Chloe's legs trembled as she returned home, grateful that her mother and brother had already left, sparing them from witnessing her disheveled state. She filled the bathtub with steaming hot water and sank into it, allowing herself a moment of weakness in the small, confined space.
As she stared at the bruises on her body, memories of last night's chaotic events flooded back, and scalding tears fell, mingling with the warm water. She couldn't understand why her life had taken such a disastrous turn. It must have started when she caused her father's death. She killed him, and now even the heavens were punishing her. Betrayed by both her boyfriend and her sister, as if that weren't enough, she had inexplicably ended up in bed with a stranger.
She felt too ashamed to face anyone.
"Chloe..." Her father's bloodstained hand had grasped hers as he stroked her face with his dying breath. "My darling... I'm leaving... This family... depends on you now... Take care of your mother... take care of... Flora and... Beck..."
And with that, her father closed his eyes, full of regret and reluctance.
At that moment, miraculously, her high fever broke. She stared at her father's blood-covered body and the blood on her own hands, feeling utterly empty. It was as if the fever had drained all the moisture from her body—she wanted to cry, but no tears came.
Undoubtedly, in the eyes of her mother and siblings, she was the one who killed her father. And her inability to shed a tear was proof of her cold-heartedness.
"Dad..." Chloe cradled her face in her hands, tears finally streaming down. "I wish I could die in your place..." Her frail shoulders shook uncontrollably.
She was so tired. She longed to lie down and rest, to finally lay down the burdens on her shoulders. But her father was gone, and she couldn't... she couldn't show weakness in front of her family, or anyone else. She had to carry on the responsibilities her father had left behind.
After pulling herself together, exhaustion overcame her, and she collapsed onto her bed, eyes fluttering shut. Her curled eyelashes still clung to remnants of moisture, trembling slightly, and her round nose was red while her face was excessively pale, like a sheet of paper.
She wasn't sure how long she had slept—or if she had slept at all—when a sudden ringing startled her awake.
She answered the phone, only to hear her mother's sobbing voice, "Chloe, Flora's in trouble... come to the hospital..."
Chloe's heart sank. Since their father's death, her mother had cried for days and nights, losing her voice and shedding all her tears until she fell silent, showing no emotion. But now... something truly terrible must have happened!
For a moment, Chloe almost dropped the phone. Her fragile family could hardly withstand another blow.
Her voice trembled as she tried to sound steady, "Mom, don't cry, I'm on my way!" But in truth, she was panicking. Her mind was a blank slate, and she felt utterly lost. Yet, she had to be strong—if she fell apart, what would happen to her mother?
Shakily getting out of bed, she rummaged through her wardrobe for a long-sleeved shirt, buttoning it up to hide the marks on her neck. Slipping on her shoes, she rushed to the hospital.
***
At the hospital, Chloe found her mother with swollen, tear-streaked eyes. The moment her mother saw her, she collapsed into Chloe's arms, sobbing uncontrollably.
"Mom, don't cry. What happened to Flora? Trust me, no matter how difficult things get, our family... we'll get through this together..." Chloe's voice caught in her throat as she tried to comfort her mother, forcing back the tears that threatened to fall. She couldn't cry!
"Last night... Flora... Flora was at Paradiso..." Donna choked on her words, unable to form a complete sentence.
But just hearing the name "Paradiso" made Chloe's heart pound in fear. She had been at Paradiso last night too... Could it be that her sister had experienced the same horror?
Oh God, her head spun as she struggled to stay conscious.
"Flora... she... at Paradiso... she suddenly fell ill... she's dying..." Donna finally managed to say through her sobs.
Chloe's vision darkened, and she nearly fainted.
Her frail body leaned against the wall for support, barely keeping her upright.
Her delicate eyes could no longer hold back the weight of her tears, and they finally cascaded down.
Flora is dying?!
Those words struck her like a curse, squeezing the breath out of her lungs!
Her father's dying words echoed in her ears once more.
If Flora dies, how will she ever face her father?
She would rather go back to two months ago when Flora pointed at her, arrogantly declaring, "I slept with your man!" She would rather Flora curse her, call her heartless, a devil! She would rather Flora jump and shout that she hated her!
What did her own pain matter? At least then her sister was alive! Their family was still whole, and she wouldn't have failed her father.
But now...
Chloe's slender frame shook as she held onto her mother, her tears falling like a flood, her teeth clamped down on her lip to keep from making a sound.
Dad, I failed to protect my sister. I failed to protect this family... Her heart was already shattered, more painful than the humiliation she endured last night. No amount of tears could wash away her guilt.
