Chapter 2

That person was my brother, Adam Prescott.

He was holding a cake and several gifts.

He had just flown back from overseas, so he looked a little worn out. "Audrey? What are you..."

I slowly let go of Adrian and stared at Adam in a daze.

Just two hours ago, he had told me he couldn't make it home to spend time with me. Yet here he was, standing outside Sophia's house with gifts in his hands.

The moment he realized what was happening, he pulled me away and looked grimly at the scratches on Adrian's face. "Audrey, you're being too childish. How could you beat Adrian up like this? Sophia will be heartbroken if she sees him."

I rushed forward and knocked the cake out of his hands. "What does that woman's kid have to do with me? I'm your sister! I'm the one who should matter to you!"

"Audrey, how can you talk like that?" Adam's face darkened as he slapped me across the face.

Just moments ago, I had secretly felt relieved that he wasn't here. I had thought that at least my own brother, the son of the same mother as me, hadn't betrayed me.

But that slap shattered every bit of hope I had left.

After Dad, Robert Prescott, died, Sophia and her mother came after our family's money. They pushed Isabelle down a flight of stairs from the fifth floor, triggering a heart attack. She had been in the hospital ever since.

Back then, Adam had stood outside her hospital room with a knife in one hand while patting my back with the other, trying to comfort me.

But now he was protecting the very person I hated most.

When he saw the swelling on my cheek, a hint of regret flashed across his face.

He reached out to touch me, but I stepped away.

"Audrey, don't ever say things like that again. Sophia is my sister too."

I let out a cold laugh. "She's your sister? She's the daughter Dad had with his mistress! She and her mother almost killed Mom. Did you forget that you used to say you hated illegitimate children?"

Adam lit a cigarette.

After a long silence, he said coldly, "Was Mom completely innocent in what happened back then? All of Dad's friends had women on the side. Their wives just accepted it. Mom was the only one who was so stubborn."

He took a drag and looked at me. "Audrey, you need to grow up. Be a good wife to Adrian. Don't end up like Mom."

I stared at him in disbelief and staggered back several steps.

Adam saw this and moved toward me, wanting to hug me.

But then a sweet voice caught his attention. Sophia opened her arms toward him. "Adam, you're finally here!"

Adam quickly put out his cigarette and walked over to hug her gently. "Don't run. What if you fall? Today is your birthday. How could I possibly miss it?"

I dug my fingernails into my palm, barely holding back the bitterness in my heart.

Today was actually my birthday too.

When I had asked them to come home and celebrate with me, Adrian had refused, "I have to meet an important business partner."

Jane had also turned me down. "I have a job interview."

Adam had sighed. "I have to go overseas for work."

So all this time, I had been the one they were willing to abandon.

Jane walked over and sighed. "Audrey, looks like you already know. To be honest, it's been so many years. I don't want to pretend anymore."

"Jane, don't." Sophia timidly tugged at Jane's sleeve and shook her head.

Jane immediately looked at her with concern. "Why shouldn't I tell her? I don't want you to keep suffering."

She turned to me. "Audrey, we've been pretending all these years just to protect your feelings. But I'm telling you now, Adrian and Sophia got legally married a long time ago. They're the real married couple."

She looked at me coldly. "So stop acting like an annoying homewrecker."

I stared at her in disappointment.

Jane used to hide behind me while I protected her. Now she was protecting someone else the same way I once protected her.

It took me a long time to find my voice again.

I looked at all of them. "You all think the same way, don't you?"

No one answered.

I nodded. Then I stepped forward and grabbed the gold charm bracelet on Jane's wrist.

It struck against her ring by accident. The bracelet snapped in two.

"From this moment on, we're not friends anymore."