On what should have been her wedding day, Willow Shaw was sold out by the very people she trusted most. To secure a lavish future for their precious adopted sister, Willow’s own brothers drugged her and threw her into a stranger’s bed. By dawn, her reputation was in tatters, while the interloper walked down the aisle, becoming the envied Mrs. Landon. For years, Willow was forced to be the "sacrificial lamb." Her musical compositions, her scientific breakthroughs, and even her inheritance—anything the adopted sister wanted, Willow had to surrender with a smile. If she dared to resist, she was branded as "ungrateful." But death gave her a second chance, and this time, Willow is done playing nice. In a shower of white lace, she flings the wedding dress into the pretender’s face. She severs every blood tie, walking away from her toxic family without looking back. She doesn't just leave; she burns the bridge behind her, dragging her brothers to court for years of abuse. They laughed, thinking she was throwing a tantrum. They waited for her to crawl back, begging for their mercy. They waited in vain. Without the dead weight of her family, Willow finally shines. The world is stunned to discover that the mysterious piano prodigy, the legendary stock market genius, and the elite scientist are all one woman. As her brothers kneel in the mud, weeping and begging for her to come home, Willow merely tosses the severance papers at them. "I don't keep trash in my life. Get lost." And the most terrifying part? The man standing behind her—the shadow ruler of the world’s financial empire—has just declared to the world: "Touch her, and I’ll burn your world to the ground."

Chapter 1"Willow! Is it really that hard to let Tessa have the wedding? Will you only be satisfied when you drive her to the grave?"Willow, dressed in her wedding gown, looked up in a daze. A second later, Leo slapped her hard across the face.The brutal force jerked her head to the side, leaving a sharp, deafening ring in her ears.The stinging pain snapped her back to reality. Her entire body began to tremble at the agonizingly familiar scene, a thick layer of tears blurring her vision.Was she... reborn?Reborn five years ago, on the day of the wedding she loathed so deeply?She had just put on her gown when her three brothers cornered her in the bridal suite.Because Tessa had feelings for Willow's fiancé, Elias Landon, her own brothers were forcing her to hand over the wedding. As for Asher and her other brother who hadn't arrived yet, they would undoubtedly side with Tessa without a second thought.In her past life, when Willow refused to surrender her place at the altar, they violently stripped her out of the dress.Ignoring her desperate pleas, they forced a spiked glass of milk down her throat.Then, they dumped her into a stranger's bed and staged a public scandal in front of all the guests, completely destroying her reputation!When Elias found out, he didn't even ask for an explanation. He used the opportunity to instantly break their engagement and married Tessa on the spot.While Willow struggled frantically against the drug on a stranger's bed, Tessa walked down the aisle with Elias, wearing the custom wedding gown Willow had spent months designing.From beginning to end, Elias never even looked at Willow once.Later, when Tessa wanted her musical compositions, she publicly accused Willow of plagiarism. Her brothers testified for Tessa without hesitation, ruthlessly turning Willow into a stepping stone for Tessa's meteoric rise to fame.Willow had spent three exhausting years developing a cure for Asher's illness, but her brothers simply handed the patent over to Tessa.The list of betrayals was endless.No matter how obedient Willow tried to be, all it took was Tessa faking a depressive episode and claiming Willow had insulted or hit her for her five brothers to throw her out of the house without a second thought.Even when Willow produced undeniable proof that Tessa was faking it, no one believed her.They left her to suffer a terminal illness and die alone on the streets, with no one to even claim her body.The suffocating wave of despair from her past life crashed into her all at once, and tears spilled uncontrollably down her cheeks.Even reliving it, the agony was entirely unbearable.Seeing her cry, Xavier's gaze turned somber.Though he was a powerful executive used to barking orders, he forced a patient tone to coax her into giving up her place as the bride. "You've been pampered your whole life. You already have more than enough! It's just handing Elias over to Tessa. What is there to cry about? Enough, drink this."With that, he held out the glass of milk.Willow stared at the glass. Flashes of being pinned to the