When Talia Taylor stepped out of the prison, it was raining.

Her loose sleeves covered her alarmingly thin body. A chill hit her straight in the face, and she hugged herself, shivering.

Three years had passed.

Talia never thought she would make it out of prison alive.

She walked numbly along the wall, moving slowly because her legs were stiff.

Her feet, once so graceful in ballet, now hurt badly with each step, like she was walking on knife tips.

Then, a Cayenne stopped in front of Talia.

The second she saw the license plate, she turned pale, and a hint of complexity flickered in her eyes.

The car window rolled down, and Kendrick Deven's handsome but cold face showed up.

"You're lame?" Kendrick glanced at Talia's legs, his voice flat and emotionless.

Talia's eyes started to sting for no reason.

This was the fiancé she had loved for seven whole years.

And it was he who got her thrown into prison.

Was he showing concern by asking that?

But from day one in there, Talia got beaten up by the other inmates.

They said Kendrick paid them to "take special care" of her.

"Get in the car."

Kendrick casually draped his arm on the car window. He looked tall and sharp in his bespoke suit, all cool and distant.

If it weren't for that guy's order, he wouldn't have come to pick Talia up.

Talia could tell that Kendrick was running out of patience with her, just like her parents.

When she was brought back to the Taylor family at 14, her parents felt bad at first and wanted to make it right.

But their foster daughter Valerie Taylor, whom they had raised for 14 years, turned them against her.

When Talia got framed by Valerie at 21, the Taylor family just lost it.

"Yeah, Valerie isn't our blood, but so what? She has been with us for years. We already took you back. What more do you want?"

"Talia, how could you do that to Valerie? You're not like her. You weren't raised by us, so you'll never be as good as her."

What did Talia even do?

Why wouldn't they believe her even once?

"Get in the car!"

Kendrick glanced at Talia's legs, and his brow furrowed a little.

There was a nasty scar on her pale ankle, like a grotesque centipede crawling across her skin. It looked like it was sliced by something sharp.

Kendrick looked away and called out, "Robert."

Robert Schumann got out of the driver's seat and said respectfully, "Ms. Taylor, Mr. Deven wants you to get in the car."

When Talia still didn't move, Robert reached out to grab her.

Talia instinctively hugged her head and squatted down, crying out, "Don't! Please don't hit me!"

Robert was totally surprised by her reaction.

Talia had changed a lot. When Robert just saw her, he almost didn't recognize her.

Talia used to be the picture of innocence and cheerfulness. Everyone in their world saw her as the perfect girl.

But now...

Her eyes were lifeless. She just huddled up, looking scared.

She was only in prison for three years. How did she end up like this?

Robert glanced back at Kendrick, who still looked calm and cold. His face didn't show any emotion.

"Talia, how long do you plan to keep me waiting? After three years in prison, haven't you learned to behave yet?"

Talia slowly got up and sat in the car in a daze, making sure to keep her distance from Kendrick.

The car had the heater on, but she curled up in the corner. She was caught in the rain and hit by the cold wind, so she felt groggy.

She tried to hold it in but couldn't, and sneezed.

The car hit a speed bump, and Talia was thrown forward. She didn't expect it, so she ended up half-kneeling on the floor mat.

Kendrick had been dozing with his eyes closed, but he snapped them open at the sound.

He glanced at Talia and said, "Talia, you look really pathetic."

Pathetic?

Talia took a deep breath. Because of what Kendrick said, the floor mat felt hot under her feet, and she couldn't sit still.

She huddled up, trying to make herself as small as possible, and her voice was quiet, like a whisper, "I'm sorry. I'll clean the mat later..."

But before she could finish, Kendrick cut her off sharply, "Don't bother. We're going to throw it all away."

Throw it away?

Just because Talia touched it?

Talia's lips twitched and a hint of bitterness crept onto her face.

She turned her head and stared out the window at the street, her eyes a bit red.

Grievance and anger surged inside her.

In Kendrick's eyes, anything she touched was dirty, so it all had to go.

"So, Valerie is the only one who's pure and innocent, right?"

Kendrick's face darkened, and he got angry, which didn't happen often. "You don't get to talk about her! I'm giving you one last chance. If you go near her again, I'll have someone finish what prison started!"

Talia's face became drained of color, and her eyes dimmed.

Kendrick was right.

Three years of pure hell should have made her learn something.

She took a deep breath, tried to hold back the feelings inside, and her fingers clenched up.

The car went under a bridge, and Kendrick's face flickered in the light.

Just like before, he looked cold and distant.

Talia swallowed hard and asked, kind of unwillingly, "Ken, did you pay off those people in prison?"

She almost fell apart a few times and even thought about just giving up.

But she couldn't bring herself to leave Kendrick. She was worried that without her, he wouldn't be okay.

She couldn't believe he could be so mean to her.

But when their eyes locked, Kendrick asked back casually, "What kind of answer do you want?"

Talia was taken aback for a second, and then a bitter smile crossed her lips.

Was this an admission?

Kendrick thought Talia was jealous of Valerie, so she had her kidnapped.

It almost got Valerie gang-raped.

And the evidence was solid. Talia had no way to argue.

