We Would Never Meet Again

For the ninetyninth time, Clara Summer confessed her love and for the ninetyninth time, she was rejected. After that, she gave her brother her blessing, "Brother, I wish you and your girlfriend a lifetime of happiness."

Ian Cumberland looked at Clara in surprise. "This is the first time you've called me 'brother' since my mom adopted you."

Clara's smile filled with sadness because she had already died. She had made a deal with a system and it granted her seven days to tie up loose ends before it disappeared forever.

——

As she sat alone on the couch, she stared at the remains of a shattered birthday cake, its colorful layers smeared across the floor.

She had been on her way back after buying a birthday cake for Ian’s birthday when a truck came barreling toward her. Then, it was darkness.

Everything was like a dream.

A rush of cold air suddenly came inside the door as Ian pushed open the door and entered. His voice was laced with irritation, "Did you call me all the way here just for this? Haven't I told you already that Rea is sick and I need to take care of her? So, I won't celebrate my birthday this year."

Clara slowly stood up, but her gaze still fixed on the ruined cake on the floor. "I called you because I have something important to say."

"What could possibly be so important?" he asked. His expression turned gloomy as impatient and tiredness appeared in his eyes.

"I've told you that Rea is sick and as her boyfriend, I need to be there for her. Are you throwing a tantrum just to get my attention?" he asked angrily.

"Let me warn you, Clara! If you keep acting out, you can leave the Cumberland Family!" After he said that, he stormed into his room and slammed the door behind him.

Clara just stood there as she watched his retreating figure. In a voice barely above a whisper, she murmured, "Ian … there won't be next time for me, because I've already dead."

However, of course, no one heard her whisper.

She sank back onto the couch as memories flooded her mind.

Actually, she was not Ian's biological sister. When she was four years old, her grandmother, who was her living relative, passed away. Ian's mother took her in and raised her as part of the family.

Back then, she had been shy and withdrawn and often hid in the attic. However, Ian had sought her out every day to play. He also brought her a variety of toys and gifts, trying to make her smile.

He had once promised her with unwavering confidence, "I'll stay with you during the day and my toys will keep you company. Clara, you’ll never be alone again. I’ll always be by your side."

He did keep his word. From the time she was four years old until now, Ian has been a constant presence in her life. He would drive her to and from school, without fail and give her afterschool tutoring.

When Clara was in middle school, she was nearly assaulted by a few playboys at the banquet she attended. Ian was in a rage that he had gone berserk. If Mrs. Cumberland, his mother, had not tried with all her might to stop him, Ian would kill one of them at that time.

Since then, everyone knew Clara was an important person in Ian's heart and could not be touched.

To Clara, Ian is like a god who has descended from the heavens to save her.

She was completely in love. She had confessed countless times. She crafted rings from soda can tabs, woven grass and strings, each a symbol of her devotion. Each time, he had rejected her without hesitation.

This year, on his birthday, she tried one last time. However, this time, he exploded in fury. For the first time, he truly lashed out at her and tore her love letter right in front of her.

From that moment on, he deliberately distanced himself by staying out late to avoid her. Before long, he brought home a girl named Rea Jefferson, his socalled true love.

The night Clara died in the car accident, she had desperately called Ian over and over again, but each was hung up harshly.

When one was finally picked up, the voice on the other end wasn’t his voice but Rea. "Clara, Ian is in the shower right now. He’s busy. He doesn’t have time to talk to you."

Then, without waiting for a response, Rea hung up.

Pain ripped through Clara’s chest, suffocating her. Her vision blurred as agony engulfed her entire being and then, she took her final breath.

When Clara died, the system came and spoke to her. So, she seized the opportunity to strike a deal with it and exchanged her soul for a chance to bid farewell to Ian. It gave her a time limit of seven days.

As she sat in silence, Clara gazed at the clock on the table. If Ian had looked closely earlier, he might have noticed something unusual about it.

The clock only had seventime markers.

She reached out and pushed the hand forward by one notch while whispering softly, "Six days left."

Early the next morning, Clara went out to go to the crematorium to purchase a burial plot and an urn.

Her death had been sudden and someone had to take care of her affair after her death.