bed by that terrifying stranger in her past life ripped through her mind.It had been horrifying. Utterly suffocating.She glared at Xavier, finally asking the question she had taken to her grave."I dated Elias for three years," she said, enunciating every single word. "Just because Tessa said a single word, you want me to step aside. Isn't that completely ridiculous?"Julian's usually gentle voice turned icy. "Shouldn't you yield to Tessa? If it weren't for her parents, you'd be dead."Leo scolded her without an ounce of hesitation. "How can you be so ungrateful? Tessa is an orphan because of you, and you won't even do this little thing? You're worse than a stray dog! At least a dog knows how to wag its tail when it begs!"The barrage of accusations made Willow close her eyes. Yes, this was how it always went. Using a life debt to chain her down, slowly suffocating her until she paid with her very life, and even then, it was never enough.She was exhausted.Whatever she owed them, she had already paid in full.In this life, she refused to repeat the same mistakes.If they didn't love her, she would just have to love herself.Willow looked up, meeting Xavier's gaze head-on. He was still gripping the glass of milk, fully determined to push her into the abyss.Sometimes she genuinely wondered who the biological sister actually was.She smiled. Then, raising her hand under their shocked stares, she violently swatted the glass away, sending it shattering across the floor!Before Xavier could explode, she spoke with crystal clarity. "Fine. I'll give up the wedding."Xavier's fury froze on his face. He stared at her in sheer surprise.He had fully expected her to fight tooth and nail, having prepared countless threats to break her into submission. Yet she just agreed.He should have been thrilled. This was exactly what he wanted. But for some inexplicable reason, a sudden wave of panic tightened his chest.Leo eyed her warily. "I'm going to get Tessa right now. Listen to me, Willow. You'd better not try any tricks, or I swear I won't let you get away with it!"Willow didn't react, her eyes wandering blankly over the bridal suite's lavish decorations.Soon, everyone except Xavier rushed out to fetch Tessa, leaving the room hollow and quiet.Xavier watched Willow. She sat there completely still, like a lifeless doll, radiating an overwhelming sense of fragile isolation.His heart softened slightly. After all, she was only twenty.He lowered his voice. "Don't blame Leo. He just wants to make things right for Tessa. You know her parents died at the hands of those kidnappers just to get you out safely. You were little and didn't understand, so I never forced you to be grateful. But you're grown now. You can't be as selfish as you used to be."Willow froze. Suddenly, the absolute absurdity of it all hit her.She had been five when that kidnapping happened.She had watched her parents get tortured to death right in front of her. She had been too terrified to even cry, and by the time she was rescued, her trauma had blocked out half her memories.It was her brothers' painstaking care that had slowly brought her back to life.Back then, they had genuinely loved her.That was until she turned seven, and the Shaw family adopted Tessa.They told Willow that she was the reason Tessa lost her parents, so it was her duty to care for Tessa and treat her like a younger sister.Even though Tessa was actually two years older than her.Growing up, Willow had constantly yielded out of guilt, giving up everything until she surrendered her own life.But she was a victim too. Why did they treat her like she was the mastermind behind the tragedy?Why did she have to pay for all the suffering in the world?Just because she was their biological sister?She didn't want that title anymore.When Willow didn't respond, Xavier's momentarily gentle expression turned ice-cold again.Stubborn as always!And here he thought she had actually grown a conscience by stepping down!She hadn't changed a bit!"Tessa really likes your dress," Xavier ordered coldly. "Take it off and give it to her."He knew she had spent over a month hand-sewing this custom gown. He knew exactly how precious it was to her.But something this exquisite only belonged on Tessa.Xavier braced himself for her hysterical screaming, but to his shock, she simply let out a dry laugh. "Alright."Without a fuss, she turned and walked into the dressing room to strip it off.Xavier frowned as he watched her disappear behind the door.He hadn't expected her to surrender the dress so easily.And he certainly never imagined that, from this very moment, she was cutting ties with the Shaw family forever.Before entering the dressing room, Willow had discreetly scooped up a shard of glass from the