"Harper, your brother is here to pick you up." Amelia from next door called warmly, her face full of curiosity as she glanced outside.

It had been three years since Harper Sullivan was kicked out and moved to the slum. No one still remembered her by now.

Harper smiled bitterly to herself. She squinted, then unexpectedly caught sight of a tall, familiar figure.

It was Ethan Walker, the guy she had called brother for eighteen years.

Suddenly, Harper felt panic rising in her throat. Her voice caught, and though she tried to call out to him as she did three years ago, no sound came out.

Memories flooded her mind.

Though she was the Walker family's adopted daughter, Ethan had once been so good to her that he seemed willing to pluck stars from the sky for her. He never let her suffer the slightest injustice-until that incident.

After Olivia, he yelled at her harshly for the first time and even pushed her outside in the rain.

Both her brother and the man Harper loved most in life had chosen Olivia's side.

Harper approached him with a mixture of detachment and calm. "Mr. Walker, may I ask what brings you here?"

Ethan frowned, standing beside a luxury car. Before coming to the slum, he had pictured what Harper might look like now, but reality still caught him off guard.

So much had changed. She had changed.

Three years had passed. Her face was no longer full and round; the baby fat had faded. Years of hunger had left no extra flesh on her sharp, slender face. Her eyebrows were thin and curved. Chronic malnutrition had sapped the color from her skin, leaving it waxy and pale, dotted with freckles across her nose.

"How have you been all these years?" Ethan by the car didn't answer her question. Instead, his face fell into shadow as he lightly fiddled with the buttons on his jacket, speaking more like an interrogator than a brother.

Harper's dry, brittle hair, her frostbitten earlobes, and cheap clothes all testified to the hardships she'd endured.

Her hands dropped to tug nervously at the frayed cuffs of her old sweater. "I'm Fine."

"Yeah," Ethan sighed. "You're still alive. Some people, though they died because of you."

"I'm sorry," she said.

If those people could see how miserable she was now, they would probably think she deserved it-that she brought this on herself by crossing the wrong man.

She even caused the death of the woman he loved most. No wonder she was cast out and left in ruins.

"Mom's been worried about you. She's been sick a lot lately. You should come back and see her," Ethan said.

Harper wanted to refuse, but instinctively asked with concern, "Ava? Is she okay?"

Back when Harper still carried the Walker name, she was arrogant and wild, but Ava Walker had loved her dearly and spoiled her completely.

"She's still alive, after all." After saying this, Ethan looked at Harper, who kept her head down, expression blank. A surge of anger welled up inside him. "Don't pretend to be the victim here. You caused a death. What right do you have to feel wronged?

"Don't think you can come back and live the good life. Harper, you'll spend the rest of your life making amends for this," he added.

With those harsh words, Ethan strode to his car, opened the door, and looked back down at her from above. "Get in. Otherwise, don't regret it later."

Harper clenched the faded hem of her shirt, eyes full of inner struggle.

After a moment's thought, she finally got into Ethan's car.

About two hours later, the vehicle stopped outside the Walker residence.

The driver held an umbrella, opened the door, and escorted Harper under it. Ethan walked ahead with one hand in his pocket, entering the Walker mansion without hesitation.

Harper followed carefully behind. The air, the bricks, the flowers-they were all familiar. She had lived here for nineteen years. But stepping inside again felt like entering a different world.

Rain continued to pour, drumming noisily on the umbrella. The heavy footsteps mingled with the sound of the storm.

Harper kept her head down, unaware.

Ahead, Ethan noticed a familiar tall figure in the rain. He suddenly stopped. "Mason, look who's here."

Mason Brooks held an umbrella and smiled faintly, but his eyes were cold and distant. Since that incident three years ago, he had become quiet and withdrawn.

He hummed softly and glanced past Ethan. When Harper heard his name again, she thought she'd feel excitement or urgency to see him. But none of that came. Not even a trace of nervousness stirred.

It turned out that after losing all hope, she felt a strange calm-her emotions loose, touched only by that barely perceptible, icy glance. It was Mason.

In the misty rain stood two men: one elegant and dignified, the other dark and handsome. In terms of family background, looks, talents, and character, they were evenly matched. They had been close friends since childhood, always attracting attention wherever they went.

