After hanging up on our mother, Felix dialed another number and bellowed, "Who told you to actually rape her? You're not getting another cent!"

"What? Do you want more money? Dream on! Believe me, I'll have you thrown in jail!"

I didn't know what was said on the other end, but Felix hung up and punched the doorframe.

His eyes were red as he turned to me. I looked away and walked back into the police station.

Not long later, Felix pushed the door open and came in. Looking at the officer taking my statement, he asked, "Is there surveillance where my sister was assaulted?"

The officer looked up in confusion. "Your sister just withdrew her case. Do you want to reopen it?"

Felix snapped his head toward me, only to find a faint smile on my face.

"Let it go, Felix. I don't want this to spread. I'm not even married yet."

His eyes instantly welled up with tears, and he pulled me into his arms.

"Grace, I'm sorry," he sobbed.

At this point, I didn't care about my reputation. I was only afraid that if those people got arrested, Felix would get dragged into it.

After all, in this family, Felix was the only one who had ever given me warmth.

Before Hazel moved in, my two brothers and father all doted on me. Whenever my strict mother scolded me, they would always stand up for me.

But after Hazel arrived, everything changed.

Felix drove me home.

As soon as we stepped inside, I saw everyone sitting neatly on the couch, waiting for me. They had changed out of the fancy outfits they wore in the photo.

My mother was the first to rush up to me, grabbing my hand and sobbing. If she hadn't been so cold and distant toward me all these years, I might have actually believed she truly cared about me.

"Grace, Mom feels awful."

My other brother, Osian Parrish, also came over. "Grace, I heard you withdrew the case. Are you really not going to pursue it?"

I could hear the need for confirmation in his tone and couldn't help but feel bitter. So, the whole family knew about it.

I nodded.

At that moment, my father stepped out from behind my mother, speaking cautiously, "Grace, it's been a long night. You must be hungry. Let me make you some pasta."

I hadn't shed a single tear since learning the truth, but at his sincere concern, my tears poured down like rain.

I was about to step forward and hug him when my mother's scolding voice cut through the air.

"All you ever think about is food! Like a damn glutton!"

My father immediately flinched, muttering hesitantly, "I'll warm up some milk for her... so she can get a good sleep."

With that, he turned and went straight into the kitchen.

My father had married into this family and spent his whole life being suppressed by my mother. I was sure he had strongly opposed her plan to hurt me, but with his timid nature, he never had a say in anything.

I signaled for everyone to take a seat, preparing to tell them about my terminal cancer.

"I don't think I'll be able to manage the company anymore. I have-"

Before I could finish, Hazel interrupted me, clinging to my arm with a fake display of affection.

"Grace, I just graduated from university. My Godmother said I should join the company to help out. Don't worry. I'll manage everything well. You just focus on resting."

I discreetly withdrew my arm and was about to continue, but my mother spoke over me again.

"Well, Hazel calling me Godmother was her own decision, so don't overthink it. Grace, after everything that's happened, you should take some time to rest. With Felix helping Hazel, the company will be just fine."

See? In this house, I never even get to finish a sentence.

What was I still expecting?

"Alright."

After saying that, I turned and went upstairs.

Just as I pushed open my bedroom door, Hazel suddenly called out, "Antonio got really mad and left when he heard you were raped. Grace, don't forget to comfort him."

My heart clenched painfully, and silent tears streamed down my cheeks.

The scalding shower water hit my skin, making me tremble uncontrollably.

With the sound of the water as cover, I let out my sobs.

Antonio and I had agreed to share our first time on our wedding night.

But I couldn't keep that promise.

Stepping out of the bathroom, I noticed a warm glass of milk on my nightstand. It suggested my father had been here.

I was going to talk to him, but when I cracked the door open, I heard the lively laughter from the living room downstairs.

Hazel was nestled in my mother's arms, excitedly sharing some story.

My two brothers sat beside them, smiling along.

Only my father kept glancing toward my room, his face full of sorrow.

I shut the door and stayed in my quiet room.

Sitting by the bed, I absentmindedly scrolled through my phone.

I happened to land on Hazel's Instagram.

It was filled with joyous photos from tonight's banquet.

The family portrait stood out. My mother was holding Hazel's hand with unmistakable motherly affection, while Hazel was clinging to Antonio's arm, beaming.

I knew Hazel had set those posts on her Instagram to be accessible only to me.

Because she always made sure everyone liked her posts, but this one had no reactions at all.

When my mother just brought her home, I treated Hazel like a real sister.

But it didn't take long for me to see through her clumsy tricks.

She would flirt with my two brothers and act pitiful in front of my mother.

I had warned them about her, only to be harshly scolded by my mother and brothers.

Looking at it now, I was the foolish one.

I messaged Antonio.

"Let's break up."

He replied in no time.

"Grace, they said you made up the rape just to stop Hazel from being your mother's goddaughter. Is that true?"

"I didn't makeup anything."

"Grace! Why won't you just tell me the truth? If you weren't lying, why did Hazel say you dropped the case?"

How could I explain it? Who would believe that my entire family had conspired to hurt me?

Not to mention that Antonio and Felix had been childhood friends.

With no strength to explain, I simply sent another message, "Let's break up."