shattered milk cup, carefully wrapping it and slipping it into her clutch.It was physical proof of their attempt to drug and abuse her. She was going straight to a hospital for a toxicology screen.She wasn't going to let today slide. Not this time!Willow methodically removed every piece of jewelry and wiped away the bridal makeup that had taken three hours to perfect.Half an hour later, she stared at her bare face in the mirror and offered herself a silent smile.She turned and opened the dressing room door, running right into Tessa.Their eyes met. Tessa's eyes were red and swollen from crying, her delicate frame trembling in a way that always made people want to protect her.She hurried over and slumped against the doorframe in front of Willow. "I'm so sorry. You can hit me if you want, but the thought of Elias marrying someone else just breaks my heart. It hurts so much I just want to die..."A flash of coldness crossed Willow's eyes, but before she could speak, Leo stormed in and shoved her hard!The brutal force slammed Willow's spine against the vanity. Blinding pain radiated through her back, stealing the breath from her lungs and leaving her dizzy.Leo immediately supported Tessa, glaring viciously at Willow. "Are you ever going to stop?"Fighting through the pain, Willow grabbed the gown and jewels and hurled them right at Leo. "Open your eyes. I didn't say a single word!"Leo's face flushed purple with rage. "You're getting bolder by the second! No wonder Tessa is always so terrified of you!"Tessa hid behind Leo's broad shoulders, playing the terrified victim. Yet, when she met Willow's gaze, her beautiful eyes sparkled with undisguised triumph.Willow stared at her coldly and scoffed. "Say whatever you want. Since you all treat my secondhand trash like treasure, I guess I'm just feeling charitable today."With that, she turned on her heel to leave.A second later, Julian's hand clamped down on her wrist.His tone was as gentle as always, yet carried an undeniable steel. "You can't leave yet, Willow."Willow glared at him as Julian's gaze flickered. "Tessa is only an adopted daughter. Taking your place at the altar like this would look terrible. In a moment, you're going out there to publicly confess that you cheated and that you're too ashamed to face your fiancé. Then, you'll call off the wedding."Willow stared at him in sheer disbelief. In a heartbeat, the trap clicked into place.Julian wanted to completely ruin her!He wanted her to confess to infidelity and endure the wrath of the Landon family. That way, Tessa wouldn't look like a homewrecker. She would look like a saint stepping up to save the families from a humiliating scandal!Everyone would praise Tessa's noble sacrifice while branding Willow a shameless tramp!Based on what?Tessa was the one stealing her fiancé, but Willow had to take the fall?Whether she fought for the wedding or walked away, they were determined to destroy her reputation.Willow's hands shook with fury, a hot lump forming in her throat.Were these her brothers or her worst enemies?Concealing her glee, Tessa feigned worry. "Willow looks really upset. Is this too unfair to her? I... I don't mind the rumors. I've already lost everything anyway..."Her performance tugged mercilessly at the Shaw brothers' heartstrings.Julian's tone grew even colder. "Are you only happy when you're making everyone else miserable, Willow?"Willow looked up at him, a vivid memory flashing in her mind.There was a time when Julian loved her so much. When thunderstorms terrified her, he would hold her in his arms until dawn, endlessly whispering comforts to soothe her panic.How did they end up like this?Swallowing the bitter lump in her throat, she offered a hollow smile. "Fine. I'll be sensible."Sensible enough to never need them again.Julian missed the absolute finality in her voice and nodded in satisfaction. Beside him, Tessa was practically vibrating with excitement as she signaled a servant.Seconds later, a man covered in dirt and blood was dragged into the room.A twisted satisfaction gleamed in Tessa's eyes. "I'm so sorry, Willow. I couldn't find anyone decent on such short notice, so I had to pull a random stranger off the streets. You don't mind, do you? He's quite handsome. I think he's a perfect match for you."Chapter 2"Willow! Is it really that hard to let Tessa have the wedding? Will you only be satisfied when you drive her to the grave?"Willow, dressed in her wedding gown, looked up in a daze. A second later, Leo slapped her hard across the face.The brutal force jerked her head to the side, leaving a sharp, deafening ring in her ears.The stinging pain snapped her back to reality. Her entire body began to tremble at the agonizingly familiar scene, a thick layer