Chapter 1

After my failed confession to Charlie Walker, I was sent abroad by the Walker family.

The day I returned to the country, everyone was afraid that I would get close to Charlie again.

Even he himself said, “The biggest stain in my life is being liked by my adopted sister.”

To prevent me, they introduced many girls to Charlie. He accepted them all without hesitation, wrapping his arm around their waists and saying casually to others.

“If Emily Green can put away her improper feelings, I wouldn’t mind her coming back.”

It seemed like he thought I was still secretly in love with him.

But this time when I returned to the country,

it was really just to marry someone else.

When I appeared at the door of the private room, the air around me froze instantly.

The girl who had just been rejected by Charlie and lost a dare, attempting to kiss him.

He was leaning lazily against the sofa, relaxed and smug.

Until someone, I don’t know who, suddenly cursed out loud—

“Damn, why is Emily back!”

Only then did everyone snap back to reality, stepping forward in unison to shield Charlie behind them.

Just like years ago.

They awkwardly smiled at me.

“When did you come back, little sister? You didn’t even say anything, we could’ve come to pick you up!”

“How did you find your way here on your own? Have you eaten yet? Want to come in for some snacks...”

I stood still, not moving, glanced at the doorplate of the private room, and smiled slightly.

“No, I came to the wrong place.”

The few people blocking the door instinctively let out a sigh of relief.

Just as they were about to say something, a mocking laugh came from inside.

Charlie reached out and pulled the girl, who was standing in front of him with tears in her eyes, into his arms.

He kissed her on the chin.

“Take a breath.

“Such things, how can we let a girl ask for a kiss?”

His voice was lazy, and the girl in his arms blushed deeply from the kiss.

Clutching his collar, trembling and nervous, she spoke up.

“Charlie, I... I... can I be your girlfriend...”

Charlie didn’t speak, but instead, he glanced at me indifferently, then deepened the kiss.

He answered with action.

The girl was thrilled, and the other people in the room started cheering.

I looked down at the time, turned to leave, but someone called me from behind.

“Emily.”

I instinctively turned back, and Charlie walked out of the private room.

It had been three years since we last met, yet his face hadn’t changed one bit.

He held a cigarette between his fingers, his tone flat.

“When did you come back?”

“Yesterday.”

“Why didn’t you go home?”

I stayed silent.

“Now that you’re back, don’t wander around. Go back and see Mom and Dad.”

I still didn’t respond, instead glancing at the watch on my wrist, my expression tinged with impatience.

“Is there anything else?”

Charlie’s gaze fell on my wrist, and he frowned slightly.

“Where’s the bracelet?”

I froze for a moment.

Then I remembered something.

A sarcastic smile appeared on my face.

“I put it away.”

Three years ago, after a boy confessed to me, Charlie didn’t say anything.

He just led the way and beat up that boy, then without a word, took out the Walker family’s heirloom bracelet and put it on me.

Charlie’s frown loosened, and his tone remained calm.

“It’s just a small thing, no need to treat it as precious.

“Next time...”

“Charlie.”

Charlie’s words were interrupted by a clear voice from the side.

The girl from the private room ran out, she stepped forward and linked her arm with Charlie’s, then extended her hand toward me, smiling brightly.

“You must be Emily, right? Hi, I’m Sarah Robinson, you can call me Sarah, or... Sister-in-law.”

She seemed a little shy, and when she said the last two words, she raised her head and shyly glanced at Charlie.

I really didn’t have enough time, and if I stayed any longer, that man was going to get angry.

I didn’t have time to play the third wheel here.

I quickly nodded to her, greeted her. “Hi.”

Then I turned and quickly walked away.

Before reaching the corner, I saw Lucas White leaning against the doorframe.

He wore all black, his nose was sharp, and his eyes were hidden in the dim light, making it hard to discern his emotions.

Under the light, his thin lips were beautifully sculpted.

I quickly stepped forward.

Taking the gift out of my pocket, I said.

“Happy birthday!”

His gaze slowly moved down.

“You’re late.”

I looked at the watch on my wrist, and the hour hand had already pointed to midnight.

The day had already passed.

A hint of irritation crossed my face.

If it weren’t for those two people who wasted my time earlier, I wouldn’t have been late.

Lucas wrapped his arm around my waist.

He pulled me close, as if to punish me.

The flight was originally scheduled for 9 AM, so I would have been back in time to have lunch with Lucas before noon.

But because something came up at my school, I was delayed and only rushed back in the evening.

I had promised to have dinner with him, but on the way, I ran into another issue.

After all the trouble, here I am now.

