Leaving the old family estate, Ethan’s voice trembled with excitement.
“Sophia, are you serious? You really want to marry me?”
I tapped his forehead playfully. “Silly, I’ve already sworn to my father–if I’m not marrying you, then who else?”
Ethan pulled me into his arms immediately, his voice brimming with emotion.
“Just wait, Sophia. I won’t let you down. I’m going home right now to tell my dad the good news -you wait for me to come and formally propose!”
He ran off in a flurry, glancing back at me again and again, calling out with joy.
I was still smiling at his goofy demeanor when Nathan suddenly strode toward me, his face dark purple with rage. Grabbing my arm, he roared,
“Sophia Carter, are you trying to hurt Chloe again?”
“You know the Reed family’s reputation is terrible, and yet you still want Ethan to come propose? Do you have to ruin Chloe’s life?”
Nathan yanked at my collar and dragged me toward the house.
“You’re going to tell your uncle right now that Chloe can’t marry into the Reed family–that you’ll take her place instead.”
Ignoring my stumbling steps, he pulled me along urgently, terrified Chloe might be given to someone else if he were a moment too late.
He was so afraid–afraid that in this life, he might lose her again.
I stared at his still–young, slender back as he dragged me along. At this point in time, he was still an unknown illegitimate son of the Brooks family–not yet the powerful CEO who could command Riverdale City.
In my past life, the laughter of those three illegitimate children had drowned me like a tide, leaving even my throat tasting of salt.
As we crossed the threshold, I stumbled and fell hard to the ground. Nathan turned with a cold, murderous glare.
“Don’t even think about playing tricks. If you ruin Chloe’s life today, I’ll ruin you.”
Looking at my scraped knee, I sat there and let out a hollow laugh, my voice hoarse.
“Nathan, my father has already agreed to the Carter–Reed marriage. You can’t stop it.”
Then, in a low murmur, I added,
“Don’t worry, the one marrying into their family isn’t your precious darling, it’s-”
Before I could finish, Nathan grabbed me by the neck, lifting me so my face was inches from his
“You’re just jealous of Chloe, aren’t you? You can’t stand her, so you want to push her to he death?”
“Why didn’t you just die that day on the frozen pond? I must have been blind to save the wrong person, letting Chloe suffer from the cold for the rest of her life.”
3:23 pm
I froze in shock, disbelief crashing through me. The faith I had clung to all these years shattered
in an instant–he hadn’t even meant to save me.
That so–called life–saving debt… was nothing but a pathetic mistake.
A soft, delicate voice interrupted,
“Nathan, please let go of my sister. She’s your fiancée–you can’t treat her like this.”
Nathan’s expression instantly softened. He released me and turned to help Chloe.
With a sharp crack, I collapsed without warning, my forehead smashing against the low wooden stool. Warm blood gushed down my face.
Through my blurred vision, I saw Nathan holding Chloe tightly in his arms.
She pushed at him shyly, but the glance she cast at me was full of disdain and contempt.
When I was ten, Chloe had secretly taken me ice skating, only to shove me toward the center of the lake. In my panic, I grabbed her foot, and we both slid to where the ice was thin, falling into the freezing water together.
Nathan had jumped in without hesitation, pulling me out first.
Because of the delay, Chloe had suffered from the cold, leaving her weak and sickly ever since.
From that moment on, Nathan’s gaze toward me changed–full of hostility and resentment- while all his gentleness and care were reserved for Chloe.