She had caused their father's death, and now their family was falling apart because of her!
The doctor pushed open the doors of the emergency room and stepped out.
"Who is Flora Miller's family?"
"I-I am." Chloe wiped the tears from her eyes and straightened her frail frame. "Doctor, how is she...?"
The middle-aged doctor, around fifty years old, glanced at Chloe's weak figure, worried about the small girl before him. He asked again, "You're her family?"
Chloe nodded.
"Her condition is critical. While she's not in immediate danger, she needs a significant blood transfusion and treatment for several other serious conditions. Expect to need hundreds of thousands of dollars..." The doctor seemed to hesitate, reluctant to further distress this frail mother and daughter duo.
But he was only a small attending physician, powerless in the face of such dire circumstances. There was more he could have said... but seeing their pitiful state, he couldn't bring himself to say anything else, only gently urging, "Hurry and gather the money. And when she wakes up, don't upset her."
Even though Flora wasn't dying, the enormous medical bills were like a death sentence.
Donna's legs gave way.
"Mom, Mom!" Chloe cried out in fear, and the doctor rushed over to help, guiding them to a nearby chair.
"My poor child..." Donna wept in agony.
Chloe's heart broke at her mother's cries, torn between the doctor's half-good, half-bad news.
"Mom, as long as she's alive, that's all that matters! I'll find a way to get the money." What did it matter if she had to scrape together the money? As long as it didn't cost her sister's life.
The doctor glanced at Chloe's red, swollen eyes. She was a young girl, once as vibrant as a flower, now reduced to this sorrowful state, smiling through her pain, crying in a way that broke his heart.
Sigh—
He sighed and shook his head as he left.
Chloe had only graduated from university a few months ago and hadn't found a stable job yet. Since her father's death three years ago, she had been working as a pianist at Blues bar, where Mag generously paid her $5,000 a month. With her earnings from teaching piano on the side, she made about $10,000 a month.
But after covering her family's living expenses and her brother's school fees, there was hardly anything left. And Flora, being a high-maintenance spender, barely managed to cover her own expenses, let alone contribute to the family.
Hundreds of thousands of dollars! It was a death sentence for Chloe too. Sadly, the only friends she had were Mag and her best friend Cynthia. But neither of them had the means to help her.
What on earth was she going to do?!
Chloe was overwhelmed with worry about raising money, unaware that the internet and media were already in a frenzy.Shortly after noon, headlines like "Lionel Williams, CEO of K International Group, Spotted with Flora Miler at Paradiso" along with a series of photos started appearing online. Although Flora's face was blurred out, the news spread like wildfire.The public was in an uproar.Lionel Williams was the dream man of millions, admired for his near-godlike perfection. The sudden revelation of such a scandal involving him was shocking and unacceptable to many.Some sympathetic fans tried to defend Lionel, but the majority were relentless in their condemnation, hurling insults like "hypocrite," "shameless," and "disgusting."Posts and comments spread rapidly, intensifying the controversy. The internet was nearly brought to a standstill, and K International Group's stock took a significant hit.Lionel, caught completely off guard, was furious.He had personally witnessed his men d
Flora's surgery was over, and she woke up on the third day.Her eyes were vacant, her face paler than paper, and her lips were cracked and peeling. She clutched the blanket tightly around her, leaving only her face exposed, staring blankly at the ceiling, saying nothing. She didn't even drink when offered water, as if she had completely lost her mind.Blood transfusions and IV drips kept flowing into her, but no matter how much Donna coaxed her, Flora remained silent.Chloe and their mother were beside themselves with worry and went to ask the doctor what was going on. But the doctor was evasive, unwilling to say much. He only mentioned that Flora's illness was severe, affecting her nerves, and urged them to prepare the money for treatment and keep her calm. Any shock could be fatal.In the evening, a girl in the same hospital room was browsing the internet on her tablet when she suddenly exclaimed, "Oh my god! Lionel is getting married!"At the mention of Lionel's name, Flora's vacan
Hasn't she already slept with her man? Isn't she still standing here just fine? If Flora wanted her life, Chloe would probably let her take it without resistance, Chloe thought. It's what she owe... let it be... whatever comes, she'll take it.There was no sound from Flora, only the chilling sound of her laughter, tears streaming down her face as she laughed, her entire body shaking.Chloe watched her silently, waiting for her to release her emotions. Words of comfort wouldn't come out; since their father passed away, Chloe found herself becoming more cold-hearted."Chloe... I hate you!" Flora finally screamed.She knew it! She had always known!Chloe remained silent, waiting for her to continue."Lionel Williams, the president of K International Group, publicly announced that he wants to marry me... haha..." Flora trembled violently, her face as pale as a sheet, twisted in a grotesque expression."Congratulations!" Chloe said calmly, though her heart was in turmoil. Marrying into wea