The food had already gone cold.

But the temperature was rising.

He suppressed the emotions in his eyes, lifted me in his arms, and carried me out of the private room.

It was a bit chilly outside, and Lucas took the coat from the sofa, covering my head with it.

The scent of cedar filled my nose, tugging at my heartstrings.

Chapter 2

The low-key yet luxurious Maybach was parked by the roadside, and as we were about to approach, a surprised and familiar voice sounded.

“Lucas, when did you get back?”

Not far away, Charlie was walking toward us with his arm around Sarah’s waist.

His tone was full of surprise, and even through his clothes, I could feel his scrutiny.

Lucas glanced at him indifferently.

“Just got back.”

Charlie teased.

“Good buddy, you’ve come to your senses? Let me see what kind of goddess you’ve got.”

Saying this, Charlie took a step forward and tried to pull the coat off my head.

I leaned against Lucas’s shoulder and instinctively grabbed the collar of his jacket.

Charlie didn’t touch Lucas’s coat.

Lucas just glanced at him, and Charlie eventually withdrew his hand.

“Alright, alright, I see how tightly you’re holding on to her. I won’t mess up your good thing. Next time, remember to bring her out so we can meet.”

Lucas didn’t say anything. He carried me into the back seat of the car.

Lucas was a well-known second-generation heir in Paris.

He was also Charlie’s best friend.

In the past, I would often see Lucas and Charlie together at the Walker family’s house.

Although they were good friends, back then, for some reason, I always felt that Lucas had a sense of inexplicable distance toward Charlie.

Later, I found out.

The drunk man wasn’t after the wine.

On the second day after I failed to confess to Charlie, the day Walker family sent me abroad, Lucas followed me.

The car slowly headed toward Lucas’s villa, and I kept my position leaning against his shoulder.

The partition in the backseat rose.

His hand slowly moved up, the cold touch causing my breath to tighten.

My hair brushed against his face, and his gaze darkened.

His long neck was exposed.

His delicate skin was slowly traced.

It made my body shiver involuntarily.

The distance from the club to Lucas’s villa wasn’t short.

Lucas knocked on the partition in front, and the driver, understanding the signal, stopped the car by the roadside and got out.

The temperature in the car slowly increased as the air conditioning warmed up.

I bit my lip, trying hard to hold back and not make a sound.

But Lucas deliberately asked in my ear.

“Why aren’t you talking? Are you uncomfortable?”

I opened my mouth, wanting to say something, but the next moment, I was roughly jolted.

It only turned into a sound of gasping.

I don’t know how long passed before Lucas finally stopped.

His handsome face, illuminated by the dim car lights, was filled with satisfaction.

He held me and gently wiped me down.

I picked up the phone that had been thrown aside and checked it. I found two new text messages from Charlie.

The first was a video.

I opened it, and saw Charlie drinking with others in the private room.

Charlie was holding a cigarette between his fingers, looking relaxed as he leaned back in the chair, saying.

“My greatest stain in life is being liked by my foster sister.

“If Emily can put away thoughts she shouldn’t have, I wouldn’t mind her coming back.”

Just two short sentences.

If I had seen this three years ago, it would have broken my heart and left me breathless. But now...

I glanced at the second message.

“Little sister, I heard you have the bracelet that the Walker family left for the daughter-in-law? When you have time, return it. Don’t covet things that don’t belong to you. It should go back to its rightful owner.”

This wasn’t Charlie’s tone.

It was clear who sent these two messages.

My return to the country had been found out by the Walker family.

Coincidentally, it was Charlie’s mother’s birthday party, and she called me, asking me to come home.

I paused for a moment and nodded in agreement.

By the time I arrived, many guests had already gathered at the Walker family’s house.

The news of the foster daughter of the Walker family having unrequited feelings for the only heir of the Walker family had spread throughout all of Paris three years ago.

When I appeared at the entrance of the party, all eyes turned toward me.

There were looks of surprise, curiosity, and disdain...

Sarah was hovering around Charlie’s mother, trying to please her, but Charlie’s mother was somewhat indifferent to her.

But when I appeared, she immediately turned and linked arms with Sarah, smiling happily.

Then, she turned to look at me with feigned surprise.

“Emily’s back, come to mom! Let me introduce you to your brother’s girlfriend.”

She stressed the words “your brother’s girlfriend,” and I smiled faintly.

I took out two gift boxes.

One was the Walker family’s heirloom bracelet, and the other was a birthday gift for Charlie’s mother.

As I handed over the gifts, I hesitated for a moment, then finally called out.

“Mom, happy birthday.”

