I remembered the time I casually mentioned wanting to see the sunrise. That very night, Brian chartered a private jet to fly me to a remote island. He even built a special observation deck so I could watch the sunrise in comfort.
Just to make me smile, he spent hundreds of millions creating a paradise for me. He took me skiing in the Alps, chased the aurora by my side, cooked my favorite dishes again and again and traveled with me to the farthest corners of the world.
Brian documented every moment we spent together, as if each memory was a treasure. Back then, I truly believed he was my one and only. But now I understood that he barely loved me. It was because I was just a passing novelty, a distraction.
I quickly wiped my tears away while I pulled a small recorder from my pocket and took out the memory card. I placed it, along with the prison’s CCTV footage, into an envelope and sent it to my friend.
As I stared at the files on the screen, a bitter taste rose in my throat. At first, I’d only planned to record Adeline pretending to be pitiful in front of Brian and my parents. But in the end, I had also captured proof of her ordering the prisoners to beat me.
The moment the files were successfully sent, I heard familiar footsteps outside my door.
My heart tightened. The door opened quietly. Brian’s tall figure appeared in the doorway. Before I could react, he crossed the room in a few strides and pulled me tightly into his arms. The scent of cedar still clung to him, but it only made me feel suffocated now.
Brian looked at me as if he was heartbroken. He then rested his chin gently on top of my head before he weakly whispered, "Forgive me, Lilian."
I couldn’t help but be stunned in his embrace. My lips pressed together, unable to speak. But Brian didn’t seem to mind my silence.
He continued speaking softly, as though nothing had happened, "Don’t be so hard on Adeline anymore. She’s different from you. You’re the Wyatt Family’s biological daughter. You already have everything. Besides, I’ll marry you one day."
"But Adeline … she has nothing. It’s normal for her to be sensitive. You should try to understand her, to be more patient with her."
"I have everything … "
I muttered those words that tasted bitter, which made me want to vomit.