of tears blurring her vision.Was she... reborn?Reborn five years ago, on the day of the wedding she loathed so deeply?She had just put on her gown when her three brothers cornered her in the bridal suite.Because Tessa had feelings for Willow's fiancé, Elias Landon, her own brothers were forcing her to hand over the wedding. As for Asher and her other brother who hadn't arrived yet, they would undoubtedly side with Tessa without a second thought.In her past life, when Willow refused to surrender her place at the altar, they violently stripped her out of the dress.Ignoring her desperate pleas, they forced a spiked glass of milk down her throat.Then, they dumped her into a stranger's bed and staged a public scandal in front of all the guests, completely destroying her reputation!When Elias found out, he didn't even ask for an explanation. He used the opportunity to instantly break their engagement and married Tessa on the spot.While Willow struggled frantically against the drug on a stranger's bed, Tessa walked down the aisle with Elias, wearing the custom wedding gown Willow had spent months designing.From beginning to end, Elias never even looked at Willow once.Later, when Tessa wanted her musical compositions, she publicly accused Willow of plagiarism. Her brothers testified for Tessa without hesitation, ruthlessly turning Willow into a stepping stone for Tessa's meteoric rise to fame.Willow had spent three exhausting years developing a cure for Asher's illness, but her brothers simply handed the patent over to Tessa.The list of betrayals was endless.No matter how obedient Willow tried to be, all it took was Tessa faking a depressive episode and claiming Willow had insulted or hit her for her five brothers to throw her out of the house without a second thought.Even when Willow produced undeniable proof that Tessa was faking it, no one believed her.They left her to suffer a terminal illness and die alone on the streets, with no one to even claim her body.The suffocating wave of despair from her past life crashed into her all at once, and tears spilled uncontrollably down her cheeks.Even reliving it, the agony was entirely unbearable.Seeing her cry, Xavier's gaze turned somber.Though he was a powerful executive used to barking orders, he forced a patient tone to coax her into giving up her place as the bride. "You've been pampered your whole life. You already have more than enough! It's just handing Elias over to Tessa. What is there to cry about? Enough, drink this."With that, he held out the glass of milk.Willow stared at the glass. Flashes of being pinned to the bed by that terrifying stranger in her past life ripped through her mind.It had been horrifying. Utterly suffocating.She glared at Xavier, finally asking the question she had taken to her grave."I dated Elias for three years," she said, enunciating every single word. "Just because Tessa said a single word, you want me to step aside. Isn't that completely ridiculous?"Julian's usually gentle voice turned icy. "Shouldn't you yield to Tessa? If it weren't for her parents, you'd be dead."Leo scolded her without an ounce of hesitation. "How can you be so ungrateful? Tessa is an orphan because of you, and you won't even do this little thing? You're worse than a stray dog! At least a dog knows how to wag its tail when it begs!"The barrage of accusations made Willow close her eyes. Yes, this was how it always went. Using a life debt to chain her down, slowly suffocating her until she paid with her very life, and even then, it was never enough.She was exhausted.Whatever she owed them, she had already paid in full.In this life, she refused to repeat the same mistakes.If they didn't love her, she would just have to love herself.Willow looked up, meeting Xavier's gaze head-on. He was still gripping the glass of milk, fully determined to push her into the abyss.Sometimes she genuinely wondered who the biological sister actually was.She smiled. Then, raising her hand under their shocked stares, she violently swatted the glass away, sending it shattering across the floor!Before Xavier could explode, she spoke with crystal clarity. "Fine. I'll give up the wedding."Xavier's fury froze on his face. He stared at her in sheer surprise.He had fully expected her to fight tooth and nail, having prepared countless threats to break her into submission. Yet she just agreed.He should have been thrilled. This was exactly what he wanted. But for some inexplicable reason, a sudden wave of panic tightened his chest.Leo eyed her warily. "I'm going to get Tessa right now. Listen to me, Willow. You'd better not try any tricks, or I swear I won't let you get away with it!"Willow didn't react, her eyes wandering blankly over the bridal suite's