Nina woke up one second before she signed her life away. The contract was right there in front of her—the one that would make her Lorcan's substitute in bed for three years. The one that would cost her everything: her dignity, her freedom, her eyes. She had lived that story before. She knew how it ended. She had died at twenty-two. Forgotten. Discarded. A footnote in someone else's story. This time, she was the one holding the pen. She tore the contract in half. She didn't run. She didn't hide. She walked straight into the arms of the one man Lorcan feared—his uncle, Yves. He was the true head of the Lytton family, a man so cold and untouchable that even Lorcan bowed his head in his presence. Nina didn't go to him for love. She went to him to survive. But survival had a way of turning into something more. When Lorcan finally found her—flowers in hand, tears in his eyes, love on his lips—Nina looked down at him without a flicker of warmth. "You never loved me," she said. "You loved the idea of what you couldn't have." Later that night, drunk and desperate, Lorcan pounded on her door. Yves answered, robe loosely tied, expression unreadable. From inside, Nina's voice drifted out lazily. "Who is it?" Yves didn't move. "Our nephew."

Chapter 13:00 PM, the coffee shop.A sudden, torrential downpour lashed against the massive floor-to-ceiling windows with a dull thud. There were barely any customers inside, everyone absorbed in their own business.Nina Corbett sat by the window. Opposite her was a man in his early thirties wearing a suit. His hair was slicked back, giving off the shrewd aura of a seasoned corporate lackey.The man pushed a contract toward her—thick, over a dozen pages."Ms. Corbett, take a look. If there are no issues, sign it."Nina didn't move.The man waited ten seconds, glanced up at her, checked his watch, and said patiently, "Mr. Lytton's intention is that once you sign, this apartment will be transferred to your name. Additionally, you'll receive a hundred-thousand-dollar monthly allowance, and your tuition will be fully covered. As for your adoptive parents, Mr. Lytton has already spoken to them."He pushed the pen a bit closer. Only then did Nina reach out and pick up the fountain pen.The corners of the man's mouth had just begun to tilt up—When she set it back down."I'm not signing."Her voice wasn't loud, but it was crystal clear.The man froze, thinking he had misheard. "What did you say?""I said, I'm not signing."The smile slipped off his face. He stared at Nina for two seconds, trying to read something in her expression.Nina wasn't looking at him. She had turned her head to watch a locust tree swaying wildly in the wind outside the window, her expression entirely detached, as if none of this concerned her.The man took a breath and lowered his voice. "Ms. Corbett, you might not fully grasp the situation. Countless people would beg for the terms Mr. Lytton is offering. You're just a college student, and you know perfectly well what your family situation is like. Your adoptive parents have already—""I know," Nina interrupted him."You know?""They took his money." Nina said this so flatly, it was as if she were simply stating it was raining outside. "So they told me to come sign the contract. But I'm not doing it."The man's face completely darkened. He pushed back his chair and stood up, gripping his phone tightly as he forced a smile. "I'm going to step into the restroom. Take some time to think it over."He turned and walked away.Nina knew exactly what he was doing—making a call to Lorcan Lytton. Asking for instructions, reporting back, and probably getting chewed out in the process.She lowered her eyes, looking at the contract on the table.The cover was stamped with gold lettering outlining agreements and clauses she hadn't bothered to read closely.But she knew exactly what it entailed—She was selling herself.Selling herself for three years, or five years, or until Lorcan got bored of her.Her finger brushed against the cold cap of the fountain pen.Right at that moment, something suddenly exploded in her brain. It felt as if someone had taken a hammer to her skull and poured the contents of an entire book straight into her mind.A dense flood of text surged up, and she saw her entire life play out.No, not her life. The life of the Nina Corbett from the original book.[Inside a dim, windowless room reeking of blood. The air was stagnant and foul. Someone was curled up in the corner, and it was impossible to tell if they were dead or alive.Lorcan stood at the doorway, blood splattered across his robe.He had a cut on his finger, and a servant was carefully dabbing it with a cotton swab.He frowned, his tone impatient. "Go check on her. Is she dying?"The doctor crouched down to look, and his face instantly paled."Mr. Lytton, I highly recommend sending her to the hospital immediately. Given her condition—""Shut up." Lorcan lit a cigarette, slowly blowing a puff of white smoke right into the doctor's face. "Just treat her. If you can't, I won't hold you responsible. If she dies, it's on her."The doctor, a man in his sixties, choked on the smoke, his face turning gray, but he didn't dare say a word.The lights flickered on. Nina lay curled on the floor wearing nothing but an oversized white dress shirt, entirely stained with blood.Her legs were as frail as twigs, covered in overlapping black and blue bruises—both fresh and faded. There wasn't a single patch of unblemished skin.Her lips were split and raw.Around her neck were layers of deep strangulation marks.Her eyes were closed, droplets of blood clinging to her lashes.The doctor crouched down and called to her. "Can you hear me?"It took a long time before her lips barely twitched.The doctor had to lean in close for ages before he could make out what she was saying—water.He dipped a cotton swab in water and gently pressed it against her lips.Like a fish that had been dying of thirst, she desperately opened her mouth to suck down those tiny drops.The doctor's eyes stung. He wanted to tell her to call the police, but he knew it was utterly pointless. No one dared to cross the Lytton family.Especially since this girl was sick.Stockholm syndrome.She actually believed Lorcan was good to her, that all the beatings and abuse were acts of love.She even believed that she was born to suffer on behalf of her sister.]Nina's eyes snapped open.It felt like a knife had been twisted into her stomach, a violent wave of nausea rising up her throat.She shoved her chair back and bolted for the restroom. Pushing the door open, she gripped the edge of the sink, bent over, and threw up.She hadn't eaten lunch, so she retched nothing but stomach acid. Her stomach cramped violently. She clung to the counter, dry-heaving for a long time, tears and snot streaming down her face as her throat burned like fire.When it was finally over, she turned on the faucet, rinsed her mouth with cold water, and splashed a handful over her face.The water was freezing, but it shocked her brain into absolute clarity.Leaning against the sink, she raised her head to look at herself in the mirror.Thin.Far too frail.Her cheekbones protruded, her cheeks sunken in. She looked as fragile as paper, like a strong gust of wind could blow her over.Her lips were completely devoid of color, her hair dry and lifeless, the damp bangs clinging to her forehead in wet strands.But those eyes were different. With slightly upturned outer corners and light brown irises flecked with gold, they were like the eyes of a fox. Even with her sickly complexion, those eyes were radiantly captivating.The novel had described her as having "fox-like eyes that seemed to seduce anyone she looked at."Lorcan had originally chosen her half because her face faintly resembled Colette's, and half because of these very eyes.Nina reached up and brushed the corner of her eye.Another fragment from the novel surged up, stabbing into her brain like a blade.