At the crematorium, when the staff learned that she was buying a burial plot for herself, they jokingly remarked, "You're so young, so why are you thinking this far ahead already?"

Clara forced a wry smile on her face, "Well, there are six days left for me."

Hearing this, the staff cast a sympathetic glance at her. He mistakenly thought that she had a terminal sickness.

However, there was not any ripple in Clara's heart. All she thought about was settling her affair as quickly as possible so she would not be a burden to anyone. Then she could say her final goodbye to Ian properly.

When she returned home, she saw Ian and Rea standing at the entrance of the house. They were welcoming guests as if they were the masters of the house.

The moment Rea spotted her, she eagerly stepped forward and said warmly, "Clara, you're finally here! I've been waiting for you!"

She naturally linked her arms with Clara's, then feigned surprise as she asked, "Oh? Don’t you know that today is my promotion celebration party, so why are you wearing all black?"

Clara froze and glanced down at her clothes. She was momentarily at a loss for what she was supposed to say.

However, before she could respond, Ian's sharp voice cut through the air. "No one forced you to come. If you're unhappy, you can leave."

He assumed she was deliberately causing trouble. After all, having attended countless banquets as the Cumberland Family's adopted daughter, Clara should have known the basics of proper etiquette.

Under his icy glare, Clara sighed and lowered her head, then took the initiative to apologize humbly, "I'm sorry. I was in a rush today and didn't have time to change my clothes."

She was so obedient and her action made Ian and Rea feel somewhat shocked. In the past, Clara had never apologized to Rea, especially in front of Ian.

"Oh, there's no need to apologize! I know you didn’t do it on purpose," Rea said with a bright smile and a flicker in her eyes as she expertly smoothed over the awkwardness.

Ian followed behind them. His gaze lingered on Clara’s back with an unreadable expression.

The atmosphere of the celebration was lively. Most of the guests were Ian’s friends. Since they knew Rea was his cherished girlfriend, they were eager to acknowledge her.

Although Clara stood quietly in the corner, oddly enough she did not feel out of place.

As the evening wore on, the guests raised their glasses for a celebratory toast.

Rea remained warm and welcoming. She even pulled Clara to the center with her. With a beaming face and laughter, she actively clinked glasses with others. "Clara, I’m so happy you came to celebrate with us! To be honest, I'm surprised you're able to come."

Clara hesitated as she stared at the clear liquid in her glass because although her body looked intact, her body remained in the condition of her death. Since her internal organs had been shattered in the accident, what kind of excruciating pain might she feel if she drank the wine? So, she just stood there motionless and she was unwilling to raise the wine glass in her hand.

The surrounding guests exchanged awkward glances and their expressions subtly changed.

When he saw the embarrassment in Rea's face, Ian's face turned cold and he looked at Clara with a warning in his eyes.

"Rea offered you a drink and you refuse to accept it?"

The cold voice rang in her ears and it made Clara's wholebody shudder. Finally, she lifted the glass and downed the clear liquid in one gulp.

The burning liquid scorched her throat and an unbearable pain tore through her insides. Her already broken body screamed in agony, her face turning deathly pale. Unable to endure it, she shoved past the crowd and rushed to the restroom.

She barely made it before collapsing in front of the toilet. She violently vomited out every drop she had just swallowed.

When she heard the retching sounds from the toilet, Rea’s face turned pale, her voice carrying a trace of grievance sounded, "Clara … do you hate me that much?"

The moment those words left her lips, Ian's face darkened. He gently patted Rea's hand, his gaze firm as he reassured her, "That’s impossible. No one would hate you."

With that, he turned and strode toward the toilet to check what it was all about.

Inside, Clara clutched the porcelain bowl as her body trembled. Through the haze of pain, she saw something unsettling come out from her. There were streaks of blood mixed with unidentifiable fragments of flesh. Her limbs throbbed with a twisted ache and cold sweat broke out across her forehead.

As a result of drinking the wine, the damage from her death was becoming impossible to hide. Blood seeped through her pant leg and dripped onto the floor.

With great effort, she stood up and adjusted her clothes to smooth out any visible wrinkles. As she stared at the ghostly pale reflection in the mirror, she let out a bitter chuckle.

Should she consider herself lucky? Since her black outfit managed to conceal the blood well enough.

