Chapter 3

Sebastian brought me to the cemetery.

Kneeling before Melody's tombstone, I could no longer control my tears.

Sebastian tossed me a few tissues.

"How dare you cry in front of Melody? Put away your cheap tears, don't defile her tombstone."

He didn't know I wished more than anyone that she was still alive.

That way she could tell everyone about the phone call I made to her before the accident.

I was only reminding her the weather was bad and to come home early.

I never said anything about asking her to buy me cupcakes.

I wiped away my tears and apologized to Melody's photo.

"Melody, I'm sorry."

The attending physician said as long as I learned to be compliant, Sebastian wouldn't hate me anymore.

Sebastian was my only family left in this world.

It didn't matter if I was wronged, it didn't matter if he misunderstood me.

As long as he didn't abandon me.

After I knelt down, my sleeve rolled up.

Sebastian suddenly gripped my wrist tightly.

He pulled up my sleeve.

My arm was covered with horrifying scars.

From whipping, from knife cuts, and from cigarette burns.

Below the scars, there was even a tattoo!

"Self-harm, tattoos, smoking—Dora, do you have to degrade yourself like this?

"Just to make me feel sorry for you, you hurt yourself this way?

"If you don't love yourself, then just go die!"

I wanted to explain, but in the end I held it back.

Everyone knew I had Munchausen syndrome.

Sebastian wouldn't believe any truth that came from my mouth.

All my injuries, and that tattoo.

Were all forced on me by Natalie after Sebastian went abroad.

In those dark days.

Natalie trampled me at will.

She thought this would make me want to die.

But I didn't.

My endurance made her worse.

My resilience drove her crazy.

Later, Natalie went mad and force-fed me laxatives.

She watched me lose control in front of everyone.

She pinched her nose and walked toward me.

Whispering to me.

"Dora, do you know why I hate you so much? Because you ruined my relationship with Sebastian."

Natalie said she and her sister both liked Sebastian.

But because I was more attached to Melody, Sebastian fell in love with Melody.

"Dora, I hate Melody, and I hate you too. You don't know this, but that day it was my suggestion for her to buy cupcakes..."

So it was clearly Natalie's suggestion that took her own sister's life.

Yet she pinned the blame on me.

That day, she led me away in front of the entire school.

Everyone said Natalie was kind, to endure my foul odor from losing control and take me away to clean up.

But no one knew.

She threw me into a field during a torrential downpour.

That day I went back and developed a high fever.

I called out Sebastian's name.

This completely enraged Natalie.

She pulled up those videos on her phone.

"Dora, if your brother saw how wanton you look in these videos, would he still like you?"

I forced myself up to grab her phone.

But she suddenly threw herself down the stairs.

That day, Natalie's mother sent Sebastian the surveillance footage of me pushing Natalie.

Natalie suggested taking me to a psychiatric sanatorium for treatment.

Sebastian agreed without a second thought.

He trusted the family too much.

So he had no idea what I went through.

Looking at Sebastian before me.

I recalled the day our parents died.

He held me and said.

"Don't be afraid, Dora. From now on, no matter what happens, Sebastian will protect you."

My eyes stung. I tried to explain to him.

But then I saw him caressing Melody's tombstone.

"Melody, I'm back. Mom and Dad want me to try things out with Natalie. Would you bless us?"