Chapter 3

Everyone turned toward the entrance.

The sharp click of high heels echoed through the room as Charlotte Prescott strode inside. She cut straight through the crowd, grabbed my wrist, and pulled me to my feet.

"Vivian, your family has gone too far." Charlotte's voice was icy as she stared at my eldest sister. "If you're going to bring him home, why would you humiliate him like this?"

The living room fell silent. Every livestream camera immediately swung toward her.

Standing behind her, I stared at her back. It pulled me twenty years into the past.

When I was four years old, I entered the orphanage. Charlotte was there too.

She was the smallest girl in the orphanage. Her ponytail was always crooked, and she spoke so softly it was as if she was afraid of disturbing anyone.

The older kids stole her lunch and tossed her favorite hair clip into a ditch. She would only curl up against the wall, hugging her knees without making a sound.

I was the one who snatched her lunch back and climbed into the ditch to retrieve her hair clip.

One of the older boys shoved me to the ground, scraping my knees until they bled. She cried harder than I did. Clutching my sleeve, she blew gently on my wounds through her tears.

"Graham, promise we'll never be separated." Her voice trembled between sniffles. "No matter what anyone says, I'll always stand by your side."

After that, she followed me everywhere. She insisted on sitting beside me at every meal and dragged her little bed next to mine every night.

Whenever the other children teased her for being an unwanted orphan, she'd hide behind me and secretly clutch the corner of my shirt.

Then one day, people came to the orphanage and said she was the long-lost daughter of the Prescott family.

Before she left, she stood behind the orphanage gate, crying so hard she could barely breathe. She pressed that old hair clip into my hand and refused to let go.

"Graham, wait for me. I'll never leave you behind."

The following year, the Bennetts found me too. That very day, she came to the Bennett estate, and our families arranged our engagement.

During those seven years in prison, I'd wanted to die more times than I could count.

Charlotte was the one who kept coming to visit. Separated by a sheet of glass, she'd smile at me and say, "Just hang on a little longer. Once you're out, we'll get married."

If there was anything left tying me to this world, she was the only reason.

Vivian frowned but said nothing.

Off to the side, Lucas lowered his head and quietly wiped at the corner of his eye.

"Charlotte, I never wanted to make things difficult for Graham." His voice was soft and full of hurt. "It's just... while no one was looking, he hid my cuff link."

I froze.

"It was my mother's keepsake. It was a limited edition, and I've been looking everywhere for it." He looked up at Charlotte, tears clinging to his lashes. "I don't mean anything by it. I'm just really heartbroken."

Charlotte stiffened. Then she turned to look at me.

"Is that true?"

Just three quiet words.

I met her eyes.

When we were four years old, those same eyes had filled with tears as she knelt beside me, blowing on my scraped knees and promising she'd always stand by me.

Now, all I saw in them was doubt.

We'd known each other for twenty years, and she was asking if I'd stolen from someone.

I said nothing.

She waited. When I still didn't answer, something changed in her expression. Slowly, she let go of my wrist. Then she took a step back.

Charlotte closed her eyes. When she opened them again, every trace of warmth was gone.

"So prison really did change you." She looked at me, emphasizing every word. "It seems crawling like a dog isn't enough. You'll kneel and bark like one. And then you'll apologize to Lucas."

I watched her lips move as each word left her mouth.

Suddenly, those twenty years together felt like nothing more than a dream.

The System chimed quietly in my mind.

System: [Departure Countdown: 06:52:00]

Without the slightest hesitation, I dropped to my knees.