“I was just passing by.
But Sally suddenly grabbed my hand and shouted:
“Lily, I know you like Kevin, but we’re really in love now. Can you stop breaking us up?”
Her voice drew all eyes to me.
Scornful, disdainful, mocking looks all focused on me, just like three years ago.
Her grip hurt; I frowned slightly.
“Let go.”
‘Lily, I’m begging you. Kevin and I finally got together. Please leave him alone.” Her tone was pleading as she squeezed my wrist hard.
Her nails dug deep into my flesh.
I winced and tried to pull her hand away gently.
I didn’t use force, but she screamed and fell to the ground. Before I could react, a slap landed hard across my face.
The air around fell silent.
Mrs. King appeared before me, trembling hands shaking as she angrily scolded:
“Lily, after all these years I raised you, this is how you repay me?
“If I’d known it would come to this, I never should have brought you into the King family!”
Mrs. King’s slap used all her strength. I reached out to wipe the blood from the corner of my mouth.
My mother died early; my father and Mr. King were comrades in arms. When I was ten, my father died saving Mr. King, and the King family took me in.
They raised me for ten years.
Now, this slap-
It drew blood and severed the bond I had with the King family.
I pulled out a card from my bag.
12:24 PM
I pulled out a card from my bag.
It had a million dollars on it.
I had prepared it long ago.
I handed it to Mrs. King: “Mrs. King, this is everything you spent on me over the past ten years, principal and interest, every cent. Now I’m paying you back.”
Mrs. King was stunned: “What did you call me?”
Everyone around cast amused, mocking glances at me.
Kevin came up, frowning deeply:
“Lily, stop this.”
Stop?
Kevin’s words made me smirk bitterly.
When the King family took me in ten years ago, many looked down on me.
Because the King family was powerful, and I was just an orphan with nothing.
Many called me a bastard behind my back, shamelessly clinging to the King family.
When Kevin found out, he tracked them down and beat them up.
Mr. and Mrs. King confronted their parents.
They said from now on, I was the King family’s only daughter, equal in status to Kevin. Anyone who looked down on me was disrespecting the King family.
When Kevin put the heirloom bracelet on my wrist, Mrs. King smiled and said she hoped Kevin and I were truly destined. To not disgrace the King family, I studied hard and got into the country’s top university.
I bought gifts for Mr. and Mrs. King with my scholarship money.
They were happy and wanted to throw me a celebration party, proud of me.
Kevin was the most excited, lifting me up publicly and saying I was his junior now.
With him around, no man with bad intentions could get near me.
They treated me well, and I naively thought I had a loving family.
But all that shattered the day I got my acceptance letter and confessed to Kevin.
Mr. and Mrs. King said nothing but sent me abroad the next day.
They never contacted me again.
Their words about hoping Kevin and I were destined were just empty talk.
I’m an orphan; what right do I have to be worthy of the King family’s only son?
I opened my mouth to say something to Kevin, but the words caught in my throat. Forget it.
There was nothing left to say.
I didn’t look at Mrs. King or Kevin again and turned to leave.
But Kevin grabbed my wrist.
His face showed impatience: “Today’s Mom’s birthday. You really want to make a scene?”
His grip was strong; the wounds Sally had left were crushed again.
The pain nearly brought tears to my eyes.
Pathetic.
“If you want to make trouble, apologize to Sally.”
He sneered, letting go of my hand and pulling Sally close:
“You pushed her just now.”
Sally smiled faintly in Kevin’s arms but still looked at me with tears in her eyes:
“It’s okay, Kevin. Lily didn’t mean it; she just cares about you too much,
“Lily, I don’t mind a little suffering. Don’t cause trouble between me, Mom, and Kevin.”
Sally’s soft words made her seem very understanding.
Kevin looked coldly at me:
“Two choices: apologize to Sally, or go back upstairs and behave. Otherwise…” *Sorry.”
I cut him off.
‘Enough? If not, I can keep going.”
Kevin was stunned, then angry:
“Good, good. Three years abroad and you’ve learned these tricks?
“You think sulking with me means I’ll forgive your nonsense?”
I didn’t look at him again and walked out of the King family house..
