curled up but he did not see

aid happily while she rested her

from extremely grouchy to a gentle

not pause as they passed by Lucia, not even a step. The girl could only lo

nlight touched her cheeks and she managed to smile s

to him. He wanted to marry Sophia. Steven was determined to have things his way. He thought

s, to match his beloved daughter. It was

all over. No one knew that she was tryi

n outsider in this family. If it was possible, she

to approach him many times, to tell him that she was the one who he had made a promise

ely head over heels for Sophia. It was just a promise made when they

ted her emotions. She locked her

hands were around her kneecaps, tightly hugging them. She stared outsi

d. She was not a block of wood

She turned her head and found herself standing face to face

ten when was the last time she had cal

he unyielding look, which was not o

he opened her mouth. That shook Lucia out of her daze in a split second. S

about him and don’t hurt your sister.” She caressed Lucia’s hair with both hand

he would forever be an orphan, one who lived under other people’s roof. S

ame out which quickly crushed the air.

e now. He provided for you, allowing you to go to school and clothes to wear. Ot

Lucia merely looked outside but in reality, her mo

p in sarcasm. She would rather

stop herself from an unfound feeling of guilt. She hastened to remove her ha

ot pricked, she could feel the pain fr

n crying, for the tears that rolled down her cheeks were almost tr

cheeks, it evoked a sheer sense

feelings. She watched Daniel and Sophia in silence. Yes, her mother

r Daniel had become a habit that she built bit by bit over the years.

each day, she

ained her composure, kissed her heavily on her lips. The way he treated her was different fro

and stroked lovingly at Sophia’s face. It wasn’t until he saw a silho

aga

ci

d hurt. But it hurts, even more, to have witnessed it. She thought she had gotten used

he looked up abruptly. Daniel was leaning casually by

day. His tone made Lucia felt like her body had split down the middle

because she was at loss f

. She could deceive everyone around h

our unreciprocated love to yourself. If you dare to even harm Sophia a tiny bit, I will make your life a living

head. A teardrop had fallen on the back of his hand but he shook her chin off. The smu

cry. Especially this wo

man who watched his silhouette in despair. It was as if she

inst her lips. She bit on her hand but it tasted b

***

as nineteen and So

diamond ring. “Look, Daniel gave me this. He finally proposed.” In her han

d her pain to recede slowly. She opened her eyes with a smil

ting married.” In her heart, the

out.” Sophia rolled her eyes. She had not driven a car for a long time since her father never liked her driving. He had remarked

eeling conscious. He was a father who belonged to someone else, but s

ays felt a sense of guilt towards Lucia. He knew that the girl was smart—even way smarter t

s a first. But it won

had noticed that sometimes she would appear dist

hia was becoming antsy

is was how they have always got along. The younger daughter would

e waited—she kept waiting,

at new sports car was wrecked and burned beyond recog

ly. She had no clothes to cover the hideous bruises on her legs. He ha

e most humiliating thing to her was the red patches on their bed; they reminded her that he took her so callously and cru

e fell on the bed again. She bit down on her lips. She could

ece of clothing that belonged to her. She looked at her naked body. Was it

he door. She hurriedly grabbed the

me in was a maid who worked in the mansion. She inquisitively had

d and looked at the woman with her red and swollen eyes. She looked so