[Lorcan pinched her chin, his thumb slowly brushing over her eyes, his voice as gentle as if coaxing a child. "Nina, you're going to agree, right?"She shook her head, crying, begging him, saying she couldn't live without her eyes.Lorcan only laughed. Then he grabbed her by the hair, hauling her up from the floor.She screamed in agony, feeling like her scalp was being ripped off.Lorcan leaned in, whispering right against her ear, "Colette is in a hundred times more pain than you. You're just losing two eyes. You're her biological sister; your eyes are perfect for her."She sobbed, pleading no.Lorcan smiled. "Don't forget, you were bought for nine million. If I want you dead, you die."]Ugh—Nina threw up again. Her stomach was completely empty now. She dry-heaved for a while, the stomach acid burning her throat raw.She clung to the sink, her entire body trembling.Not from the cold.From fear.From hatred.From disgust.She thought back to her childhood.When she was five, her parents died in an accident, and she and her twin sister were sent to an orphanage.A few months later, a wealthy couple came looking to adopt and picked her.On the day the paperwork was supposed to be finalized, she hid. She knew the couple only wanted one child. If she left, nobody would want her sister.Late that night, she crept out of her hiding spot, only to find that her sister had indeed been adopted instead.She crouched in the orphanage courtyard and cried for a long time, then wiped her tears and promised herself it was okay. Someday, when she made enough money, she would go find her sister.Eventually, she was adopted by her current adoptive parents. An alcoholic father and a vindictive mother who never showed her a shred of kindness. Despite it all, she studied hard, worked constantly—handing out flyers, waiting tables, and tutoring ever since middle school—and painstakingly saved up fifty thousand dollars.Just yesterday, she had been planning to find her sister during the winter break of her freshman year.To give her all the money she had saved.To tell her that her older sister had never, ever forgotten about her.And the result? Her dear sister had been adopted into a wealthy household and had her name changed to Colette Sinclair, living in absolute luxury, surrounded by people who adored her.That psychopath Lorcan dug out someone else's eyes for her, and she accepted them without a shred of guilt, ultimately living a sweet, happily-ever-after life with him.And what about Nina?At five, she gave up her chance at adoption.At eighteen, she was bought and kept like a pet.At nineteen, she developed Stockholm syndrome and fell in love with her abuser.At twenty, her eyes were carved out.At twenty-one, she died in a car crash. Her body left mangled and destroyed, without even a gravestone to her name.Hot tears finally broke through, falling in heavy drops. Nina didn't wipe them away. She bent over the sink, crying until her whole body shook.Crying for those five years.Crying for her eighteen years.Crying for the little girl who had been waiting for her sister since she was five years old.She cried for about two minutes, then slowly straightened up, looked in the mirror, and wiped her tears clean with the back of her hand.One swipe.Two.Three.The girl in the mirror had red-rimmed eyes and a red nose, but something inside those fox-like eyes had fundamentally shifted. Before, they held a cautious, eager-to-please light, terrified of being thrown away.Not anymore.Nina sniffled, turned, and walked out of the restroom.The lawyer was already back, sitting rigidly with that professional, fake smile plastered onto his face once more."Ms. Corbett," he said, flipping the contract to the signature page, "Mr. Lytton said that if you aren't satisfied with the amount, we can negotiate. Name your price."Nina didn't even look at the contract. She grabbed her washed-out canvas tote bag and stood up."No need."The smile on the lawyer's face froze. "Ms. Corbett, you should think this through—""I've thought it through perfectly."Nina pulled a neatly folded hundred-dollar bill from her pocket and set it on the table."I'm paying for my own coffee."The lawyer opened his mouth, completely at a loss for words.Nina had already turned and walked away. She pushed open the door to the coffee shop, and the torrential rain instantly hit her.The downpour was so blinding she could barely see the road. The wind whipped the freezing rain against her face, but it felt incredibly liberating.In the past, she would have pinched her pennies. She would have saved the cab fare on a rainy day, saved the ten bucks it cost to buy an umbrella, saved every single cent to go find her sister.Today, she wasn't saving anything.Nina ducked into the convenience store next door, pulled the largest black umbrella off the rack, and grabbed a box of Matcha Mille Crêpe from the refrigerated section.At the register, the cashier said, "That'll be seventy-six."Nina paid smoothly, ripped open the packaging, and ate it bite by bite.The cream was sweet.The crepe layers were soft.The matcha was slightly bitter.She finished every last crumb, tossed the box into the trash, opened the massive black umbrella, and stepped back into the storm.The rain hammered against the umbrella with heavy, thudding strikes, like beating drums. The wind threatened to rip the umbrella from her hands, forcing her to grip the handle with both hands. Her pants were soaked to her thighs, and her sneakers were flooded with water.It was cold.But she didn't stop."Happy rebirth, Nina." She whispered to herself. And the corners of her lips tilted up.At that exact moment, on the other side of the city.The Sinclair Villa was brilliantly illuminated, the living room overflowing with mountains of gift boxes.A servant wheeled out a massive three-tiered cake, every layer completely covered in fresh, vibrant red strawberries glistening with water droplets."Happy birthday to you!"A crowd surrounded the girl in the center, singing.Colette Sinclair wore a soft cream-colored sweater and a pale skirt today. Her hair fell softly over her shoulders, her cheeks flushed pink from the heating, making her look like an adorable little rabbit when she smiled.Beautiful, sweet, and impossible not to love.Lorcan stood beside her, looking impeccable in a sharp suit, a lighter in his hand. He personally lit all eighteen candles on the cake. The warm glow reflected on his face, highlighting his sharp, deep-set features and commanding presence."Make a wish, Colette," his voice was incredibly light and gentle, as if terrified of startling a small animal.Colette's mother, Helena, stood by smiling, urging her. "Sweetheart, you get to make three wishes. Hurry and close your eyes."Colette clasped her hands together and obediently closed her eyes. Her long eyelashes fluttered slightly, her lips pressing together as she silently made a wish.Her ears quietly turned red.