In the past, one was her brother, the other the man she loved most.

Now, both had become her enemies.

Her hand weakened, and the umbrella tilted slightly. She stayed under it and, out of politeness, greeted, "Mr. Brooks, it's been a long time."

When Harper still had the surname Walker, she would never have addressed Mason this way.

Her words opened up a chasm between them, nothing like the sweet, affectionate title she used to call over and over again.

"When did you come back?" Mason's voice carried no warmth. Mixed with the sound of rain, it cut to the bone.

Ethan, with a hint of amusement, said, "The family heard that her biological father fell into the river and drowned. Mom kept going on about it, so here we are-brought her back. Brought trouble back with her, more like. Who knows who she will end up killing this time before she is satisfied."

Glancing at Mason, he added with a smirk, "Mason, you had better be careful-careful not to get tangled up with that troublemaker again."

Back in those years, Harper had clung to Mason relentlessly-finding out what he liked, keeping the cigarettes he had touched, creating countless "chance" encounters, all just to get one step closer to him.

Everyone in their circle knew she liked Mason. Everyone also knew Mason could not stand her.

Otherwise, when her true family background was exposed, he would not only have refused to help her-he would not have gone so far as to use every possible means to nearly cost her her life.

If Ethan was the second person who hated her most, Mason was the first. His dark, cutting gaze, sharp as a blade, pierced through the rain falling off the umbrella, as though he could slice Harper to pieces."Is that so? She still dares?"

Fear rose up inside her.

Harper gripped the umbrella tighter, her voice trembling. "Mr. Brooks, I will not. It was my fault in the past for causing you trouble. I am sorry."

Standing in the wind and rain, her malnourished body was swallowed by oversized clothes. The wind billowed her loose pant legs. She spoke in a wavering voice, without a trace of the grace that had once belonged to Ms. Walker.

How had she become like this?

Back then, bolstered by her family's favor, Harper had not hesitated to insult Ethan, her older brother, and Mason had been obliged to treat her with some courtesy because of the Walker family's connection to Ethan.

In Moridise, she had ruled with arrogance, stirring up trouble wherever she went. No one dared cross her, but many despised her.

Yet in just three years-

Without the Walker family's protection and status, she was now living worse than a stray dog on the streets, even learning how to beg.

Mason stepped forward, his gaze level as he brushed past Harper. His tone, casual and understated, struck harder than Ethan's blunt cruelty.

"I will go ahead, before something filthy dirties my eyes again."

Ethan let out a dry laugh, then urged Harper. "What are you standing there for? Get inside."

"Oh-right," Harper came back to herself and hurried after him.

As she stepped over the threshold, her foot caught on something, and she stumbled forward, her chin hitting the floor hard enough to make her back molars ache.

Ahead of her came Ethan's mocking laugh-mocking her clumsy, pathetic, and humiliating fall.

And Ava saw it all.

Sitting on the sofa directly across, she felt a pang of pity but restrained herself from standing to help Harper.

Harper patted the dust from her clothes and rose to her feet. She did not lash out at Ethan for his deliberate act. She seemed immune to the pain, regaining her composure in just three seconds, and even offered an apology. "Sorry."

Ethan had not expected that reaction. His smirk faltered, and his voice grew heavier. "What a disgrace. Are you coming in, or do you expect me to invite you?"

In Moridise, the only one who still remembered Harper, who still missed her, was Ava.

Walking to her side, Harper kept her head slightly bowed, her lashes low, her tone carrying the same subtle distance she had when speaking to Mason. "Ava?"

Her thin wrist was suddenly enclosed in a pair of warm, broad hands. Ava's tears fell freely, streaking her gentle face as she pushed aside the hair at Harper's temple. "Baby girl, how have you lost so much weight?"

Ethan, seated nearby, interjected, "Putting on an act-just so you will feel sorry for her and take her back."

"Ethan, enough-" Ava's voice carried a rebuke.

Harper's expression was calm, without tears. She had long since run dry of them-on nights when her biological father beat her, when she went hungry and nearly froze to death.

Wiping her tears, Ava said, "It is all right. You are back now. Since your father has passed, and that house in the countryside is too old, you can stay here. I will still treat you as my own daughter, all right?"