If she had to blame anyone, it was Valerie for being so ruthless, willing to gamble with her own virginity.

And she won the gamble.

Talia suddenly felt that the love she had held on to for seven years was utterly ridiculous.

Her eyes were blank until the car pulled up to the house where she and Kendrick had planned to get married.

Every detail of the house, from the choice of building materials to the placement of flower pots, had been checked by Talia. She even helped paint the walls.

She had dreamed of living there with Kendrick, day and night.

But now, the place was full of Valerie's things.

Talia's heart ached terribly, like someone was tearing it apart. Her lips were pale from biting down hard.

Kendrick didn't realize how Talia was feeling behind him. He said to the servant who came out, "She's too dirty. Take her to clean up."

The servant nodded and led Talia to the bathroom.

Once inside, the servant covered her nose and didn't know what to do.

Finally, she couldn't hold back and asked, "Ms. Taylor, when was the last time you took a bath? How can a girl be so messy?"

Talia was only 24 years old. Didn't she want to be clean?

She didn't say anything. She told the servant to leave and locked herself in the bathroom, where she washed for a whole hour.

Talia had injuries all over her body.

After three years of "special care," even though those people stopped hurting her in the last month, the old wounds hadn't healed.

Many of the injuries were in hidden places, where others couldn't see them. There were layers of bruises, one on top of another.

There were marks from pinching, scratching, kicking, and even cuts from sharp objects.

There were no meds in prison, and some of the wounds got infected and festered because they weren't treated in time. The worst one was the long scar on her left foot.

It had been there on and off for over a year, and every rainy day, it hurt like hell. It was probably a chronic thing now.

Every time the pain got too much, Talia would tell herself, "It's okay. It'll get better eventually."

The clothes were laid out by the servant. Talia put them on numbly, and they fit surprisingly well.

When she opened the door, she bumped right into Kendrick.

She couldn't dodge in time and lost her balance, about to fall backward.

Kendrick reached out and grabbed her waist.

His move was like a reflex.

Talia was startled and crashed into his chest.

This hug caught both of them off guard.

Kendrick smelled strongly of nicotine, and the shirt at his fingertips got wrinkled from Talia's grip.

Once she realized what had happened, she stepped back, still feeling a bit shaken.

She put some distance between them and said kind of coldly, "Sorry, Mr. Deven, I didn't mean to."

Seeing out of the corner of her eye that Kendrick was holding a cigarette, she figured he was on his way out to smoke.

"What did you call me?"

Kendrick's gaze turned cold, his eyes narrowing as they settled on Talia. "Mr. Deven? Talia, what kind of trick are you trying to pull now?"

Talia pursed her lips, looked down, and her eyes got red.

For someone who didn't love her, everything she did seemed wrong.

Kendrick could still feel the soft, warm touch on his fingertips. A dark look flashed in his eyes as he put the cigarette back in his mouth.

He wouldn't admit that when Talia pulled away from his arms, he felt a strange sense of emptiness.

Especially now, with her eyes all red... His bad side made him want to take advantage of her.

Kendrick lit the cigarette, swallowed hard, and pushed down the restlessness he felt. "I didn't expect that after three years in prison, you've got even better at seducing men."

"Are you that eager?" His lips curled up in a mocking smile.

Talia couldn't catch her breath all of a sudden.

Without realizing it, she grabbed the edge of her sleeve, her fingernails digging into her palm.

If Kendrick didn't love her, why did he have to humiliate her like this?

After a good while, Talia finally got her emotions under control. She looked up at Kendrick and smiled, "Ken, don't use my feelings for you to insult me."

Kendrick was taken aback. Maybe it had been too long since he saw Talia smile like that, and he couldn't help but look at her a little longer.

But by then, Talia had lowered her head.

Kendrick loosened his tie and put out the cigarette between his fingers.

He didn't want to admit it, but Talia had changed.

She didn't laugh as much as she used to.

It was like a vase broke and the roses wilted.

It didn't really affect Kendrick, but it made him feel kind of annoyed for no reason.

What was he even annoyed about?

Pushing down his messy thoughts, he said, "I'll take you back to the Taylor's house for Valerie's birthday later. Remember, be good and don't mess with her. Valerie is not like you."

Talia was taken aback, and it felt like a stab in her heart.

To Kendrick, Valerie was like a proud rose, and Talia wasn't even good enough to be a leaf.

An hour later, Talia was ushered into a car by Robert.

The hall in the Taylor's place was packed with people.

Even though Valerie was adopted, the Taylor family threw a big birthday party for her every year.

It was to show off their status in high society. Also, it was to show how much they cared about Valerie and to give her their support.

Anyone who was anyone in Maplehelm got an invitation from the Taylor family.

In the hall, some noblewomen were gathered together, gossiping about the usual high-society drama.

"Valerie isn't even Mr. Taylor's real daughter. Why is she so favored? There must be some hidden story, right?" someone wondered.

"She has got skills and talent. In our circle, that's what counts the most. Blood ties aren't important. What matters is bringing benefits to the family."

A young lady nodded in agreement. "I heard that Valerie joined the company only half a year ago and has closed several big deals. The other day, David was so happy that he promoted her to deputy general manager. It looks like he's grooming her to be the successor."