*I wish that Yves Lytton only likes me.*It was exactly 7:00 PM when Nina returned home.The rain still hadn't stopped. She closed her umbrella and stomped the water off her shoes at the entryway.The rusty iron door of the old apartment had terrible soundproofing. Even through the metal, she could hear the laughter echoing from inside.Melanie was laughing, Patrick was laughing, and their fifteen-year-old son, Lucian, was howling like a slaughtered pig.Nina pulled out her key, slid it into the lock, and turned it left twice.The door opened. It was an old floor plan, opening straight into the living room.The first thing Nina saw was the spread on the coffee table—a massive plate of bright red strawberries, four or five platters of freshly sliced premium beef and lamb, and a simmering stew pot right beside them.Late autumn, heavy rain outside, and a family gathered around a steaming stew—it truly was a warm scene.Assuming, of course, this family actually had anything to do with her.Nina stood in the doorway, fragments of the novel flooding back into her mind.This exact scene played out just as it was written in the book, down to the exact placement of the strawberries.Melanie had pocketed Lorcan's hundred-thousand-dollar deposit and immediately marched into a high-end grocery store to buy imported strawberries for her precious son.From the day Melanie adopted Nina, she thought the girl was a little seductress. Her fair skin and exquisite features outshone even the child models on TV. As she grew older and prettier, the neighbors—both young and old—always found excuses to buy her snacks.*Seductress! Knowing how to lure people in at such a young age!*Melanie had beaten Nina several times over this. Once, she locked Nina in the bathroom for an entire day and night without food or water, telling her to reflect on her behavior. If child abandonment wasn't a crime that would ruin her husband's factory job, she would have kicked Nina out long ago.Melanie had only adopted because she thought she couldn't conceive, but just a few years later, she got pregnant with a bouncing baby boy of her own.With a biological son in the picture, she found everything about Nina utterly repulsive.When Lorcan first showed up at their door demanding to take Nina away, Melanie had grabbed a broom, ready to beat him. She assumed he was just some random man Nina had seduced. But the moment she heard his offer, the broom clattered to the floor."What?""Nina is your adopted daughter, right? Give her to me. Three million a year."Melanie's eyes had nearly popped out of her skull. She had never seen that much money in her entire life.The seductress really was a seductress. She fetched a high price!But surely, a man this rich could afford to pay a little more?Melanie's eyes darted around, and she feigned hesitation. "Oh, but I've raised Nina for so many years. We have such a deep emotional bond, this is..."Lorcan, having already investigated the Corbett family, gave a half-smile. "Have Nina come find me tomorrow. Five million."Melanie almost collapsed on the spot.The moment Lorcan left, she covered her mouth, stamped her feet in pure joy, then kicked the door shut and ran to the bedroom to call Patrick."Honey! We're rich!"...Nina's sudden return cut Melanie's laughter short, as if she were being choked.She hurriedly yanked open the drawer of the coffee table, shoved the massive plate of strawberries inside, and her face instantly darkened. "Why are you back so early?"Patrick panicked, terrified that his five million was slipping away. He shot up from his seat. "Did you sign it? Mr. Lytton—""Cough! Cough!" Melanie coughed violently to cut him off, quickly pulling a few crumpled bills from her pocket and shoving them at her son. "Lucian, go outside and play for a bit."She didn't want her precious son hearing about such dirty business.Lucian had been itching to go out and mess around anyway. He snatched the cash, stuffed it into his pocket, and shot Nina a venomous glare before leaving.He hated Nina. His parents always said Nina was just a stray orphan nobody wanted. So why were her grades so good? It meant his mom constantly compared him to her, forcing him to do homework and signing him up for extra tutoring classes.It was all Nina's fault!As Lucian walked to the door, his eyes shifted slyly. Pretending to lose his balance, he threw his massive weight directly at Nina.Nina never dared to dodge. She had dodged once before, and her dad had kicked her into a wall for it. She had been obedient ever since.Lucian weighed over two hundred pounds now; he had a lot of force behind him. Aiming straight for Nina's shoulder, he slammed into her—But Nina calmly sidestepped.Thud!Unable to stop his momentum, Lucian crashed headfirst into the doorframe."Ow—"Lucian grimaced in pain, his shoulder feeling like it had splintered. He immediately opened his mouth to complain. "Mom—""Get out, get out." Melanie had no time to coddle him. She shoved him out the door and slammed it shut behind him.Outside, Lucian was trembling with rage. He violently kicked the wall before limping down the stairs.Inside, Melanie spun around, pulling a long face. "Did you sign the contract or not?""No.""Are you out of your mind!" Patrick slammed his hand on the coffee table, stepping forward to slap Nina.Melanie went pale. She had already blown over twenty thousand of the deposit on a designer bag. If she had to pay it back...She forced tears into her eyes instantly, sobbing dramatically. "Nina, didn't you promise us last night? Do you know how hard it was for me to raise you? You owe us your gratitude!"Nina raised her hand and caught Patrick's incoming slap mid-air.Chapter 23:00 PM, the coffee shop.A sudden, torrential downpour lashed against the massive floor-to-ceiling windows with a dull thud. There were barely any customers inside, everyone absorbed in their own business.Nina Corbett sat by the window. Opposite her was a man in his early thirties wearing a suit. His hair was slicked back, giving off the shrewd aura of a seasoned corporate lackey.The man pushed a contract toward her—thick, over a dozen pages."Ms. Corbett, take a look. If there are no issues, sign it."Nina didn't move.The man waited ten seconds, glanced up at her, checked his watch, and said patiently, "Mr. Lytton's intention is that once you sign, this apartment will be transferred to your name. Additionally, you'll receive a hundred-thousand-dollar monthly allowance, and your tuition will be fully covered. As for your adoptive parents, Mr. Lytton has already spoken to them."He pushed the pen a bit closer. Only then did Nina reach out and pick up the fountain pen.The corners of the man's mouth had just begun to tilt up—When she set it back down."I'm not signing."Her voice wasn't loud, but it was crystal clear.The man froze, thinking he had misheard. "What did you say?""I said, I'm not signing."The smile slipped off his face. He stared at Nina for two seconds, trying to read something in her expression.Nina wasn't looking at him. She had turned her head to watch a locust tree swaying wildly in the wind outside the window, her expression entirely detached, as if none of this concerned her.The man took a breath and lowered his voice. "Ms. Corbett, you might not fully grasp the situation. Countless people