His Stepsister’s Shadow, Her Broken Heart

After failing to get her fiance, Austin Langford, to sleep with her for the 99th time, Cara Reyes calls up her best friend, Jessica Hogan, and says, "Jess, I'm coming to Spark City to find you." Almost immediately, the sound of a chair slamming on the ground comes through from the other end of the line. Jessica's excited voice is then heard. "Cara! You've finally thought it through! I've told you a long time ago that Austin isn't good for you! He looks too weak!" Cara's red-rimmed eyes light up a little as she smiles. "Yeah. I've thought it through." "Don't be sad, Cara. Once you're in Spark City, I'll introduce you to a new foreign boyfriend with broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and perfect body proportions. Their genes here are all top-notch, and you will definitely have a beautiful baby with them!" Nodding, Cara says, "Alright. Let me go and get my marriage certificate back first." After ending the call, Cara lies down in bed and falls asleep with a heavy heart. Sometime during midnight, someone pulls back the covers and slides in next to her, his warm body settling down just about an arm's length away from her. A short while later, Cara hears the rustling of clothes and the man panting softly beside her. Cara's body goes numb like she's just been electrocuted. However, she still slowly turns her head back to take a closer look. Chapter 1 The moonlight streamed through the windows, bathing Austin Langford's muscular arms and rolled-up sleeves with a soft, white glow. He clutched a lacy silk nightgown in one hand while his other hand moved quickly and swiftly under the covers. A low growl escaped his lips, and Austin's tense body relaxed right after that. It wasn't until he finally got up and went to the bathroom that Cara Reyes finally dared to release her lower lip she'd bitten down on until it bled. The bathroom door was ajar. She watched through the crack in the door as Austin carefully rubbed the nightgown with his fingers and even sniffed it at times with a dazed look in his eyes. "Winter… Winnie…" Winter Langford was Austin's younger stepsister. Half an hour later, Austin finally came back to the bed, but he still kept an arm's distance away from Cara. He didn't even touch her throughout the entire ordeal, but Cara couldn't go back to sleep anymore. She kept her eyes wide as she lay awake, lost in her memories. When she was 20 years old, both her parents had died at sea, and they left her such a huge inheritance that she didn't even have to work anymore for the rest of her life. However, she felt lonely and wanted a child of her own to keep her company. The day she first met Austin, he had just returned from the port where he worked. He had a broad back, a slim yet muscular waist, and sweat was trickling down his shoulder and abs. Cara could feel her entire body reacting to him. After learning that he and his stepsister were struggling financially, she seized the opportunity and decided to "sponsor" him by providing for him financially. Then, she began seducing him with every opportunity she could get after confirming their relationship. In the summer, Cara would wear short dresses to deliver lunch to him, but she would never get a second glance from him. He would then tell her that the food she gave him was no different from the food served at his canteen. At night, she would slip on custom-made nightgowns and get onto him, asking for a night of intimacy. He, however, wouldn't respond to her at all. Once, she'd even tried drugging his drinks, but aside from him blushing lightly, he told her it was useless otherwise. Cara thought that he had too many responsibilities in life, and that was the main reason why he had no desire for her. It wasn't until she woke up the other night a month ago and witnessed the jaw-dropping scene of him masturbating to a nightgown that she finally realized something. His lust, desire, and impulses had never been directed at her from the start. Rather, they were all directed toward Winter, his stepsister who had no blood relation to him at all. That was the night when everything fell apart for Cara. The first rays of sunshine poured in through the windows, and Austin got up next to her before going to get dressed. Cara called out to him on instinct. "Austin, I—" Austin cast her a cold look as he fixed the tie around his neck. "Haven't you already tried it in the mornings?" Cara froze in her spot. It wasn't until a couple of minutes later that she finally understood what he meant. So, did he think that she was a woman driven by her insatiable lust for him? His words felt like rubbing salt on her wounds, tearing apart and eating into her bleeding injuries once more. Cara just chuckled bitterly and walked out after him, bumping into Winter on the way, who had also just gotten up. She still had a sleepy look in her eyes as she instinctively hugged Austin with her arms around his waist. "Austin, have you seen my newest nightgown anywhere? That one is my favorite." Hearing that, Cara immediately turned to look