I had lost to Chloe.

I had lost because of Xavier’s love.

Late that night, taking advantage of the nurses' distraction, I slipped out of the hospital.

The wounds covering my body throbbed with a dull ache, but I didn't care. I only wanted to see my parents.

When I disappeared years ago, I hadn't even had the chance to say a final word to them.

Driven by a powerful yearning, I returned to my childhood home, but the person who opened the door was a total stranger.

The man said the previous family had moved out long ago.

Before I could ask more, he slammed the door shut in my face.

My parents moved?

Where did they go? Why did they leave?

I couldn't understand it.

Terrified that Xavier would find me and drag me back, I immediately sought out the home of our former family steward.

The moment Old Man Lee saw me, he broke into ancient, weathered tears.

"Old Man Lee," I asked urgently, "where are my parents?"

"Miss... while you were missing, everything changed..."

After bidding farewell to Old Man Lee, my entire body was trembling.

His words echoed in my ears like a death knell. In a daze, I followed the directions he had given me, walking toward the cemetery on the outskirts of the city.

A tombstone appeared before me, and the familiar names etched into the stone pierced my eyes like daggers.

"Dad! Mom! Your daughter has failed you!"

I couldn't hold it back any longer. I collapsed to my knees before the grave, sobbing and bowing until my forehead was bloodied and raw against the stone.

I had learned the truth from Old Man Lee.

After my disappearance, my father’s business collapsed. Crushed under a mountain of debt, he chose to take his own life.

My mother, unable to bear the shock and grief, set the house on fire and perished in the flames.

It was all because of me.

Because Xavier hated me, he had struck out at them in revenge.

I wasn't even by their side when they died. In the end, it was Old Man Lee who used his own savings to buy them this plot and a headstone so they could finally rest in peace.

Rumble!

A crack of thunder shook the air.

Large, heavy raindrops began to fall.

I felt nothing. I simply sat there, stroking the cold stone over and over again.

Until Xavier’s voice cut through the rain.

"Take her back!"

I shuddered and threw my arms around the tombstone, holding on for dear life.

"No! I’d rather die than go back with you!"

Xavier let out a cold sneer. "It’s not up to you. The basement is exactly where you belong!"

In that moment, I wanted to descend into madness. I stared at him with pure hatred, my teeth gritted.

"You’re a murderer. You drove my parents to their deaths! You’re a monster!"

"They got what they deserved for raising a daughter with such a poisonous heart!"

Xavier gave a frigid smile. "You won't leave? Fine. Men, smash it!"

Two men stepped out from behind Xavier and pinned me down. The others moved forward and began to shatter my parents' headstone into pieces.

"No... stop it! You can't!" I screamed, struggling with every ounce of strength, but my arms were held in a vice grip.

Finally, I could only watch with wide, hollow eyes as the tombstone was reduced to rubble.

In that instant, I wished for death.

I shook with a hatred so deep it consumed my soul, my eyes locked onto his.

"Xavier, I hate you! I hate you!"

Chapter 4

When I opened my eyes again, the surroundings were sickeningly familiar.

It was the basement of the mansion.

The door creaked open, and the sudden, piercing light forced my eyes shut, drawing fresh tears.

Footsteps approached. Xavier gripped my chin with bruising force, his voice dripping with irony. "Oh? So you actually know how to cry? Does a cold-blooded, cruel woman like you even understand heartbreak?"

The rage in my heart threatened to erupt. I slammed his hand away and looked at him with eyes full of pure loathing. "You are the one who is cold-blooded! You’re the one without a soul! Xavier, I will hate you for the rest of my life!"

"Hate me? What right do you have to hate me! You’re the one who turned my sister into a vegetable. Why shouldn't I take my revenge on you?"

As he spoke, he dealt me another vicious blow to the face.

My cheek flared with pain, swelling instantly.

"I didn't do it! I never did it! Why won't you believe me? Xavier, are you blind?!"

"Shut up!"

The man let out a thunderous roar.

As we stood at an impasse, his phone rang.

Xavier answered, and his expression shifted instantly from rage to sheer joy. "What? Celine is awake? I’m coming right now!"

He spared a glance at my broken form and said coldly, "Celine is awake. I’ll let her testify against you herself! Men, take this woman. Bring her to the hospital so she can beg for Celine’s forgiveness!"

Two bodyguards stepped into the room. I only let out a silent, hollow laugh.

The next second, I slipped into unconsciousness.

Before I lost my senses, my only thought was...

Celine is awake. That’s good.

Finally, someone can prove my innocence.

Some time later, I was jolted awake by a series of muffled screams.

Pain radiated from every wound on my body. I squinted through the haze at Xavier as he walked in.

His expression was murderous, and in his arms, he held a motionless Celine.

I was confused. Had something happened to her?

As I wondered, three men stumbled in behind him and fell to their knees before me.

Each of them kept their heads bowed, looking at me with expressions of deep guilt.

I felt a surge of bewilderment and rising panic.

"Miss, we don't want your money anymore! If we had known she was the Master's sister, we wouldn't have dared to touch her even if we had a hundred hearts!"

"What are you talking about... I—I don't even know you! What did you do to Celine?"

My head was spinning, and I could barely breathe.

"You still have the nerve to ask!"

Xavier took a step forward and seized me by the hair. "If I hadn't arrived just in time, they would have succeeded!"

My mouth fell open in pain, no sound coming out as I processed the horror of his words.

"Clara, you used this disgusting method to hurt Chloe, and now you won't even spare my sister? You are truly a viper!"

I was lost in a fog of confusion.

Me? How could it be me? I’ve been locked in this room; I haven't stepped foot outside.

"Brother..."

Celine’s incredibly weak voice reached my ears, and a desperate instinct for survival surged within me.

Ignoring the agony in my body, I stumbled forward and fell at Xavier’s feet, pleading.

"Celine, Celine, please tell your brother! I didn't do any of those things! I really didn't! You know the truth, don't you?"

Celine just huddled in Xavier’s arms, staring at me blankly.

I pulled myself up and grabbed her wrist. "Celine, tell him! Tell him I didn't do it!"

Celine didn't seem to recognize me. Her eyes widened with terror, and she suddenly let out a blood-curdling scream.

Chapter 5

"Get lost!"

Xavier kicked me aside with a brutal force. I fell helplessly to the ground, watching as he scooped up the trembling Celine and rushed off to find a doctor.

It was hours before Xavier returned. His cold, piercing gaze swept over the three thugs before he spoke in a low, heavy voice. "Take them to the study. I’ll interrogate them myself."

"Yes, Sir."

Once he finished speaking, his eyes locked onto mine, his voice dripping with ice.

"As for you—since Celine is safe this time, I’ll let it slide. But if there is a next time, you can rot in the asylum!"

A long time passed before the basement door creaked open again.

Behind him followed the three men who had been captured.

Xavier took a step forward, a cold sneer of disgust twisting his features. "Every time I see that pathetic, innocent act of yours, I want to gag. I gave you a chance, but you’re clearly beyond redemption!"

With that, Xavier shoved me violently to the floor.

I was lost in a fog of confusion, only able to curl my body into a ball to protect the dull ache in my stomach.

He turned to the three thugs, a cruel smile spreading across his face. "Since you love such filthy tactics so much, today I’m going to let you have a taste of your own medicine!"

I snapped my head up, staring at him in utter shock.

I couldn't believe he was capable of saying such a thing.

Despair finally took root in my heart. I turned my head toward him, pleading. "Xavier, make them stop! I’m carrying your child!"