would beg for the terms Mr. Lytton is offering. You're just a college student, and you know perfectly well what your family situation is like. Your adoptive parents have already—""I know," Nina interrupted him."You know?""They took his money." Nina said this so flatly, it was as if she were simply stating it was raining outside. "So they told me to come sign the contract. But I'm not doing it."The man's face completely darkened. He pushed back his chair and stood up, gripping his phone tightly as he forced a smile. "I'm going to step into the restroom. Take some time to think it over."He turned and walked away.Nina knew exactly what he was doing—making a call to Lorcan Lytton. Asking for instructions, reporting back, and probably getting chewed out in the process.She lowered her eyes, looking at the contract on the table.The cover was stamped with gold lettering outlining agreements and clauses she hadn't bothered to read closely.But she knew exactly what it entailed—She was selling herself.Selling herself for three years, or five years, or until Lorcan got bored of her.Her finger brushed against the cold cap of the fountain pen.Right at that moment, something suddenly exploded in her brain. It felt as if someone had taken a hammer to her skull and poured the contents of an entire book straight into her mind.A dense flood of text surged up, and she saw her entire life play out.No, not her life. The life of the Nina Corbett from the original book.[Inside a dim, windowless room reeking of blood. The air was stagnant and foul. Someone was curled up in the corner, and it was impossible to tell if they were dead or alive.Lorcan stood at the doorway, blood splattered across his robe.He had a cut on his finger, and a servant was carefully dabbing it with a cotton swab.He frowned, his tone impatient. "Go check on her. Is she dying?"The doctor crouched down to look, and his face instantly paled."Mr. Lytton, I highly recommend sending her to the hospital immediately. Given her condition—""Shut up." Lorcan lit a cigarette, slowly blowing a puff of white smoke right into the doctor's face. "Just treat her. If you can't, I won't hold you responsible. If she dies, it's on her."The doctor, a man in his sixties, choked on the smoke, his face turning gray, but he didn't dare say a word.The lights flickered on. Nina lay curled on the floor wearing nothing but an oversized white dress shirt, entirely stained with blood.Her legs were as frail as twigs, covered in overlapping black and blue bruises—both fresh and faded. There wasn't a single patch of unblemished skin.Her lips were split and raw.Around her neck were layers of deep strangulation marks.Her eyes were closed, droplets of blood clinging to her lashes.The doctor crouched down and called to her. "Can you hear me?"It took a long time before her lips barely twitched.The doctor had to lean in close for ages before he could make out what she was saying—water.He dipped a cotton swab in water and gently pressed it against her lips.Like a fish that had been dying of thirst, she desperately opened her mouth to suck down those tiny drops.The doctor's eyes stung. He wanted to tell her to call the police, but he knew it was utterly pointless. No one dared to cross the Lytton family.Especially since this girl was sick.Stockholm syndrome.She actually believed Lorcan was good to her, that all the beatings and abuse were acts of love.She even believed that she was born to suffer on behalf of her sister.]Nina's eyes snapped open.It felt like a knife had been twisted into her stomach, a violent wave of nausea rising up her throat.She shoved her chair back and bolted for the restroom. Pushing the door open, she gripped the edge of the sink, bent over, and threw up.She hadn't eaten lunch, so she retched nothing but stomach acid. Her stomach cramped violently. She clung to the counter, dry-heaving for a long time, tears and snot streaming down her face as her throat burned like fire.When it was finally over, she turned on the faucet, rinsed her mouth with cold water, and splashed a handful over her face.The water was freezing, but it shocked her brain into absolute clarity.Leaning against the sink, she raised her head to look at herself in the mirror.Thin.Far too frail.Her cheekbones protruded, her cheeks sunken in. She looked as fragile as paper, like a strong gust of wind could blow her over.Her lips were completely devoid of color, her hair dry and lifeless, the damp bangs clinging to her forehead in wet strands.But those eyes were different. With slightly upturned outer corners and light brown irises flecked with gold, they were like the eyes of a fox. Even with her sickly complexion, those eyes were radiantly captivating.The novel had described her as having "fox-like eyes that seemed to seduce anyone she looked at."Lorcan had originally chosen her half because her face faintly resembled Colette's, and half because of these very eyes.Nina reached up and brushed the corner of her eye.Another fragment from the novel surged up, stabbing into her brain like a blade.[Lorcan pinched her chin, his thumb slowly brushing over her eyes, his voice as gentle as if coaxing a child. "Nina, you're going to agree, right?"She shook her head, crying, begging him, saying she couldn't live without her eyes.Lorcan only laughed. Then he grabbed her by the hair, hauling her up from the floor.She screamed in agony, feeling like her scalp was being ripped off.Lorcan leaned in, whispering right against her ear, "Colette is in a hundred times more pain than you. You're just losing two eyes. You're her biological sister; your eyes are perfect for her."She sobbed, pleading no.Lorcan smiled. "Don't forget, you were bought for nine million. If I want you dead, you die."]Ugh—Nina threw up again. Her stomach was completely empty now. She dry-heaved for a while, the stomach acid burning her throat raw.She clung to the sink, her entire body trembling.Not from the cold.From fear.From hatred.From disgust.She thought back to her childhood.When she was five, her parents died in an accident, and she and her twin sister were sent to an orphanage.A few months later, a wealthy couple came looking to adopt and picked her.On the day the paperwork was supposed to be finalized, she hid. She knew the couple only wanted one child. If she left, nobody would want her sister.Late that night, she crept out of her hiding spot, only to find that her sister had indeed been adopted instead.She crouched in the orphanage courtyard and cried for a long time, then wiped her tears and promised herself it was okay. Someday, when she made enough money, she would go find her sister.Eventually, she was adopted by her current adoptive parents. An alcoholic father and a vindictive mother who never showed her a shred of kindness. Despite it all, she studied hard, worked constantly—handing out flyers, waiting tables, and tutoring ever since middle school—and painstakingly saved up fifty thousand dollars.Just yesterday, she had been planning to find her sister during the winter break of her freshman year.To give her all the money she had saved.To tell her that her older sister had never, ever forgotten about her.And the result? Her dear sister had been adopted into a wealthy household and had her name changed to Colette Sinclair, living in absolute luxury, surrounded by people who adored her.That psychopath Lorcan