lavish decorations.Soon, everyone except Xavier rushed out to fetch Tessa, leaving the room hollow and quiet.Xavier watched Willow. She sat there completely still, like a lifeless doll, radiating an overwhelming sense of fragile isolation.His heart softened slightly. After all, she was only twenty.He lowered his voice. "Don't blame Leo. He just wants to make things right for Tessa. You know her parents died at the hands of those kidnappers just to get you out safely. You were little and didn't understand, so I never forced you to be grateful. But you're grown now. You can't be as selfish as you used to be."Willow froze. Suddenly, the absolute absurdity of it all hit her.She had been five when that kidnapping happened.She had watched her parents get tortured to death right in front of her. She had been too terrified to even cry, and by the time she was rescued, her trauma had blocked out half her memories.It was her brothers' painstaking care that had slowly brought her back to life.Back then, they had genuinely loved her.That was until she turned seven, and the Shaw family adopted Tessa.They told Willow that she was the reason Tessa lost her parents, so it was her duty to care for Tessa and treat her like a younger sister.Even though Tessa was actually two years older than her.Growing up, Willow had constantly yielded out of guilt, giving up everything until she surrendered her own life.But she was a victim too. Why did they treat her like she was the mastermind behind the tragedy?Why did she have to pay for all the suffering in the world?Just because she was their biological sister?She didn't want that title anymore.When Willow didn't respond, Xavier's momentarily gentle expression turned ice-cold again.Stubborn as always!And here he thought she had actually grown a conscience by stepping down!She hadn't changed a bit!"Tessa really likes your dress," Xavier ordered coldly. "Take it off and give it to her."He knew she had spent over a month hand-sewing this custom gown. He knew exactly how precious it was to her.But something this exquisite only belonged on Tessa.Xavier braced himself for her hysterical screaming, but to his shock, she simply let out a dry laugh. "Alright."Without a fuss, she turned and walked into the dressing room to strip it off.Xavier frowned as he watched her disappear behind the door.He hadn't expected her to surrender the dress so easily.And he certainly never imagined that, from this very moment, she was cutting ties with the Shaw family forever.Before entering the dressing room, Willow had discreetly scooped up a shard of glass from the shattered milk cup, carefully wrapping it and slipping it into her clutch.It was physical proof of their attempt to drug and abuse her. She was going straight to a hospital for a toxicology screen.She wasn't going to let today slide. Not this time!Willow methodically removed every piece of jewelry and wiped away the bridal makeup that had taken three hours to perfect.Half an hour later, she stared at her bare face in the mirror and offered herself a silent smile.She turned and opened the dressing room door, running right into Tessa.Their eyes met. Tessa's eyes were red and swollen from crying, her delicate frame trembling in a way that always made people want to protect her.She hurried over and slumped against the doorframe in front of Willow. "I'm so sorry. You can hit me if you want, but the thought of Elias marrying someone else just breaks my heart. It hurts so much I just want to die..."A flash of coldness crossed Willow's eyes, but before she could speak, Leo stormed in and shoved her hard!The brutal force slammed Willow's spine against the vanity. Blinding pain radiated through her back, stealing the breath from her lungs and leaving her dizzy.Leo immediately supported Tessa, glaring viciously at Willow. "Are you ever going to stop?"Fighting through the pain, Willow grabbed the gown and jewels and hurled them right at Leo. "Open your eyes. I didn't say a single word!"Leo's face flushed purple with rage. "You're getting bolder by the second! No wonder Tessa is always so terrified of you!"Tessa hid behind Leo's broad shoulders, playing the terrified victim. Yet, when she met Willow's gaze, her beautiful eyes sparkled with undisguised triumph.Willow stared at her coldly and scoffed. "Say whatever you want. Since you all treat my secondhand trash like treasure, I guess I'm just feeling charitable today."With that, she turned on her heel to leave.A second later, Julian's hand clamped down on her wrist.His tone was as gentle as always, yet carried an undeniable steel. "You can't leave yet, Willow."Willow glared at him as Julian's gaze flickered. "Tessa is only an adopted daughter. Taking your place at the altar