"No, Ava, I am not worthy." Harper flexed her fingers and withdrew her hand. "You have already been kind enough to bring me back. I have never dared to hope for anything more."

Her words only made Ava cry harder.

This was not her proud, willful girl. Whether she accepted happily or even blamed them for abandoning her for three years, it would have been better than this weak, humble figure before her.

Ava pitied her, but Ethan was unmoved. He rose to his feet, cutting through the emotional scene. "Mom, are you sure you want to take a murderer in as your daughter?"

After being settled into the Walker family, Ava had not touched anything that belonged to Harper.

The furnishings, the ornaments, the style, and the decoration all remained exactly as they had been three years ago.

The room had an open view, and the bedding was soft enough to sink into-supposedly comfortable.But Harper had a nightmare.

In the dream, a slap came down across her face. A drunken man, swaying with a bottle in his hand, staggered to the wardrobe and dragged her out.

The bottle smashed against her body.

It hurt. Shards of glass drove into her skin, and the pain was so real it jolted her awake.

Sitting up in bed, the darkness in the room was suffocating. She got out of bed, gulping for air as she headed out, desperate for a breath of fresh air.

Before she even made it downstairs, at the corner of the hallway, she caught a glimpse of light-and heard a mocking laugh.

"These days, she cannot even touch a single strand of your hair." Ethan was sitting at the bar on the third floor, a glass of liquor in his hand, swirling it slowly. "The family has already arranged a place for her to go. You do not need to worry about her anymore."

Harper could guess who was on the other end of the call.

Her return must have filled Mason with disgust, enough for him to call Ethan in the middle of the night to confirm her situation. He was overthinking it.

Someone who had been dragged through the mud, shattered to pieces-how could she still dare to long for an untouchable man like him?

Even looking at him again would feel like an extravagant hope, a kind of blasphemy.

She forced a bitter curve at the corner of her lips, the fear from the nightmare fading away.

Turning to head back, her shadow crossed into Ethan's peripheral vision, and he barked, "Stop!"

Striding over, Ethan took in the sight of Harper's body, thin as a stick. Ava had given her a nightdress-cream-colored, falling to mid-calf.

When she had arrived during the day, wrapped in a sweater and jeans, the bulk had hidden much.

Now, with her ankles bare, her calves and forearms looked like skin over bone, barely human.

"What are you doing here?" Ethan's eyes swept over her with open disdain. "Planning to hurt someone again?"

"I was just taking a walk," she said.

Ethan took a step closer and suddenly grabbed Harper by the collar. His voice dropped to a deathly growl. "Do you think you are still a young lady of the Walker family, free to wander wherever you like?"

Three years ago, it had been revealed that she was not a child of the Walker family at all. She had been switched at birth.

Her real father was a gambler, and her mother had died young. She had enjoyed a wealthy life she was never meant to have, squandering a blessing born of a mistake.

The real daughter of the Walkers had died of a high fever at the age of six.

With her chin trembling and lips pale, Harper murmured, "I will not do it again. I will not dare next time."

"Do not think bringing you back was so you could have a good life. That foolish dream of yours-has it not died after all these years?"

Finished with his warning, Ethan shoved Harper against the wall and questioned her.

She did not grab his arm and bite him like she had as a child, nor cry loudly to bring Ava running.

She simply kept her head down in silence, her knees scraped and bleeding, neither crying nor making a scene.

Her body was small and thin, her shadow on the floor just a small lump.

It seemed her neck had been bent from the moment she came back-never straightened once.

Ethan reached out, intending to force Harper's chin up.

But when his hand cast a shadow over her, she seemed to sense something-reacting on pure instinct and terror. She shrank in on herself, covering her head with both arms, pressing against the wall, trembling like a leaf.

Startled, Ethan pulled back his hand and swore, "Hitting you would only dirty my hands. Get out of my sight!"

It was as if she had been pardoned.

Harper bolted away, in a way almost ridiculous-but Ethan found he could not laugh.

The call with Mason had not been disconnected.

Ethan sat back down and drained half his glass in one go. "Can you believe the state she is in? I just raised my hand to scare her, and she went to pieces. Not fun at all."

"Gone soft?" Mason's voice came through the receiver, faintly hoarse.

