I rushed home. During the taxi ride, my mother explained that the Wells family had suddenly fallen into massive debt overnight due to a strange business war, and my father couldn’t handle the pressure and chose to jump.
“The moment I arrived home, I saw your father on the rooftop, with debt collectors shouting behind him. I cried and begged him to come down, but he still jumped…” My mother tried hard to hold back her tears.
When I stepped back into the house, it had already been transformed into a mourning hall. The last time I was home, my parents were still comforting me about a failed exam, telling me not to be discouraged.
Now, my father was gone, and my mother’s hair had turned completely white in just a few days. Seeing my father's coffin in the living room, I collapsed to my knees and sobbed uncontrollably.
There weren’t many relatives at home. The memorial service was set for two days later. As the only daughter, I naturally had to shoulder the responsibilities.
“Mom, how much do we owe?” I asked as I helped my mother, who was already crying in silence. Her hands trembled as she handed me a folder.
“Your father left this at home. I never had the courage to open it. Nina, what are we going to do?”
It was a mortgage contract. At the very bottom was Ethan's signature. All of my father's shares had been pledged, and we still owed a seven-digit debt.
I gripped the contract and called Ethan immediately, but he didn’t answer. So this was it—he had been the one behind the business war my father mentioned.
I was completely at a loss facing that massive debt. After thinking for a while, I called another number.
…
“That’s the situation. If you’re unwilling, I…”
“I still have a bit of money. I can help you—but on one condition.”
Before he could even finish, I agreed without hesitation.
“Don’t worry. I’ll handle the debt within a week.” He hung up right after.
Seeing that I finally looked a bit relieved, my mother asked if I had borrowed money from friends.
I simply told her not to worry—that I had already taken care of the matter.
Two days later, the memorial service was held as planned. Because of limited funds, it ended quickly and quietly. My mother and I sobbed beside my father's grave before he was buried.
She clearly had no idea that all of this—our tragedy—was caused by Ethan. She still thought I should hold on to him and let him help us survive this crisis.
“Nina, I already know about the baby. Mom won’t blame you.”
The saddest part was hearing her speak kindly of Ethan. But I had called him countless times over the past few days, and not once had he picked up.
After the memorial, I comforted my mother, took the contract my father left, and made my way to Ethan’s house.
“Ethan, what the hell is this?!” I burst through the door, anger written all over my face. But everyone inside acted like nothing happened, going about their business.
Sienna stood at the center, directing the staff to carry her luggage—bag after bag—into my room, while my belongings had been carelessly dumped into a garbage pile in the corner.
Even when she saw my furious expression, she didn’t stop. Instead, she explained calmly:
“Ethan knows I love flowers, so he let me have the south-facing room. The balcony gets plenty of sun, perfect for my sunflowers. You’ll have to move into the attic room now.”
I rushed to what used to be my room and saw that the wallpaper I’d carefully chosen and applied had been torn to shreds. The once-pristine space was now cluttered with her things.
“Oh, and this too—you might want it.” Sienna rummaged through a drawer and found my secret iron box. She threw it toward me without a second thought.
I didn’t expect the iron box to hit me squarely on the forehead. Pain shot through my skull as I clutched my head and staggered.
A breeze drifted in through the balcony, carrying a cloud of pollen straight toward me. I sneezed several times, and red welts immediately began to bloom on my arms.
My springtime allergies were always worse. As I scratched at the itching skin, dizzy and flushed, I caught sight of my belongings tossed in the corner.
There they were—my award certificates and trophies. Just six months ago, I’d worked tirelessly to qualify for higher education, and I’d finally made it. Ignoring my discomfort, I rushed over and reached for the awards, only to find the certificates defaced with ink and the trophies shattered.
“You did this, Sienna!” I screamed, grabbing her wrist tightly.
Her eyes flickered with guilt, but just then, I sensed someone approaching behind me—it was Ethan.
Seeing him, she quickly averted her gaze and changed the subject, but the smugness in her eyes couldn’t be hidden. I raised my voice, unwilling to let her off so easily.
Before I could press further, Ethan grabbed my wrist and pulled me back.
Confused, I turned, only to see Sienna lift her arm—now red from my grip—and throw herself pitifully into his arms. “It’s all my fault,” she said sweetly. “I shouldn’t have moved in on my own. I must have upset Nina.”
“It’s just a room switch,” Ethan said coldly, his voice sharp. “Nina helped you pack, and you lashed out at her like this?” He glared at me. “You haven’t even been home. Giving your room to Nina is the least you can do.”
“Yes,” Sienna added tearfully, “I heard you failed your exam. These old papers are just trash now. I was only helping by throwing them away.”
Ethan shoved my hand aside and gently wiped the tears from Sienna’s cheeks. He grabbed the first aid kit and began tending to her swelling.
My vision blurred, and I felt warm blood dripping from my forehead, trailing down my lashes.
I stood frozen, sobbing silently. When he finished applying medicine to her, I blinked back my tears, pulled out the contract, and threw it at him.
“My father jumped to his death two days ago,” I said coldly.
He chuckled without remorse. “Couldn’t handle pressure, huh? Some people just aren’t made for business.”
“You’ve seen the contract,” I continued. “You know what it means.”
“Yes,” he said, smug. “That I’m your family’s creditor now.”
“As long as you stay home, behave, and give birth to the child, I won’t make things difficult for you. But if you upset Nina again, I won’t be so generous.” Sienna snuggled shyly in his arms, her victory complete.
With no choice, I nodded and agreed. I grabbed some cotton from the kit, cleaned my wound, and quietly carried my things up to the attic.
There, I gathered all the gifts Ethan had given me and listed them online for sale to help cover the family's debt. It didn’t take long before someone placed an order. We arranged to meet in person the following day.
The attic was damp, dark, and cold. I couldn’t sleep. As I lay curled up, my phone buzzed.
“In three days, the full amount will be deposited. I’ll pick you up personally.”
The message was from Liam Carter, a billionaire from New York’s Carter Group. He was ten years older than me and had fallen for me because I resembled his late white moonlight—the woman he could never forget. We’d met when I interned at Carter Group. He spoiled me, granting every wish I made.
After I turned eighteen, he began to pursue me seriously. He once said he’d marry me if I didn’t marry someone else.
But at the time, I’d been obsessed with Ethan. Captivated, loyal, naive.
Now, the only person who could help me was Liam.
I touched my stomach, felt the faint kick of life within me, and sighed. Then I picked up the phone and called the hospital.
