Chapter 5
As night fell, the Linwood family manor buzzed with activity, preparing for Ethan’s grand wedding.
But Ethan, who should have been radiant with joy, sat silent and distracted.}
“Now that that lowlife Claire is gone, we can finally be together forever!” Sabrina beamed, gripping his hand. Ethan forced a smile–but his mind was far away.
All he could see was Claire’s back as she walked away, proud even in defeat.
Had he gone too far?!
She had done so much for the Linwood family, and in the end, she couldn’t even keep a shred of dignity.”
Suddenly, Sabrina’s shrill laughter rang out.”
“Hahaha! Look, look at this!” She held up her phone. “That idiot Claire actually dared to give an interview? What a clown!“} “Hahaha! I’m dying from laughter–look at her! Her half–bare butt’s out for the world to see! Isn’t that hilarious?“}
Sabrina shoved her phone in front of Ethan’s face, her eyes gleaming with delight.
Ethan gave it a glance–and was instantly overwhelmed by the barrage of vicious comments flooding the screen:
Is it legal for lunatics to roam the streets now?“}
“Pretty sure she got fired and is pulling a sympathy stunt.”>
“Shouldn’t the police arrest female thugs too? Equal rights, right?”
The cruelty stunned him.§
Sabrina kept laughing as she scrolled, as if the online mockery was her personal entertainment channel.}
“How is it?” she asked gleefully. “This was the big surprise I prepared for you–just in case you were still feeling sentimental.”} She hugged him from behind and whispered into his ear, “Now that you’ve seen her like this, you can let go of right?”
Ethan froze.}
Then, slowly, he pulled away and looked at her. “You arranged all this?“}
any lingering affection,
* Sman, 42” Sabrine beamed proudly, “With all this drama, even your father won’t want her back now. She embarrassed
whole Linwood family!“}
Ethan’s chest felt tight. A strange weight pressed against him.
He should feel satisfied. After all, hadn’t he hated Claire?}
But watching her publicly humiliated like that… why did it feel like someone was carving out his chest from the inside?}
“Wait–give me the phone.“}
Sabrina handed it over with a smug grin.
Ethan stared at the footage again, this time more intently.
Then his eyes widened. His pupils shrank.
There it was.}
A scar. Long and faint, running from her right thigh toward her waist. He’d seen it before–back when she was stitched up after shielding him in that crash. A scar he had caused.
A sudden wave of dizziness hit him.}
He stepped back.}
“I… I need some air,” he mumbled, then stumbled out of the room.
He didn’t stop to explain. He drove straight to Claire’s villa.
But when he arrived-
It was empty.}
Gone.}
The flowering crabapple tree she had planted in the garden–gone.}
The drawings they had scribbled on the wall as kids–scrubbed clean.}
The books she used to leave on the porch–thrown out like trash.
It was as if Claire had never existed.
“No… why?” Ethan whispered, his heart thudding as a creeping ache spread through his chest.
He rushed upstairs.
The bedroom was stripped bare. Her presence had been erased–completely.
Then he remembered–the attic.
Her childhood sanctuary. The place they used to sneak into to play house. He was the father, she was the mother.
3:36 PM
d
Her childhood sanctuary. The place they used to sneak into to play house. He was the father, she was the mother.
He bolted up the stairs, shoved the trapdoor open–and froze.§
The attic was untouched.§
Dust–covered, but still filled with faint traces of her.
In the corner, tucked beneath a faded blanket, he found it–her diary.
With trembling fingers, he opened it.
Today is New Year’s Eve–and Ethan’s birthday. I secretly grew a rainbow daisy for him. I hope he likes it.
He always says I’m boring, but I just want to work hard so I can help Mr. Linwood and the company in the future.}
Tears blurred his vision as he flipped through page after page–small, quiet records of her affection, her sacrifice, her devotion.”
Then, near the back of the book, he found the entry that stopped his heart cold.
They say the girl who saved him in that car accident was Sabrina. That’s fine. I’m just someone the Linwood family took in. A servant’s daughter.”
Sabrina seems like a rich young lady… I hope she won’t let him down.
There was a document tucked at the bottom of the attic box.
A diagnosis certificate $
