Chapter 3

As I walked out of the neighborhood, I saw that my adoptive brother, Silas Quill, had just parked his Maserati.

His gaze turned icy cold when he saw the blood on my forehead. He stood straight and was prepared to go and confront them.

I tugged at his sleeve and finally pouted a little.

“Silas, just take me to get bandaged up first. I don’t want to see them right now.”

He pulled me into his arms with a pained face.

“Kaitlyn, let’s go home. Mom and Dad can’t wait to see you. From now on, no one is ever going to mistreat you again.”

Back when I got lost as a child, I was deceived and had to escape. I eventually ended up in an orphanage, and the Quill family eventually adopted me.

I lived with them in the south for over a decade.

It was not until two years ago that my adoptive grandfather, Winston Quill, fell ill. My adoptive father, Victor Quill, had no choice but to return and take over the Quill Group.

That was when we came back to Pranceton City.

As we spent more time together, Silas and I grew closer than just adoptive siblings.

Just as we were at a loss as to what to do, I came across the missing-person notice that the Johnston family had put out years ago.

When the Johnston family found me, I was planting trees on an estate on the outskirts of Pranceton City.

I wore a dusty set of sportswear, with specks of mud still on my clothes. My appearance was far from refined.

They instinctively assumed that I had been living a miserable life and had to work manual labor to support myself.

Because of the Quill family’s unique social standing, I did not offer much explanation.

They had no idea my adoptive mother, Rosemary Quill, had just put an entire mountain and estate in my name. This was her way of making sure I was secure.

Over these past two years, my initial hopes for my family had gradually turned into disappointment.

The only reason I had remained in the Johnston family was to wait until I turned eighteen. Then, I could legally cut ties with them and finally be with Silas without needing anyone’s permission.

But when they decided to send Hannah to university in my place, the last shred of attachment I had to them vanished.

At the Quill family villa, I contacted Pranceton University. Using the excuse that I had lost my admission letter, I requested that they reissue a new one for me.

Given my status as the SAT top scorer combined with the Quill family’s connections, the university readily agreed to my request.

I had just hung up when Rosemary hurried in anxiously.

“Where’s Kaitlyn? Is she okay? How badly is she hurt?”

She teared up when she saw my wounds. She cupped my face and examined it closely.

“Oh, my poor baby! That looks awful. Are there any other wounds?

“You never tell us when things are bad. If I had known what kind of life you were living in that house, I wouldn’t have cared about looking bad. I would’ve come to get you myself.”

She then turned and glared at Silas, who was standing behind her.

I had almost forgotten what it felt like to have someone worry about me. All the frustration I had been carrying just melted away.

She only dropped it after I swore I would max out her credit card.

…

As I was examining a row of handbags in front of me inside the Hermes store, a familiar voice sounded from behind me.

“Kaitlyn, what are you doing here?!”

It was Hannah. Behind her stood Baron and Clement Carey, the man I had been promised to marry since we were children.

As soon as Baron saw me, his expression turned to contempt.

“You refuse to follow our family’s morals, yet you still have the nerve to enjoy yourself with our family’s money. Some people really have no shame.”

“You won’t listen to a thing we say, but you sure know how to spend our money. You’re truly shameless!”

“Kaitlyn, don’t be so stubborn. Mom and Dad said they’ll forgive you if you just come to my party. It’s to celebrate the fact that I got into college. Why don’t you come back with us?”

I watched Hannah put on her little act and could not help but roll my eyes.

Clement stepped forward to defend her. He said, “Do not be so ungrateful. For Hannah’s sake, I can also put in a good word for you with Mr. Johnston.”