Chapter 8

The Miller family mansion was unusually lively that day. Everyone was full of admiration for Mona and Hale.

"Mona, you and Hale are such a perfect match. We still remember back in high school, Hale used to pick you up and drop you off, right?"

"And wasn't it Hale who fought off those troublemakers for you? And during that car accident, he shielded you without hesitation, putting himself in danger. You've always been his exception."

Mona's friend chimed in, "Hale treats Mona so well, but Mona hasn't been any less devoted to him. Years ago, when Hale was injured, Mona even gave him one of her kidneys."

"Wow, Hale and Mona are truly a rare example of true love."

"And mutual love, at that."

In high society, among the wealthy, love was a luxury—rare and precious.

I sat alone in my little corner, feeling the urge to laugh. Because the "Mona" they spoke of was me. Hale was older than me. When I was in high school, he was already in college. Seeing how pitiful I was, he'd always have his driver wait for me when he returned home so I could ride with him. I was often harassed by troublemakers, and Hale would take off his jacket and fight them for me. Once, when we were in a car accident on the way home, Hale wrapped himself around me, ensuring I didn't get hurt. That's why I fell for him without hesitation, even giving him my kidney.

But... the Hale who once cared for me, protected me, and put me first, was gone. The Hale sitting in the Miller family mansion today was no longer the radiant young man I once knew. So, I decided—I no longer wanted him.

Minutes ticked by. Night fell, and Hale lit up the city with fireworks for Mona. He called me out. "Lyanne, once I and Mona have our fake wedding tomorrow, we can finally be together."

I thought back to all the times he had helped me, all the times he had saved me. I opened my mouth. "I'm sorry... I can't..."

I didn't finish my sentence. Chloe called for Hale, "Hale, hurry up! We're rehearsing the wedding night ahead of schedule."

"I'll be right there," Hale replied, then turned back to me. "What do you mean you can't?"

I smiled bitterly. "It's nothing. Go ahead and have fun."

Hale held my cold hand for a moment. "Once tomorrow's wedding is over, everything will be over."

With that, he turned and walked away. I watched his tall figure as he left. Yes, tomorrow, everything would be over.

Fireworks bloomed in the night sky. Everyone flocked to Mona's room, leaving me alone. I walked into the villa and checked the time on my phone. 7:15 PM. One hour and forty-five minutes left.

I took a shower first. Looking at myself in the mirror, scars covered my body—marks left from my time in prison. Then, I changed into the cleanest and most expensive outfit I owned, waiting for someone to pick me up.

With one hour left, I glanced around the house I had lived in for years. The storage room wasn't small, but the things that truly belonged to me were few: some worn clothes, a few old pairs of shoes, a discarded blanket, a tattered diary on the desk, and the one decorative item I owned—a photo frame.

I started by throwing away the old clothes, shoes, and blanket. Then, I walked to the desk and picked up the photo frame. Inside was a picture taken twelve years ago, when I first returned to the Miller family—a group photo of the Brown and Miller families.

In the photo were my parents, Chloe, my adopted sister Mona, and Hale. This picture had carried all my love over the years. But now, I took it out of the frame, tore it into pieces, and threw the scraps into the trash. Finally, I turned to the diary I had been writing in since I came back to the Miller family at fifteen.

Flipping open the first page: "December 3, 2012, sunny. I've returned home, and I saw Mom and Dad. Dad is so handsome, and Mom is beautiful. My two sisters are so pretty. I'm so happy. I finally have parents and siblings."

Further on: "March 1, 2013, cloudy. I couldn't get the tuition fees today. I don't know how to tell the teacher. Mom and Dad must have their reasons. I need to earn money myself and not burden Mom."

"June 7, 2013, sunny. I saved up three months of part-time wages to buy a necklace for Chloe. She didn't like it. I'll earn more money in the future to buy her something better..."

One page after another, until the last one—the day before I went to prison. "December 1, 2017, rainy." There was only one sentence: "They never loved me."

At that moment, tears welled up in my eyes. I couldn't help but pick up a pen and write on the final page. This time, I wrote in French. "December 10, 2024, light snow. I'm leaving, Mom and Dad. Before I go, I can't help but ask—if you never cared for me, why did you go to such lengths to find me back then? Is it true, as some say, that a child you didn't raise will never feel like your own? But then why do I see some parents so happy when they find their lost children? They say finding a biological child is like losing them all over again. I guess I'm the exception. Being found by my parents was the moment I truly lost them."

I poured all my confusion and bitterness into those words. "Chloe, you said you only wanted Mona as your sister. Well, today, I'll grant your wish. From now on, you'll only have one sister."

Finally, I wrote to Hale. "Hale, you said I should wait for you to finish the fake wedding with Mona, and then we'd be together. I'm sorry, but this time, I won't wait for you. I wish you and Mona happiness. This is goodbye. Let's not meet again."

After finishing, I placed the diary back on the desk, and on top of it, I laid the medical report from my time in prison. The report clearly stated I only had one kidney.

At 9 PM, I slung my faded bag over my shoulder and limped out of the Miller family mansion. Behind me, the house was ablaze with lights and filled with laughter and celebration. In front of me, rows of black, bulletproof cars waited silently. Without hesitation, I walked toward my future.

The cars drove away from the bustling streets, disappearing into the night forever.

The Miller family mansion remained brightly lit, echoing with joyous laughter inside.