Chapter 1

The searing pain of the sun still burned deep in my consciousness.

I opened my eyes. I was floating in the grand hall of the castle, right beside my three brothers.

"Clara, how are you feeling?"

Damien's gentle voice drifted over.

I looked down, and my soul fractured.

My cold, stoic eldest brother was gently helping Clara onto the sofa. Those eyes once held a tenderness saved only for me. Now, they were filled with anguish for another girl.

Clara was pale, her hand resting over her heart. She looked so fragile a light breeze could knock her over.

"Much better, Damien." Her voice was barely a whisper. "My heart condition flared up again. It's an old problem. I should have told you all sooner."

"Don't say that," Ethan knelt beside her at once, touching her forehead. "It's our fault. We didn't protect you."

Julian brought her a glass of water from the bar, holding it to her lips. "Slowly now. Don't rush."

My soul began to tremble as I watched my three brothers dote on Clara, so careful, so tender.

They used to be like that with me.

"Young masters," Moses, the butler, walked in, trembling. "Miss Lilith… she's been in the observatory for three days. There hasn't been a sound."

Damien's face went cold.

"Don't mention that brat. She can stay in there and reflect on what she did."

His words were shards of ice, piercing my soul.

I’m the brat?

Damien, have you forgotten?

When you had a raging fever, I was the one who clumsily cared for you, staying up all night by your bed.

You woke up, smiled, and stroked my hair.

You told me I was your precious little princess and that you would protect me forever.

Forever… I guess forever isn't that long.

"But… it's been three days," Moses hesitated.

"So what if it's three days?" Julian's voice was sharp with anger. "She's always been spoiled, but this time she treated Clara like a toy, scaring her with that vile stuff! Clara's heart is already weak. What if something had happened?"

Clara trembled in Damien's arms, tears welling in her eyes. "It's all my fault. I went to talk to her, and that's what made her angry…"

"This isn't your fault," Ethan said, taking her hand. His voice was softer than I'd ever heard it. "Lilith went too far. She knew you were a fragile human, and she still terrified you with beast blood on purpose."

"She's going to be so angry when she gets out," Clara whispered, her voice shaking. "She's never been locked up this long. She'll be furious. I'm scared..."

Damien pulled her into a tight hug. "Don't be. After this, she'll learn her lesson. She won't dare hurt you again. I promise."

"That's right," Ethan said, stroking her hair. "We'll protect you. Lilith has been too willful for too long. It's time she learned some restraint."

Julian nodded. "Don't worry, Clara. She won't get another chance to bully you."

Just then, Damien frowned, as if sensing something was wrong.

I thought he'd finally realized what happened to me.

"It's strange," he said. "She hasn't sent a single mental plea. That's not like her. She should be crying and begging for forgiveness by now."

"Maybe she's still sulking?" Ethan guessed.

"Then let her sulk!" Julian snapped. "She nearly killed Clara and she still doesn't feel any remorse!"

Clara lifted her pale face. A flicker of something—triumph?—crossed her eyes before she hid it.

"Brothers, don't be so hard on her. Maybe she was just angry. No one's ever confined her for this long before…"

"She deserves it!" Julian said, his voice raw with anger. "Unless she gets on her knees and apologizes to you, I'll leave her in that observatory for a whole year!"

"A year is too short," Damien said coldly. "She needs to learn that you are not her toy. You are our family, and we will protect you with our lives."

I floated there, listening to them, feeling a bone-deep sorrow.

They couldn't see me or hear me at all.

After our parents were turned to ash in an accident, my brothers poured all their love into me.

Until the day I found Clara on the street.

A lonely human girl, so small and thin it broke my heart.

I brought her home, gave her my favorite room, and gifted her the jewelry our mother left me.

I even acted more spoiled on purpose, just so my brothers would dote on her more.

I thought it would help her fit into our family.

But now…

I gave Clara a place in my heart. She used it to steal my brothers' love.

And then she framed me, again and again, turning them against me day by day.

Including this time. They locked me in the observatory without even asking for my side of the story.

They wanted to teach me a lesson, to take away my freedom.

But what waited for me was death.

I beat on the door, begging them to listen.

Then the dome opened, the deadly sun poured in, and my skin caught fire.

I tried to send one last mental message for help, but the blood curse Damien had cast blocked everything.

I could only burn to ash in agony.

And now, watching Clara's fake smile, I was filled with a fresh wave of despair.

Brothers, do you know?

The sister who loved you more than anyone in the world…was murdered by your own hands.