at Austin. She wanted to know how he would answer Winter's question. After all, he had kept the nightgown hidden away like a precious gem, making sure nobody else could ever get it back. "I haven't seen it. I'll buy you another one," Austin said stiffly, gulping a few times at how intimately Winter was acting with him. He was getting aroused, and it was only from a hug… His restrained yet passionate gaze shattered the last line of defense in Cara's heart. Lowering her head, she walked right past them with a bitter smile and headed straight for the door. She pushed it open and walked out. "Are you leaving?" Austin asked behind her. Cara didn't look back as she replied, "Yeah." She was leaving and never coming back. Chapter 2 Cara went to the marriage registration office at the city hall and retrieved her marriage registration form from the puzzled staff. It was quite an ironic situation, after all. Austin had only just been crowned mayor of the city. Worried that their marriage would negatively impact his work, Cara had postponed the submission of their marriage form. Little did she know that she had actually given herself a way out of her current situation now. She rode home on her bike and heard quarrelling coming from inside the mansion through the narrow door. Winter was crying bitterly. "Austin! We weren't like this in the past! We could hug and hold hands with each other! Why can't we do it anymore?" Austin, who was standing opposite her, refused to hug her. He said, "I'm going to get married soon. We can't do this." There was a loud crash. Winter had grabbed the ashtray on the table and flung it at Austin's head with all her might. "Then don't marry her! You're already the mayor! We don't need her charity anymore!" Winter screamed. Austin had a deep gash on his forehead, but he was still as gentle as ever with her. He sighed softly and pulled the trembling Winter into his embrace, patting her softly on the back. "Just wait, okay? Just wait for me." Winter continued sobbing in his arms. Austin restrained himself as much as possible and kissed the top of her head. Cara witnessed everything from outside and felt her blood completely freeze over. She clapped a hand over her mouth and slumped to the floor, her mind replaying Austin's words over and over again. What had Austin meant by telling Winter to wait? What was he waiting for? Was he waiting until the dust settled before he finally abandoned her? Cara didn't want to continue thinking about it. She was going to leave the country very soon. She didn't want to continue being toyed with by Austin and Winter anymore. That evening, Austin had to leave the mansion because something urgent came up at work. Winter had locked herself in her room, so Cara took the opportunity to pack up everything she owned in the mansion. She had been with Austin for five years, and yet, everything she owned could be fitted inside a 26-inch cardboard box. Before going to sleep, Cara drank the mug of warm milk on her placed on the bedside table as usual and fell into a deep sleep. She could feel someone tearing her clothes in her dreams, and her body was also very hot and warm to the touch. Cara naturally thought that it was Austin. Then, she tugged open her collar as she opened her eyes. When she did, however, a stranger's face suddenly appeared before her. "You're awake, Cara." Cara screamed and woke up immediately. "Who are you? What are you doing in my house?" The man, Rocky Smithson, smiled, flashing his dirty, yellowed teeth. He kept inching closer to the terrified Cara, cornering her. "Don't you want a baby? The Smithson family has good genes! I promise I can give you a baby boy just like you wish!" Cara was sweating and felt her vision going blurry, and she knew that she'd been drugged. Rocky's hands were reaching for her chest and were about to tear off her bra when Cara suddenly gritted her teeth and grabbed the pair of scissors she kept on her bedside table. Then, she stabbed it right through Rocky's arm. Blood began gushing from Rocky's arm. Cara then screeched at him, saying, "If you lay another finger on me again, I will kill you first, and then myself!" … It was early in the morning at the police station when Cara was there with just a thin shawl over her shoulders. She had only just managed to call Austin on his phone. "Austin, I'm at the police station." There was a slight pause at the other end of the line. Then, Austin said, "I'm busy with work. Settle things yourself." He ended the call right away without giving Cara another chance to speak. The police sitting opposite Cara saw how upset she looked. He then shifted his attention toward Winter, who was sitting on the other side of the table. "Alright. Spill. Why did you bribe Rocky into doing this?" the police questioned. Winter lowered her head and refused to say anything. The policeman knocked on the table and gave her an ultimatum. "Something as serious as this could land you in jail for three days. Aren't you afraid of leaving a permanent criminal record, Ms. Langford?" Cara recalled how she had also "sponsored" every single penny of Winter's college fees last time, and now, this was how Winter repaid her. When Winter heard what the policeman said, she finally showed a different kind of emotion on her face. "I'm calling my brother!" When Austin arrived, his forehead was beaded in sweat, and his shirt was a little disheveled from running too quickly as he rushed to the police station. It had only been about ten minutes since Winter called him. "What happened, Winter?" he asked. Winter looked like she'd just met her lifesaver and hid behind him, looking like she was about to burst into tears. "Hasn't Cara always been asking you for a baby? Does it really matter who the baby's father was? I've already done my research and found out that the Smithsons have really good genes that would definitely give her a baby boy! "How could Cara not be grateful that I'd done such a huge favor for her?" Austin listened to her quietly, his eyes occasionally darting to the deep scratches on Cara's chest. Then, he asked Winter and Cara to leave the room for a while. Winter crossed her arms and looked smugly at Cara as they stood outside in the cold. "Wanna bet that Austin's going to take my side no matter what?" Cara didn't bother answering her. Half an hour later, Austin pushed the door open and walked straight toward her. Cara didn't know why, but she actually caught herself harboring some hope as she looked into his eyes. "Don't bring this up again next time. Rocky will be sent to jail, and you will not hold this against Winter anymore." This was an answer that Cara didn't expect. Her lips trembled as she exclaimed, "Austin Langford! Your sister was behind that the whole time!" Austin sounded impatient. "Well? You're still alive." It was just a single line from him, but that was enough to strip Cara of all her energy then and there. Her arms fell limply to the sides. Just as she thought of saying something to him, it began raining outside. "Let's go, Winter," Austin said, holding up an umbrella with one hand and putting his other arm around Winter's shoulders. They then disappeared into the rain. It was as if none of them realized that Cara needed an umbrella to get home. The rain only got heavier and heavier after that, falling on Cara's face until she didn't know if they were raindrops or her tears anymore. Chapter 3 Unexpectedly, Cara got a high fever after the rain that night. While she was recovering at home, Austin somehow became less cold toward her and personally cooked for her, making sure she was taken care of and that she ate her medication. If this were in the past, Cara would have been touched and grateful toward Austin. But now, she just found it pathetic. Austin was merely atoning for Winter's sins. It wasn't because he actually felt sorry for her at all. If he did, then he wouldn't have just pretended to tell Winter off at home or run into her bedroom later that night to apologize and make it up to her because he felt terrible about it. Cara finally recovered completely and was eating lunch downstairs one day. Winter was sitting at the head of the table, wearing an eye-catching, glimmering crystal bangle around her wrist. The crystal bangle had been an heirloom that Cara's mother, Diana Fontaine, had left for her after her death. Cara had kept it away safely in the attic upstairs, and she didn't know how Winter had managed to get her hands on it. Cara marched up to Winter, pointed at the bangle, and asked sharply, "Where did you get this bangle from?" Winter didn't look the least bit guilty. She even showed it off proudly to Cara and said, "Austin found it in the attic and gave it to me. It matches the dress I'm wearing for tonight's club." Cara didn't want to waste her breath on Winter anymore and demanded that she return the bangle to her at once. However, Winter refused. "You're going to marry Austin anyway! That means everything you own will be his, and everything his is also mine! Why can't I wear it, then?" Winter shot back. Cara was just about to grab the bangle back by force when Winter suddenly slapped her so hard on the cheek that Cara swore she saw stars. The bangle flew off during the altercation and fell to the floor, breaking into a few pieces. A few broken pieces bounced off the ground and cut into Cara's legs, making her bleed. At that moment, Austin stormed into the dining room. "Austin! My finger's bleeding!" Winter cried, showing him her finger that was just mildly scuffed. At once, Austin took her finger and put it in his mouth to lick it and stop the "bleeding". Cara watched as Austin's eyes grew increasingly unfocused and his breathing got faster and more rapid. At the most crucial moment, Austin suddenly got up and headed straight for the bathroom expressionlessly. He never looked at Cara at all as he chided her, "It's just a bangle. I will never forgive you if anything happens to Winter!" He didn't even ask if Cara had been hurt. Cara just looked down and laughed at herself pitifully. She then fetched the first-aid kit, cleaned the wound, disinfected it, and dressed it