"I want YOU to marry him!" Flora repeated, her gaze shifting from the ceiling to Chloe, filled with resentment and bitterness."No, that's impossible!" Chloe shot to her feet. Yes, she feared Flora's death, but she wouldn't allow herself to be manipulated. "Flora, are you out of your mind? Isn't he the man you've always wanted to marry?"Something about Chloe's words set Flora off. The moment she finished speaking, Flora burst into another round of loud, heart-wrenching sobs.Chloe was stunned. Could an illness really change someone's personality so drastically? In her memory, Flora had always been a tough, calculating character, not someone who would cry so easily."I want you to marry him. Will you do it or not?" Flora demanded between sobs, her eyes fixed on Chloe."I won't!"What new trick was Flora trying to pull? Wasn't Chloe already suffering enough? Did she really need to force her to marry the man who had destroyed her life?Chloe made up her mind—she would rather die than ma
Cold. Chloe's entire body felt as if it were enduring the chill of a midwinter night. She was like a solitary leaf trembling in the wind, on the brink of falling.Chloe knew very well that taking Flora's place in this marriage would mean the end of her own life.From that moment on, she would have to live under Flora's name, and the person known as Chloe—both in name and in existence—would disappear completely.So be it. This was the tragedy of being Chloe.The ivy crawled up the walls, its leaves so densely packed and vibrantly green that they almost glistened in the light, their life force palpable as they swayed in the breeze. Such was the brilliant life of the ivy. And her life? It was all shades of gray."Miss Flora!" A low male voice called from behind her.Chloe tensed, her hand gripping the ivy frozen in midair.Was he calling her? No, it couldn't be. She was Chloe! The thought flashed through her mind instinctively."Miss Flora!" The man called again.Yes, he was indeed calli
Chloe slowly turned around. Amos stood a short distance behind her.Flora's expression remained cold and detached as her gaze briefly swept over Amos. She then continued walking forward as if he didn't exist.Amos's eyes were filled with anger. How dare this woman ignore him! He vividly remembered the time when she clung to him like a delicate bird.Recalling the scene he just witnessed, his fists clenched, and his eyes reddened with fury. Watching her walk away, he shouted at her retreating figure, "You'd rather sell yourself than look at me! How could you be so cheap?"Chloe froze, biting her lip as she stopped in her tracks. She didn't turn around, gripping the fabric of her sleeve tightly. Treating his words like the barking of a stray dog, she resumed walking.Amos was utterly enraged by her indifference. "Is money all you care about? Fine! If you're selling, then sell yourself to me! I'll pay you double what you asked for!"This damned woman! He loved her so much, but she tossed
Inside the house, the luxurious decor and grand setting were immediately apparent. The large curtains of the massive glass windows were drawn back, revealing the shimmering pool outside and a vast front garden filled with exotic flowers. The servants seemed to have been specially trained, moving with identical grace and rhythm.A woman in her fifties, dressed in a sharp blue suit, approached Chloe. Her eyes were full of shrewdness and efficiency. The other maids and servants bowed respectfully as she passed, then went back to their duties of cleaning and polishing."Madam, I'm the housekeeper here. You can call me Grace," the woman said, her sharp gaze assessing Chloe. Although she addressed her as "Madam," there was no respect in her eyes—only a cold, detached indifference."Grace," Chloe replied casually, not bothered by Grace's frosty demeanor. She hadn't expected to be respected upon entering this house anyway.The moment she stepped into the house, Chloe felt a deep chill creepin
The entire agreement, rather than merely imposing various restrictions on her, was more like an alternative form of humiliation.For instance, she was forbidden from being in the living room at 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., from appearing on any path Lionel walked, and from being present whenever there were guests in the house.Unless Lionel explicitly allowed it, her identity as his wife required her to remain confined within the mansion.Without a word, Chloe picked up the pen and swiftly signed "Flora Miler." She felt a slight sense of gratitude towards this devilish man for showing a shred of mercy by allowing her to escape, even if she didn't know when that day might come. At least, she could see a glimmer of hope.As she looked at Flora's signature, she couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions. Her so-called sister had threatened her with death to force her into marrying this man, even though she knew that Chloe saw him as nothing short of a beast. Yet Flora still coerced her into marriage