Chapter 2

The homecoming celebration was being held at the Kane family estate.

Early that morning, Luna Elena had the entire ballroom decorated with pink roses.

Vivian liked pink, so even my favorite white carpet had been removed and replaced.

A Beta approached with the guest list.

“Luna, where should we seat Miss Lydia?”

Elena paused.

The head table was already full.

There was a seat for her, Alpha Adrian, Xavier, Vivian, and Julian.

The place that had once belonged to me had long since been given to Vivian.

“Just add a chair beside the table.”

Elena quickly regained her composure and gave the order casually.

Vivian hurried to her feet.

“Let Lydia have my seat. I'll stand to the side.”

Xavier frowned and pushed her back into her chair.

“Sit down.”

“Today is your homecoming celebration. How can you possibly stand?”

“Besides, she's only coming here to apologize tonight. She's not here to steal the spotlight.”

Elena sighed and gently advised her,

“Vivian, stop thinking about her all the time.”

“Lydia has been spoiled by us for too long. That's why she can't stand even the slightest inconvenience.”

The butler asked another question.

“Should we restore Miss Lydia's room as well?”

Only then did Elena remember that my old bedroom had already been converted into Vivian's dance studio.

All my clothes, trophies, and photographs had been packed into cardboard boxes and piled up in the basement.

Elena hesitated for two seconds.

“Prepare the guest room on the fourth floor for now.”

Vivian asked softly, “Isn't the guest room a little too small?”

Xavier let out a cold laugh.

“She was willing to sell even her memories. Do you think she'd care about the size of a room?”

“Besides, she's coming back to learn some manners, not to keep living like the princess of the Kane family.”

As he spoke, he pulled an old wolf-fang pendant from his pocket.

It was the gift my brother Xavier had given me when I first shifted into my wolf form at sixteen.

The fang had long since lost its shine, and the chain was tarnished. He had tossed it into a drawer and forgotten about it.

Now he dropped it into a gift box.

“Give this to her too.”

“Didn't she used to follow me around as a child, begging me to teach her how to control her wolf form? Seeing this should be enough to make her forget all her resentment.”

Elena smiled with satisfaction.

“You may complain about her, but deep down, you still care.”

Xavier leaned back in his chair, recalling our childhood.

“After all, I watched her grow up.”

“As long as she behaves herself from now on, I won't completely abandon her.”

Meanwhile, Julian was revising the terms of my engagement agreement.

Our wedding, originally scheduled for next year, had been postponed by another two years.

A new clause had also been added at the end.

[Lydia must treat Vivian as her own younger sister and must never compete with her for anything.]

Elena read it and hesitated.

“Isn't this a little too strict?”

Julian didn't even look up.

“She used to have too much. That's why she couldn't accept Vivian.”

“If she's truly willing to repent, none of these conditions should be difficult for her.”

Vivian stared at the agreement, her eyes slowly turning red.

“Julian, you don't have to make Lydia suffer for my sake.”

Julian's voice softened.

“Don't worry about it.”

“I'll make sure she gives you back everything she owes you.”

Just then, Adrian's assistant arrived with a document.

“Alpha, the Memory Bank says Miss Lydia's transaction amount is much higher than that of an ordinary customer. They recommend that the family collect the detailed transaction statement.”

Adrian didn't even open the document.

“No need.”

The assistant looked surprised.

“Given the amount involved, perhaps Miss Lydia sold some particularly significant memories.”

Xavier burst out laughing.

“How significant could they possibly be?”

“She had an easy life from the day she was born. The only hardship she ever experienced was tripping over a stone while walking.”

Elena didn't take it seriously either.

“Lydia is clever. She must have found a way to increase the estimated value.”

“Even as a child, she could turn the smallest incident into a dramatic story. It's no surprise she managed to persuade the bank.”

Adrian tossed the document into a drawer.

“She managed to raise the money. That means this test worked.”

“In the past, whenever we asked her to do something for the family, she always demanded to know why.”

“Now she's finally learned to make sacrifices.”

The assistant said nothing more and turned to leave.

Vivian lowered her head, the corners of her mouth lifting slightly.

The banquet schedule arrived soon afterward.

My name was listed as the final item on the program.

The host's script had already been written for me.

First, I would thank my parents for their good intentions.

Second, I would apologize to Vivian.

Finally, I would thank my sister for being willing to forgive me.

Julian read the script and nodded with satisfaction.

“Once tonight is over, everything will be behind us.”

He picked up his phone and sent me a message.

[Eight o'clock tonight. Be there on time. Don't forget what you promised.]

No one knew that at that very moment, I was sitting in the Memory Bank's waiting room.

An employee handed me the final transaction receipt.

“Miss Lydia, all transactions have been completed. Are you sure you don't want to review the memory list?”

I shook my head gently.

“No need.”

“There's nothing left worth keeping.”