herself. However, she could hear quarreling downstairs. It sounded like Winter was insisting on going out to party at the club, but Austin wouldn't let her. In the end, Winter stormed out of the mansion in a fury and slammed the door behind her. … That night, Austin suddenly walked into the room, looking genuinely concerned. "Is your leg okay? I'll bring you to the hospital if needed," he said. Austin was always playing games like this, giving Cara the stick before rewarding her with a carrot. It almost felt as though he was a cat toying with its prey, constantly keeping Cara's heart on edge as he pushed and pulled on her heart that was pounding with anxiety and insecurity. "Forget about it," she replied. He didn't care about her refusal and dipped a cotton swab in iodine before gently applying it to her wound. Cara hissed lightly, making him chuckle. "You're behaving just like a kid." A fruit-flavored lollipop suddenly appeared in her lap. She recognized the packaging. It was from a handmade sweets shop in Sothernia, and one would have to queue for at least a few hours to get in. She picked up the lollipop and unwrapped it, feeling the sticky sugar coating her fingers. Just as she was about to put it in her mouth, she suddenly heard the sound of the door opening downstairs. Chapter 4 Austin immediately got up and walked out, throwing the cotton swabs down onto the floor. "Why did you come back like this? You're not allowed to go to the club anymore!" he warned. Cara walked out and saw Winter hammering her fists against Austin's chest. "You can't control me like this! I'm going to keep drinking and keep going to clubs at night! I'm going to find other men, fall in love with them, give birth to their kids, and call them cute nicknames!" Austin immediately pulled Winter into his embrace, the veins on his neck popping. Winter was still loudly shouting angry, hurtful words at him in a muffled voice as if she finally had a venting outlet. Austin quickly lowered his head and kissed her on the lips, trying to calm her down. "Winnie… Baby… My baby…" Cara stood at the stairway and heard the sound of them kissing passionately. She had heard Austin calling her "baby" once after a party. That time, Austin had taken the initiative to kiss her, repeatedly calling her "baby". She used to treasure that memory in her mind, never imagining that she was just a substitute for someone else, or perhaps, a tool for someone else's sexual gratification. Cara's eyes lowered. She put the lollipop into her mouth, but somehow, the taste was bitter on her tongue. She spat it out and threw it in the trash. It might have been five minutes, or it might have only been just one, but finally, the two people kissing downstairs stopped after Winter passed out from the alcohol. Austin carried her up in his arms and brought her upstairs. Cara hid behind the door, watching as they both entered the room together and never came out for the rest of the night. … The next morning, it was drizzling. When Austin came out of Winter's room, his face was cold and expressionless. They went to the cemetery in the hills to pay their respects to Austin's parents, like they did last year, on their death anniversary. However, this time, Cara didn't chat or banter much with them anymore, and the atmosphere was somewhat awkward. "Go out first. I have something I want to tell Mom and Dad," Austin suddenly said to Cara. Half of Austin's head was hidden in the dark at the cemetery, and Cara couldn't quite see the expression on his face. She didn't go down the hill as she was told. Instead, she hid behind a tree nearby and eavesdropped on him. Austin fell to his knees before his parents' tombstone. "Mom, Dad, I'm sorry. I did something I never should have done with Winter. But don't worry. I won't overstep my boundaries again. I'll only continue protecting her silently as her older brother for the rest of her life." Winter's voice could be heard not too far off. She had arrived at the cemetery with an umbrella in her hands and was walking slowly toward him. "Austin! I'm here to bring you home!" she exclaimed. Austin wasn't as affectionate with her as usual. He made Cara stand between himself and Winter, and he refused to make any eye contact with her. Halfway home, Winter suddenly stopped and began to cry, tears rolling down her face like waterworks. "You're abandoning me after introducing Cara to Mom and Dad, aren't you? Should I just move out and live on my own after today?" she asked. Austin looked at her in confusion. "What are you trying to say? Winter! Watch out!" Suddenly, a bolt of lightning flashed across the sky and struck the cherry blossom tree by the roadside. A huge branch broke off the tree, sending both Cara and Winter tumbling down the path until both their bodies hung precariously over the cliff. Austin immediately jumped down and grabbed both Cara's and Winter's wrists at the same time, tiny rocks tumbling down from the top of the cliff. His hand was split, and his blood dripped onto Cara's pale, terrified face as the rocks under her feet began cracking with