Mrs. Walker grabbed my hand and chatted for a while.

She accepted the bracelet but casually put the gift aside.

There were many guests today, and Mrs. Walker didn’t have much energy to focus on me.

Chapter 3

I cleverly left the banquet hall and went to the back garden of the Walker family.

It had changed a lot in the three years since I last saw it.

As I stood there lost in thought, I suddenly felt a gaze on me.

I looked up and met a pair of deep, dark eyes not far away.

It was Lucas.

Wasn’t he supposed to be on a business trip today?

He was dressed in all black, surrounded by a group of people.

Charlie was standing next to him, asking him who the woman he had been holding yesterday was.

Lucas didn’t respond, merely absentmindedly rubbing the ring on his finger.

It was the couple’s ring I had given him yesterday.

The one on his hand was the one he had forced me to put on him.

I had the one he gave me...

Thinking about the events of yesterday made me feel a little embarrassed under his gaze.

I was about to turn around to see if my old room at the Walker family’s house was still available when a figure blocked my way.

It was Sarah’s face.

She lowered her voice, her face dark, and glared at me.

“Didn’t you see the message I sent?

“Why are you so shameless, following Charlie wherever he goes?”

I was taken aback.

“I’m just passing by.”

But Sarah suddenly grabbed my hand and loudly said,

“Emily, I know you like Charlie, but we’re really in love now. Could you not tear us apart?”

Her voice drew the attention of everyone around.

The looks I received were full of contempt, disdain, and mockery, just like three years ago.

Her hand squeezed my wrist painfully, and I furrowed my brow.

“Let go.”

“Emily, I’m begging you, Charlie and I have finally gotten together. Could you please just let him go?”

Her tone carried pleading, but her grip only tightened, her nails digging into my flesh.

The pain made me instinctively try to free myself.

I didn’t use much strength, but she screamed as she fell to the ground.

Before I could react, a slap landed on my face.

The surroundings went silent.

Mrs. Walker appeared in front of me, trembling with anger, pointing at me and scolding,

“Emily, I raised you for so many years, and this is how you repay me?

“If I knew it would end like this, I shouldn’t have taken you in!”

That slap was full of strength, and I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth.

My mother passed away when I was young, and my father, a war hero, died saving Walker’s father when I was ten.

The Walker family took me in after that.

They raised me for ten years.

And now, this slap...

It left a mark on my mouth and broke the bond I had with the Walker family for the past ten years.

I took out a card from my bag.

It contained one million euros.

It was something I had prepared in advance.

I handed it to Mrs. Walker.

“Mrs. Walker, this is the money you’ve spent on me over the past ten years, with interest. I’m returning it all now.”

Mrs. Walker froze for a moment.

“What did you just call me?”

Everyone around turned to watch the drama unfold, their mocking glances scanning me from head to toe.

Charlie walked over to me, his brows furrowed in frustration.

“Emily, stop causing trouble.”

Trouble?

Charlie’s words made a self-deprecating smile tug at the corner of my mouth.

When the Walker family took me in ten years ago, many people looked down on me.

Because the Walker family was big, and I was just an orphan who had lost both parents.

Many people secretly called me a bastard, shamelessly trying to climb into the Walker family’s ranks.

When Charlie found out, he tracked down each of them and beat them up.

Charlie’s parents also confronted their parents.

They said that I was now the only daughter of the Walker family, equal in status to Charlie, and anyone who looked down on me was looking down on the Walker family.

When Charlie placed the Walker family’s ancestral bracelet on my wrist, Mrs. Walker smiled and said she hoped Charlie and I truly had a destiny together.

In order to not embarrass the Walker family, I worked hard, got into the top university in the country, and bought gifts for Mr. Walker and Mrs. Walker with my scholarship.

They were very happy and wanted to throw me a graduation party, proud of me.

The most excited was Charlie, who lifted me up in front of everyone, saying I was his junior now.

With him around, no other men with bad intentions could get near me.

They treated me well, and I really naively thought that I had family who loved and cared for me.

But all of that was shattered the day I got my admission letter and foolishly confessed to Charlie.

When Mr. Walker and Mrs. Walker found out, they didn’t say much, but the next day, they sent me abroad without a word.

Since then, they’ve ignored me.

They had only said they hoped Charlie and I had a connection, but that was just words.

I’m an orphan—what right do I have to deserve the Walker family’s only son?

I opened my mouth, intending to say something to Charlie, but in the end, no words came out.

Forget it.

There was nothing left to say.

I didn’t look at Charlie’s mother or Charlie anymore and turned to leave.