like this would look terrible. In a moment, you're going out there to publicly confess that you cheated and that you're too ashamed to face your fiancé. Then, you'll call off the wedding."Willow stared at him in sheer disbelief. In a heartbeat, the trap clicked into place.Julian wanted to completely ruin her!He wanted her to confess to infidelity and endure the wrath of the Landon family. That way, Tessa wouldn't look like a homewrecker. She would look like a saint stepping up to save the families from a humiliating scandal!Everyone would praise Tessa's noble sacrifice while branding Willow a shameless tramp!Based on what?Tessa was the one stealing her fiancé, but Willow had to take the fall?Whether she fought for the wedding or walked away, they were determined to destroy her reputation.Willow's hands shook with fury, a hot lump forming in her throat.Were these her brothers or her worst enemies?Concealing her glee, Tessa feigned worry. "Willow looks really upset. Is this too unfair to her? I... I don't mind the rumors. I've already lost everything anyway..."Her performance tugged mercilessly at the Shaw brothers' heartstrings.Julian's tone grew even colder. "Are you only happy when you're making everyone else miserable, Willow?"Willow looked up at him, a vivid memory flashing in her mind.There was a time when Julian loved her so much. When thunderstorms terrified her, he would hold her in his arms until dawn, endlessly whispering comforts to soothe her panic.How did they end up like this?Swallowing the bitter lump in her throat, she offered a hollow smile. "Fine. I'll be sensible."Sensible enough to never need them again.Julian missed the absolute finality in her voice and nodded in satisfaction. Beside him, Tessa was practically vibrating with excitement as she signaled a servant.Seconds later, a man covered in dirt and blood was dragged into the room.A twisted satisfaction gleamed in Tessa's eyes. "I'm so sorry, Willow. I couldn't find anyone decent on such short notice, so I had to pull a random stranger off the streets. You don't mind, do you? He's quite handsome. I think he's a perfect match for you."Chapter 3"Willow! Is it really that hard to let Tessa have the wedding? Will you only be satisfied when you drive her to the grave?"Willow, dressed in her wedding gown, looked up in a daze. A second later, Leo slapped her hard across the face.The brutal force jerked her head to the side, leaving a sharp, deafening ring in her ears.The stinging pain snapped her back to reality. Her entire body began to tremble at the agonizingly familiar scene, a thick layer of tears blurring her vision.Was she... reborn?Reborn five years ago, on the day of the wedding she loathed so deeply?She had just put on her gown when her three brothers cornered her in the bridal suite.Because Tessa had feelings for Willow's fiancé, Elias Landon, her own brothers were forcing her to hand over the wedding. As for Asher and her other brother who hadn't arrived yet, they would undoubtedly side with Tessa without a second thought.In her past life, when Willow refused to surrender her place at the altar, they violently stripped her out of the dress.Ignoring her desperate pleas, they forced a spiked glass of milk down her throat.Then, they dumped her into a stranger's bed and staged a public scandal in front of all the guests, completely destroying her reputation!When Elias found out, he didn't even ask for an explanation. He used the opportunity to instantly break their engagement and married Tessa on the spot.While Willow struggled frantically against the drug on a stranger's bed, Tessa walked down the aisle with Elias, wearing the custom wedding gown Willow had spent months designing.From beginning to end, Elias never even looked at Willow once.Later, when Tessa wanted her musical compositions, she publicly accused Willow of plagiarism. Her brothers testified for Tessa without hesitation, ruthlessly turning Willow into a stepping stone for Tessa's meteoric rise to fame.Willow had spent three exhausting years developing a cure for Asher's illness, but her brothers simply handed the patent over to Tessa.The list of betrayals was endless.No matter how obedient Willow tried to be, all it took was Tessa faking a depressive episode and claiming Willow had insulted or hit her for her five brothers to throw her out of the house without a second thought.Even when Willow produced undeniable proof that Tessa was faking it, no one believed her.They left her to suffer a terminal illness and die alone on the streets, with no one to even claim her body.The suffocating wave of despair from her past life crashed into her all at once, and tears spilled uncontrollably down her cheeks.Even reliving it, the agony