After she composed herself, she opened the door to slip in without the crowd noticing. However, as soon as she looked up, she was met with Ian's piercing gaze.

For a brief moment, she wondered if he was actually worried about her. A trace of hesitation flickered in her eyes before she decided to be honest and told him, "I feel terrible. May I be an excuse to go upstairs to rest?"

She thought it was a simple request, one that needed no explanation.

Unfortunately, Ian’s expression darkened further, his voice laced with anger. "I thought you had finally learned some manners when you apologized earlier for your inappropriate attire. However, in the end, you’re still causing trouble on purpose as you usually did. Did you refuse to drink Rea's toast just to embarrass her?"

Clara froze and the pain in her chest intensified even more. For a second, she couldn’t even tell if it was her broken body or his words that hurt her more. She forced a smile and tried to explain, "I do feel unwell."

"I don’t care if you’re truly sick or just pretending," he cut her off coldly. "Rea offered you a drink. You will finish it."

Without giving her a chance to refuse, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her back toward Rea.

"Clara realized she was being rude earlier, so she came back to apologize with a toast," Ian announced, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Stunned, Clara looked up at him. Her gaze met his sharp, warning gaze.

Swallowing back the bitterness rising in her throat, she turned to the glass in her hand. A faint, resigned smile touched her lips as she slowly brought it to her lips and drank it all down.

The pain exploded in her body like a detonated bomb and scattered her consciousness into pieces.

By the time the banquet ended, she had barely regained her senses.

Once the guests had all left, Rea lingered behind. Ian didn’t even hesitate before he made a declaration, "From now on, Rea will be moving in with me."

Then, he turned to look at Clara, eyes sharp, as if expecting she would make trouble or a fuss.

However, the pain was so overwhelming that Clara did not have any energy left to utter objection or make trouble. She just simply said, "Okay."

She felt she had given the correct answers but Ian frowned and there was confusion in his eyes.

Just then, Rea playfully nudged him and grinned. "Dear Young Master Cumberland, which room am I staying in?" She then blocked Clara from his view.

Ian stunned for a while before chuckling and affectionately tapping her nose. Then, he pulled her into his arms and said, "What do you mean which room? Of course, you’re staying in mine."

“You’re so annoying.”

A flush of red crept up Rea's cheeks as she playfully collapsed into Ian's arms. Their faces drew closer until their lips met and their kiss deepened with every passing second.

Clara clenched her teeth and forced herself to stay silent. Her heart had already died, so why did it still hurt?

The three of them headed upstairs together.

As soon as Rea sat down on the sofa, her gaze landed on a peculiar clock. Curious, she reached out to touch it.

“This clock is so strange," she said. "Why does it only have six markers left?”

“Don’t touch it!” Clara yelled. She couldn’t hold back her panic. She lunged forward and snatched the clock into her arms.

Her reaction was so extreme that Ian instinctively frowned, his expression darkened with irritation as he scolded, "It’s just a clock. If Rea likes it, let her have it. You can always buy another one.”

However, this clock represented her remaining days in the world. Each mark was a day of her life ticking away and this was not something she could explain easily. So, all she could give was some random excuses, "It was a gift for winning a speech competition from my school. It has sentimental value for me."

“I’ve never seen you care about silly trinkets before,” Ian scoffed, his tone dripping with disdain as he frowned.

“Alright, if Clara doesn’t want me to touch it, I won’t.” She turned to Ian with a sweet smile. “Ian, do you have time to show me your room?”

Rea immediately changed the subject and changed Ian's attention.

"It's just like you spoil her rotten. It's just some stupid broken clock and isn’t worth this much fuss. I’ll take you shopping tomorrow and buy you whatever jewelry you want.”

Clara stood frozen in place, her heart sank into a pool of bitterness. In the past, she was the one Ian had spoiled, now he reserved that tenderness to someone else.

Taking a shaky breath, she pulled out the clock and turned the dial down by another mark.

It did not matter anyway. She was already dead. So, when she truly left this world, Ian wouldn’t grieve for long. Rea would be there to comfort him.

The next morning, Clara went to her university to finalize her withdrawal papers. Just as she was about to leave, she ran into her best friend, Sally Hansen.

