Chapter 1

When the rogues kidnapped me, my father, my brother, and my fiancé wouldn't even give three hundred dollars as ransom.

Yet they threw tens of millions dollars at my adopted sister's birthday celebration while I was butchered by rogues who never got their payment.

The adoptive sister’s parents died saving me, and after my family took her in, she became the center of attention—and the most important person—in our home.

But when they got my death finally, they all fell into deep sorrow.

When my body was discovered, it had already decomposed severely.

After a month submerged in the river, I was bloated beyond recognition.

On top of that, my entire body had been folded into a 20-inch suitcase.

The skin of my face had adhered to my thighs, a bloody mess.

But even in that state, my hand still clutched my phone, refusing to let go.

Everyone at the scene felt a pang of bitterness in their hearts.

Even my brother Damine, the pack forensic who had rushed to the scene after receiving the call, looked pained.

The body of a member who had been brutally killed by the rogue wolves was found on the territory. As the head of pack's guard force, Damine received the notification and rushed to the scene.

"She must have been terrified before she died."

My brother sighed, carefully prying the phone from my hand.

That gentle movement was something I hadn't experienced from him since I turned ten.

When I was ten, Sera wasn't my sister yet.

It was because I was spoiled and stubborn back then, insisting on chasing after a balloon that flew away.

However, on the way, we encountered a once-in-a-century mudslide. It was Serah's parents who saved me.

Her parents both died in that mudslide, protecting me. Their bodies were never recovered.

Out of guilt, my parents adopted her.

But from that moment on, my world turned upside down.

Sera stole all the love my family had for me. She would deliberately frame me.

Whenever I tried to explain, My family members always accuse me of being jealous and immature.

I stared at my brother's hands in a daze.

How long had it been since he touched my face this gently?

"Female victim, age between tAshwoodty and tAshwoodty-five. Preliminary assessment: time of death approximately one month ago."

His assistance stood nearby, reporting the initial examination results.

My brother's movements stopped abruptly.

One month.

Exactly when I disappeared.

I clearly saw his eyelashes tremble.

Did he think of me?

Did he feel even a trace of concern for me?

The assistance noticed my brother pause and thought his eyes were bothering him. He asked quietly with concern.

"Mr. Ashwood, are your eyes hurting again? Do you need to rest?"

My brother snapped out of it, his face breaking into a proud smile.

"My eyes are fine now."

"It's all thanks to my sister Sera. If she hadn't donated a cornea to me, my eyes wouldn't have healed this quickly."

"That's wonderful news."

The Beta quickly congratulated him, then hesitated and said in a low voice.

"But Mr Ashwood, isn't your sister's name Jocelyn? Or am I remembering wrong?"

My brother's expression froze. His smile faded.

"Don't mention her. I'm so disappointed in her. The moment she found out about my eyes, she disappeared. I never asked her to burden herself for me."

"Thank the Moon Goddess for my adopted sister Sera, who donated a cornea and saved my sight. I never thought blood could be weaker than adoption. From now on, I don't have that sister anymore."

His words were like an ice-cold dagger, instantly shattering the hope and dreams in my heart.

I smiled bitterly.

Of course. How could he think of me?

After all, in his mind, I was the evil woman who watched her brother suffer and ran away.

But brother, I didn't disappear on purpose.

I didn't abandon you when you needed me most.

No one believed me when I said I was kidnapped.

My brother would never know the cornea was mine. I had arranged the donation before I was taken.

But just like everything else I did for this family and our pack, Sera had stolen the credit.