Chapter 3

The rat's eyes bulged grotesquely.

When I saw the blood, my head started spinning.

After my parents died, the community sent me to an orphanage.

The girl in the bed across from mine wanted the hairpin in my hair.

It was the only thing my parents had left me. I refused to give it to her no matter what.

She got some thugs from outside to threaten me, saying if I didn't give it to her, they'd kill me.

I trembled with fear, clutching the hairpin tightly to my chest.

Furious, they lunged at me with a knife. Sebastian rushed out and took the blow for me.

Warm blood stained my dress, just like when my parents shielded me during the explosion, coughing up blood.

I screamed and collapsed on top of Sebastian, passing out.

After that, I developed severe hemophobia.

I slid weakly down the wall, images of my parents lying in pools of blood flooding my mind.

"It's all my fault... I shouldn't have wanted to go to the amusement park..."

Sebastian noticed something was wrong and rushed to my side in panic.

But when Yvonne cried out in pain, he immediately returned to her, holding her and gently patting her back.

"Sebastian, I'm scared..."

"Why is River deliberately trying to scare me? Does she resent me for taking her position?"

Yvonne pulled off her work badge, tears streaming down her face pitifully.

"I'll give you back the position by your side. I won't compete with her anymore..."

Sebastian tenderly wiped away Yvonne's tears, his eyes looking like he wanted to tear me to pieces.

He roared at me.

"River Hayes, apologize to Yvonne right now."

I curled up in the corner, forcing out a smile that looked worse than crying.

Sebastian really didn't believe me. His heart had truly shifted to Yvonne's side.

My nails dug painfully into my palm as I closed my eyes in despair.

I'd said I would let go. I'd sworn not to love Sebastian anymore, not to shed another tear for him.

But why couldn't I stop the tears from flowing?

Sebastian's patience ran out. He roughly grabbed my wrist, squeezing so hard it felt like he'd crush my bones.

He dragged me to Yvonne's feet and pulled out a property deed from the drawer, throwing it in my face.

"I bought back your parents' house at a high price. I was planning to give it to you as a birthday gift."

"But since you refuse to apologize to Yvonne, I guess there's no need for that."

Sebastian lifted his foot and stepped on the deed.

The clean document got dirty footprints on it. My breathing stopped as I lunged forward to protect the deed.

"I'm willing to buy it back at equal value! You promised me that when we made money, you'd help me get my parents' house back."

"Sebastian, I want you to keep that promise right now!"

Sebastian froze for a second. Yvonne seized the opportunity to snatch the deed from my arms.

The crisp sound of tearing filled the air as the deed became a pile of scraps.

Yvonne's eyes were red as she vindictively scattered the pieces out the window.

The taut string in my brain snapped. I stared blankly at the paper scraps dancing in the air.

Sebastian rubbed his temples wearily and was about to scold her, but he looked into Yvonne's moist doe eyes.

He couldn't bring himself to blame her and looked at me in compromise.

"You put a dead rat in the coffee machine to scare her, and she tore up your house deed. Consider it even."

Tears streamed down my face as I laughed bitterly.

Sebastian thought Yvonne had only torn up a deed.

No. She hadn't just torn up a deed. She'd torn up Sebastian's promise to me and the last bit of feeling I had for him.

A metallic taste rose in my throat. I said very, very softly.

"Sebastian, I don't love you anymore."

He stepped closer and leaned down.

"What did you just say? I didn't hear you clearly."