"Well, that's what they say, but she's an outsider. Doesn't that mean the Taylors are handing over the company to someone else? What about her biological parents? Why doesn't she go back to them?"

"She hasn't found her biological parents yet," someone in the know chipped in. "It's strange. Technically, Chloe, who adopted Talia, should be Valerie's mom, but they did a DNA test, and it doesn't seem to match."

When Talia heard that, she clenched her fists.

She still couldn't figure out why Valerie and Chloe weren't related by blood.

She thought maybe Chloe switched her with Valerie to give Valerie a better life, but Valerie wasn't Chloe's daughter.

No one knew exactly where things went wrong.

In the end, Chloe lost her daughter, Talia went back to the Taylor family, and Valerie's background stayed a mystery.

Therefore, she had been living with the Taylors for over twenty years.

Since they raised her from a young age, they treated her as well as their own daughter, and maybe even better.

As the gossipers were talking, their eyes casually moved to Talia.

Sensing their gazes, Talia lowered her head and quickly left the hall.

As soon as she left, the woman who started the topic said, "Don't you think the girl who just walked by looks a bit like Talia?"

The others looked in the direction she was pointing.

"Talia? No way! We all know how amazing her face and figure are. That skinny girl can't be her. No kidding."

They had different vibes. Talia was the type who would stand out even in a crowd of beauties.

How could that unremarkable girl be her?

Talia, who had reached the second floor, had no idea she was the center of their discussion.

She got to her room and was about to open the door.

But the voices coming from inside left her stunned.

"Kendrick, I heard Talia got out of prison. Is that true?"

"Talia? The girl who used to follow Kendrick around? When did she go to prison? What did she do?"

The Taylor family wanted to keep up appearances, so no one outside knew Talia went to prison. David had the news covered up, saying that Talia had gone abroad to study.

Kendrick gave Milton Brewer a cold look.

Milton then realized he had said something wrong.

He slapped his forehead and tried to flatter Kendrick by handing him the good cards in his hand. "Look at my loose lips. I meant to say, Talia is back in the country."

A rich guy biting on a cigarette said, "Back in the country? Not out of prison? Milton, it's not that you have a big mouth. You just can't think straight."

Milton laughed. "Come on. My brain is working fine."

The guy brought the topic back around. "With Talia back in the country, things are going to get interesting around Kendrick. If I remember correctly, you two got engaged three years ago. When are you planning to have the wedding?"

Talia paused as she was about to push the door open.

She could tell they were playing cards inside. Had her room turned into a card room?

Milton chuckled awkwardly. "Engaged? Forget it. Marriage is about finding someone to control you. How boring. Kendrick is not the kind of person to be tied down by marriage."

The rich guy laughed along. "But Talia is hot. With that face and figure, she'd be a pleasure to have around the house, even just as a decoration."

He flipped a card and said with a mix of humor and seriousness, "If you guys don't tie the knot, can you bear to let her marry someone else? Kendrick, you can fool us, but don't lie to yourself."

Kendrick's face turned cold. "She has been through so much. You're still into her?"

Seeing that everyone was interested, he felt a bit annoyed, but he still said, "Take her if you like her."

The rich guy was taken aback. "Everyone knows Talia only has eyes for you. She has been following you around all these years. I don't have that kind of luck."

Talia outside the door was stunned, and a bitter feeling surged up in her eyes.

Everyone in their circle knew she had a crush on Kendrick.

But he treated her feelings like dirt and gave her away like she was nothing.

It felt like the world was spinning out of control, and she could hardly breathe.

In a daze, Talia felt like she was back at the age of 14.

She was brought from her small county town to Maplehelm, where David enrolled her in the best private school, telling her to respect Valerie and behave.

But Valerie had never treated her like a younger sister. Instead, she led the other rich kids to leave her out.

At the age when Talia needed family and friends the most, she got locked in the bathroom and had cold water thrown at her.

It was a blizzard that day. She shivered all over in the cold and screamed herself hoarse.

Kendrick kicked open the bathroom door.

Even now, Talia still remembered that moment clearly.

Kendrick stood with one foot on the step, snow swirling all around him.

His black-and-white school uniform, unbuttoned, flapped in the wind, and his slightly damp bangs fell over his forehead. He looked so cool and confident.

"Here, take it," he said, taking off his scarf and tossing it to her.

From then on, 17-year-old Kendrick became the first ray of light in Talia's life.

She became Kendrick's shadow, following him for seven whole years.

But now, that light was shining on someone else.

It didn't belong to her anymore.

Talia bit back the bitterness and made up her mind to leave.

Walking over to the window, she found an old number and dialed it.

The phone rang twice, and before the other person could pick up, someone called out to her from behind.

"Talia? You're out of prison already after just a few years?"

Talia's nose twitched. She hung up the phone and turned to look at the person.

Her mom Maeve Reed walked over, getting even more surprised. "When did you get out?"

The smile that Talia had managed to put on faded.

See?

Maeve remembered Valerie's birthday but didn't remember that her own daughter was getting out of prison today.