"No. I just think it is not any fun like this." If there was anyone who knew Harper's character best, it was Mason.

"A ploy for sympathy. After all these years, she is still so clumsy-no improvement at all," said Ethan.

Mason lowered his lashes, picking up where they had left off before the interruption. "You said the family arranged somewhere else for her to go?"

"Yeah. She will meet them in a few days," Ethan said. "By the way, it is an old acquaintance. You know him, too."

Ethan could not help the gloating note in his voice. "Once she marries over there, she will be living a life worse than death. No children, no hope-just a long, long life."

The morning roads were slick, and the tires sent up a thin spray as they rolled across the wet pavement.

It had rained in Moridise for several days straight, but the fog was beginning to lift this morning. Ava had arranged for Harper to ride with Ethan. She twisted her fingers together, her voice barely above a whisper. "Where are we going?"

Ethan kept one hand on the wheel. "Do not ask so much. It is something Mom arranged for you. Just make sure you behave yourself."

Fair enough.

Wherever they were headed, it could hardly be worse than what had come before.

Harper lowered her head. "Alright. I understand."

The restaurant was styled in a traditional manner. Past the courtyard, with its rock garden and little bridge, the air was fresh and clean, a soft breeze drifting down from the treetops.

A hostess in a dress welcomed them inside. Their footsteps on the wooden stairs felt so light it seemed they might give way at any moment.

She followed Ethan into a private room at the far end.

Harper recognized this place-it was a popular spot for breakfast. She had once been a regular here, not for the food, but for the chance to catch a glimpse of one man.

Back then, Mason had just taken over his family's business, and it was common for him to entertain clients here. Harper would give up sleeping in just to wait for him.

She always chose a seat upstairs, watching for the moment he ascended the stairs so she could wave and greet him with a "good morning." Day after day, she never once got a reply.

Until that one time-when Mason approached her table of his own accord. He tapped twice on the tabletop with a knuckle. Harper looked up at him, her heart blooming with joy.

But instead of a greeting, she was met with his furrowed brows, the downturn of his lips, and the words, "Do you think this is fun?"

Harper had not felt embarrassed. She had bitten her lip and replied, "You are the one avoiding me, refusing to see me. I have no choice but to wait here for you."

"I am avoiding you. Do you not know what that means?"

She had been so naive then-she actually shook her head.

Still polite, Mason had explained, "It means I do not want to see you."

"You can pretend not to see me, but I still want to look at you-just a glance, even," Harper had said. She almost had to admire her own stubborn pride. Even with Mason's expression so dark, she could still tease him. "Mason, I really missed you. Do you mean to say you have not missed me at all?"

Now, back in the same place, the second-floor seats were gone after renovations. There was no chance of chasing Mason's shadow anymore.

Ethan did not accompany Harper into the private room. Inside, it was empty-no food, no coffee.

"Wait here. Someone will come to meet you shortly."

Harper pressed her lips together, catching a flicker of slyness in Ethan's eyes. She nodded, agreeing without another question, and sat down.

But the person Ethan had mentioned never came.

From sunrise to sunset, she sat there. As the dinner crowd came and went, Ethan finally called, giving her another address and telling her to go there instead.

Harper glanced at the location-it was one of Mason's private clubs.

The rain started again as the sun went down. In the best room, with the widest view, raindrops streaked the windowpane. Mason stood there, and a glance downward revealed a frail figure running through the rain.

Harper had no umbrella. Her shoulders were soaked, and strands of wet hair clung to her temples. Hugging her arms to herself, she stopped at the club entrance, wanting to go in, but the security guard blocked her way. She tried calling Ethan, but her calls would not go through.

The cold rain and wind had seeped through her clothes, and she was shivering.

Upstairs, her misery was nothing more than entertainment for those watching. Ethan walked over to the window, casting her a brief glance before remarking coldly, "Let us see how long she can keep up the act."

Two dispassionate faces reflected in the glass-Mason swirled the liquor in his glass. "She has really been here all day?"

"Absolutely," Ethan said. He had made sure to have her watched. "The family set up a marriage meeting for her with the Bennett family's younger son. You know Noah-spoiled, useless. The Bennetts agreed to it to settle an old debt, but Noah refused outright."

Ava had truly gone to great lengths for this imposter.

