayed silent. No one came to comfort Louisa because every doctor and nurse had been ordered to the top floor to care for Rebecca.

Louisa followed the staff to the funeral home in silence. That night, Micah was cremated. She didn’t cry, didn’t speak, just moved like a lifeless shell.

At dawn, she returned home carrying his ashes. She placed the urn gently into a suitcase, then went to Micah’s room and began to fold his clothes one by one, carefully packing them away.

After a long while, Simon came back. When he saw Louisa’s pale, empty eyes, a flicker of guilt crossed his face. He couldn’t explain why he spent the night with Rebecca. His mind had been a mess. Not to mention, the person before him was Lousa.

Simon then took out a delicate blue diamond necklace, the Heart of the Ocean and held it out like a precious gift. Gently rubbing Louisa’s hair, he asked softly, “Louisa, are your feet still hurting?”

Louisa didn’t look up or speak. She just kept folding Micah’s things. Simon hesitated.

“Micah’s surgery has been pushed to the day after tomorrow. When he gets better, how about we take him skiing?”

Louisa’s hands froze. Her back trembled as memories of Micah clinging to Simon flashed before her eyes. The pain in her chest was so strong that she could hardly stay upright.

After a long pause, she finally spoke in a hoarse voice, “I’m going on a trip.”

Simon blinked in surprise. He’d been thinking of ways to send her away for a while, but she had made the decision herself. For some reason, his chest tightened with unease.

Without another word, Louisa walked toward the greenhouse where she kept her beloved orchids. She wanted to take one with her. Just as she picked the flower, Rebecca appeared with a bright smile on her lips.

“Louisa, you heard Simon and me together last night, didn’t you? It must hurt. Tomorrow, Simon and I will be married. You’ll be swallowed whole by the Jacobson Family, sold off by your Uncle Jonathan and despised by the Griswolds Family,” she cruelly said.