"You look so thin." Maeve frowned and sized up Talia. "A little hardship isn't bad. It makes you grow up. Don't fight with Valerie and mess up the family peace. Your dad and I are past all that old stuff. Today's your and Valerie's birthday. Be a good girl, okay? Change into a dress and get downstairs to celebrate for her."

Then she seemed to remember something. "Oh, right. Your room has been a card room while you're away these three years. You can go change in Valerie's room. I'll send the dress over."

Talia got pushed into Valerie's room. As soon as she walked in, the strong smell hit her and made her feel sick.

She rushed into the bathroom and retched.

Just then, there was some noise outside. The maid had brought the dress.

Talia leaned over the sink, her eyes misty. Once she felt better from the nausea, she washed her face and went out.

The maid had been waiting in the room. When she saw Talia, she looked her up and down.

"I'm not pregnant," Talia said, knowing what the maid was thinking. She had thrown up so hard that her eyes were red, making her look very weak. "Tell Valerie not to make a big deal out of this."

The maid smiled awkwardly. "Oh, what're you talking about? Please put on the dress. Madam Taylor is waiting."

Talia didn't say anything. This birthday party was for Valerie, and she was just there to play second fiddle.

She didn't want to pretend to be chummy with Valerie while feeling sick, so she went to the kitchen and grabbed some food.

She had barely taken a few bites when there was a knock on the door.

It was the same maid from before. "Madam Taylor needs you. Please go downstairs."

Talia took her time swallowing the last bite before looking at the maid. "I'm not feeling well. I don't want to go."

The maid was taken aback. She didn't expect Talia to say no. Her face turned serious. "Madam Taylor said it's both your and Ms. Valerie's birthday. If you don't show up, it'll look like you two aren't on good terms. She also said that if you don't behave, you can go back to prison for a few more years to learn some manners."

"When have Valerie and I ever been on good terms?"

The maid was stunned by that, but Talia had already stood up and was walking out.

In the hall, Valerie was all dressed up and surrounded by a bunch of rich girls. She was holding a glass of white wine and about to take a sip.

Suddenly, a voice cut in, "Ms. Valerie, don't drink that wine! It has been messed with!"

Valerie looked shocked. "What do you mean?"

The maid who spoke glanced over at Talia. "I saw Ms. Talia go to the kitchen and put something in your wine. It might be some kind of drug."

As soon as the words were out, a few people's faces changed.

Everyone in the Taylor family knew what happened three years ago. Valerie got kidnapped because she drank wine that was spiked. Some lowlifes took her away quietly.

Now, hearing that the wine might be spiked again, Valerie turned pale, and the glass in her hand hit the floor.

It shattered with such a jarring noise that a lot of people turned to look.

Valerie's eyes were red, and she threw herself into Maeve's arms.

"Mom, I'm scared."

Maeve knew exactly what Valerie was thinking. She patted her back and said, "Relax. It's all over now."

Then she turned to Talia. "Still up to your old tricks?"

There were a lot of people around, so Maeve didn't want to embarrass the Taylor family by saying it straight out.

But Talia knew what she was talking about.

Talia felt like laughing when the old stuff came up again.

She didn't expect Valerie to use this to make trouble twice.

"I didn't."

Talia glanced at the wine in the decanter. Valerie loved white wine, and this was specially made just for her. It seemed like she had planned this in advance.

"I did go to the kitchen, but I was looking for something to eat, not to spike her drink."

The maid insisted, "But I saw you put something in there with my own eyes. I swear on my life."

She spoke with such conviction, like someone standing up for what was right, no matter what.

People around were jabbering away and pointing fingers.

Maeve was worried that if things got out of hand, it would be hard to fix. Since it was a family matter, it was better to handle it in private. If it got out, the Taylor family would be embarrassed.

Valerie could tell what Maeve was thinking and smiled softly at her. "Mom, I think there's a misunderstanding here.

"Tally has been in prison for three years. She wouldn't make the same mistake. I believe she's innocent."

Her words shocked everyone.

Talia spent three years in prison? Didn't she study abroad?

These were all rich ladies of high society. The idea of prison felt like it was worlds away from their lives.

But they knew very well that if one was put in prison, it was like having a permanent stain on their life. They couldn't run for office, and even their close relatives for three generations would be affected.

In the hall, people were chattering away.

Valerie seemed to realize she had said something wrong. She clapped a hand over her mouth, looking shocked, and said with a guilty look, "I've had a bit too much to drink, so I'm spouting nonsense. Please don't take it seriously. Tally could never have been to prison."

After what just happened, trying to backtrack now made it seem like she was trying too hard to cover up the truth.

The more nervous Valerie got, the more it seemed like she was hiding something.

"Tally, you just got back from abroad. Have you adjusted to the time difference? Today's our birthday, and I've got a special gift for you. Let me show you." Valerie tried to make amends.

Maybe it was the noise from downstairs, but even Kendrick, who had been playing cards upstairs, was drawn down.

When he and his group came downstairs, they saw a vulnerable-looking Valerie standing in the crowd, apologizing to Talia.

Her eyes were red, and she was nervously holding her hands together, watching Talia's expression carefully.

Talia turned and looked at Valerie.

This kind of thing had happened many times before, and every single time, Valerie always managed to act like the innocent victim.

