Chapter 3

Mom and Dad didn't use birth control back then and had me by accident. They always felt guilty toward Nina, who should have been an only child.

From childhood they told me, "Sarah, don't compete with Nina. She's your older sister. You need to defer to her."

Nina took all kinds of enrichment classes growing up—music, chess, calligraphy, painting—she excelled at everything.

When I wanted to buy a practice workbook, Mom scolded me for "wasting money."

Nina had a high-paying job in New York, and Mom and Dad secretly supplemented her income with five thousand dollars every month.

When I wanted to venture out and see the world, I secretly bought a ticket, but Mom and Dad tore it to pieces.

That night, I overheard them discussing in their room:

"Nina will get married eventually. We can't burden her. Sarah's obedient. Having her take care of us when we're old will be enough."

In their eyes, Nina was always precious.

And me? I was just there to shield Nina from trouble and grievances.

A week later, Rowan asked Nina to go hiking.

Without a second thought, she refused and pushed me out instead.

"Sarah, you go again. Tell him I'm busy with work."

As always, I didn't argue. I changed into athletic wear and went to the date.

While hiking, I walked at a steady pace and would wait for Rowan when he fell behind.

I handed him water and helped wipe his sweat.

When we reached difficult sections, I'd remind him to be careful.

The whole thing was relaxed. I didn't deliberately try to please him—just did what felt natural.

When we reached the summit, Rowan suddenly spoke.

"Your sister said she's busy, but she really just looks down on me, right?"

My heart tightened. I was about to explain when he smiled.

"I could tell something was off at our first meeting. Today's hike confirmed it."

"Nina has never given me a kind look, much less been as patient and genuine as you. I won't force her anymore."

He paused, his gaze becoming especially serious.

"Sarah, you're special. Want to try being together?"

"Rowan and I are together now."

When I told Nina, I also took out the gold necklace from last time and gave it to her.

"This is for you. Consider it thanks for letting me go on those dates."

Nina clutched the pendant, her brow furrowed, her eyes full of suspicion.

"You take home five thousand a month and have to give Mom and Dad three thousand. How can you suddenly afford something this expensive?"

I smiled in a seemingly naive way.

"I used my savings to buy it for you. It's not easy finding someone to date in our small town. Rowan makes eight thousand a month, he's honest, and if I marry him and we're careful with money, we can live better than most people."

She laughed, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

"Oh, so I did you a favor?"

"That's all the ambition you have—picking up the man I didn't want and thinking you hit the jackpot?"

I lowered my eyes and didn't respond.

I'd listened to her mockery for over twenty years. I was immune to it by now.

Since getting together with Rowan, we had dinner dates every Friday, but I was always late.

It wasn't intentional. Ever since Manager Lee's divorce, he'd been making things difficult for me.

Every time just before quitting time, he'd dump a pile of work on me and use "discussing work" as an excuse to grope me.

That day, Rowan came to pick me up from the office to make sure I wouldn't be late.

I had just walked out of the office building.

Manager Lee chased after me, pretending to hand me something, deliberately rubbing his fingertips across the back of my hand several times.

I didn't pull away. I even frowned slightly, showing a wronged and helpless expression.

I knew Rowan could see everything clearly from the car.

He suddenly honked the horn and shouted coldly toward the building:

"Who are you? Why are you touching her?"

Manager Lee jumped in fright and hurried away.

The next day at work, the office exploded with gossip.

Manager Lee had been urgently transferred to a remote rural township.

Colleagues whispered that he must have offended someone important. Otherwise, how could he suddenly be transferred without even a chance to argue back?

That evening when Rowan picked me up from work, I casually brought up what had happened.

He looked at me, his eyes filled with tenderness.

"I did it. I won't let you be mistreated."