a bone-chilling sound. Winter suddenly screamed, "Austin! Austin, let go! You'll get dragged down with us!" Austin's pupils constricted. The weight of their bodies, interlocked together by their fingers, was slowly causing the rocks to break and chip off. At the most crucial life-and-death moment, he suddenly felt Cara's fingers loosen from his grip. He looked at her broken face and heard her whispering, "You've already decided who you're going to save anyway, haven't you, Austin Langford? "Why are you still pretending to hesitate?" "Shut up!" Austin was just distracted for a split second, but he never felt more panicked or flustered than before. Then, Cara watched expectantly as he yanked Winter back to safety. Rocks flew everywhere. He saw Cara reaching toward a dried, broken branch protruding by the side of the cliff, but it was rotten and beginning to make cracking sounds under Cara's weight. Cara was literally dangling mid-air with the deep valley beneath her feet. Austin's expression changed drastically. He tried to rush forward to save her, but Winter quickly hugged him from the back. "Austin! You can't go there! It's already collapsed. You'll never save her!" "Winter! Let go!" Cara watched as the two of them continued getting entangled with each other, but she remained unusually calm. "You don't have to save me, Austin. I just wish that I'll never meet you again in my next life, if there's one. I'll just find someone who loves me, have a family with him, and spend the rest of my life with him." Right after Cara spoke, a sickening crack was heard as the branch she was standing on snapped in half. A split second before Cara plummeted into the valley, she suddenly saw a figure dashing toward her. Chapter 5 When Cara came back to her senses again, she realized that she was lying in a hospital bed. Both of Austin's arms were in casts, and he was all curled up on a chair next to her, catching forty winks. Cara recalled that it was Austin who had grabbed her hand and forcefully pulled her back from the edge of the cliff. Even when both his arms got dislocated and torn in many ways after that, he still never let go of her. Cara felt her heart softening for him once again. It was unavoidable. She wanted to reach out to caress the stubble that had grown on Austin's chin, but he opened his eyes just then. "Austin, I—" She could see his eyes sparkling when he looked at her. However, the next words that escaped his mouth sent a cold chill down her spine. "You're awake? Good. Nurse, come in and take her blood." Before Cara even realized what was going on, a few nurses filed into her room and held her down on the bed. Then, they inserted a huge needle into her arm, forcefully drawing blood from her. "Winter knocked her head against a rock while going down the hill. She urgently needs blood for her surgery now." Cara was in so much pain that she couldn't stop herself from shaking. "Austin Langford, you bastard! Did you ever ask me for my opinion? This is illegal! I saved both you and your stepsister! I'm not your rival or your enemy!" Nobody cared about her tears or her roaring. Their eyes were all focused on the beeping numbers on the monitor instead. They weren't draining her of her blood. They were taking her life force away from her. Cara's eyes slowly turned unfocused. She heard a nurse say, "The patient's blood pressure is dropping rapidly! We can't take any more blood from her. She'll die otherwise!" However, Austin's voice was firm and decisive, leaving absolutely no room for argument. "Draw another 1 pint of blood from her. Winter's condition hasn't stabilized yet." He took a few more steps toward Cara and looked at her deathly pale face and bruised and bitten lips, finally showing a hint of sympathy. "Are you… Are you okay? Hold on. I'll make it up to you next time," he said. Cara closed her eyes and replied softly, "Get out." After having so much of her blood drawn, Cara had to spend the better part of the next six months recovering before she could be back to normal again. … During her recovery, her best friend, Jessica Hogan, had called her multiple times. After learning what the Langford siblings did to her, Jessica flew into a huge temper. "What are those two jerks up to right now?" she demanded. What were they doing? Cara looked out of the window at the garden outside the hospital. Winter was sitting on a swing while Austin watched her protectively from the back as if she were something precious he could never afford to lose. Cara could count on one hand the number of times Austin came to visit her at the hospital back then. However, she could always hear him joking and laughing in the ward next door every single day. When Cara didn't reply on the phone, Jessice grew even more agitated. "If they dare to come to Spark City, I swear I'm going to skin them alive!" Cara chuckled and calmed Jessica down. "Jess, I've already bought the cruise tickets for three days later." "Alright! I'll be waiting for you!" … Cara and Winter were both discharged on the same day. Austin bought each of them a bouquet of