"Now, Skylar knew full well I was allergic, yet she had people force-feed me powder that nearly suffocated me to death. And you say... we should just let it go?"

Ethan’s face darkened, clearly provoked by her questioning. "Then what do you want?! Do you want me to personally send Skylar to prison too?! She is my flesh-and-blood sister! How could I be so ruthless to her?! Besides, she suffered for so many years out there because of you! Think of this as her just collecting a little bit of interest on what she’s owed!"

Flesh-and-blood sister... couldn't be ruthless... collecting interest...

Each phrase was like a poisoned needle, stabbing deep into Summer's heart.

She suddenly began to laugh low, laughing until tears came. The laughter was raspy and unpleasant, filled with endless sorrow and despair. "Yes... she is your real sister. So, no matter what she does to me, you won't be ruthless. And I... I am just an outsider, the outsider who made her suffer all those years. So, whatever she does to me, I deserve it, don't I?"

Chapter Six

Ethan was stunned by her words and the absolute, dead despair in her eyes, momentarily rendered speechless.

Julian’s expression also shifted. He stepped forward, gently pushing the dazed Ethan out of the room, and whispered, "Ethan, go outside and cool off. I’ll handle this."

He closed the door and returned to Summer’s bedside, his voice very soft. "Summer, your brother didn't mean it that way. He was just anxious and spoke without thinking. Don't take his words to heart."

"Your brother still cares for you. How can years of affection be severed so easily? Otherwise, he wouldn't let you stay in the Woods family. And I..."

He reached out, appearing as if he wanted to touch her face, but Summer jerked her head away.

Julian’s hand froze in mid-air, but his voice became even more tender. "Even if the engagement was originally meant for Skylar and me, my heart only holds you. You are the one I grew up with, the only one I recognize as my wife. My concern for Skylar is only out of guilt. Don't overthink it; just focus on getting better. I will stay and look after you for the next few days."

Summer closed her eyes and did not speak again.

She was too tired—so tired she didn't even have the strength to discern the truth in his words.

Julian indeed stayed to look after her for a few days, being meticulous and attentive, as if he had returned to being the gentle, caring fiancé of the past.

Under the influence of the medication, Summer’s body slowly began to recover.

The rash faded, and her throat no longer hurt as much. Only the wounds on her heart remained, festering and beyond any cure.

The day of her discharge happened to be the birthday she shared with Skylar.

It was tradition for the Woods family to host a grand birthday gala.

Because her body hadn't fully recovered, and because she didn't want to go downstairs and face hypocritical flattery and pitying looks, Summer stayed in her room alone.

Ethan and Julian didn't say much about it; they simply told her to rest well and went downstairs to entertain the guests.

Not long after, Skylar pushed the door open, wearing a magnificent gown and flawless makeup.

"Sister, the birthday party downstairs is so lively; so many people have come. Ethan and Julian prepared so many gifts for me and even hired a band..."

"But more than any of that, I want to realize my birthday wish right now. My wish is—you, Summer Woods, disappearing from my sight forever."

She clapped her hands, and two tall, strange men immediately entered the room.

"Take her away. The further the better. Ideally, she should never appear before me again," Skylar commanded coldly.

Summer’s face changed instantly.

She couldn't leave! She had an appointment with her biological brother; he was coming here to pick her up!

She struggled to resist, but her weakened body was no match for two strong men.

She was forcibly dragged up, her mouth covered, and taken out of the room. She was shoved into a black van waiting at the back gate of the villa.

The vehicle sped away, leaving the city limits.

In the van, the two men were orderly at first, but as the vehicle drove into increasingly remote suburbs, their gazes became predatory, scanning Summer up and down.

"Boss, this girl might look a bit pale, but she’s really not bad looking..."

"Exactly. A daughter of the Woods family, such delicate skin..."

The two exchanged a lecherous glance and suddenly pulled the van over next to an abandoned factory on the side of the road.

"What... what are you doing?!"

"What are we doing? Heh, little beauty, why don't you have some fun with us? Miss Woods said to send you as far away as possible anyway. No one will ever know if we throw you away after we're done!"

The two men lunged at her, starting to tear at her clothes!

"Get away! Don't touch me! Help—!!"

Summer exploded with an incredible burst of latent potential, kicking and struggling with everything she had.

In the chaos, her hand brushed against a wrench in the van. She slammed it hard against one of the men’s heads.

The man cried out in pain and loosened his grip.

Summer took the opportunity to throw the door open and scrambled out, running desperately back in the direction she had come from.

She was barefoot, running with all her might over the rugged wasteland. Thorns tore at her skin, but she felt no pain.

Only one thought remained in her mind: Run! Get back to the villa! Wait for her brother to come for her!

After running for an unknown amount of time, just as she was about to collapse from exhaustion, headlights suddenly appeared ahead!

Two familiar sports cars pulled over at the side of the road. Ethan and Julian were standing by the cars, seemingly searching for something in a panic.

Summer felt as if she had found her saviors and rushed toward them with her last bit of strength. "Save me!"

Ethan and Julian were shocked to see her disheveled and covered in wounds.

"Summer? How did you end up like this?!" Julian hurried to take off his coat and drape it over her.

Ethan frowned, his tone stern. "What happened?!"

Summer was shaking all over, her lips trembling.

Just as she was about to speak, Ethan’s phone rang.

He answered it. As he listened, his face turned deathly pale, then a raging fire ignited in his eyes as he turned to look at Summer.

"Summer Woods! You really are something! You actually dared to play a diversionary tactic with us?!"

Chapter Seven

Julian Rivers was perplexed. "Ethan, what’s going on?"

Ethan Woods pointed at Summer Woods, his voice trembling with extreme fury. "She deliberately faked being kidnapped to lure us out to find her! Then, she turned around and had someone set fire to the house, trying to burn Skylar alive!!"

What?! Arson?!

Summer felt as if she had been struck by lightning. She jerked her head up, looking at Ethan in disbelief. "I didn't!"

"You still dare to lie?!" Ethan interrupted her sharply. "The house servants saw with their own eyes that you secretly took gasoline this afternoon! Summer Woods! How has Skylar ever wronged you?! Why would you try to harm her like this?!"

Julian also stared at Summer in shock, his eyes filled with heartache and incredulity. "Summer, you... how could you do something like this?"

"I didn't! It was Skylar! She had people kidnap me! She even wanted them to assault me! I fought with everything I had to escape!" Summer explained loudly, her voice hoarse and broken.

"Enough!" Ethan didn't believe a word. He grabbed Summer with a force that felt like it would crush her bones. "Nothing you say matters now! You're coming back with us immediately! Skylar was burned and sent to the hospital! If anything happens to her, I'll make you pay with your life!"

Summer was roughly shoved into the car and taken back to the city, straight to the hospital.

Outside the operating room, the atmosphere was heavy. Skylar had been rushed inside for emergency treatment.

After an unknown amount of time, the doors opened and the lead surgeon stepped out. "Miss Woods has significant burns on her back and arms. Although we've performed debridement and skin graft surgery... even with the best recovery, she will likely be left with very noticeable scars."

Scarring...

Ethan's face instantly became extremely grim.

Skylar prized her beauty above all else. To her, permanent scarring was undoubtedly a devastating blow.

He spun around, his bloodshot eyes locking onto Summer, who was standing to the side. "Summer Woods... Skylar cares most about her appearance. Since you caused her to be scarred for life... I will destroy the thing you care about most as punishment!"