Chapter 1

When Liam Carter came back with Vera Sterling, I was still standing beside the bed with his phone in my hand.

His expression changed. He hurried over and snatched the phone from me. He had seen the messages on the screen too.

Liam quickly regained his composure. He frowned and said, "Since you already know, there's no point in hiding it anymore.

"You know Vera has always been afraid of you. She's always walking on eggshells around you. She even has to watch your reaction before she dares to say anything."

"You were going away to college anyway, so going somewhere far away is for the best for everyone."

He spoke as if his reasoning were perfectly sound. He did not look guilty at all. He acted as if he was a completely different person from the one who had promised to be my boyfriend and tricked me into applying to Williams College.

I looked at the girl behind him.

Vera held on to the hem of his shirt and hid half her body behind him. When she noticed me looking at her, she seemingly flinched in fright.

After a moment of silence, I turned to Liam.

"So, when you said you'd be my boyfriend that day, you were just lying to trick me?"

He hesitated before he answered, "Yes, but…"

"Whose idea was it to trick me into leaving?" I cut him off. I did not want to hear his excuses.

"Was it yours? My parents'? My brother's? Or did all of you plan this together?"

Liam fell silent. He lowered his eyes and could not bring himself to look at me.

At first, I had wanted an answer. But when I saw his reaction, I suddenly realized that it did not matter any longer.

It did not matter who had come up with the idea. That group chat alone was enough to prove that when they had to choose between Vera and me, they had chosen Vera.

Just then, Vera spoke up from behind him.

"Audrey, I'm sorry." Her eyes turned teary as she looked at me timidly.

"This is all my fault. I'm scared of seeing you. Every time I see you with them, I'm reminded of my parents who died. If they were still alive, I could have been just as happy as you."

Her trembling voice did nothing to soften my heart, but it moved Liam.

"Vera, don't be scared. We'll always be here for you. We're your family. You're not alone anymore."

Then, he turned to me with a disapproving look.

"Don't blame her. Vera has spent years trying to be considerate of your feelings. Besides, you're only leaving for a while. You can come back after graduation."

"You're different from Vera and can take care of yourself. Also, wasn't Williams College your dream ever since you were a little girl?"

He was right. I had dreamed of attending Williams College ever since I was little. That year alone, I had received three invitations to enroll.

But I had turned down every one of them because I could not bear to leave my family behind. I could not bear to leave him either.

As I watched Liam stand in front of Vera as if he was afraid I might hurt her, I suddenly felt as though I was seeing him for the first time.

I had witnessed that same scene countless times over the seven years since Vera came to live with my family.

Dad always protected her. Mom always looked after her. My brother, Ethan Bennett, went out of his way to take care of even the smallest things for her.

Whenever I appeared in front of Vera, they all became tense and wary. Even if I said nothing and simply looked at her, they acted as if my presence alone might upset their precious girl.

Whenever they shut me out and I had to listen to their laughter from the other side of the door, at least I still had Liam by my side.

"Don't worry, Audrey. You still have me."

It was the first time Liam had looked at me the same way they did.

He had chosen Vera, too. He had even used the one thing I cared about most to trick me into leaving.

I was done arguing with them.

I took off the necklace around my neck and handed it to Vera.

When Ethan and I were born, we each received a necklace with a tiny portrait of ourselves inside. These necklaces were reserved for family members. They were not worth much, but they held precious memories.

Vera had wanted my necklace for years, but I had never been willing to part with it.

After learning the truth, I finally understood.

I walked past them and left Liam's house.

As soon as I stepped out of the yard, I received an email.

It was from the Williams Research Program Team.

[Dear Ms. Audrey Bennett,]

[Our research program involves highly confidential work. Once you join our team, you must cut off all contact with the outside world. If you confirm your participation, we will send someone to pick you up in three days.]

[We look forward to your reply.]

Liam and my family knew that I had previously turned down offers to attend Williams College. But they did not know that those invitations had actually come from Williams College's elite research team.

If I joined the research institute, I would disappear from their lives for good.

I stopped and replied without hesitation.

[Confirmed.]

In three days, I would leave that family behind forever.