fresh flowers when they were discharged. "Let's go home." Cara lowered her eyes and avoided his touch. Then, she threw the bouquet of roses straight into the trash. "Those roses represent Austin's sincerity toward you! Even if you didn't like them, you shouldn't throw them away in his face!" Winter exclaimed, glaring at Cara. Cara simply pulled up her sleeves and showed her the rash that was already spreading on her arms. "I'm severely allergic to pollen. Austin Langford, are you trying to send me back into the emergency unit as soon as I'm discharged?" Neither Austin nor Winter knew what to say. Austin especially looked remorseful about it. Cara ignored them both and left the hospital on her own. … At midnight, someone knocked on Cara's door. Austin was standing right outside her room. "What are you doing here?" she demanded. "I'm sorry for taking your blood to save Winter without asking you about it first. I was just too anxious back then. But now, I'm going to make it up to you." Austin's apology was a whole six months late, and Cara only found it extremely revolting. "I don't need it. Leave now." She was just about to kick Austin out of her room when he suddenly grabbed her wrists tightly and forcefully pushed her back onto the bed. Cara felt her head hit the soft pillow and suddenly got a little dizzy. A split second later, a warm body pressed against her. She could feel Austin's hot breath fanning against her neck as he said in a seductive voice, "Cara, let me make it up to you with our baby." Then, he began kissing her fervently. This time, she felt Austin having a reaction to her. It was something that had never happened before. He was getting aroused, but she was only getting nauseated. She quickly shoved him away and doubled over as she choked and retched on the side of the bed. When Austin saw this, his face turned extremely cold. After a long moment of silence, he said, "Since you refuse to sleep with me, then we will hold an engagement party in three days." Cara didn't reply to him, and Austin took it as a silent agreement before walking out of the room. After he left, Cara could still feel a penetrative, heated gaze on her. She looked up at the door and saw a resentful gaze peering at her through the crack in the door. It was Winter. Chapter 6 The day before the engagement party, the immigration department called Cara up, telling her that there was something wrong with her submitted documents. Cara quickly hurried over to make sure that the issue could be solved as efficiently as possible. By the time she was done with the paperwork, it was already midnight. Cara walked alone slowly on the empty streets. Suddenly, she heard hurried footsteps behind her. When she realized that something was wrong, the person behind her had already yanked on her hair and forcefully dragged her into a deserted alley. Cara kept struggling, but she got a few slaps in return instead. "Stop struggling!" Someone stood waiting in the alley. Something glinted momentarily in that person's hand that was hanging by her side. It was a sharp knife. Cara managed to recognize the person under the faint moonlight. "Winter Langford! What are you trying to do?" Winter crouched down to be on eye level with Cara. "I don't know what kind of spell you cast on Austin to make him suddenly insist on giving you a baby and a stupid engagement party. I can't stop what he wants to do, but hey, do you think the engagement will still go on after I slash this pretty face of yours?" The cold blade was then pressed lightly against Cara's face. It took just a little pressure before beads of blood appeared on her skin. The blade of the knife slowly pierced into Cara's flesh. When Cara realized that things were about to get completely out of control, she yelled, "Wait! Austin has actually only ever been in love with you!" The knife fell to the ground with a clang. Winter grabbed Cara by the collar and stared at her in disbelief. "What did you just say?" "Your brother loves you!" Cara exclaimed. "We've been together for years, but he's never touched me! We've never slept together! I even witnessed him masturbating to your nightgowns three times in the middle of the night!" Winter's grip loosened as a complicated look flashed across her face. She seemed shocked, overjoyed, embarrassed, yet regretful. Cara looked at her and suddenly felt that fate was a funny thing. Austin would never have admitted any of it out loud, but she had spilled his secrets as easily as that. However, before Cara could even heave a sigh of relief, Winter picked up the knife again and stepped even closer to her, this time brandishing it against her neck. "Even so, you're the one getting married to him. Austin will only reclaim his freedom after you're dead!" The murderous look on Winter's face was apparent, and Cara knew that she was determined to kill her. Cara's back was beaded with cold sweat. She shakily took out the marriage form from her bag and said, "What if I tell you that I've never submitted the marriage registration form?" She then tore up the form into tiny