Talia pursed her lips, feeling all the weird looks from the people around her.

But what did she do wrong?

What did she do to deserve getting framed like this? To be set up by Valerie?

Wasn't three years in prison enough?

By bringing up her jail time in front of everyone, Valerie was trying to ruin her life!

"Well then, let's go down together!" Talia thought to herself.

"Yeah, I did go to prison." Talia looked around at everyone, then at Valerie.

Valerie tried to grab Talia's hand. "Tally, stop talking nonsense. I told you, I spoke without thinking."

Talia pulled away, not wanting Valerie to touch her, and yanked her hand out.

But somehow, Valerie tripped on her dress and fell to the ground.

It was a pretty bad fall. There were still shards of glass on the floor from the broken wine glass that hadn't been cleaned up yet.

Kendrick immediately rushed over, pushed through the crowd, and helped Valerie up.

Valerie's palm was a bloody mess, with several shards of glass stuck in her skin.

Kendrick's eyes were blazing with anger. The way he glared at Talia was seriously scary. "Talia, you just never learn! I warned you..."

Talia felt a pang in her heart. She knew Kendrick didn't have feelings for her, but seeing him protect another girl still made her heart ache.

"What did I do? I pulled my hand away, and she fell."

Seeing their fingers locked together, Talia felt a bitter irony. She stopped looking at Kendrick and instead lowered her eyes, gently touching a spot on her chest.

Hidden there was a pendant, a gift from someone in the past.

In prison, whenever she felt like she was about to break, it was this pendant that helped her hold on.

When she looked up again, her eyes were cold.

She forced a smile and continued, "Yeah, I did go to prison, but I was framed."

Maeve's face turned sour when Talia publicly admitted to having been in that kind of place.

At first, when Valerie mentioned Talia's time in jail, she thought Valerie did it on purpose.

But seeing Valerie apologize to Talia in public and try hard to cover up what happened, she started to think maybe it was just an accident.

Valerie, who she had known since she was little, couldn't possibly be that mean.

Maeve didn't want any trouble, so she tried to downplay the whole thing. "Talia, you're drunk. I'll have someone take you upstairs to sober up."

Talia seemed not to hear her and continued, "If I had kidnapped Valerie three years ago, I'd have made sure she vanished without a trace. Why would I leave clues for you to find her?"

Smack!

A hard slap hit Talia's face. David had come out of the study without anyone noticing.

With a cold face, he yelled, "Talia, what are you talking about? Shut up right now!"

Talia's cheek was burning with pain, but she didn't give a damn.

"Back then, Valerie just had some minor injuries. If those guys really wanted to force themselves on her, they would have done it when they tied her up and put her in the car. Why go through all the trouble of taking her to an abandoned factory? Isn't that overkill?"

The people watching were all shocked. They had no idea this was the story.

Valerie was almost raped by some lowlifes?

The glances and whispers started to focus on Valerie, who bit her lip and turned pale.

David was mad at Talia. This was a forbidden topic in the Taylor family, and no one had dared to mention it in three years. But Talia brought it up in front of so many people.

It was embarrassing!

Talia ended up in prison, and Valerie was almost raped, all because they were at each other's throats!

The Taylor family's reputation was in tatters!

Valerie, standing nearby, was crying her eyes out. She kept her head down, her shoulders shaking as tears rolled down and splashed on the floor.

Talia sneered. She thought, "Valerie can't take it already?

"Compared to what I've been through, this is nothing!"

Maeve glared at Talia, signaling her to shut up. This whole thing was decided three years ago. She and David agreed to send Talia to prison to straighten her out because she wouldn't admit she was wrong, and they figured she was a lost cause.

She had wondered if the punishment was too harsh. After all, Talia was a Taylor.

But Valerie said it was because of Talia's family background that the people in prison didn't dare to do anything to her. If they didn't use this chance to teach her a lesson, she might go down the wrong path in the future.

Maeve thought it made sense. After all, Talia was raised by Chloe.

Who was Chloe?

She had a son who gambled and loafed around all day. Talia grew up in that kind of environment, so it was about time to toughen her up.

"Talia, why are you bringing this up now?" Maeve's face was a picture of fury, and she looked thoroughly annoyed. "Don't you see Valerie is crying?"

A hint of mockery crossed Talia's cold face. "Yeah, I spent time in prison for her, and she's crying."

Talia squatted down, lifted the hem of her dress, and showed the hideous scar on her ankle. Everyone in the hall gasped.

"But why doesn't anyone care if I'm upset?"

Talia's fingers slowly traced the wound.

Today was a gloomy, rainy day, and the scar throbbed a little, but she was used to it.

"I've always wondered which one of you bribed those female inmates to treat me like this. I've got dozens of scars all over my body. Do you want to see them?"

They said it was Kendrick, but Talia didn't believe it. She wanted to find out the truth in front of everyone.

The young ladies present winced at the sight of the wound. Growing up in families like theirs, they were always coddled and had never gone through anything like this.

"Was it you?" Talia looked at David and Maeve, then quickly turned her eyes to Valerie. "Or you?"

Her gaze flicked briefly over Kendrick's face, then she looked away coldly.