Ethan could not understand it. Before Harper's real background was exposed, Ava's affection for her had been one thing. But now, with no blood relation between them, she still treated Harper like her own daughter.

In the three years since Harper was sent away, Ava had cried herself sick-literally-falling into deep depression at her worst.

Mason downed his drink, the burn in his throat making his voice rougher. "Noah is next door?"

"Is he ever. Probably got a bunch of people in there partying."

"Go tell him."

"What?"

Mason's profile was swallowed in shadow, his expression unreadable as his fingertip traced the rim of his glass. Ethan frowned, not understanding. "If he comes downstairs, Harper will get all smug again."

"He will not come down," Mason said with certainty. But he would send someone else.

What fun was there in simply watching someone stand in the rain?

The real show was still to come.

Ethan left, leaving Mason alone in the private room. He leaned by the window, flicked open the metal lighter, cupped the flame in his palm, and lit a cigarette. As he waited, he lowered his eyes again, and what he saw made him startle.

Downstairs, Harper descended a step, cautiously extending her hand to gather some rainwater in her palm, then brought it to her lips, sipping it in small gulps.

It reminded Mason of a white but dirty stray cat by the roadside, licking up dirty water.

But he wouldn't lend a hand.

After all, beneath Harper's soft fur were sharp fangs and claws, which could easily scratch you. Having learned from past experiences, Mason wouldn't easily soften his heart. But the shock in his heart was still hard to suppress.

After swallowing the rainwater, the door behind her opened automatically. It wasn't Ethan who came out, nor was it Noah, the handsome man Ava had spoken of.

The woman who led the way was recognizable to Harper; she had offended her in the past.

To say she had offended her wasn't quite accurate. It was just that she had won a violin competition against her. The woman had cried backstage, and Harper, unable to bear it, had publicly reprimanded her, "Do you think this is kindergarten? You cry because you didn't get first place and expect others to comfort you with candy?"

The tables have turned, and now it was her turn.

The woman walked up to her, her eyes flickering with a hint of contempt. She folded her arms and looked her up and down, "Look who it is."

The three women surrounded Harper, their gazes scrutinizing and probing, all filled with astonishment. These were familiar faces, but three years had changed them.

Back then, when she was driven away, the Walker family had given her father money to take good care of her.

They had assumed that Harper had been living well these years, but they didn't expect her to end up like this.

"Isn't this Ms. Walker?" The woman's voice was shrill as she mocked in a slow tone, then changed her tune, "Tut-tut-tut, I forgot. The one in front of us is just an impostor."

After a burst of laughter, another person spoke.

"So, you're here to find Brother Noah. Knowing you can't attract Mason with your appearance, you're settling for less?"

"Sophia, what are you talking about? With her looks, even hooking up with Noah would be overreaching."

"You just reminded me. She's shameless. When Mason didn't want her, she had someone kidnap Olivia, leading to her death." Sophia glared at Harper as if she wanted to gouge her out, while loudly proclaiming, "How dare you still live?"

Harper's lips trembled, and a flicker of fear crossed her dim eyes. Years ago, Mason had also grabbed her by the neck and asked the same question.

She cried, saying it wasn't her and that she was also a victim.

Mason didn't believe her.

No one did.

In court, the kidnapper accused her, her parents doubted her, and the lawyer presented irrefutable evidence. She was left speechless, then as now.

"Why aren't you talking? Are you mute?"

"Feeling guilty, aren't you?"

The wind blew in the rain, soaking half of her clothes. She stood in the cold wind and accepted the accusation, "It's my fault. It's my mistake."

As soon as the words left her mouth, Sophia and the others were stunned. Such a proud person was now speaking so humbly to them.

Sophia straightened up and snorted, "Now you realize it was your mistake. Why didn't you admit it in court?"

Harper didn't argue. She was pushed a few times and fell into the rain, teetering on the edge.

Seeing no retaliation from her, Mason extinguished his cigarette and was about to sit back down when the argument downstairs intensified. Perhaps angered by Harper's meek demeanor, Sophia slapped her.

Ethan immediately straightened up, waiting for Harper's reaction, but she just covered her face without moving. Sophia grabbed her arm and pushed her, causing her to roll down the steps. The security guards by the club were alerted and surrounded her.

