FIVE

Chapter 5

“Stop bringing up the past!” Ethan said coldly. “If you hadn’t caused trouble back then, none of that would have happened!”

“I already told you I didn’t do anything, but you never wanted to believe me,” Tatiana replied just as coldly. “But it doesn’t matter anymore. It’s in the past. At least I’m grateful you didn’t leave me completely paralyzed.”

Tatiana deliberately let the sarcasm bite.

She knew her words had angered both of her brothers, but she didn’t care in the slightest.

“I’m not marrying anyone. I’m done having anything to do with the Kensington family. If you need an injection of capital, marry Oktavia off to that man. Leave me out of it! Besides, there’s no guarantee I’ll get anything out of this anyway.”

Tatiana turned around, ready to walk out of the Kensington estate.

Ever since Arabella Kensington—Tatiana’s biological mother—had died, there had been almost no happiness or sense of security left for her in this house.

Living alone in her small, modest studio apartment was far more peaceful than staying in this lavish estate with its magnificent chandeliers.

“If you dare walk out that door, I’ll burn everything Arabella left behind!” Oliver threatened.

The threat instantly stopped Tatiana in her tracks.

She turned around and saw Oliver holding one of her mother’s paintings.

“You...!”

Tatiana glared at her father with fury.

The painting was a portrait of Tatiana as a little girl, painted by Arabella herself when she was still healthy.

Tatiana had thought the precious painting was long gone.

But Oliver had hidden it all this time.

“And that’s not all. I’ll burn every single memory your mother left behind until there’s nothing but ashes!” Oliver threatened again.

“Didn’t you hear him? He’s going to burn everything Mom left behind!”

Tatiana turned toward her two brothers, silently pleading for them to do something—to save whatever memories remained of their late mother.

But Ethan and Dylan merely stood there, completely unmoved.

“Dad won’t do it unless you refuse to marry that Moreira man,” Dylan said casually.

Tatiana fell silent.

Her chest tightened painfully. Her throat felt constricted, and her eyes could no longer hold back the tears threatening to spill over.

“Why... why can you two be so heartless?”

“Because all those memories only remind us of the difficult times we went through with Mommy!” Ethan snarled furiously.

“Mommy should never have gotten pregnant with you or given birth to you! She became sick and eventually died because she pushed herself to give birth to you! If you had never been born, maybe she would still be here with us right now!” Dylan spat in anger.

Oktavia gently rubbed Dylan’s arm, pretending to calm him down.

“You’re nothing but a jinx in this family. Ever since Mom died, there hasn’t been a moment of peace in this house. It’s all because of you!” Dylan continued coldly.

Tatiana’s knees suddenly went weak, but she forced herself to remain standing.

Is that really what you’ve thought of me all this time?

A jinx? Someone who destroyed your happiness? But how could you simply forget Mommy like that? Has that woman truly taken our mother’s place in your hearts?

“One day... the two of you will regret this,” Tatiana murmured softly to her brothers. “And when that day comes, I will never forgive you.”

Tatiana shifted her gaze to Oliver.

“I’ll do it,” she said coldly. “I’ll marry that Moreira man, but I have two conditions.”

“Name them!” Oliver immediately replied, his voice brimming with enthusiasm.

“Give me everything that belonged to my mother, and...”

“And what?”

“After I marry Moreira, you must legally sever all ties with me and never interfere in my life again!”

Oliver fell silent for a moment, seemingly weighing her conditions.

“Of course. As long as you don’t interfere in the business dealings between the Moreira and Kensington families. If I hear that you’ve tried to influence the Moreira family into canceling our partnership, we won’t hesitate to punish you!”

“Didn’t you say that man is in a coma? How exactly am I supposed to influence him?” Tatiana sneered.

She walked toward the table, picked up the marriage agreement, and signed it without hesitation.

Then she snatched her mother’s painting roughly from Oliver’s hands.

“Take her to her room! Don’t let her escape. The day after tomorrow, she’ll become Rafael Moreira’s bride!” Oliver ordered.

Tatiana paid no attention to whoever her father was ordering around.

Her eyes were fixed on the painting, on the brushstrokes left behind by her mother’s hands.

All she felt was the tight grip of hands closing around both her arms, followed by the rough 

pull as she was dragged away from the cold family room.