Chapter 2

My soul was trapped in the living room,forced to watch their warm, intimate family scene.

Vampires rarely need sleep.

Yet my father, who usually entered his resting state before midnight, was wide awake now, sitting there in high spirits as he watched Olivia unwrap her Nightfall Commencement gifts.

My mother was browsing the Tailors’ Guild catalog on the light screen, selecting gowns suitable for night travel and banquets, promising to prepare an entire new wardrobe for Olivia’s graduation trip.

“Mom, I already have so many clothes,” Olivia said sweetly.

“My closet is completely full.”

“Then move them into Bella’s room,” my mother replied casually.

“She’s always focused on her own work and never buys new clothes. She doesn’t need the closet space.”

“Is that really okay? Bella might get upset…”

My mother frowned.

“Olivia, you don’t need to be so timid. This is something Bella should do for you as an older sister.”

Leo sat beside them, quietly cracking pistachios for Olivia, one after another.

I couldn’t say a single word.

I could only watch the warm scene before me.

So it turns out—even a soul can cry.

Warmth belonged to them.

Loneliness belonged to me.

“But Bella still hasn’t come back,” Olivia said softly, sounding pitiful.

“She hasn’t replied to my messages either. Is she still angry with us? When she’s not here, I feel so sad.”

At Olivia’s words, the three of them finally shifted their attention away from her

and remembered me.

My father frowned instinctively.

“Don’t worry about her. She just wants everyone focused on her. When will she finally grow up?”

A flash of irritation crossed my mother’s face.

“It’s just an Order of the Night. They give it out every three years.”

“Doesn’t she know Olivia’s Commencement only happens once? Why does she have to throw a tantrum on a day like this?”

Olivia puckered her lips playfully at my mother.

“Mom, don’t say that. Bella would be hurt if she heard it.”

“She practically begged for that award…”

“Oh—did I just let something slip?”

She said it lightly,but the triumph in her eyes was impossible to hide.

I had always known—Olivia was never innocent.

Growing up, her academic results were never better than mine.

Even though Father, Mother, and Leo doted on her and always put her first,

Olivia would still fabricate evidence from time to time, accusing me of cheating or plagiarizing research at the vampire academy.

And every time, Father would punish me without asking a single question.

From a young age, I kept telling myself that one day,I would find my own Consort,and experience what it felt like to be someone’s first choice.

But I never imagined that after knowing Julian for three years,his heart would begin to tilt toward Olivia as well.

I should have felt heartbroken.

But perhaps I was already numb.

My soul was so numb that it couldn’t even feel pain anymore.

A maid brought in a tray of desserts—all of them Olivia’s favorites.

Naturally,they stopped talking about me.

Olivia smiled brightly, showing off her achievements at the academy.

She had already secured a position as a trainee Blood Councilor in the Night Hawk Coven’s council chamber.

For vampires born outside the noble bloodlines,blood rank was almost fixed at birth.

Being able to serve in the Coven council was nearly the highest social honor.

Father and Leo listened, praising her endlessly.

And I simply drifted quietly at the side.

The clock pointed to one in the morning.

I still hadn’t appeared.

My mother seemed to feel a trace of guilt and finally remembered me.

She placed a Cold Blood Pastry—a flavor Olivia disliked—

onto an empty plate and handed it to my brother.

Her expression was a little stiff.

“Leo, save this for Bella. She can eat it when she calms down and comes back.”

“Don’t let her think we only favor Olivia. See? We left something for her.”

I stared at the few pastries,feeling nothing at all.

Leo hesitated for a moment and reached out to take the plate.

Suddenly, Olivia let out a sharp scream and yanked her hand back from the gifts.

“Mom—! It hurts!”

“This gift— it’s silver!”