Chapter 1
Just as I stepped out of the hospital, my body hadn’t yet adjusted to the bone–chilling autumn wind when my phone lit up with a call from Jensen Miller, the eldest of the Miller brothers. His tone was sharp, laced with accusation.
“Annalise, where did you run off to? Do you think running away from home exempts you from responsibility? Come back and apologize to Maya immediately.”
Then I heard Benjamin Miller, the younger brother, chiming in from the background.
“It’s your fake illness that upset Maya. She’s frail to begin with, and now she’s lost her appetite because of you!”
years, the two brothers had indeed taken ”
I glanced at my reflection in the glass–a weary, fragile figure that seemed as though a gust of wind might blow me away. I had always been sickly, my digestive system weak. Over the
care of me, more than I could count. I remember once when I fell ill in the middle of the night; Jensen had carried me up twenty flights of stairs. Benjamin had scoured the city to find raspberry mousse, my favorite, just to cheer
me up. Since then, they monitored every meal, every drink I took, overseeing everything
with meticulous care. But all of that had changed once Maya Clark appeared, leaving those
memories cast aside.
I silently hung up and dialed my mother.
“Mom, I’ve made up my mind. I’m willing to marry the Anderson family heir.”
After a pause, my mother’s voice softened, “Anna, this is a lifelong decision. Are you
certain?”
Years ago, when my father passed and our family went bankrupt, she sent me to Los
Angeles and single–handedly propped up the struggling Lewis family. She spent twenty years building a connection with the Anderson family, securing a chance for our family’s revival. But more than the family’s future, she cared about my happiness. Even though Old Mrs. Anderson had her heart set on me as her “granddaughter–in–law,” she left the choice to
- me.
Back then, I thought true affection was hard to find and debated choosing between the two
Miller brothers. Now, I see clearly: to them, I was nothing more than a fleeting diversion. should have had the sense to leave a long time ago.
I
I picked up my phone, intending to book a flight, only to see Maya’s latest Instagram post.
“True love speaks for itself. Only useless old women scramble to climb up the social ladder.”
She openly flaunted two different diamond rings on her hand. And the bed she lay on was in my room. The high–end outfit and crystal heels she wore had been a birthday gift from the Miller brothers for me, just six months ago. Quietly, I blocked her account.
Mom, I’m serious. I want a child of my own soon.”
While I was hospitalized, the doctor had warned me that this incident had severely damaged my health. If I didn’t conceive while I was young, I might never have a child of my own. I couldn’t afford to wait any longer.
“Alright, I respect your choice.”
“Old Mrs. Anderson consulted the tarot cards; next Sunday is an auspicious day for registration. If you return, I’ll arrange everything.”
Perhaps my mother had already understood; she added only one more thing before hanging up.
“Remember to say a proper goodbye to Aunt Miller.”
I looked up at the gray sky. The doctor said recovery would take about a week. I’d use this week to bid farewell to everything once and for all.