was entirely unbearable.Seeing her cry, Xavier's gaze turned somber.Though he was a powerful executive used to barking orders, he forced a patient tone to coax her into giving up her place as the bride. "You've been pampered your whole life. You already have more than enough! It's just handing Elias over to Tessa. What is there to cry about? Enough, drink this."With that, he held out the glass of milk.Willow stared at the glass. Flashes of being pinned to the bed by that terrifying stranger in her past life ripped through her mind.It had been horrifying. Utterly suffocating.She glared at Xavier, finally asking the question she had taken to her grave."I dated Elias for three years," she said, enunciating every single word. "Just because Tessa said a single word, you want me to step aside. Isn't that completely ridiculous?"Julian's usually gentle voice turned icy. "Shouldn't you yield to Tessa? If it weren't for her parents, you'd be dead."Leo scolded her without an ounce of hesitation. "How can you be so ungrateful? Tessa is an orphan because of you, and you won't even do this little thing? You're worse than a stray dog! At least a dog knows how to wag its tail when it begs!"The barrage of accusations made Willow close her eyes. Yes, this was how it always went. Using a life debt to chain her down, slowly suffocating her until she paid with her very life, and even then, it was never enough.She was exhausted.Whatever she owed them, she had already paid in full.In this life, she refused to repeat the same mistakes.If they didn't love her, she would just have to love herself.Willow looked up, meeting Xavier's gaze head-on. He was still gripping the glass of milk, fully determined to push her into the abyss.Sometimes she genuinely wondered who the biological sister actually was.She smiled. Then, raising her hand under their shocked stares, she violently swatted the glass away, sending it shattering across the floor!Before Xavier could explode, she spoke with crystal clarity. "Fine. I'll give up the wedding."Xavier's fury froze on his face. He stared at her in sheer surprise.He had fully expected her to fight tooth and nail, having prepared countless threats to break her into submission. Yet she just agreed.He should have been thrilled. This was exactly what he wanted. But for some inexplicable reason, a sudden wave of panic tightened his chest.Leo eyed her warily. "I'm going to get Tessa right now. Listen to me, Willow. You'd better not try any tricks, or I swear I won't let you get away with it!"Willow didn't react, her eyes wandering blankly over the bridal suite's lavish decorations.Soon, everyone except Xavier rushed out to fetch Tessa, leaving the room hollow and quiet.Xavier watched Willow. She sat there completely still, like a lifeless doll, radiating an overwhelming sense of fragile isolation.His heart softened slightly. After all, she was only twenty.He lowered his voice. "Don't blame Leo. He just wants to make things right for Tessa. You know her parents died at the hands of those kidnappers just to get you out safely. You were little and didn't understand, so I never forced you to be grateful. But you're grown now. You can't be as selfish as you used to be."Willow froze. Suddenly, the absolute absurdity of it all hit her.She had been five when that kidnapping happened.She had watched her parents get tortured to death right in front of her. She had been too terrified to even cry, and by the time she was rescued, her trauma had blocked out half her memories.It was her brothers' painstaking care that had slowly brought her back to life.Back then, they had genuinely loved her.That was until she turned seven, and the Shaw family adopted Tessa.They told Willow that she was the reason Tessa lost her parents, so it was her duty to care for Tessa and treat her like a younger sister.Even though Tessa was actually two years older than her.Growing up, Willow had constantly yielded out of guilt, giving up everything until she surrendered her own life.But she was a victim too. Why did they treat her like she was the mastermind behind the tragedy?Why did she have to pay for all the suffering in the world?Just because she was their biological sister?She didn't want that title anymore.When Willow didn't respond, Xavier's momentarily gentle expression turned ice-cold again.Stubborn as always!And here he thought she had actually grown a conscience by stepping down!She hadn't changed a bit!"Tessa really likes your dress," Xavier ordered coldly. "Take it off and give it to her."He knew she had spent over a month hand-sewing this custom gown. He knew exactly how precious it was to her.But something this exquisite only belonged on Tessa.Xavier braced himself for her hysterical