Chapter 1

I was in a private hospital for three days. Unconscious. Drowning, suffocation, severe hypothermia.

My fiancé, Lucian, stared at my cast. His face was pale.

A flicker of fear in his eyes.

He turned to Chloe. His voice was low.

“What really happened on the terrace? Seraphina was always terrified of dying. Why would she jump into an icy pool over a simple threat?”

Chloe looked away. The perfect picture of a pitiful victim.

“I don’t know. Seraphina just snapped. She called me a filthy orphan who stole her place. Said she'd chop me to pieces…”

My brother, Sebastian, pulled her behind him. The Underboss of the family. He glared at me. Pure disgust.

“Lucian, Chloe is devoted to you. How can you doubt her?”

He turned his gaze to me.

“Seraphina, how long are you going to keep up this act? Chloe respects you so much, and this is how you frame her!”

“If you really wanted to die, why not just run into a wall? You just wanted to make a scene for sympathy!”

I remembered The System's words. I nodded immediately.

The hospital walls were hard. It would be tough to die in one hit.

But if I hit it hard enough, maybe I could finally be free.

I threw off the blanket. Ripped out my IV. Forced myself to sit up.

Blood soaked through my bandages. I felt nothing.

I took a deep breath. Gathered what little strength I had. And charged the wall.

THUD.

A heavy, dull sound filled the room.

My forehead hit the wall. The skin split open instantly.

Blood ran down my face. My vision blurred.

I collapsed. Touched my bleeding forehead. Only regret.

Too bad.

Still not dead.

I pushed myself up, ready to go again. But Lucian grabbed me. He yanked me back, hard.

His voice trembled. Full of a panic and desperation I hadn't heard in years.

“Seraphina, what are you doing?!”

I opened my mouth. Only a mouthful of blood came out, a result of my damaged lungs.

The next second, my parents rushed over, pulling me into their arms.

“Seraphina… what’s wrong with you? Are you trying to break your mother’s heart?!”

I forced my heavy eyes open. Managed a smile that was uglier than a sob.

“Mom, I’m fine.”

Sebastian snapped out of his shock. He sneered.

“How long are you going to act? You can fool Mom and Dad with this pity party, but not me! You must have hurt Chloe and were afraid of the Don’s punishment, so you—”

“Enough, Sebastian!” my father roared.

“Is this how an Underboss acts?! Your sister is bleeding out! And you say she’s faking?!”

For the first time in years, my father yelled at Sebastian for my sake.

Sebastian’s chest heaved.

He stared at our father in disbelief.

Then, my father’s gaze fell on Chloe.

“Chloe, tell me the truth. What happened that day?”

Chloe looked terrified. Her guilt was obvious.

“It’s just like I said. Dad, don’t you believe me either?”

Her eyes welled up. She deliberately showed the scratch on her arm, wiping away a fake tear.

Suddenly, she dropped to her knees, wailing.

“Dad, please don’t yell at Sebastian. It’s all my fault… I provoked Seraphina… I was jealous of her status. I framed her! It’s all my fault, I’ll accept any punishment…”

She cried her heart out. Acting like she was the most wronged person in the world.

But to them, she just looked like a helpless orphan, pushed to the brink by a powerful rival.

My family’s faces darkened. Their eyes darted between Chloe and me.

Lucian’s grip on my arm loosened.

His eyes showed a struggle.

Finally, he pulled his hand away.

“Seraphina, it doesn’t matter who’s right or wrong now. You started this. Just apologize to Chloe, and we’ll let this go…”

My parents looked at me, desperate.

They were giving me an out. Everyone was waiting for me to take it.

I remembered what Lucian said the day I came back.

“If you dare touch another hair on Chloe’s head, I will—”

He never finished. But I understood.

He wanted to destroy my hand.

Since everyone believed I bullied Chloe, I had to show my sincerity.

I dragged myself to the nightstand. I grabbed a fruit knife.

Before they could react, I plunged the tip into my right wrist.

Blood sprayed everywhere.

With my last bit of strength, I twisted the blade in the wound.

Severed the tendons.

I could feel it. My hands. A violinist’s hands. Utterly destroyed.

Pain washed over me in a tidal wave. I trembled violently and collapsed.

Blood splattered on Sebastian’s shoes.

He froze, horrified by my viciousness. His face went pale. He stumbled back.

Chloe hid behind our mother, shivering.

My parents finally snapped out of it. One fainted. The other screamed for a doctor.

Cries and screams mixed with the frantic beeping of the heart monitor.

The room was chaos.

And that’s when I noticed. Lucian was gone.