Chapter 2

My heart throbbed with pain. It was obvious that Cole had already forgotten the promise he made five years ago.

I blinked hard, forcing back the tears that were about to fall. "No. I just had a sudden cramp in my hand."

Cole let out a cold snort and said nothing else.

Once I was done cleaning the kitchen, I found Cole mending Jennifer's clothes under a candlelight. As for Jennifer, she had already retired to her room.

After much hesitation, I still wanted to tell Cole I'd be leaving for university. "Cole, in a few days, I'll be—"

But Cole cut me off before I could finish. "Oh, right. About the clerical job at the factory that I got for you by pulling some strings—I gave Jenny that job for now, since she said she doesn't want to study and hasn't gone to school in days. Just wait a bit longer, and I'll try to find another one for you."

Recalling my decision to go study in Brightmoor, I instinctively said, "You don't have to find me a job anymore."

Cole was stunned. Assuming I was mad at him, he frowned.

"You don't need to say things out of spite. There will be more opportunities in the future. Who knows—maybe Jenny will want to go back to school after working for a few days. By then, you can have that job back."

I gave him a serious look. "I really don't need that job. Since you've already given it to Jennifer, it's hers now."

As if something occurred to him, he suddenly sneered. "I knew it—you still hate Jenny. All this pretending tonight must have been so hard for you."

He flung the sewing kit to the floor and stormed off, leaving me standing there in a daze. Though it was the height of summer, I felt a chill creep up my spine.

Back in my room, I began packing for Brightmoor. All I had were a few articles of clothing and some books, as well as the doll Cole had made for me.

Cole used to be very good to me. We didn't have parents growing up. With only each other to rely on, we survived through begging and accepting our neighbors' charity.

Once, when another child pointed at me and called me an unwanted orphan, it was Cole who held me close and comforted me.

"Don't listen to him, Kate. I want you, so you're not some unwanted orphan. Your big brother will always be your family."

But everything changed after Jennifer came into our lives.

Five years ago, the man who sold bread at the village entrance died abruptly, and his wife remarried almost instantly, leaving Jennifer behind as an unwanted orphan with nowhere to go.

That man had helped Cole and me many times in the past. As such, to repay his kindness, Cole brought Jennifer into our home.

From that moment on, Cole's affection slowly shifted to Jennifer.

The other villagers often joked that he had brought Jennifer home to make her his future wife. Over time, Cole started to take their jokes seriously, and his feelings for Jennifer began to shift.

Then, a year ago, I happened upon Jennifer and Harris Mack, the village chief's son, being intimate. At the time, she had been mocking Cole to Harris.

Jennifer said he was a fool for taking care of someone else's future wife. She claimed she was going to marry Harris and that she would never consider someone as poor as Cole.

Nonetheless, before I could tell Cole the whole truth, Jennifer noticed my presence. After that, she got home before I could.

Jennifer held a knife to her neck, screaming that she would die to prove her innocence.

She sobbed uncontrollably. "Cole, Kate is jealous of how well you treat me. She wants to drive me away and ruin my reputation! Does she even understand the consequences of spreading such lies?

"How am I supposed to face people now? Just let me die! My father helped both of you back then. Won't he turn in his grave if you treat me like this?"

Before I could say a word, Cole was already convinced that I had made up a bunch of lies to drive Jennifer away. Raising his hand, he slapped me hard.

"Kate, how could you be so vicious and make up such ridiculous lies? How can you say such things after all her father did for us? If it weren't for him feeding us, we might not even be alive today! Get out! I don't have a sister like you!"

With Jennifer in his embrace, he shouted for me to leave the house at once.

From then on, he and I constantly fought because of Jennifer.

He even gave her the only heirloom our parents left me, just to make her smile. I had a fierce argument with him, but still failed to get the heirloom back.

Every time I had a quarrel with Jennifer, he would always side with her.

Later, to avoid conflict, I often stayed over at Steve's place, claiming I needed supplementary lessons as the reason.

Just then, Cole suddenly opened my door and entered, pulling me back from my thoughts. "Kate, why are you packing your things?"