screaming, but to his shock, she simply let out a dry laugh. "Alright."Without a fuss, she turned and walked into the dressing room to strip it off.Xavier frowned as he watched her disappear behind the door.He hadn't expected her to surrender the dress so easily.And he certainly never imagined that, from this very moment, she was cutting ties with the Shaw family forever.Before entering the dressing room, Willow had discreetly scooped up a shard of glass from the shattered milk cup, carefully wrapping it and slipping it into her clutch.It was physical proof of their attempt to drug and abuse her. She was going straight to a hospital for a toxicology screen.She wasn't going to let today slide. Not this time!Willow methodically removed every piece of jewelry and wiped away the bridal makeup that had taken three hours to perfect.Half an hour later, she stared at her bare face in the mirror and offered herself a silent smile.She turned and opened the dressing room door, running right into Tessa.Their eyes met. Tessa's eyes were red and swollen from crying, her delicate frame trembling in a way that always made people want to protect her.She hurried over and slumped against the doorframe in front of Willow. "I'm so sorry. You can hit me if you want, but the thought of Elias marrying someone else just breaks my heart. It hurts so much I just want to die..."A flash of coldness crossed Willow's eyes, but before she could speak, Leo stormed in and shoved her hard!The brutal force slammed Willow's spine against the vanity. Blinding pain radiated through her back, stealing the breath from her lungs and leaving her dizzy.Leo immediately supported Tessa, glaring viciously at Willow. "Are you ever going to stop?"Fighting through the pain, Willow grabbed the gown and jewels and hurled them right at Leo. "Open your eyes. I didn't say a single word!"Leo's face flushed purple with rage. "You're getting bolder by the second! No wonder Tessa is always so terrified of you!"Tessa hid behind Leo's broad shoulders, playing the terrified victim. Yet, when she met Willow's gaze, her beautiful eyes sparkled with undisguised triumph.Willow stared at her coldly and scoffed. "Say whatever you want. Since you all treat my secondhand trash like treasure, I guess I'm just feeling charitable today."With that, she turned on her heel to leave.A second later, Julian's hand clamped down on her wrist.His tone was as gentle as always, yet carried an undeniable steel. "You can't leave yet, Willow."Willow glared at him as Julian's gaze flickered. "Tessa is only an adopted daughter. Taking your place at the altar like this would look terrible. In a moment, you're going out there to publicly confess that you cheated and that you're too ashamed to face your fiancé. Then, you'll call off the wedding."Willow stared at him in sheer disbelief. In a heartbeat, the trap clicked into place.Julian wanted to completely ruin her!He wanted her to confess to infidelity and endure the wrath of the Landon family. That way, Tessa wouldn't look like a homewrecker. She would look like a saint stepping up to save the families from a humiliating scandal!Everyone would praise Tessa's noble sacrifice while branding Willow a shameless tramp!Based on what?Tessa was the one stealing her fiancé, but Willow had to take the fall?Whether she fought for the wedding or walked away, they were determined to destroy her reputation.Willow's hands shook with fury, a hot lump forming in her throat.Were these her brothers or her worst enemies?Concealing her glee, Tessa feigned worry. "Willow looks really upset. Is this too unfair to her? I... I don't mind the rumors. I've already lost everything anyway..."Her performance tugged mercilessly at the Shaw brothers' heartstrings.Julian's tone grew even colder. "Are you only happy when you're making everyone else miserable, Willow?"Willow looked up at him, a vivid memory flashing in her mind.There was a time when Julian loved her so much. When thunderstorms terrified her, he would hold her in his arms until dawn, endlessly whispering comforts to soothe her panic.How did they end up like this?Swallowing the bitter lump in her throat, she offered a hollow smile. "Fine. I'll be sensible."Sensible enough to never need them again.Julian missed the absolute finality in her voice and nodded in satisfaction. Beside him, Tessa was practically vibrating with excitement as she signaled a servant.Seconds later, a man covered in dirt and blood was dragged into the room.A twisted satisfaction gleamed in Tessa's eyes. "I'm so sorry, Willow. I couldn't find anyone decent on such short notice, so I had to pull a random stranger off the streets. You don't mind, do you? He's quite handsome. I think he's a perfect match for you."