When Talia lay bare her unsightly scar for everyone to see, Kendrick had a strange feeling.

Seeing that she didn't seem to care about him anymore, he felt a twinge of jealousy.

For years, Talia had been tagging along with him, totally carefree.

And he had got used to it.

"Tally, please stop. You can be the elder daughter in the Taylor family if that's what it takes." Valerie cut Talia off, her hands shaking as she covered her head.

"It's all my fault. I shouldn't have stayed with the Taylor family like this. The day I got kidnapped three years ago, I should have died out there.

"But what you went through in prison has nothing to do with me, Mom, or Dad. Prisons are full of trash. You got yourself locked up by doing something wrong. You brought that bullying on yourself."

Valerie's nose was a little red, and tears kept welling up in her eyes, but she stubbornly held them back.

"Kendrick, you shouldn't have saved me back then. You should have let me die."

With just a few words, she made it seem like she had nothing to do with Talia's suffering in prison.

Talia glanced at Valerie with a distant look. "People who truly want to die don't talk about it all the time."

"Talia!"

Kendrick's forehead knotted in a frown. He moved to protect Valerie, patting her hand gently to comfort her. Then he turned to Talia and said, "I told you before we came here to think before you speak. Do you even realize what you've done today?"

A bitter smile flickered across Talia's lips.

She was falling apart. She showed everyone her wound, the one she never wanted anyone to see. But in Kendrick's eyes, it was just a tantrum.

"Yeah, I'm being a pain. But you're my fiancé. Aren't you supposed to be on my side no matter what? Why do you protect another girl right in my face?"

It took Talia's reminder for everyone to finally get it.

Kendrick was Talia's fiancé. And yet, he had been sticking up for Valerie from the very beginning.

While Talia was away for those three years, some people started making guesses and figured something was going on.

Lately, whenever the Deven Group put out a tender, the Taylor Group always showed up with a bid, and it was usually Valerie who handled it.

Meeting in the business world was nothing unusual, but Kendrick and Valerie seemed to show up together way too often.

But since Valerie and Talia were sisters, nobody thought anything fishy about it. In high society, reputation was everything. Valerie wouldn't take her own sister's fiancé.

But after Talia dropped that little hint, people started to catch on. So, something was going on between Kendrick and Valerie?

Valerie and her brother-in-law?

Wow, what a crazy situation.

It was so dramatic that it got the high-society ladies gossiping.

There was always gossip in high society, but fresh stuff was hard to come by, especially when it involved the Deven and Taylor families.

Talia looked at Valerie and laughed. "I've always been part of the Taylor family. Do I need you to give me that spot?"

She curled her lips into a small smile, her eyes sparkling with a bit of light.

All the feelings she had been holding back for so long burst out. She walked over to the decanter and picked it up with her slender fingers. "You think I put something in it, huh?"

She grabbed the bottle and took a big swig. "I did it to myself. Happy now?"

The sharp taste hit her mouth right away. The bottle's opening was too wide, and the liquid spilled down the corners of her mouth, soaking her clothes.

After a couple of gulps, she threw the decanter right in front of Valerie.

The sound of the porcelain smashing echoed all through the hall, and the broken pieces scattered everywhere.

It was shattered.

Talia felt shattered too.

At this time, Talia's phone screen lit up. But it was on mute.

So she missed three calls in a row.

Maeve was the first one to realize what was going on. The moment she saw Talia drink the wine, her face paled instantly.

She thought, "What if it's poisoned and Talia dies here?"

Just as Maeve urgently instructed someone to call an ambulance, a servant came from the kitchen.

"I did something to Ms. Taylor's wine. She said she didn't feel well, so I added vitamins."

The servant looked 70% like Talia. Then everyone realized they'd made a big mistake.

But things weren't over.

Suddenly, Talia grabbed Valerie's wrist and dragged her upstairs.

Talia acted strangely, like a madwoman they'd never seen.

Valerie attempted to resist, but when she caught sight of Kendrick running after them from the corner of her eye, she meekly followed Talia.

"What are you doing? Talia, you're crazy! Leave Valerie alone! Let go!"

Kendrick rushed up, pulled Talia away, and glared at her.

Suddenly, Kendrick froze.

He thought, "What's this? Tears? Talia is crying? Why?"

Kendrick somehow felt a panic. But soon, it was replaced by a huge shock.

The three were at the top of the stairs. Amid the scuffle, Talia somehow suddenly tumbled down the stairs.

She was extremely frail as if a mere gust of wind could topple her.

In truth, Kendrick could have grabbed her when she started to fall.

But Valerie let out a sudden, pained cry, and Kendrick's focus immediately turned to her.

By the time he turned back to grab Talia, it was too late.

Talia had a weak ankle. After being jostled like that, she couldn't keep her balance.

The moment Kendrick let go of her to protect Valerie, a part of Talia's heart shattered.

Falling down the stairs was agonizing. Talia struck the metal railing multiple times, and her head ached as though it were about to burst.

But she kept her lips tightly pressed, not making a sound.

She thought, "It's my punishment. I deserve it. Falling for Kendrick is my own fault."

Now that she'd fallen, she finally woke up.