Then I shut off my phone, hiding myself under the blankets, trying to hold onto whatever faint warmth I had left.

The next morning, I woke up to find the villa empty.

I visited Hazel's Instagram and saw what I expected. My mother had taken the whole family to the most upscale restaurant for breakfast.

Hazel posted a picture with the caption, "Nothing is better than being with family."

They didn't even seem to have realized they had left a victim behind at home.

Suddenly, the villa's front gate opened.

Antonio walked in, holding a bouquet of flowers.

"Grace, you look awful. Are you okay?"

I ignored his question and asked instead, "Why are you here? We've already broken up."

Antonio stared at me and asked cautiously, his voice faltering, "Were you really...?"

I thought I had made peace with myself and was able to handle anything.

But hearing those words from him shattered me. Flooded with sorrow, I trembled uncontrollably.

Just then, Hazel's cheerful laughter rang out from outside.

A moment later, the whole family walked in.

Hazel snatched the flowers from Antonio's hands.

"Antonio, you're so sweet! You actually remembered I love tulips."

Antonio's hand stiffened midair, but his gaze never left me.

With a faint smile, I said, "Yeah, your dear Antonio brought them here just for you."

I turned toward upstairs but was stopped by my father's voice.

He handed me a bag. "Sweetheart, I packed you some breakfast."

I was about to take it when my mother snapped, "Packing leftovers from such a high-end place? How embarrassing! Are you a country bumpkin?"

Startled by her outburst, my father lost his grip on the bag, and it fell to the floor.

The food was scattered around.

Hazel chimed in, "Yeah, Keaton, you were embarrassing my godmother."

I looked at my silent father, my heart aching for him. Then, in front of everyone, I crouched down, picked up a piece of food covered in dust, and popped it into my mouth.

"It's delicious. Thank you, Dad," I smiled at my father.

Antonio's expression darkened instantly. He stepped forward to stand beside me and faced Felix, demanding, "So you all went out for breakfast and left Grace starving at home?"

Then, he snatched the tulips from Hazel's hands and placed them in mine.

"These flowers are for you, Grace. I'm sorry about last night. I thought about it all night. Even if you really are as petty as they say, or even if you really were... I still wouldn't leave you."

Hazel immediately threw herself into my mother's arms, shedding tears pitifully.

My mother gave Antonio a disapproving look. "How could you take back something you already gifted?"

Hazel sobbed, "Alicia, it's not Antonio's fault. I'm just touched. After what those people did..."

Antonio caught onto something in her words. "What do you mean by 'those people'?"

He turned to Felix and grabbed the latter's collar. "Last night, you told me Grace was lying!"

Felix lowered his head in pain. "At first, we thought she was, but it turned out she really..."

Hazel cut in, "Yeah, poor Grace. I heard she even got torn down there..."

"Enough!" I couldn't hold back anymore, screaming. "Shut up! All of you! Are you all enjoying peeling open my wounds over and over again?"

I turned to Antonio. "I've wanted to break up with you for a long time. We've known each other for years and being with you is like my left hand touching my right. It's dull, boring, with no excitement at all. I got sick of you ages ago!

"Now, I'm the CEO of the Parrish Group. And you are just a pathetic painter with no ambition! You don't deserve me! Get out! I never want to see you again!"

With that, I turned and bolted upstairs.

As soon as I stepped into my room, I collapsed to the floor. The words I had just spoken stabbed into my heart like a dagger. The pain drained the last of my strength.

I wanted nothing more than to throw myself into Antonio's arms and pour out all my pain and sorrow.

But I no longer had the time to be with him.

For the next week, I never saw Antonio again. I heard he had gone abroad.

Dragging my exhausted body, I went to the office and handed over all my work to Felix and Hazel.

After that, I bought a seaside cottage in Seattle, planning to spend the rest of my days there.

Before leaving, I invited my family to one last meal.

Raising my glass, I toasted them, "Mom, Dad, thank you for raising me for thirty years. Felix and Osian, thank you for being by my side all these years. I'll drink to that."

I downed the entire glass.

"One more thing, I'm moving out. I won't be coming back."

Suddenly, Hazel started to sob.

"Grace, I know you don't like me. You must have heard that Keaton and Alicia officially recognized me as their goddaughter, and now you're doing this to force them to abandon me, right? What do I have to do to make you accept me?"

As her sobbing grew louder, I cut her off, "This has nothing to do with you. My cancer is in its final stages. I just don't want my family to watch me die."

My mother slammed the table and snarled, "Enough! I've already decided that Hazel is my goddaughter. Your ridiculous lies won't change my mind!"

Felix chimed in, "Grace, you shouldn't curse yourself like this no matter what. Having another sister won't change our love for you."

Osian frowned and scoffed, "Stop the nonsense. I'm a doctor. Do you really think you can fool me with this lie?"

I turned to my father. "Dad, do you not believe me either?"

Under Mom's sharp gaze, he hesitated, then lowered his head in silence.

I smiled with tears and drank an entire bottle of wine in one go.

I had fully repaid this family for raising me. From now on, I no longer had any family.

The next day, when Osian rushed home from the hospital with my cancer diagnosis, I was already gone.