shreds right in front of the stunned Winter. "Are you happy now? Also, you can just replace me at the engagement party tomorrow. He's planning on a traditional one anyway, where he won't be able to see your face under the veil. No one can tell if it's you or me." Winter stared at Cara for a long time, as if in complete disbelief that Cara was actually smart enough to remove herself from the picture beforehand. She smiled and said, "At least you know what's best for you. Let's go!" Cara looked at the two disappearing figures and finally fell to the ground, her energy completely depleted. Chapter 7 On the day of the engagement party, Austin, the groom-to-be, left the mansion early in the morning. Cara just handed the engagement ring straight to Winter. It was a little small on her finger anyway, but it fit Winter's finger perfectly. Seeing that it was almost time for the cruise to depart, Cara grabbed her suitcases to leave, but she quickly realized that her room door was locked from the outside. Nobody came to answer, even after she banged on it several times. Just then, the stench of gasoline filled the room and soon covered the tiles on the floor. Winter's chilling voice could be heard again. "Sorry, Cara, but I'm still insecure even though you told me everything. Austin will never belong wholly to me as long as you're still alive." "What are you planning to do?" Cara asked. Cara had a terrible feeling about this. She could hear Winter's piercing laughter from the other side of the door. "So, for the sake of my happiness, please die as quickly as you can!" A match was struck and dropped onto the floor. The blaze was immediate. The fire quickly spread into the room with the gasoline on the floor and eventually consumed Cara's room entirely. Thick smoke entered Cara's lungs, and she choked hard. There was no other way out of the room apart from the window in the corner. Cara rushed over and opened it up quickly. However, this was a five-story drop to the ground, and she didn't have any tools with her. … At the same time, the city was buzzing with news of Austin's engagement. Austin finally lifted the veil at the engagement banquet, and he was completely shocked. "What are you doing here? Where's Cara?" This wasn't the person he wanted. Winter grabbed his hand and said, "Austin, please just let me be your bride." Austin shook her hand off for the first time as he chided, "We're siblings! This is incest! Winter, what… what are you doing!" Winter held a bottle of pesticides in her hand. It was highly concentrated and poisonous. She held the mouth of the bottle to her lips and threatened, "If you don't marry me, then I'll take my own life right in front of you!" They glared at each other for a long time. Eventually, Austin caved in to his desire and pulled Winter into his arms. He was very happy to spend time with Winter like this, even if it was only for a short hour. "You're not allowed to act recklessly like this again. Is Cara at home?" he asked. Winter pinched herself in the palm and smiled at him in response. "She's sleeping really well at home." Just a minute before the banquet was about to start, one of Austin's men rushed into the hall and said urgently, "Mr. Langford! Your mansion is on fire! The neighbors also heard a woman screaming for help inside!" The man's voice was quite soft, and Austin couldn't hear what he said. However, Winter caught a few keywords from him, such as "fire" and "mansion". She immediately raised her voice and said, "Austin! How could your subordinate be so inconsiderate? Can't he see that the event is about to start? Why is he suddenly reporting to you now about work?" Austin felt a sense of unease in his chest, but he thought he was just getting nervous before the engagement banquet. He frowned impatiently and waved his hand dismissively at his subordinate. "Is it about work? Alright, alright. You may leave now." "But—" The music began to play loudly just then, completely drowning out the man's voice. Austin then offered his hand to Winter. She took it, and they made their way into the banquet hall together. After the engagement banquet was over, Austin planned to ask the authorities to expedite his marriage registration form so that Cara would stop feeling insecure. As for Winter, he swore to treat her well for the rest of her life, just like how he used to do in the past. However, he never thought that the very woman he was thinking of was now dangling five stories above the ground as she slowly made her way down with a rope she made out of bedsheets. Cara's fingers were rubbed raw from rope burn, and it was so serious that she thought she could see her bone peeking through the flesh on her palms. She was also charred and singed all over her body, and her body ached terribly. Still, she didn't dare to slack off and remained tense the entire time, gripping firmly onto the makeshift rope. The metallic stench of her blood filled her nostrils, and the thick, billowing smoke stung her eyes. A split second later, there was a loud snap, and Cara's pupils constricted at once. "No!"