She excitedly came over and bumped Clara's shoulder.

“So?” Sally grinned. “How’s it going with that guy? Did you two finally get together?”

“He has a girlfriend. Don’t bring him up again.” I said calmly.

Sally was dumbfounded. She asked worriedly. "Are you okay?"

When she saw Clara was holding a withdrawal application form in her hand, her eyes widened. "Wait, what? Don't tell me you are dropping out of school because of this?"

Taking a deep breath, Clara forced herself to smile and said, “What are you thinking? My IELTS results came out. My family decided to send me abroad. I’m leaving in five days.”

"That's too sudden!"

Before Sally could say anything else, Clara suddenly reached forward and hugged her tightly. “Thank you for everything,” she whispered. “We’ll see each other again someday.”

When Sally heard the shaky word that Clara said, unexpectedly Sally felt tears start to gather in her eyes. Sniffing, she muttered, “Ugh, what are you saying? You make it sound like we’re never going to meet again.”

She added, “Just you wait. As soon as I finish my exams, I’m coming to find you! You’re stuck with me for life!”

For life, huh?

Clara froze for a moment before she abruptly turned away to hide her tears that were about to fall and waved dismissively. With a nonchalant manner, she said disdainfully, "Forget it! I don't want to be stuck with you."

Please, Sally… forget about me. Just enjoy your life.

After finishing the paperwork, Clara returned home. She didn’t expect to find Ian waiting in the living room with a package in his hand and a frosty expression on his face.

"Why did you buy a burial plot and an urn?" he asked.

Clara's pupils shrank in shock. She had no idea how those things had ended up in Ian's hands.

She blinked rapidly, her mind racing for an explanation before she stammered out a response, "I... I’ve been planning to relocate my grandmother’s grave. You know there’s no one else in the family but me."

It was a reasonable explanation.

Ian hesitated, his unease was still lingering, but eventually he nodded and said, "Then I’ll take the day off tomorrow and go with you."

"There's no need. You should focus on work and spend time with Rea. I’ve grown up now. I can’t keep clinging to you and being a burden. I’ll handle these things on my own in the future."

She meant every word she had just said.

However, there was a flicker of surprise in Ian's eyes. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but Clara had already turned and walked away.

Watching her retreating figure, he murmured under his breath, "You were never a burden to me."

The next day, Clara visited Mrs. Cumberland grave alone. She carefully wiped the dust from the tombstone, placed a bouquet of fresh flowers that she had bought at its base.

Gazing at the gentle face in the photo, her heart twisted painfully. She went closer and sat next to the tombstone.

"Mrs. Cumberland, this will probably be my last visit. I wonder if you’d blame me for being so reckless, trading my soul for these seven extra days."

"I finally understand now that my feelings were nothing but a burden to Ian. He’ll have his own family one day. It was foolish of me to think I could stay by his side forever."

"This life has been full of suffering for me. That’s why I don’t regret my decision, Mrs. Cumberland. This world is too painful for me so I won’t come back in the next life."

Clara sat there for a long time as if she wanted to pour out everything in her heart in front of Mrs. Cumberland.

After she left the cemetery, Clara cashed out all the properties under her name and transferred all the money into one card. She would give this money to Ian as compensation for her harassment of him over the past few years.

As for this jade bracelet ...

Clara raised her hand in a daze. Under the light, the bracelet looked translucent and delicate. It seemed very valuable.

"This is my heirloom jade bracelet for my future daughterinlaw. Clara, I’m leaving Ian in your care in the future."

Mrs. Cumberland's final words echoed in her mind.

Clara took a deep breath and let out a bitter laugh. It was better to leave the bracelet with Ian, along with the money.

By the time she returned to the villa, it was already late at night. The entire villa was eerily quiet. It seemed no one was home.

This was good. It was easier for her to move out of the house.

She walked into the study with the bank card and the jade bracelet in hand.

This was Ian’s private space. He was always meticulous, but tonight, the study was in disarray. It was a sign that the owner was restless and bored. It seemed her presence in this house truly frustrated him.

Clara blew resigned breath and went to his desk then pulled the lower drawer opened. She placed the card and bracelet deep inside. Just as she was withdrawing her hand, her fingers accidentally brushed against a small, ornate box.