Fortunately, the injuries weren't severe. A fall and a slap were much lighter than losing a life.

Harper was drenched, huddled in the back seat of the car, with Mason sitting beside her. One was calm and indifferent, while the other was miserable and defeated, like a homeless dog. They seemed like people who shouldn't be in the same space.

There were towels in the car, but Mason didn't offer one to Harper. However, if she had asked him, he might have shown some mercy.

Just like before, when she tugged at his neatly pressed suit sleeve and cooed, "Mason, help me, just this once."

But he didn't know.

Repeatedly unanswered pleas can make one give up.

Even if she had another chance to evoke sympathy, Harper wouldn't speak up anymore. Hitting a wall too many times can hurt.

"Ethan went to find Noah. I'll take you home," Mason said, trying to distance himself from Harper, even though they were sitting in the same row, yet feeling miles apart.

Harper's tone was even more distant, "Actually, I can go home by myself."

So now he was the one being overly sentimental?

A self-mocking smile curved Mason's lips, "This is Ethan's request."

In other words, he wasn't meddling on his own.

"I know that."

Without looking at her, Mason could sense that she seemed to lift her face, her faint gaze reflecting toward him. Each word was spoken with great courage.

"I know you don't want to see me again. I was immature in the past, made many mistakes, and caused you a lot of trouble. I won't make those mistakes again."

"Those mistakes?" Mason turned his face. "What do you mean?"

Harper lowered her head again, "Loving you."

The umbrella was tilted, barely covering Harper. She had been soaked over and over again and didn't mind getting wet once more, but Mason shouldn't be dirtied by the muddy water.

The two walked side by side in the downpour, with only one umbrella held by Mason. Harper dared not get close to him and huddled under the umbrella, catching a glimpse of Mason's half-soaked shoulder out of the corner of her eye.

Her heart sank.

Harper took a deep breath on her own, choosing her words carefully each time she spoke, "You don't have to hold the umbrella for me. I'm already soaked."

Mason's tone remained unchanged, adding a cruel detachment and sternness to his usual seriousness, "I just don't want Aunt Ava to blame me for not taking care of you. Don't flatter yourself."

She wouldn't dare to flatter herself.

She had paid such a painful price for that self-flattery in the past, and it was etched in her memory.

They walked in silence along the road. When they saw the light in the Walker residence, Mason spoke again, seemingly as a warning but more like a confirmation, "Remember to keep your word about what you said in the car."

Harper said that loving him was a mistake, and clinging to him was a mistake, and she would never make such mistakes again.

"I will. I was too naive in the past. I'm really sorry for those things."

She had said "I'm sorry" and "I apologize" countless times along the way. When she was clinging to him, he had longed to hear her give up, but when he finally heard it, he didn't seem that happy.

Mason remained silent, his heart as still as water.

He closed the umbrella, and the Walker family's nanny came to greet them. She glanced at Mason and Harper, and handed the towel to Mason first. It was clear at a glance who was more precious. Harper no longer had the Walker surname, and even the nanny here could give her a cold shoulder.

Mason didn't accept it, his eyes sharp, "Do you think I need it more than she does?"

The nanny's face froze, and she quickly handed the towel to Harper, "I, I'll go get another one."

"No need. I'm leaving now."

When Ava heard the noise and came downstairs, she saw the two standing together. She quickly walked over, her face full of anxiety and concern, "Why did you get soaked like this? You were fine when you went out. Why didn't you use the umbrella?"

"We did use it." Harper held the towel and wiped her hand, "It's okay."

"Okay? You're soaked!"

Ava called for the nanny, "Charlotte, hurry and draw a hot bath for Harper. Otherwise, she'll catch a cold."

No matter when, Ava's affection never faded. Harper muttered her thanks and slowly climbed the stairs, with the gazes of the two people behind her.

Ava looked away first. She turned to Mason, her wariness hidden under her gentle demeanor, "Mason, why did you bring Harper back? Didn't I ask Ethan to take her?"

"Noah didn't go." Mason, expressionless, stated the fact, "Ethan went to find him."

"He didn't go?"

Ava's composed face showed anger, "How could he? That's extremely disrespectful. I'll definitely tell his parents!"