dug out someone else's eyes for her, and she accepted them without a shred of guilt, ultimately living a sweet, happily-ever-after life with him.And what about Nina?At five, she gave up her chance at adoption.At eighteen, she was bought and kept like a pet.At nineteen, she developed Stockholm syndrome and fell in love with her abuser.At twenty, her eyes were carved out.At twenty-one, she died in a car crash. Her body left mangled and destroyed, without even a gravestone to her name.Hot tears finally broke through, falling in heavy drops. Nina didn't wipe them away. She bent over the sink, crying until her whole body shook.Crying for those five years.Crying for her eighteen years.Crying for the little girl who had been waiting for her sister since she was five years old.She cried for about two minutes, then slowly straightened up, looked in the mirror, and wiped her tears clean with the back of her hand.One swipe.Two.Three.The girl in the mirror had red-rimmed eyes and a red nose, but something inside those fox-like eyes had fundamentally shifted. Before, they held a cautious, eager-to-please light, terrified of being thrown away.Not anymore.Nina sniffled, turned, and walked out of the restroom.The lawyer was already back, sitting rigidly with that professional, fake smile plastered onto his face once more."Ms. Corbett," he said, flipping the contract to the signature page, "Mr. Lytton said that if you aren't satisfied with the amount, we can negotiate. Name your price."Nina didn't even look at the contract. She grabbed her washed-out canvas tote bag and stood up."No need."The smile on the lawyer's face froze. "Ms. Corbett, you should think this through—""I've thought it through perfectly."Nina pulled a neatly folded hundred-dollar bill from her pocket and set it on the table."I'm paying for my own coffee."The lawyer opened his mouth, completely at a loss for words.Nina had already turned and walked away. She pushed open the door to the coffee shop, and the torrential rain instantly hit her.The downpour was so blinding she could barely see the road. The wind whipped the freezing rain against her face, but it felt incredibly liberating.In the past, she would have pinched her pennies. She would have saved the cab fare on a rainy day, saved the ten bucks it cost to buy an umbrella, saved every single cent to go find her sister.Today, she wasn't saving anything.Nina ducked into the convenience store next door, pulled the largest black umbrella off the rack, and grabbed a box of Matcha Mille Crêpe from the refrigerated section.At the register, the cashier said, "That'll be seventy-six."Nina paid smoothly, ripped open the packaging, and ate it bite by bite.The cream was sweet.The crepe layers were soft.The matcha was slightly bitter.She finished every last crumb, tossed the box into the trash, opened the massive black umbrella, and stepped back into the storm.The rain hammered against the umbrella with heavy, thudding strikes, like beating drums. The wind threatened to rip the umbrella from her hands, forcing her to grip the handle with both hands. Her pants were soaked to her thighs, and her sneakers were flooded with water.It was cold.But she didn't stop."Happy rebirth, Nina." She whispered to herself. And the corners of her lips tilted up.At that exact moment, on the other side of the city.The Sinclair Villa was brilliantly illuminated, the living room overflowing with mountains of gift boxes.A servant wheeled out a massive three-tiered cake, every layer completely covered in fresh, vibrant red strawberries glistening with water droplets."Happy birthday to you!"A crowd surrounded the girl in the center, singing.Colette Sinclair wore a soft cream-colored sweater and a pale skirt today. Her hair fell softly over her shoulders, her cheeks flushed pink from the heating, making her look like an adorable little rabbit when she smiled.Beautiful, sweet, and impossible not to love.Lorcan stood beside her, looking impeccable in a sharp suit, a lighter in his hand. He personally lit all eighteen candles on the cake. The warm glow reflected on his face, highlighting his sharp, deep-set features and commanding presence."Make a wish, Colette," his voice was incredibly light and gentle, as if terrified of startling a small animal.Colette's mother, Helena, stood by smiling, urging her. "Sweetheart, you get to make three wishes. Hurry and close your eyes."Colette clasped her hands together and obediently closed her eyes. Her long eyelashes fluttered slightly, her lips pressing together as she silently made a wish.Her ears quietly turned red.*I wish that Yves Lytton only likes me.*It was exactly 7:00 PM when Nina returned home.The rain still hadn't stopped. She closed her umbrella and stomped the water off her shoes at the entryway.The rusty iron door of the old apartment had terrible soundproofing. Even through the metal, she could hear the laughter echoing from inside.Melanie was laughing, Patrick was laughing, and their fifteen-year-old son, Lucian, was howling like a slaughtered pig.Nina pulled out her key, slid it into the lock, and turned it left twice.The door opened. It was an old floor plan, opening straight into the living room.The first thing Nina saw was the spread on the coffee table—a massive plate of bright red strawberries, four or five platters of freshly sliced premium beef and lamb, and a simmering stew pot right beside them.Late autumn, heavy rain outside, and a family gathered around a steaming stew—it truly was a warm scene.Assuming, of course, this family actually had anything to do with her.Nina stood in the doorway, fragments of the novel flooding back into her mind.This exact scene played out just as it was written in the book, down to the exact placement of the strawberries.Melanie had pocketed Lorcan's hundred-thousand-dollar deposit and immediately marched into a high-end grocery store to buy imported strawberries for her precious son.From the day Melanie adopted Nina, she thought the girl was a little seductress. Her fair skin and exquisite features outshone even the child models on TV. As she grew older and prettier, the neighbors—both young and old—always found excuses to buy her snacks.*Seductress! Knowing how to lure people in at such a young age!*Melanie had beaten Nina several times over this. Once, she locked Nina in the bathroom for an entire day and night without food or water, telling her to reflect on her behavior. If child abandonment wasn't a crime that would ruin her husband's factory job, she would have kicked Nina out long ago.Melanie had only adopted because she thought she couldn't conceive, but just a few years later, she got pregnant with a bouncing baby boy of her own.With a biological son in the picture, she found everything about Nina utterly repulsive.When Lorcan first showed up at their door demanding to take Nina away, Melanie had grabbed a broom, ready to beat him. She assumed he was just some random man Nina had seduced. But the moment she heard his offer, the broom clattered to the floor."What?""Nina is your adopted daughter, right? Give her to me. Three million a year."Melanie's eyes had nearly popped out of her skull. She had never seen that much money in her entire life.The seductress really was a seductress. She fetched a high price!But surely, a man this rich could afford to pay a little more?Melanie's eyes darted around, and she feigned hesitation. "Oh, but I've raised Nina for so many years. We have such a deep emotional bond, this is..."Lorcan, having already investigated the Corbett family, gave a half-smile. "Have Nina come find me tomorrow. Five million."Melanie almost collapsed on the spot.The moment Lorcan left, she covered her mouth, stamped her feet in pure joy, then kicked the door shut and ran to the bedroom to call Patrick."Honey! We're rich!"