The lid popped open and revealed a glint of cold metal.

Clara froze, her breath caught as she hesitantly reached inside. It was a pop tab ring, the handmade grass rings that she had given Ian over the years,

Hadn’t he said he threw them all away? Why are they still here?

Her gaze shifted to the final object in the box. It is a diamond ring. Did Ian buy it?

A thought too wild to believe flashed through Clara’s mind. She closed the box but was unable to recover from her shock.

Until Ian's sudden panicked voice sounded from the doorway. "Who gave you permission to touch my things?"

He hurriedly rushed in, snatched the box from her hand and, with a face dark with anger, scolded, "Did the Cumberland Family ever teach you to rummage through other people’s belongings?"

Clara jolted and finally came back to her senses. Her throat felt dry and she avoided his gaze and said in a low voice, "I was just looking for a pen to doodle with... I thought it might be in there."

Her explanation didn’t seem to convince him because Ian’s eyes narrowed with suspicion, his voice laced with urgency. "Did you open the box?"

Seeing the tension thickened in the air as time passed, Clara quickly shook her head. "No."

Ian exhaled in relief and his expression softened just a little. However, when his gaze returned to her, it was as cold as ever. "Get out and from now on, stay out of my study unless I say otherwise."

"Alright. I’m sorry." With a lowered head, Clara blinked rapidly and went straight to the attic,

When she was back in her room, she threw herself onto the bed, her mind unable to escape the image of the small box’s contents. She was certain those were the trinkets she had given him over the years.

Then why were they still here? Why had he kept them? They even placed in his most valued space, no less? Was it just a coincidence? Or did Ian feel something for her after all?

Her thoughts swirled into chaos and eventually, exhaustion claimed her.

The next morning, she was awakened by a commotion downstairs. When she peered over the railing, she saw a crowd gathered below. It looked like some sort of celebration.

Then, in front of everyone, Ian knelt on one knee. He was holding up a small velvet box. It was the very same diamond ring she saw last night.

"Rea, will you marry me?" he asked. He gazed up at Rea with a tenderness that nearly overflowed from his eyes.

"So that’s why you didn’t answer my calls last night … you were planning this!" Rea gasped in surprise. She did not hide the happiness in her heart.

Ian smiled and his voice dripped with warmth. It was the same warmth he used to reserve for Clara. "You deserve this and more. Rea, I will take care of you for the rest of my life."

"Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" the crowd cheered.

Tears shimmered in her eyes, amid the crowd, Rea took the initiative to lean in and kiss him.

Upstairs, Clara stood frozen, her face drained of color. It seemed from start to finish she was nothing but a joke. Just last night, he had foolishly dared to wonder if Ian harbored feelings for her and today, she was watching him propose to another woman in front of the crowd.

A sharp "smack" echoed in the empty attic as she slapped herself.

"Stop being so delusional. He’s engaged now. How pathetic can you be?" With gritted teeth, she threw herself back onto the bed. Her cheek is red and swollen,

Even though the door shut, she could clearly hear Ian’s joyful announcement drift up from below, "We’ll be holding the engagement banquet the day after tomorrow. I hope all of you can come and celebrate our happiness."

Clara was stunned. She covered her face as she silently cried. They had only known each other for a few months and yet he had already decided to marry Rea. He must really love her.

She directed her gaze on the ceiling in a daze and with a voice barely above a whisper, she murmured, "This is good. At least… at least you’ll be happy."

At the engagement banquet, Clara waited for the crowd, who wanted to give a congratulatory gift around Ian turned to leave, before stepping forward with a small gift in her hands.

She had rehearsed this moment in her mind countless times. However, now that she was standing before him, her throat felt dry and the words she had prepared to say felt logged in her throat.

She forced herself to meet his eyes, she managed to whisper, "Brother, I wish you both a lifetime of happiness."

"This is the first time you've called me 'brother' since my mom adopted you." Ian's voice carried a hint of surprise as he looked down at Clara, his dark eyes were unreadable.

Then he added, "You can save those words and say it for the wedding banquet."

A wedding banquet?

She probably wouldn’t even be around for that.

