The pain had taken away my ability to speak, and all I could do was look into their eyes, which were filled with traces of despair.
Timothy and Christopher never came back to my room. They even pulled the nurses away, waiting for me to surrender.
A bitter smile touched my lips as I rescheduled my flight for the next afternoon. Even with my arm in a thick cast, I boarded the plane without looking back.
The next day, a trending headline appeared on the news. The Sanford and Kingsley families had announced a marriage union between them. The wedding of the century would take place in a month.
My parents looked at me with concern, along with my biological brother, Hayden Kingsley. Their gazes seemed to bore a hole
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Chapter b
through my right hand.
“How did you get hurt like this? Does it hurt?”
“It doesn’t hurt anymore, just… it might look a little bad at the wedding,” I said, feeling somewhat embarrassed.
In elite families, appearances mattered greatly, and I couldn’t help but feel a bit guilty.
“Your health is what matters. The wedding can be postponed,” Hayden said with an indifferent look on his face.
“Sweetheart, you’ve been through so much…” Dominic looked at me, sighing.
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“Don’t worry, Dad, Mom. I’ll be fine,” I replied, touched by the feeling of care and concern that had been absent for a long time.
Instantly, my eyes were filled with unshed tears.
Meanwhile, Timothy and Christopher frowned in frustration.
They never got the compromise they were waiting for. By the time they thought of me again, all that remained was an empty
hospital room.
I had already blocked them early on and left the bank cards and farewell letter in Timothy’s study.
The grand wedding between the Kingsley and Sanford families was underway, and many business elites had received invitations.
Timothy and Christopher were no exception. Over the years, their company had also–flourished with the support of the Kingsley
family.
“Tim, is Lena’s phone still unreachable?” Christopher asked with a frown as he stood in the hospital room.
“It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have longed for the warmth of family…” Isabella said, tears welling up in her eyes.
“Bella, this isn’t your fault,” Timothy said, his brows furrowing, a hint of irritation creeping in.
“I’ve canceled all her cards. Once she runs out of money, she’ll come back on her own,” Timothy paused, then added, “Let’s see
how long she can hold out. She’s really testing my patience this time!”
Then, Timothy handed the wedding invitation to Christopher and said seriously, “Right now, the most important thing is the
Kingsley family’s daughter’s upcoming wedding. They’ve helped us a lot over the years. If we hadn’t met them, it would have taken us a decade or more to get where we are now. We should make sure to prepare a generous gift.”
“I heard the Kingsley family’s daughter just returned from abroad, and the Sanford family is a prestigious family. It seems like a perfect match,” Christopher smiled as he opened the invitation.
But when he saw the bride’s name, the smile instantly vanished from his face.
“Why… is the bride’s name Lena?”
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Chapter 6
11
I realized then–my future, my life, meant less to them than a small scrape on Isabella’s skin.
“Get her into surgery right away!” Luckily, the hospital director arrived just in time, sparing them from having to make a
decision.
“Lena, I’m sorry…”
I didn’t respond to Timothy. I didn’t blame him.
The slap would serve as repayment for all the affection they had shown me over the years.
The moment the door to the operating room closed, so did the bond between us.
From that point on, we owed each other nothing.
When I woke up, Christopher was standing at my bedside, his face cold as ice.
“You’re awake? Bella’s wound took over a dozen stitches. If it weren’t for you, none of this would’ve happened. Her room is upstairs. Go apologize to her when you’re better.”
I stared at Christopher as if he were a complete stranger.
“I didn’t do anything wrong,” I said softly, my heart growing heavier.
“If you don’t apologize, don’t bother coming home! You can also forget about the wedding!”
With that, Christopher stormed off in a hurry.
I turned my head, refusing to look at him.
I wasn’t going to fight for any of this anymore.
Fortunately, I had surgery on time. After the cast was applied, I was able to move around.-