...Nina's sudden return cut Melanie's laughter short, as if she were being choked.She hurriedly yanked open the drawer of the coffee table, shoved the massive plate of strawberries inside, and her face instantly darkened. "Why are you back so early?"Patrick panicked, terrified that his five million was slipping away. He shot up from his seat. "Did you sign it? Mr. Lytton—""Cough! Cough!" Melanie coughed violently to cut him off, quickly pulling a few crumpled bills from her pocket and shoving them at her son. "Lucian, go outside and play for a bit."She didn't want her precious son hearing about such dirty business.Lucian had been itching to go out and mess around anyway. He snatched the cash, stuffed it into his pocket, and shot Nina a venomous glare before leaving.He hated Nina. His parents always said Nina was just a stray orphan nobody wanted. So why were her grades so good? It meant his mom constantly compared him to her, forcing him to do homework and signing him up for extra tutoring classes.It was all Nina's fault!As Lucian walked to the door, his eyes shifted slyly. Pretending to lose his balance, he threw his massive weight directly at Nina.Nina never dared to dodge. She had dodged once before, and her dad had kicked her into a wall for it. She had been obedient ever since.Lucian weighed over two hundred pounds now; he had a lot of force behind him. Aiming straight for Nina's shoulder, he slammed into her—But Nina calmly sidestepped.Thud!Unable to stop his momentum, Lucian crashed headfirst into the doorframe."Ow—"Lucian grimaced in pain, his shoulder feeling like it had splintered. He immediately opened his mouth to complain. "Mom—""Get out, get out." Melanie had no time to coddle him. She shoved him out the door and slammed it shut behind him.Outside, Lucian was trembling with rage. He violently kicked the wall before limping down the stairs.Inside, Melanie spun around, pulling a long face. "Did you sign the contract or not?""No.""Are you out of your mind!" Patrick slammed his hand on the coffee table, stepping forward to slap Nina.Melanie went pale. She had already blown over twenty thousand of the deposit on a designer bag. If she had to pay it back...She forced tears into her eyes instantly, sobbing dramatically. "Nina, didn't you promise us last night? Do you know how hard it was for me to raise you? You owe us your gratitude!"Nina raised her hand and caught Patrick's incoming slap mid-air.Chapter 33:00 PM, the coffee shop.A sudden, torrential downpour lashed against the massive floor-to-ceiling windows with a dull thud. There were barely any customers inside, everyone absorbed in their own business.Nina Corbett sat by the window. Opposite her was a man in his early thirties wearing a suit. His hair was slicked back, giving off the shrewd aura of a seasoned corporate lackey.The man pushed a contract toward her—thick, over a dozen pages."Ms. Corbett, take a look. If there are no issues, sign it."Nina didn't move.The man waited ten seconds, glanced up at her, checked his watch, and said patiently, "Mr. Lytton's intention is that once you sign, this apartment will be transferred to your name. Additionally, you'll receive a hundred-thousand-dollar monthly allowance, and your tuition will be fully covered. As for your adoptive parents, Mr. Lytton has already spoken to them."He pushed the pen a bit closer. Only then did Nina reach out and pick up the fountain pen.The corners of the man's mouth had just begun to tilt up—When she set it back down."I'm not signing."Her voice wasn't loud, but it was crystal clear.The man froze, thinking he had misheard. "What did you say?""I said, I'm not signing."The smile slipped off his face. He stared at Nina for two seconds, trying to read something in her expression.Nina wasn't looking at him. She had turned her head to watch a locust tree swaying wildly in the wind outside the window, her expression entirely detached, as if none of this concerned her.The man took a breath and lowered his voice. "Ms. Corbett, you might not fully grasp the situation. Countless people would beg for the terms Mr. Lytton is offering. You're just a college student, and you know perfectly well what your family situation is like. Your adoptive parents have already—""I know," Nina interrupted him."You know?""They took his money." Nina said this so flatly, it was as if she were simply stating it was raining outside. "So they told me to come sign the contract. But I'm not doing it."The man's face completely darkened. He pushed back his chair and stood up, gripping his phone tightly as he forced a smile. "I'm going to step into the restroom. Take some time to think it over."He turned and walked away.Nina knew exactly what he was doing—making a call to Lorcan Lytton. Asking for instructions, reporting back, and probably getting chewed out in the process.She lowered her eyes, looking at the contract on the table.The cover was stamped with gold lettering outlining agreements and clauses she hadn't bothered to read closely.But she knew exactly what it entailed—She was selling herself.Selling herself for three years, or five years, or until Lorcan got bored of her.Her finger brushed against the cold cap of the fountain pen.Right at that moment, something suddenly exploded in her brain. It felt as if someone had taken a hammer to her skull and poured the contents of an entire book straight into her mind.A dense flood of text surged up, and she saw her entire life play out.No, not her life. The life of the Nina Corbett from the original book.[Inside a dim, windowless room reeking of blood. The air was stagnant and foul. Someone was curled up in the corner, and it was impossible to tell if they were dead or alive.Lorcan stood at the doorway, blood splattered across his robe.He had a cut on his finger, and a servant was carefully dabbing it with a cotton swab.He frowned, his tone impatient. "Go check on her. Is she dying?"The doctor crouched down to look, and his face instantly paled."Mr. Lytton, I highly recommend sending her to the hospital immediately. Given her condition—""Shut up." Lorcan lit a cigarette, slowly blowing a puff of white smoke right into the doctor's face. "Just treat her. If you can't, I won't hold you responsible. If she dies, it's on her."The doctor, a man in his sixties, choked on the smoke, his face turning gray, but he didn't dare say a word.The lights flickered on. Nina lay curled on the floor wearing nothing but an oversized white dress shirt, entirely stained with blood.Her legs were as frail as twigs, covered in overlapping black and blue bruises—both fresh and faded. There wasn't a single patch of unblemished skin.Her lips were split and raw.Around her neck were layers of deep strangulation marks.Her eyes were closed, droplets of blood clinging to her lashes.The doctor crouched down and called to her. "Can you hear me?"It took a long time before her lips barely twitched.The doctor had to lean in close