Clara lowered her gaze while staring at the tip of her shoes. She muttered a vague response before escaping as quickly as she could.

Ian did not seem to care. He simply turned back and wrapped an arm around Rea’s waist and introduced her thoughtfully to each guest bringing gifts for her.

Clara stood still in a daze. At some point, their figures had disappeared into the crowd.

The engagement party was filled with people who were all businessmen, who liked to socialize.

She recalled how, in the past, Ian had always found a way to sneak away with his date because he knew how much she disliked such social gatherings.

It looked like he still kept the habit.

Clara let out a slow breath and stepped away, seeking a quiet moment on the terrace. However, before she could walk there, she saw Ian and Rea who had hidden there before her.

"Ian, after we get married, can you set up an art studio for me at the Cumberland mansion?" Rea asked. "I want a space that gets lots of sunlight."

She shook Ian's arm in a flirtatious manner. Before long Ian's indulgent voice drifted to her ears, "You don’t have to wait until after the wedding. Tomorrow, I’ll have Clara move out of the attic. The lighting there is perfect, it’ll make a great studio for you."

"Won’t that be a little unfair? She is your sister, after all."

"A sister isn’t as important as a wife."

He said it so casually, without hesitation. Then, as if to further prove his point, he leaned in and kissed Rea.

This kind of intimacy made Rea blush even more. Though she wanted to hide her reddened face, Ian held the back of her head and deepened the kiss.

Looking at the hot scene inside, Clara put her hand on her chest in a daze. Initially, she felt she would be upset and heartbroken, but she did not feel anything. Maybe she had used to it by now or because she had died long ago. Now, Clara only felt unprecedented peace and relaxation.

She had no interest in being an uninvited spectator. Wandering aimlessly through the halls, she didn’t realize she had ended up in a quiet corner.

Then, a voice, smooth yet laced with malice, sliced through the silence. "You heard everything just now, didn’t you? Does it hurt?"

Clara turned her head around and saw Rea standing before her with smugness on her face.

"Ian had told me everything," she continued. "He said you have … those feelings, like a woman has for a man, for him. However, I suppose it makes sense. He’s outstanding and you were at that … impressionable age."

Her voice was filled with artificial pity for Clara and yet, she suddenly leaned in. Her eyes filled with malice and her tone turned sharp, "However, he said he's only taking you as his sister, yet you have that incestuous thought about him, isn't that too disgusting?”

Clara's body stiffened as if she was struck by lightning. She never thought Ian would tell Rea about this.

Her cheeks flushed from embarrassment and she felt she had just been slapped.

It was clear that Ian had already rejected her and she was dead and their lives would never intersect again. Then why did he feel the need to trample her dignity like this?

She lowered her head and pressed her lips together, unwilling to engage. However, Rea had no intention of stopping.

Arms crossed, she looked Clara up and down with condescension, her stance exuding dominance.

"Ian had made it clear that he doesn’t want you around. You should stop clinging to the past and leeching off the Cumberland Family."

"I’ll be the lady of this house soon and I don’t have the patience to watch a little girl sulk in the corner, playing pathetic games," she continued.

"You’re an adult now, aren’t you? The Cumberland Family has already done enough for you. If you have any selfrespect, you’ll leave on your own. Spare us all the unnecessary drama."

Clara’s feet felt like they were nailed to the ground. She stood frozen for a moment before finally forcing out a dry response, "Don't worry. The day after tomorrow, I'll be gone."

She had lowered herself as much as possible, yet Rea still refused to let her go.

"Why the day after tomorrow? Can't you leave tomorrow?"

Clara's throat tightened. She didn’t know how to explain to her that the day after tomorrow wasn’t just the day she planned to move out of the Cumberland Family home, it was also the day she intended to leave this world entirely.

She remained silent, but Rea's expression turned even more displeased.

Just then, an unexpected accident occurred. On the second floor, a maid was cleaning the chandelier. No one knew what she had touched, but suddenly, the heavy fixture swayed dangerously before plummeting straight down and heading directly for Rea.

Clara stood frozen in shock and unable to react but a force from behind shoved her aside with incredible strength. It was Ian.

He rushed forward and caught Rea in his arms, his face tense with lingering fear.

"What happened?!"