The onlookers were shocked. When they saw Talia lying on the ground, unable to get up for a long while, they swiftly called an ambulance.

Maeve, who was nearby, was terrified and rushed to Talia, attempting to help her up.

Talia gently pushed Maeve away.

She paused to catch her breath. Once the dizziness in her head subsided a bit, she stood up, neither crying nor causing a commotion.

She stood unsteadily in the hall, her head in a whirl.

Talia was afraid of pain, yet now she remained silent.

After spending three years in prison, she had long grown used to such pain. It was trivial in her eyes, and thus she endured it.

Her eyes landed coldly on Kendrick's face.

Her expression was frigid and detached, and there was not a trace of the former affection in her eyes. It was as though she was gazing at a total stranger.

Their eyes met, and Kendrick furrowed his brow.

This was the first time Talia had shown such an indifferent look towards him.

But he told himself it didn't matter.

Kendrick assumed Talia was just mad because he hadn't caught her in time.

He was sure Talia would calm down soon. She'd always been like that, never needing him to coax her.

Due to this unpleasant incident, the birthday party had to end abruptly.

After seeing off the last guest, Talia sniffled and tears streamed down her face.

She said, "I'm calling off the engagement."

In the hall, there was a brief moment of silence before David and Maeve reacted.

They thought they'd misheard. "What did you say?"

Talia clasped her hands tightly and managed to choke out the words, "I'm calling off my engagement to Kendrick. Whoever desires to marry him, go ahead. I believe he and Valerie make a fine pair. I'll extend my best wishes to them. I'm out."

David frowned. "Talia, what nonsense are you babbling about? What's wrong with you? You can't just call off the engagement. It's not up to you!"

David's face turned sullen, and his fingers tapped rhythmically on the table, making a dull thud.

Everyone had witnessed how devoted Talia had been to Kendrick over the years.

Given the effort she'd put into securing this marriage, was it truly possible that Talia was willing to call it off?

"Are you jealous of Valerie? But they've merely had more frequent interactions because of work. Is that truly something worth being jealous over?" David asked.

Maeve chimed in, "Don't you know what Valerie is like? Since she was a kid, she's always given the better things to you. Do you really think she'd steal Kendrick from you?"

Talia's eyes flitted from her parents to Valerie.

How absurd. Even without Valerie saying a single word, her very own parents were already siding with Valerie.

Talia pursed her lower lip, a faint sneer curling the corner of her lips.

"This isn't a joke, and it's not about jealousy. From this moment on, Kendrick and I are through, and the engagement is off."

Kendrick yanked at his tie irritably and said in a low, gruff voice, "Talia, what all the fuss is about?"

At that, Talia erupted into laughter.

"The fuss?

"Kendrick, just because I'm in love with you, does that make me inferior to you? Am I guilty? Can't you see how sad I am, or do you really think I'm just making a fuss?

"I've long wanted to ask you! Abandoning your fiancée to protect another woman, did you ever consider how I'd feel? And! How could you casually give me away to someone else? You really disgust me!"

Kendrick was taken aback, but then he was suddenly enlightened.

Talia was acting out because she'd heard those words and was mad at him.

"It was just a joke among friends. Why are you so petty?" he sneered.

Valerie spoke up slowly, "Tally, why are you doing this? Being self-willed, you're only making things hard for our parents. If you suddenly call off the engagement, won't people laugh at us?"

"This family has always been a joke. I've never seen an adopted daughter boss around the biological daughter like this. In that case, are you really not concerned about what others outside will think?"

David was seething with rage and slapped Talia across the face.

His chest heaved violently as he glared at her with bloodshot eyes. "How dare you!"

The slap jerked Talia's face sideways. Her head, already dizzy from the stair-fall, now swam with stars.

Her cheeks burned, and she fought back the tears welling in her eyes.

David gritted his teeth and said, "Do you think someone will marry you after you call off the engagement? Who would dare to risk offending the Deven family to marry you?

"Besides, you were in prison. That's shameful enough. And by tomorrow, everyone in our social circle will know about it!

"You've disgraced the Taylor family!"

"Yes, I was in prison, but I was framed. And just because it was Valerie who framed me, you all turned a blind eye!"

Talia was deeply disappointed in her family and had nothing more to say to them.

She had long seen through her so-called r family and lover.

She turned and walked out.

But outside, it was pouring rain.

The porter felt sorry for her and quietly offered Talia an umbrella.

She didn't take it. Instead, she turned and stepped into the rain.

Letting the rain soak her through, she felt more at ease than she had in a very long time.

Leaving them behind, she felt as if she had broken free from a cocoon like a butterfly and reclaimed her life.

Maybe the night was too dark for Talia to notice a pitch-black car parked not far away by the roadside.

The man in the car was dressed in a white shirt, with a cigarette between his lips. A tiny spot of scarlet light kindled a wisp of smoke.

Once the cigarette burned down to its end, he exhaled a puff of smoke.

After a moment, a man who seemed to be an assistant approached from outside.

There was a brief silence in this confined space.

Kayson's assistant, Gavin Rogers, whispered to Kayson. Instantly, Kayson, sitting in the back row, menacingly narrowed his lazy eyes.

"That's the whole story," Gavin said.

