Spencer looked utterly stunned.

Just as I shook my head and was about to speak, a nurse suddenly rushed over from a distance.

"Dr. Saint, it's bad!" she cried out. "Your sister woke up with a depression attack and was about to jump off the building!"

Agnes always had perfect timing when it came to her depression attacks.

When I ranked first in the city-wide mock exams and the school was about to honor me, her depression would flare up. When I was burning with a 40-degree fever, mustering the strength to call home, her depression would strike, too.

This time, I wasn't surprised at all.

Inside the ward, Agnes was sitting by the window, clutching a fruit knife in her hand.

"Dad, Mom, Spencer, Skyler. I'm so scared. I dreamed that they beat me again," she whimpered.

"They said they'd sell me to the hunchback in the village. Why didn't you find me sooner?"

Tears streamed down her face relentlessly.

Her heart-wrenching cries moved everyone present.

Even Stephen Saint, who'd long been hardened by the business world, had red eyes as he tried to soothe her. "Agnes, put down the knife. Come to Daddy! You're home now and I can give you anything you want!"

His wife, Addison Saint, the wealthy socialite, sobbed so hard she could barely breathe. "Agnes, you're Mommy's precious child! Please, sweetheart, come down now!"

Agnes began to mutter to herself, then pressed the knife against her own wrist. "But River doesn't like me. She said I don't deserve to be Mom and Dad's child, that I don't belong in the Saint Family at all."

"Then I might as well just die!" she screamed loudly as she stared at me with eyes full of hurt.

"River! Did you really say that to Agnes? Where did you get the nerve?"

Before I could even react, Skyler slapped me hard across the face and grabbed me by the hair, dragging me in front of Agnes.

"Agnes, don't believe River's words. You are the true daughter of our family! She's just an imposter!"

"Yes! River isn't our daughter—you are, Agnes!" Addison cried, rushing to speak.

Finally, the tears in Agnes's eyes stopped. She put down the knife and slowly climbed down from the windowsill.

"Agnes, be good. Give the knife to your brother. Don't hurt yourself," Spencer gently coaxed Agnes, trying to take the knife from her.

Just as he reached for it, Agnes suddenly shrieked. In the next heartbeat, the knife slashed fiercely toward me.

Swish!

The sharp blade tore a path from my forehead down to the corner of my mouth.

The burning, stinging pain instantly reminded me of my sophomore year of high school.

Back then, I had accidentally cut my index finger while chopping vegetables. When my mother came home, her eyes were filled with distress as she softly comforted me.

"It's okay, sweetie, it doesn't hurt." Her gentle words still echo in my ears until now.

I clutched my face and collapsed onto the floor.

"Ah! I didn't mean it! River, I'm sorry. I couldn't control myself." Agnes cried tearfully, then fainted.

Panic erupted in the room as everyone rushed to carry her out, leaving me alone on the cold floor with throbbing pain.

"Mom," I called out unconsciously as tears rolled down my cheeks. The salty tears traced the line of the cut, intensifying the stinging pain.

No matter how hard I tried to control it, the tears kept falling.

When I first arrived in this world as a baby, I was cautious, focused only on completing my mission to get my mother treated. But later, the Saint Family treated me better and better.

That's when I gradually became devoted to them, secretly delighted that I had received the love of two families.

However, reality taught me a cruel truth: that even the love of a family was not all the same.

After lying there for a few minutes, I pushed the sadness deep down inside. Covering my bleeding face, I slowly sat up.

Just then, the system issued a reminder.

[30 minutes until the hospital's violent incident!]

[Host, please proceed to the designated location!]

The crimson text appeared before my eyes.

After finding a nurse to briefly treat the wound on my face, I was prepared to go to the designated place.

Just as I stepped out of the treatment room, Spencer approached with a grim expression.

He grabbed my arm tightly. Then, he spoke through gritted teeth. "River, was it you who leaked everything online? How can you be so vicious?"

"Making people dig up Agnes's past, then deliberately spreading rumors that she was assaulted by multiple men? River, when did you become this kind of person?"

His eyes filled with intense disappointment as he forcefully dragged me in the opposite direction. "You're coming with me to kneel and apologize to Agnes! This time, I won't cover for you anymore!"

Pain shot up my arm as he dragged me away. I struggled with all my strength, but Skyler came rushing in and cruelly grabbed a fistful of my hair.

"Still trying to deny it, huh? We've spoiled you for too long!"

Then they began dragging me forward.

I couldn't hold back my sobs and cried out, "Brother … "

The two men pulling me paused slightly, but quickly regained their composure.

"River, don't think you can get away with this!"

"Calling us 'brother' won't help!"

I continued to cry out that single word, "Brother." But the one I was calling wasn't them.

It was my brother from another world—the one who would pick a fight with anyone who bullied me.

The one who, even with a face full of bruises, would look at me proudly and tell me that if anyone ever dared hurt me again, he'd make sure they regretted it.

Thinking of the family waiting for me in that other world, I gritted my teeth and, with all my might, banged my head against the wall. Again and again.

"River, you're crazy!"

"What are you doing?!"

"Stop it now!"

Their shouts echoed in my ears, but all I could hear was a high-pitched ringing.

"Let me go! Let me leave!" I whispered hoarsely.

From a nearby room, Agnes and our parents emerged. They stared at me, utterly shocked by my appearance.

"River."

"What's wrong with you?"

But before anyone could say more, Agnes suddenly burst into tears.

"River, you look so scary…"

"Why did you cyberbully me, River?"

As she cried, the concern in their eyes vanished. It was replaced by profound disappointment and blame.

"River, when did you become like this?"

"You've disappointed us so much!"

They accused me harshly.

Bloodied and reeling, I stood up, hearing the system's shrill warning.

[Host! Proceed immediately to the designated suicide location!]

[Failure to comply will prevent your exit from this world]

A wave of panic surged through me. I propped myself up with my hands and ran toward the stairs.

Suddenly, Spencer and Skyler shouted from behind me. "River, if you dare leave even one step, our family will disown you as their daughter!"

"Okay!"

"What did you say?"

"I said I'll give my life back to you!"

I turned back with a faint smile, then continued without stopping.

On the ground floor, a middle-aged man with a twisted expression pulled a knife from his bag and screamed hysterically.

"Where are the doctors? Are there no doctors in this hospital?"

Passersby recoiled in terror. I pushed through the crowd, drawing my folding knife.

Thud!

The man's sharp knife pierced my heart and he continued to stab me seven more times.

As blood gushed from the wounds, I mustered the last of my strength and drove my own folding knife into his temple.

That man's eyes widened in shock as he stumbled backward and fell to the ground.

I smiled, blood trickling from my lips, before I too collapsed heavily.

"Mom, I'm back. Your daughter is finally home," I said before closing my eyes.

"Someone, help!"

"Save that girl!"

Passersby shouted in panic as several people worked together to restrain the man.

A few minutes later, the hospital broadcast a blaring announcement. "Emergency! Code blue, code white. In the first-floor outpatient hall!"

Up on the third floor, the Saint Family froze. Spencer was the first to react.

"There's a medical dispute downstairs; someone needs emergency care!" He looked anxious, ready to run to the emergency room.

Just then, a nurse rushed over and shouted, "Dr. Saint! It's your sister! It's Miss River! She was the one who stopped the medical dispute."

However, her voice dropped sadly. "But … she didn't make it. She's gone."