Before Ian could even gather herself to speak, she saw Rea trembling in Ian’s embrace with tears welling up in her eyes.

"Don't blame Clara. It's my fault for upsetting her. Thankfully, I'm okay. She's still young, don’t be too harsh on her ..."

Her voice trembled as if she had been truly frightened, tears falling pitifully down her delicate face.

The surrounding guests looked at Clara with subtle glances. Especially Ian. His brows were furrowed and his eyes were filled with anger.

"I would never try to harm her! Even if I wanted to, how could I possibly make a chandelier fall …." Clara tried to explain, but then she caught sight of the slight smirk playing on Rea's lips. She understood instantly. This was a trap.

"Clara! There are witnesses and evidence. What more do you have to say for yourself?" Ian shouted at her.

"I used to think you were just childish and spoiled. However, now, you’re willing to drop a chandelier on someone? This is beyond immature … it's despicable!"

The words sliced into her like a knife.

Clara stared at him, unblinking. She was unable to believe what she was hearing. He knew that having no real family was her deepest wound. Yet now, for Rea’s sake, he had chosen to plunge the knife himself.

She just stood there, mumbling and trembling uncontrollably. However, Ian had no time to spare her another glance. He turned back to Rea, lifted her into his arms and carried her away to the hospital without hesitation.

The main characters had left so the engagement party could no longer continue. The guests quickly dispersed, leaving Clara sitting alone on the couch with hollow eyes.

She tried to call Ian to explain but each of her calls got declined.

It wasn’t until the first rays of dawn broke through the sky that Ian finally returned, looking tired as he walked in with Rea.

Clara hurried forward and greeted him, "Brother, I swear I didn’t do it."

However, Ian didn’t even lift his eyes. He simply pulled Rea along and kept walking. He did not even bother to acknowledge her.

Desperate, Clara ran to block their way. Her eyes were already wet with tears as she spoke. Her voice choked with emotion. “Can you believe me this one time? You used to say that you would always believe in me."

She spoke through quiet sobs, tears falling like scattered pearls.

From childhood until now, no matter what happened, Ian had always trusted her without question. She had once asked him why.

Back then, he had simply smiled, ruffling her hair with a look of effortless warmth in his eyes and said, "Since I'm your brother, it's natural to trust you."

However now, Ian only stared at her coldly and said coldly, “Doing something wrong and still not admitting it is a disgrace. Now, kneel down and apologize to Rea right away,”

Clara's eyes widened. With bloodshot and swollen eyes, she looked up at him in despair.

This was Rea's plan all along.

Now, she, the victim, was expected to apologize to the perpetrator.

Hiding behind Ian, Rea's eyes flashed with smug satisfaction.

“There are only two people in this world I’d ever kneel to. They are Grandma and Mrs. Cumberland.”

“If you insist this is my fault, then I’ll return it to her.”

Clara spoke calmly, then reached for a nearby wine bottle and smashed it against her own head.

Bang!

Warm liquid gushed from her scalp as fresh blood trickled down her face.

A sharp ringing filled her ears, her vision blurred and through the crimson veil, she stared at Ian and asked, "Is this enough?"

“You’re insane!”

Ian rushed forward in panic, his eyes wide with horror as he took in the blood streaking down her face.

"Driver! Get the car ready!"

His usually composed voice trembled as he barked orders.

[System Alert: Host is critically injured. One day of life remaining. Activating soul power to repair the wound.]

A cold, mechanical voice echoed in Clara's mind and as if by magic, the gash on her forehead began closing at an unnatural speed.

Ian turned his head just as Rea gasped in surprise.

“Clara, there’s no wound on your head at all! I understand that you’re upset about me and Ian's engagement, but you can’t resort to selfharm just to scare us.”

When Ian heard her accusation, he froze. His gaze flickered to Clara’s forehead and when he saw that it was indeed unscathed, his expression darkened with fury.

“Clara! When will you stop? First, you try to harm someone with a chandelier and now you’re resorting to fake selfharm?”

“If I had known you’d turn out like this, I never would have let my mother bring you home!”

Standing alone in the grand living room, Clara felt a coldness seep into her bones, colder than anything she had ever known.