Gavin found it rather incredible. What had happened in the Taylor family that night was extremely dramatic.

The biological daughter was bullied terribly by the adopted one, but no one in the Taylor family stood up for her.

He thought, "What's wrong with the Taylor family? Are they out of their minds?"

Gavin glanced at Kayson's expression and then at Talia's figure, which was fading into the distance. "Should we follow?" he inquired.

Kayson's eyes were fixed on the black-screened phone.

As the screen lit up, his strikingly angular features emerged from the darkness.

Kayson's jaw tightened a bit. The light on his brow bone kept shifting. Suddenly, his phone rang. A faint smile played on Kayson's lips.

This time, he didn't let her call go unanswered.

His finger swiftly swiped the answer button on the screen.

Talia's hesitant voice immediately came through, "258, is it you?"

Talia's abrupt departure left an eerie atmosphere in the Taylor's house.

Initially, Talia had been the one eagerly pushing for the engagement to Kendrick, and now, out of the blue, she declared she wanted to call it off...

The members of the Taylor family exchanged glances. No one had anticipated that Talia, who had always been so amenable, would leave without so much as a backward glance at Kendrick.

Valerie broke the awkward silence. "Mom, Dad, please calm down. Tally is still young and doesn't know any better. She endured a lot in prison and just couldn't sort out her feelings right away, which is why she talked back to you..."

"Twenty-four years old and still considered young?"

David slammed his hand on the table in a fit of rage. "She's not young anymore. She just blurts out nonsense without a second thought. Does she think she can cancel the engagement on a whim? If she actually does it, won't that just give credence to the rumors between you and Kendrick?

"She never cares about how others will be affected!"

Valerie hung her head, her eyes welling up with tears. "As long as Talia is happy, I don't mind taking the blame... It's just some harsh words. At worst, I can bear it."

Maeve, seeing Valerie like this, gently rubbed her shoulder in sympathy. "A girl's reputation is crucial. If people wrongly assume that you're stealing Talia's fiancé, it'll hurt your reputation."

Valerie pursed her lips and folded her hands in front of her.

Out of the corner of her eye, she stole a glance at Kendrick, who was sitting silently on the sofa.

He sat there, a cigarette between his well-shaped fingers, his brow furrowed slightly.

The swirls of smoke obscured his cold face, making it hard to discern his expression clearly.

His reaction was far from normal.

Valerie felt uneasy. She was just about to approach him and cajole him affectionately when Kendrick stubbed out his cigarette and stood up.

"I'm leaving," he said.

David and Maeve exchanged a look and quickly signaled to Valerie with a wink.

Valerie nodded and trailed after Kendrick. "It's pouring outside. Let me walk you out."

As soon as they were out of the room, David voiced his concern. "Do you think Kendrick will be so furious that he'll break off the engagement with our family? His face was gloomy when he left just now."

The Deven family was at the very top of the wealthy elite, and countless people were desperate to establish ties with them.

Kendrick was the heir to the Deven family...

He had been publicly rejected from the engagement by a woman. Wasn't that an insult to him?

Maeve let out a sigh. "Tally is being too self-willed, but hasn't she been like this over the years?

"Don't worry. It's quite normal for young people to have squabbles. In a couple of days, once she's thought things through, she'll take the initiative to apologize to Kendrick."

David thought Maeve's words made sense.

Over the years, they had witnessed Talia's deep affection for Kendrick.

She had even been in prison, yet she still sent a letter to Kendrick every week.

They had been childhood sweethearts, and surely their seven-year relationship couldn't be shattered so easily.

So they believed that Talia couldn't truly want to break off the engagement; she was just throwing a tantrum out of anger.

***

Valerie set Kendrick off and reached out to straighten his suit and tie.

In the middle of adjusting it, something occurred to her, and her eyes welled up with tears.

"It's all my fault. Tally has misunderstood again."

Valerie hung her head, covering her face with one hand as tears streamed down her cheeks. "I told you I wouldn't steal you away from her, but why is she still causing a scene with you?

"She's really been pampered too much and is so self-willed. She made you lose face in public. Kendrick, it's all my fault."

Seeing Valerie crying so sorrowfully, Kendrick took out a tissue to wipe away her tears. "Don't shed tears for her. She doesn't deserve it."

Valerie pursed her lips, appearing as if she was struggling to hold back her emotions. "Don't be like this... We're at the gate of the Taylor's house. What if someone sees us...

"Ken, as I've said before, I'll be satisfied as long as I can just look at you from afar... Given my status, I'm not worthy to be by your side."

Kendrick instinctively reached for another cigarette.

Remembering how prickly Talia had been just now, he couldn't help but feel that Valerie was gentle and generous.

However, the Deven family was a noble wealthy family, and they would never permit a woman of uncertain background to become a part of their household.

Valerie's biological parents were unknown...

His heart softened. He kissed the top of Valerie's head. "Valerie, trust me. I won't let you suffer these wrongs in vain."

He had scarcely finished speaking when Kendrick glimpsed a black car parked nearby out of the corner of his eye.

He was surprised.

Reacting instantly, Kendrick released Valerie and took two steps forward.

A thought flashed through his mind, "Could that be Kayson?"