As soon as she finished speaking, she calmed down and said, "Anyway, thank you for the trouble. In the future, just have Ethan call me in such situations."

Mason nodded, but added meaningfully, "Aunt Ava, I heard that you plan to marry her into the Bennett family?"-

When Harper took a bath, she locked the door and didn't let anyone in.

Ava knocked on the door, "Harper, do you feel unwell? Do you want to take some medicine as a precaution?"

"No, it's not necessary."

She wasn't that delicate. Over these three years, let alone catching a cold or having a fever, even if she was beaten to the point of dislocation, she would bite a towel and reset her arm herself. When the pain woke her up, she would ignore the new and old injuries on her body and get up to earn money in the wind and snow. In winter, she always had a pair of shoes with the soles coming off.

Snow would pour into her shoes, freezing her toes until they turned purple and rigid.

Compared to that, getting caught in the rain was nothing.

She quickly changed her clothes and went out. Ava was waiting for her, holding her hand, gently stroking her face, and touching her forehead, "Didn't I tell Ethan to take good care of you? Why did you get soaked?"

"It's okay."

After coming back, Harper had learned to be considerate, becoming well-mannered, gentle, and understanding.

Ava used to pray every day that her little daughter would be more sensible, less willful, and not always anger her father. But now that she had become like this, as a mother, she couldn't help but feel heartbroken.

Pulling Harper to sit beside her, Ava took the towel and rubbed and pressed the water droplets from the ends of her hair. That once beautiful, black, and smooth hair now looked like withered weeds, lifeless and very brittle.

Just like Harper herself.

Ava's heart ached, and her nose turned sour. This time, bringing Harper back was something she had insisted on by herself, but there were conditions. She couldn't spoil Harper excessively again and ruin her. If she offended someone, no one would be able to save her.

"Aunt Ava, I can do it myself." Harper was not used to such tenderness and intimacy.

Ava didn't let go, "Harper, I was wrong these years for not visiting you."

"I understand."

Touching her hair and the bony shoulders and neck, Ava asked what she truly wanted to know, "Do you still have feelings for Mason?"

Before she could finish, Harper shook her head, "No, I know my place. You can rest easy."

"I didn't mean that"

"I know. I won't cause any more trouble."

Especially not the kind of trouble that could lead to someone's death. She wouldn't dare to make such a mistake again.

The more sincere Harper was, the more heartbroken that smile became. "I will try to introduce you to some men If we can get married, that would be best, but if not, I won't stay and make things difficult for you."

-Leaving Harper in the rain was too much. Noah's mother brought him over early in the morning to apologize personally, and Ava accompanied them downstairs.

Harper caught a severe cold and was groggily pulled up to wash and change into the clothes Ava had prepared. The nanny nagged a bit, mainly complaining about how thin she had become. The smallest-sized dress didn't fit her waist, and it had to be sewn with a few stitches to fit properly.

Urged to go downstairs, the nanny had sewn in a hurry, and the needle had pricked her flesh several times. Harper gritted her teeth and didn't make a sound.

Downstairs, Winifred was pulling Noah and apologizing to Ava. The sound of footsteps came down, and the three of them looked up. Wrapped in their gazes, Harper lowered her head shyly and slowed her pace. Ava stepped forward and took her hand, leading her over.

"So this is Harper?"

The Bennett family had only recently emerged in Moridise in the past two years, and they didn't know much about the things surrounding Harper. At first glance, she was just a thin and quiet girl, with no trace of the arrogance and domineering behavior that others had described.

Winifred stood up and reached for Harper's hand, but she stood still like a statue.

"It's all my fault for not raising my child well. Noah is like this, always joking around." Winifred tugged at Noah and urged, "Aren't you going to apologize to Harper?"

Noah casually adjusted his collar, glanced at Harper, and curled his lip with disdain. A dimple on his left cheek added a touch of nonchalant charm. "Sorry about that."

In the past, Harper would have looked down on a man like him. She had fantasized countless times about marrying Mason, becoming his bride, and having his children. She had thought of him through so many cold and windy nights, only for those dreams to turn into nothing.

Facing Noah, who stood right in front of her, Harper forced a smile that wasn't very pretty. "It's okay."

Noah was taken aback for a moment, wiped the side of his nose, turned his face away, and didn't look at her anymore. He seemed very uncomfortable.

