In the end, it all came down to my inability to let go of the Sinclair family fortune.
Decker, always the quickest to anger, clicked his tongue in irritation. “Listen to you, dressing it up so nicely. The truth is, the three of us are nothing but strays under your roof–Sinclair family lapdogs. Since when did we get to say no?“}
Grant’s expression darkened as he looked at me. “If you want to choose me, just do it. But don’t take it out on the other two later.“}]
Decker and Carver, hearing this, looked genuinely moved.}
Watching Grant’s self–sacrificing face, bitterness welled up in my chest.
Before I could get a word out, Cassidy suddenly appeared.§
At the sight of me, she shrank back, scurrying to hide behind Grant as if I were some kind of monster.
Grant instinctively stepped in front of her. “She hasn’t done anything wrong. Just let her
e for today.“>
I stared at them in confusion, realizing for the first time that the three people who were supposed to stand by me were all shielding Cassidy, as if I was the one they needed to protect her from.
Five years ago, when Cassidy first arrived at the Sinclair estate, she gave me a hair clip as a gift.
In return, I presented her with a bracelet worth ten thousand dollars–a proper welcome.}
But as soon as I opened the pastry box to hand her the bracelet, Grant snatched the hair clip from my hand.
He snapped at me, “That’s her mother’s keepsake–are you really going to take that too?“}
Baffled, I glanced at Cassidy, hoping she’d speak up and explain she’d given it to me willingly.
But instead, tears welled in Cassidy’s eyes as she dropped to her knees. “Miss Sinclair didn’t steal it–I gave it to her myself.“>
“Miss Sinclair has always been so kind to me. She even gave me this bracelet. I’m really not upset, I promise.“>
She kowtowed to me, her forehead thudding against the floor. The sight turned all three men red–eyed, reminded again of their own precarious positions in this house.
They rushed to defend her.
“Even if you are Miss Sinclair, you have no right to force someone to give up their mother’s keepsake!”
“Sure, the hair clip isn’t worth much, but it means more to her than any bracelet ever could. Give it back to Cassidy!“}
“You’re as domineering as ever. Always doing whatever makes you happy, never caring about anyone else’s feelings.”}
My face fell, but I told myself it was just a misunderstanding–I’d clear it up as soon as I could.}
Swallowing my anger, I handed the hair clip to Cassidy. But as she reached for it, her fingers slipped.
The clip shattered on the floor. Cassidy bit her lip until it bled and glared at me. “If you’d rather destroy it than return it, why bother pretending to be generous?“>
Grant, who could never stand to see anyone bullied, turned cold. “Apologize to Cassidy, right now. Or don’t blame me for breaking off our engagement.”
I’d already confessed to Grant by then–told him I’d marry no one else.§
He used that as leverage, forcing me to bow my head to Cassidy.}]
I was too young, too afraid of losing the one I loved, to defend myself.
So I apologized through tears.
That apology lasted five whole years.
Ever since then, whenever Cassidy saw me, she’d react like a mouse to a cat–either dropping to her knees or bursting into tears.§ But I never did anything to her…{
1 fixed my gaze on Grant, my voice icy. “If you’re so afraid I’ll hurt Cassidy, why don’t you just keep her on a leash at your side?” My words dripped with sarcasm, but Grant just scowled. “Are you threatening me? What are you planning to do to Cassidy?“” Decker slapped his palm on the table, pointing at me. “Don’t tell me you’re picking on her just because we gave her the Stellaris Aquarium?”
Carver’s eyes narrowed as he looked at me. “You already have everything, but Cassidy’s never even had a proper birthday party. It’s just an aquarium–why can’t you let it go?”
My eyes went cold. “Stellaris Aquarium?”