She had only one day left to live and yet the only family she had, the brother she loved most, was saying he regretted ever taking her in. He did not ... want her anymore.

The realization struck her like a thunderbolt, her vision blackened and for a moment, she nearly collapsed.

Ian’s expression was unreadable as he turned away and he pulled Rea away with him. He didn’t spare Clara a second glance at all.

Today was the last day. Clara descended the stairs and found Ian just as he was about to leave with Rea.

She bit her lip nervously before mustering the courage to call out, “Brother, can we have dinner together tonight? Just the two of us.”

She just wanted … to say goodbye properly.

Ian frowned because he thought this was another inappropriate confession. When he was about to refuse, Rea placed a gentle hand on his arm.

“Let her have this moment, Ian. I have to go home tonight anyway. Spend some time with your little sister. You wouldn’t want to make her sad.”

With her urging, Ian finally relented.

Clara finally got the answer she wanted, but as she watched them stand side by side, a perfect picture of harmony, an unbearable sadness welled up inside her.

She watched their figures disappear through the doorway before taking a deep breath and turning back to her room.

There wasn't much time left for her.

Ian and Rea had just gotten engaged. Having a dead person's things in the house would bring bad luck.

She didn’t want to trouble anyone, so she needed to gather her belongings now and burn them before she was gone.

However, when she looked around the room, she hesitated. Everything in it, from her clothes to her toiletries, even her schoolbag, had been personally chosen by Ian. He actually was not someone who was particularly attentive.

However back when she first arrived at the Cumberland Family’s home, she hadn’t known she was allergic to milk. She had unknowingly drunk what the servants gave her. As a result, she broke out in hives and developed a high fever in the middle of the night.

If Ian hadn’t checked in on her and brought medicine … she didn’t know how much worse it would have gotten.

Since that night, Ian arranged everything concerning Clara’s daily life. Well ... he did those until he met Rea.

Now, Clara cleaned the attic from top to bottom to remove every trace of herself. She burned all her belongings, every insignificant item, every lingering memory.

Except for the body under the bed. The corpse just lay there, covered by a white sheet and it remained untouched.

She couldn't help but wonder, how Ian would react when he saw her lifeless body. Would he grieve? Or would he feel relieved because he was finally able to get rid of this burden?

Probably the latter. After all, he loved Rea so much and Rea could not wait to see her go.

Three hours later, Clara finished burning the last of her possessions. Without resting, she headed to the kitchen. She wanted to give him this one last surprise.

Once upon a time, he had spoiled her like a princess and never allowed her to step into the kitchen. However, after Mrs. Cumberland died from cancer, things changed.

To make sure Ian could still taste the flavors of home, Clara had painstakingly learned to cook his favorite dishes.

Her fingers burned and blistered as she worked, but finally, she placed four dishes and a soup on the dining table.

Then she waited and waited. Ever after the sky darkened, Ian never came home. She remained sitting at the table. Her lonely figure was swallowed by the night.

The food had long gone cold when she finally pulled out her phone and dialed his number.

Once ... twice ... but still no one answered.

Then, her phone dinged. It was a message from Rea.

Clara’s hands trembled as she opened it.

It was a photo of Ian having dinner with Rea's parents.

[Did you really think Ian would come back for you?] Rea’s text read. [He’s having dinner with my parents. Why would he waste time on a worthless freeloader like you?]

[If you had any selfrespect, you’d leave the Cumberland Family right now.]

Clara felt her blood turn ice cold as her hope dimmed.

She made one last call. This time he picked up her call.

“What do you want?” Ian's voice was impatient.

“Aren't you coming back tonight, you promised to have dinner with me tonight ...”

“I don’t have time for this nonsense. I’m busy. Stop bothering me.”

The line went dead before she could finish her word.

To him, their final farewell that she had exchanged with everything she had was nothing more than a meaningless waste of time.

What mattered for him instead? Having dinner with Rea's parents?

Clara sat motionless in the dimly lit dining room, her figure was rigid like she was a statue.

After a long time, a bitter laugh appeared in the quiet room. That laughter grew louder and louder until it finally turned into an unspeakable whimper sob.

The clock ticked forward. Only thirty minutes remained before twelve o'clock. Then she would finally leave for good.