for ages before he could make out what she was saying—water.He dipped a cotton swab in water and gently pressed it against her lips.Like a fish that had been dying of thirst, she desperately opened her mouth to suck down those tiny drops.The doctor's eyes stung. He wanted to tell her to call the police, but he knew it was utterly pointless. No one dared to cross the Lytton family.Especially since this girl was sick.Stockholm syndrome.She actually believed Lorcan was good to her, that all the beatings and abuse were acts of love.She even believed that she was born to suffer on behalf of her sister.]Nina's eyes snapped open.It felt like a knife had been twisted into her stomach, a violent wave of nausea rising up her throat.She shoved her chair back and bolted for the restroom. Pushing the door open, she gripped the edge of the sink, bent over, and threw up.She hadn't eaten lunch, so she retched nothing but stomach acid. Her stomach cramped violently. She clung to the counter, dry-heaving for a long time, tears and snot streaming down her face as her throat burned like fire.When it was finally over, she turned on the faucet, rinsed her mouth with cold water, and splashed a handful over her face.The water was freezing, but it shocked her brain into absolute clarity.Leaning against the sink, she raised her head to look at herself in the mirror.Thin.Far too frail.Her cheekbones protruded, her cheeks sunken in. She looked as fragile as paper, like a strong gust of wind could blow her over.Her lips were completely devoid of color, her hair dry and lifeless, the damp bangs clinging to her forehead in wet strands.But those eyes were different. With slightly upturned outer corners and light brown irises flecked with gold, they were like the eyes of a fox. Even with her sickly complexion, those eyes were radiantly captivating.The novel had described her as having "fox-like eyes that seemed to seduce anyone she looked at."Lorcan had originally chosen her half because her face faintly resembled Colette's, and half because of these very eyes.Nina reached up and brushed the corner of her eye.Another fragment from the novel surged up, stabbing into her brain like a blade.[Lorcan pinched her chin, his thumb slowly brushing over her eyes, his voice as gentle as if coaxing a child. "Nina, you're going to agree, right?"She shook her head, crying, begging him, saying she couldn't live without her eyes.Lorcan only laughed. Then he grabbed her by the hair, hauling her up from the floor.She screamed in agony, feeling like her scalp was being ripped off.Lorcan leaned in, whispering right against her ear, "Colette is in a hundred times more pain than you. You're just losing two eyes. You're her biological sister; your eyes are perfect for her."She sobbed, pleading no.Lorcan smiled. "Don't forget, you were bought for nine million. If I want you dead, you die."]Ugh—Nina threw up again. Her stomach was completely empty now. She dry-heaved for a while, the stomach acid burning her throat raw.She clung to the sink, her entire body trembling.Not from the cold.From fear.From hatred.From disgust.She thought back to her childhood.When she was five, her parents died in an accident, and she and her twin sister were sent to an orphanage.A few months later, a wealthy couple came looking to adopt and picked her.On the day the paperwork was supposed to be finalized, she hid. She knew the couple only wanted one child. If she left, nobody would want her sister.Late that night, she crept out of her hiding spot, only to find that her sister had indeed been adopted instead.She crouched in the orphanage courtyard and cried for a long time, then wiped her tears and promised herself it was okay. Someday, when she made enough money, she would go find her sister.Eventually, she was adopted by her current adoptive parents. An alcoholic father and a vindictive mother who never showed her a shred of kindness. Despite it all, she studied hard, worked constantly—handing out flyers, waiting tables, and tutoring ever since middle school—and painstakingly saved up fifty thousand dollars.Just yesterday, she had been planning to find her sister during the winter break of her freshman year.To give her all the money she had saved.To tell her that her older sister had never, ever forgotten about her.And the result? Her dear sister had been adopted into a wealthy household and had her name changed to Colette Sinclair, living in absolute luxury, surrounded by people who adored her.That psychopath Lorcan dug out someone else's eyes for her, and she accepted them without a shred of guilt, ultimately living a sweet, happily-ever-after life with him.And what about Nina?At five, she gave up her chance at adoption.At eighteen, she was bought and kept like a pet.At nineteen, she developed Stockholm syndrome and fell in love with her abuser.At twenty, her eyes were carved out.At twenty-one, she died in a car crash. Her body left mangled and destroyed, without even a gravestone to her name.Hot tears finally broke through, falling in heavy drops. Nina didn't wipe them away. She bent over the sink, crying until her whole body shook.Crying for those five years.Crying for her eighteen years.Crying for the little girl who had been waiting for her sister since she was five years old.She cried for about two minutes, then slowly straightened up, looked in the mirror, and wiped her tears clean with the back of her hand.One swipe.Two.Three.The girl in the mirror had red-rimmed eyes and a red nose, but something inside those fox-like eyes had fundamentally shifted. Before, they held a cautious, eager-to-please light, terrified of being thrown away.Not anymore.Nina sniffled, turned, and walked out of the restroom.The lawyer was already back, sitting rigidly with that professional, fake smile plastered onto his face once more."Ms. Corbett," he said, flipping the contract to the signature page, "Mr. Lytton said that if you aren't satisfied with the amount, we can negotiate. Name your price."Nina didn't even look at the contract. She grabbed her washed-out canvas tote bag and stood up."No need."The smile on the lawyer's face froze. "Ms. Corbett, you should think this through—""I've thought it through perfectly."Nina pulled a neatly folded hundred-dollar bill from her pocket and set it on the table."I'm paying for my own coffee."The lawyer opened his mouth, completely at a loss for words.Nina had already turned and walked away. She pushed open the door to the coffee shop, and the torrential rain instantly hit her.The downpour was so blinding she could barely see the road. The wind whipped the freezing rain against her face, but it felt incredibly liberating.In the past, she would have pinched her pennies. She would have saved the cab fare on a rainy day, saved the ten bucks it cost to buy an umbrella, saved every single cent to go find her sister.Today, she wasn't saving anything.Nina ducked into the convenience store next door, pulled the largest black umbrella off the rack, and grabbed a box of Matcha Mille Crêpe from the refrigerated section.At the register, the cashier said, "That'll be seventy-six."Nina paid smoothly, ripped open the packaging, and ate it bite by bite.The cream was sweet.The crepe layers were soft.The matcha was slightly bitter.She finished every last crumb, tossed the box into the trash, opened the massive black umbrella, and stepped