Ava tried hard to matchmake between them and had the driver take them to dine separately.

On the way, Noah sat on the other side, propping his face with his hand and looking at the street scenery outside. Harper sat beside him, sitting properly with her hands on her lap and her face lowered in silence.

This was completely different from what Noah had heard about her. People had described Harper as willful and arrogant, always trying to draw attention to herself, making a lot of noise, and using her family's power and influence to be the center of attention in any situation.

But the Harper in front of him was quiet and reserved, like a white jasmine with weak vitality and a faint scent; even the color of its stem was dull. If it were buried in the farthest corner of a flower bed, it might never be noticed until it withered away.

When they arrived at the restaurant, Noah ignored Harper, got out of the car by himself, and went in. He ordered a lot of food without asking about Harper's dietary restrictions or opinions.

After the waiter took away the menu and closed the private room door, Noah got straight to the point: "Aunt Ava wants me to marry you, right?"

The woman's long eyelashes seemed wet and curled, but they were lowered, making it impossible to see her eyes. One could only sense her timidity.

"I know."

"I'm not going to marry you." Noah was young and in the playful stage of his life. The idea of marrying a woman with a tarnished reputation was like asking him to die. "If you have any sense, you should tell Aunt Ava clearly as soon as possible, so she won't keep bothering me with my mom."

Harper pursed her lips and said nothing.

"I'm talking to you. Do you hear me?"

Clutching her dress tightly, Harper swallowed her breath and spoke cautiously, "Can we try for a month?"

Noah was confused. "What do you mean?"

"Let's spend a month together. If it doesn't work out, Harper knew she wouldn't be liked anymore. She didn't expect much; she just wanted to stay.

To stay, she needed to connect with someone or something, and Noah, though not ideal, was her lifeline.

"If it still doesn't work out, we'll tell our families that we tried and it wasn't a good fit."

Her accent was strange, like a mixture of fear and hesitation.

Amused by her appearance, Noah leaned back, stretched his shoulders, and laughed. "No wonder they say you're not a good person. You come up with all sorts of schemes as soon as you speak."

"I'm sorry." Harper was almost pleading and making a concession. "If it's not possible, I"

"Fine."

Noah's eyes were like those of someone who had found an interesting toy. "This suits me just fine. It also saves my family from owing Aunt Ava a favor."

He took a sip of coffee and said playfully, "But let me tell you in advance, I'm not a good person. In a month, you might not be able to handle it."

When he heard that Noah had taken Harper out, Ethan was waiting to see the joke unfold.

Noah was a reckless and straightforward person, likely to say many harsh things to Harper. Just thinking about her pale and embarrassed face made Ethan feel good.

Standing by the window, he watched the car pull into the driveway below.

Noah got out of the car first. As he was about to leave, he remembered the agreement he had made with Harper and turned back to open the car door for her.

This scene was inconceivable to Ethan.

He stood frozen by the window, clutching his coffee cup tightly, his back teeth clenched, and his jaw tensed.

After Noah sent Harper back, he left. Ava chatted with her downstairs for a long time before letting her go. As soon as she went upstairs, she ran into Ethan, who seemed eager to flay her alive.

"Really thought you had changed your nature. Turns out that after all these years, you've learned a whole set of sly and charming tricks behind people's backs."

Noah had seen many women and should have looked down on Harper, but he personally sent her back. Ethan didn't need to think twice to know that she had used her tricks.

Harper took two steps back, feeling uneasy and frightened. "I didn't."

"Didn't?"

Ethan couldn't help but laugh, lowering his voice so that Ava downstairs wouldn't hear the argument, "Then why did Noah obediently send you back?"

"He just didn't want to be blamed by his family." Harper clutched the stair railing tightly for support.

"Don't think that climbing up to him will make you a somebody." Ethan's advice was harsh and cutting. "With all the things you've done, I can guarantee that no one will dare to have you."

Harper didn't argue. "I"

She had long stopped expecting anything. In the past, she wasn't loved by Mason, and now she wasn't loved by anyone. She had tasted this bitter feeling for too long, and it had become a numb routine.

With a laugh, Ethan raised the cup of coffee in his hand and poured it over Harper's head. It was hot, but she didn't move.