Chapter 1

I grew up in an orphanage with Wade and Trevor. We swore that we would stay together for the rest of our lives.       

But then, when Freya came into our lives, they conveniently forgot all about me. 

When Freya's nuts caused me a severe allergic reaction that nearly killed me, they didn't even blame her.

Later, she pretended to care about me. Claiming to be worried that I might also be allergic to the roses, threw away the ones I had taken care of for many years.

Instead of defending me, they laughed and indulged her.   

That was the moment I gave up on them. 

I picked up the phone and called my billionaire father. "Dad, I've decided to come back and inherit the family business. Please cancel the investments in those two ungrateful people."

My father's voice on the other end was jubilant. "Aurora, you've finally come to your senses. Staying with those two paupers was never a good idea." 

I nodded silently.

In the past, I would have leaped to their defense whenever my father called them paupers. But now, I couldn't care less.

I once believed we would always be together. In our childhood, Wade, Trevor, and I met in the orphanage. No one wanted us, so we can only lean on each other for survival.

The orphanage was cold and harsh. During the winter, the three of us shared one small bed, bundling under all the blankets we had to stay warm.

When it came time for university entrance exams, I deliberately left the last section of my paper blank. I knew it was my only chance to leave behind poverty, but I couldn't bear to abandon them.

So, I gave up and told them I was not suitable to study further.

I chose to be the one who sacrificed.

After that, I worked several part-time jobs, saving every penny for their tuition fees. They knew but never said anything, only promising time and again that they'd never let me down. They even swore that if they ever betrayed me, they'd be hit by a car. 

At first, they treated me like I was their whole world.

When my billionaire father found me and begged me to return home, I refused. I kept it as a secret, fearing it would hurt their pride.

I wanted to struggle alongside them, so I persuaded my father to invest in their new company, Luxway. With my father's investigation, Luxway flourished.

But then, Freya appeared. They decided she was more pitiable than I ever was—a purer, kinder soul.

What a joke!

The people I thought would face any hardship with me were charmed by a stranger. I didn't want to argue anymore. But I did make up my mind—I would take back everything I gave them.

"Dad, I've booked a flight home. Let's pull the investment from Luxway," I said.

Sensing my resolve, my father simply replied, "Okay."

I wondered: once Wade and Trevor returned to being penniless, would their beloved Freya still care about them?

Chapter 2

That night, I returned home late, hoping to avoid unnecessary confrontations. To my dismay, not only were Wade and Trevor there, but Freya hadn't left either.

The moment I stepped inside, their lively conversation screeched to a halt. My presence seemed to cast a shadow over the room. 

Wade was the first to speak, his tone sharp with anger. "Aurora, you're getting more unreasonable by the day. We've called you so many times, and you ignored every single one. What's wrong with you?"

I trembled slightly at his words. Who had truly changed here? 

Calmly, I replied, "Who's changed? The roses you threw away—did you forget they were a gift from you?"

Before they could respond, I turned to head upstairs. But Trevor and Wade blocked my way.

"What the hell?" I asked impatiently.

"Freya is sleeping in your room tonight," Trevor said, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

"My room? Why?"

"Because you scared her," Trevor replied unapologetically. "She fainted from crying several times. We couldn't let her go home in that state."

Wade added, "Exactly. Just apologize to her, let her sleep in your room, and consider it compensation."

I looked at them and said evenly, "I did nothing wrong. If she wants to stay, fine. But not in my room."

My refusal made them visibly unhappy. Freya, on the other hand, burst into tears. "Aurora, how can you think of me like this?" she whimpered. 

I glanced at her but didn't respond. Turning to leave, I was roughly dragged back by Wade and Trevor.

"Whether you agree or not, she's staying in your room. We've already cleaned it out," Trevor declared. "We didn't think you'd come back. Can't you just be accommodating for once?"

Freya chimed in, "They were only thinking of me. They even packed your things and moved them to the living room." She gestured toward a pile of luggage in the corner.   

Her smugness was unbearable.

I picked up my bags without a word. I'd been planning to pack anyway. This saved me the trouble.

Wade and Trevor seemed taken aback by my calm demeanor. "You're not mad?" they asked.

I shrugged. "What's the point? This is your house. You can do whatever you want." 

Seeing their puzzled expressions, I walked out without looking back. 

Chapter 3

The next day, just as I was about to leave the hotel, Trevor and Wade were already waiting at the entrance.

They stood there awkwardly, holding breakfast, as if trying to make up for yesterday.

I glanced at them but said nothing and prepared to leave. Trevor and Wade quickly stepped to block my path, one on each side. 

"Why are you still upset? Come on, get in the car. We went out of our way to pick you up," Wade urged.

With people bustling around the hotel entrance, I didn't want to make a scene. Reluctantly, I followed them to the car.

From the front seat, Freya leaned out, her voice dripping with feigned concern. "Aurora, I'm not feeling well today, sitting in the back makes me nauseous. I hope you don't mind sitting in the back today."

Displeasure instantly bubbled up inside me.

They knew I got carsick in the backseat. Sitting there would make me nauseous and throw up. But it seemed they had conveniently forgotten.

"Then I won't go," I said, turning to leave.

Freya's voice turned pitiful. "Aurora, are you angry with me? If it's such a big deal, I can take a taxi instead."

Despite her words, she made no move to get out of the car.

I let out a soft laugh. "Alright then."

Freya seemed caught off guard by my response. Her attempt to manipulate me had failed, and her face flushed with frustration. She shot me a sharp glare before turning to Trevor and Wade.

"Fine, I'll give up the front seat to Aurora," she said, forcing a few tears to well up in her eyes. Her fragile, pitiful act was clearly meant to tug at their hearts.

Trevor and Wade, predictably, weren't pleased.

"Aurora, don't be so unreasonable," Trevor snapped. "It was Freya's idea to come pick you up."

"Freya's always looking out for you, but you're so difficult," Wade added. "You're too spoiled. Sitting in the backseat for once won't kill you."

Before I could object, Trevor and Wade ignored my protests and forcibly pulled me into the car.

Before I could fully process what was happening, the car sped off, with Freya gleefully urging them to drive faster from the front seat.

No one seemed to notice my pale face or the beads of sweat forming on my forehead.

Not wanting to show weakness in front of them, I clenched my fists and endured the nausea.

When we arrived at the office, Freya glanced back at me mockingly. "Aurora, you looks not bad. Were you faking your carsickness?"

Trevor and Wade's gazes mirrored her skepticism.

Ignoring them, I stumbled out of the car and headed straight for the restroom. I couldn't hold back any longer. My body convulsed as I vomited until there was nothing left, leaving me weak and slumped on the floor.

After some time, I finally got better and made my way to my office—only to find Freya sitting at my desk.

She greeted me with a saccharine smile. "Aurora, you're here! Perfect timing. I'm stuck on something. Can you help me out?"

She gestured at some papers in front of her. "Oh, Trevor and Wade said they're planning to make me the CFO. How considerate they are? They're worried you'll overwork yourself, so they think you should just relax at home from now on. After all, they're here to take care of you. Unlike me, who has to rely on myself and work hard."

Her words made me full of anger.

"Get up," I said coldly.

"No!" she retorted, her voice low enough so no one else could hear. "This is my seat now. You don't even hold a position in the company anymore. Strictly speaking, you shouldn't even be here."

Her taunting tone was laughable.

I shouldn't be in the company? The very company that was supposedly built to earn more money to make my life better? And now it had nothing to do with me?

How utterly ridiculous.