back into the storm.The rain hammered against the umbrella with heavy, thudding strikes, like beating drums. The wind threatened to rip the umbrella from her hands, forcing her to grip the handle with both hands. Her pants were soaked to her thighs, and her sneakers were flooded with water.It was cold.But she didn't stop."Happy rebirth, Nina." She whispered to herself. And the corners of her lips tilted up.At that exact moment, on the other side of the city.The Sinclair Villa was brilliantly illuminated, the living room overflowing with mountains of gift boxes.A servant wheeled out a massive three-tiered cake, every layer completely covered in fresh, vibrant red strawberries glistening with water droplets."Happy birthday to you!"A crowd surrounded the girl in the center, singing.Colette Sinclair wore a soft cream-colored sweater and a pale skirt today. Her hair fell softly over her shoulders, her cheeks flushed pink from the heating, making her look like an adorable little rabbit when she smiled.Beautiful, sweet, and impossible not to love.Lorcan stood beside her, looking impeccable in a sharp suit, a lighter in his hand. He personally lit all eighteen candles on the cake. The warm glow reflected on his face, highlighting his sharp, deep-set features and commanding presence."Make a wish, Colette," his voice was incredibly light and gentle, as if terrified of startling a small animal.Colette's mother, Helena, stood by smiling, urging her. "Sweetheart, you get to make three wishes. Hurry and close your eyes."Colette clasped her hands together and obediently closed her eyes. Her long eyelashes fluttered slightly, her lips pressing together as she silently made a wish.Her ears quietly turned red.*I wish that Yves Lytton only likes me.*It was exactly 7:00 PM when Nina returned home.The rain still hadn't stopped. She closed her umbrella and stomped the water off her shoes at the entryway.The rusty iron door of the old apartment had terrible soundproofing. Even through the metal, she could hear the laughter echoing from inside.Melanie was laughing, Patrick was laughing, and their fifteen-year-old son, Lucian, was howling like a slaughtered pig.Nina pulled out her key, slid it into the lock, and turned it left twice.The door opened. It was an old floor plan, opening straight into the living room.The first thing Nina saw was the spread on the coffee table—a massive plate of bright red strawberries, four or five platters of freshly sliced premium beef and lamb, and a simmering stew pot right beside them.Late autumn, heavy rain outside, and a family gathered around a steaming stew—it truly was a warm scene.Assuming, of course, this family actually had anything to do with her.Nina stood in the doorway, fragments of the novel flooding back into her mind.This exact scene played out just as it was written in the book, down to the exact placement of the strawberries.Melanie had pocketed Lorcan's hundred-thousand-dollar deposit and immediately marched into a high-end grocery store to buy imported strawberries for her precious son.From the day Melanie adopted Nina, she thought the girl was a little seductress. Her fair skin and exquisite features outshone even the child models on TV. As she grew older and prettier, the neighbors—both young and old—always found excuses to buy her snacks.*Seductress! Knowing how to lure people in at such a young age!*Melanie had beaten Nina several times over this. Once, she locked Nina in the bathroom for an entire day and night without food or water, telling her to reflect on her behavior. If child abandonment wasn't a crime that would ruin her husband's factory job, she would have kicked Nina out long ago.Melanie had only adopted because she thought she couldn't conceive, but just a few years later, she got pregnant with a bouncing baby boy of her own.With a biological son in the picture, she found everything about Nina utterly repulsive.When Lorcan first showed up at their door demanding to take Nina away, Melanie had grabbed a broom, ready to beat him. She assumed he was just some random man Nina had seduced. But the moment she heard his offer, the broom clattered to the floor."What?""Nina is your adopted daughter, right? Give her to me. Three million a year."Melanie's eyes had nearly popped out of her skull. She had never seen that much money in her entire life.The seductress really was a seductress. She fetched a high price!But surely, a man this rich could afford to pay a little more?Melanie's eyes darted around, and she feigned hesitation. "Oh, but I've raised Nina for so many years. We have such a deep emotional bond, this is..."Lorcan, having already investigated the Corbett family, gave a half-smile. "Have Nina come find me tomorrow. Five million."Melanie almost collapsed on the spot.The moment Lorcan left, she covered her mouth, stamped her feet in pure joy, then kicked the door shut and ran to the bedroom to call Patrick."Honey! We're rich!"...Nina's sudden return cut Melanie's laughter short, as if she were being choked.She hurriedly yanked open the drawer of the coffee table, shoved the massive plate of strawberries inside, and her face instantly darkened. "Why are you back so early?"Patrick panicked, terrified that his five million was slipping away. He shot up from his seat. "Did you sign it? Mr. Lytton—""Cough! Cough!" Melanie coughed violently to cut him off, quickly pulling a few crumpled bills from her pocket and shoving them at her son. "Lucian, go outside and play for a bit."She didn't want her precious son hearing about such dirty business.Lucian had been itching to go out and mess around anyway. He snatched the cash, stuffed it into his pocket, and shot Nina a venomous glare before leaving.He hated Nina. His parents always said Nina was just a stray orphan nobody wanted. So why were her grades so good? It meant his mom constantly compared him to her, forcing him to do homework and signing him up for extra tutoring classes.It was all Nina's fault!As Lucian walked to the door, his eyes shifted slyly. Pretending to lose his balance, he threw his massive weight directly at Nina.Nina never dared to dodge. She had dodged once before, and her dad had kicked her into a wall for it. She had been obedient ever since.Lucian weighed over two hundred pounds now; he had a lot of force behind him. Aiming straight for Nina's shoulder, he slammed into her—But Nina calmly sidestepped.Thud!Unable to stop his momentum, Lucian crashed headfirst into the doorframe."Ow—"Lucian grimaced in pain, his shoulder feeling like it had splintered. He immediately opened his mouth to complain. "Mom—""Get out, get out." Melanie had no time to coddle him. She shoved him out the door and slammed it shut behind him.Outside, Lucian was trembling with rage. He violently kicked the wall before limping down the stairs.Inside, Melanie spun around, pulling a long face. "Did you sign the contract or not?""No.""Are you out of your mind!" Patrick slammed his hand on the coffee table, stepping forward to slap Nina.Melanie went pale. She had already blown over twenty thousand of the deposit on a designer bag. If she had to pay it back...She forced tears into her eyes instantly, sobbing dramatically. "Nina, didn't you promise us last night? Do you know how hard it was for me to raise you? You owe us your gratitude!"Nina raised her hand and caught Patrick's incoming slap mid-air.