Chapter 4

Late at night, I finally finished packing my belongings. I hauled my suitcase down the stairs, planning to leave this villa quietly under the cover of night. But just as I came down, I heard the sound of the front door opening.

Dad, Juliet, William, and Shawn were all back. I stood in the shadows between the stairs and the front hallway. They didn't notice me.

Their voices carried clearly through the damp, cold night air.

"Thank goodness Juliet didn't eat much, so her allergy reaction wasn't too serious," Dad said.

"Regardless of that, Olivia has gone too far," William added coldly. "We must make her apologize to Juliet in person later."

"It's fine, Will," Juliet replied, her voice weak and pitiful. "I know Livie didn't do it on purpose."

"You're too kind-hearted," he declared. "An apology alone isn't enough to teach someone like her a lesson."

After a pause, he asked, "She's been using the master bedroom, hasn't she? It has a balcony, which you like, right?"

"I do," Juliet answered. "I've always wanted to be able to stand there and sing…"

Dad simply hummed in response, agreeing to this arrangement.

My eyes stung. I felt bitter and hurt. Even though things had come to this, I still hoped they would ask me to stay. Emerging from the shadowed corner, I looked at Juliet and agreed, "Since you like it, you can have it."

Evidently, she didn't expect me to pop up out of nowhere.

William's eyes fell on the suitcase before me.

"What are you up to now in the middle of the night? Juliet nearly died because of you, and yet you're trying to do what? Run away from home to make it seem like you're innocent?"

"I'm free to move out of the house," I replied coolly.

William's expression darkened. "Have it your way, then."

Juliet hid behind Dad and said, "Don't get the wrong idea, Livie… I don't want your room anymore. I… was just kidding about it earlier."

I looked her in the eye. "Don't worry. Since I said you can have it, I won't go back on my word. And this time, I won't be coming back."

Dad's expression suddenly changed.

"What did you just say?" he questioned quietly. "Juliet said you've changed, and I didn't believe her. You just graduated, and you're already running off to fool around?

"I raised you, paid for your education, and made sure you never have to worry about money. Is this how you're repaying me? You're just like your mom, a discontented ingrate!"

"That's not true. I'm moving out because the day after tomorrow, I'm—"

"Shut up!" Dad interrupted me. "Who cares where you're going? If you want to leave, then get the hell out. Don't bother putting on a show. I'll just treat it as though I never had you for a daughter. Juliet is ten thousand times better than you."

Staring at Dad, I said in a trembling voice, "I know that all of you have hated me all these years. You think I caused Mom's death, but it was never me!"

My voice was choked. All of the anguish I'd kept suppressed for far too long finally burst out of me.

"You never even tried to uncover the truth before you decided that I was to blame. And for that very reason, you've humiliated me all these years!"

Juliet's gaze flickered as she chimed in, "Don't be like this, Livie… I only heard about your mother's accident after the fact. I know you didn't do it on purpose, but if you hadn't opened the door first that day… perhaps… nothing would've happened to her…"

"What about you, you conniving snake? Who knows the truth about you?"

I nearly voiced the suspicions I had about Juliet, but Dad roared, "That's enough!"

He marched up to me and slapped me across the face so hard that I crashed into the nearby pillar.

"This is not the first time you've come to me with false accusations about Juliet, and now, you're even trying to suspect her?"

"You never even bothered investigating!" I shrieked, my lips tainted with blood.

William rushed over and shoved me to the floor. "What right do you have to bring up Mom? She died because of you!"

"It wasn't me!" I screamed. "On the day of the accident, Mom suddenly found an anonymous letter in the car stating that there was something suspicious about Juliet's true identity!"

Weeping, Juliet cried out, "How can you say that? I've always treated you like my sister… How can you accuse me of killing someone?"

Shaking with anger, Dad wagged his finger at me and shouted, "Leave! Get the hell out of this house immediately!"

I struggled back onto my feet. My cheek was burning, and my vision was blurry. Without saying a word, I grabbed my suitcase and opened the door. It was raining, and the rainwater felt piercingly cold. I turned back around to take an umbrella, but the door slammed in my face before being bolted shut.

"Since you walked out, don't even think about coming back in," William added sarcastically. "Don't come running back someday, begging for our forgiveness like some pathetic dog."

I stood in the rain, completely soaked. My body was cold and stiff.

I would never be a good daughter or sister to them, Mom. And I no longer longed for their love, which I had been begging for all this while, to no avail.