Chapter 5

My feet were covered in blisters, and my head felt dizzy.

I looked at myself in the mirror, lips cracked, face pale, and suddenly smiled.

I remembered the day I was brought to the Harrison family.

Everyone had called me a jinx then, and no one wanted to adopt me.

It was Julian, just starting his career, who stepped forward and said he would protect me for life.

He didn’t just drive me everywhere; he had dozens of chefs just for my meals.

I could barely remember the last time I had walked such a long distance.

Just as I was about to go back to my room, Julian suddenly returned.

The moment he saw me, Julian blurted out.

“Hungry? I’ll make breakfast.”

Only then did he realize I was no longer the clingy girl from three years ago.

His smile froze, and he sank tiredly onto the sofa.

I chose to ignore him, turning and heading upstairs.

Whether from extreme exhaustion or fainting again, I slept for a day and a night.

When I woke, no one was beside me.

But there were signs someone had been sitting on the bed.

I paid it no mind, opened my phone, and booked a flight ticket.

Only one request left, then I could leave this place forever.

But the moment I opened my phone, I received countless abusive DMs on social media.

“Vampire, jinx, get out of the Harrison family!”

“Being adopted by the Harrison family wasn’t enough, you even dared to dream of marrying into it! Ms. Monroe is so pitiful, and you even killed her baby!”

“Why weren’t you the one who died in the car accident! A malicious person like you doesn’t deserve to live!”

Message after message flooded in, overwhelming me.

For the entire next day, I received packages from different places and different people every hour.

There were black and white photos of me and my parents; blood-stained knives; all sorts of strange spiders and centipedes; and creepy prank toys.

Eventually, the packages piled up into a mountain, and I didn’t even dare to approach the front door.

I didn’t know what I had done wrong.

On the day of the car accident, I clearly hadn't meant to harm Cassie, only to save her.

Even if she had taken the thing I cherished most.

If only there was a video to prove my innocence.

Right! The bridal shop had surveillance cameras.

With that thought, I immediately got up and rushed to the bridal shop.

But when I arrived, the owner just said apologetically,

“I’m sorry, Ms. Sterling, the surveillance camera was indeed broken that day.”

I didn’t give up, turning to run to other stores.

It didn’t matter, even a tiny bit of footage would help.

But after asking everyone on the street, every owner gave me the same excuse.

The entire street, over a dozen stores, and not a single one had surveillance footage!

At that moment, someone on the street recognized me.

“Isn’t that the adopted daughter who killed the Harrison family’s flesh and blood? How dare you show your face!”

The person said, then threw a freshly bought egg at me.

It hit me squarely on the head.

The egg cracked, shell mixed with yolk, staining my carefully styled hair, sticky and running down my neck into my dress.

The crowd gathered quickly, like sharks smelling blood.

“She looks pretty and sweet, but her heart is so malicious!”

“The Harrison family showed her kindness, but she didn’t even feel grateful, instead harming a Harrison family member! She’s truly the modern version of 'The Farmer and the Snake'!”

“Let’s all unite and drive her out of Northwood!”

With that, the crowd surged towards me.

I turned and ran, all the way home.

Once home, I piled all the packages outside and set them on fire.

As the flames ignited, growing higher, I could no longer hold back my tears and sobbed loudly.

I had never meant to hurt anyone, so why did everyone treat me like an enemy?

Suddenly, I received a message from Cassie.

“Sera, you promised to give Julian to me. Why are you still checking the surveillance footage? Do you want him to hate me! If you have any conscience, I hope you’ll stop. Only then will Julian believe, and completely stop loving you.”

So, this was all her doing.

But now, it wasn't a question of whether I wanted to give up, but that I couldn’t find any evidence to prove my innocence.

The flames continued to rise, burning higher and higher.

The next second, someone embraced me.

Julian held me tenderly, stroking my head gently, reaching up to wipe away the tears from my eyes.

“Sera, don’t cry.”

When I cried, Julian felt his heart breaking.

Smelling his familiar scent, I instinctively wanted to burrow into his arms, to find the long-lost sense of security.

But when I caught the faint smell of hospital disinfectant clinging to Julian, I unhesitatingly pulled away from his embrace.

No amount of cologne could cover that pungent antiseptic smell.

From yesterday until now, I had been under continuous cyberbullying. Julian, who dealt with the internet daily, couldn’t possibly be unaware.

Yet, he had never once shown concern for me, always staying at the hospital with his fiancée, Cassie.

Julian looked utterly surprised when I pushed him away. Since returning home, I had pushed him away more than once.

But this time, he felt more frantic than ever before.

As if something was slipping away from him, something he could no longer grasp.

He hugged me tighter, filled with a deep fear.

This time, no matter how much I struggled, Julian wouldn't let go.

“Sera, don’t leave me, I’m begging you. Just give me a little more time, wait for me, okay?”

Julian’s panic was clear in his eyes.

I couldn’t understand how he, who was getting married next week, could shamelessly say such a thing.

But strangely, a flicker of hope ignited within me. If Julian didn't make a third request, could I perhaps stay by his side forever?

I knew it was impossible, and sure enough.

The next second, Julian whispered his final request in my ear.

“Sera, will you apologize to Cassie, please?”

At his words, it felt like a bolt from the blue, leaving me stunned.