I fell silent. My mother had often lamented that it would be wonderful if Violet were her biological daughter. Thinking of this, I couldn't help but smirk. Oh well, now they are like a real family. Without me being a nuisance, they would probably be even closer.

My mother touched my forehead and, for once, said with concern, "It's still a little hot. You..."

"Aunt Clara? I heard Annie is ill?" Violet's clear voice rang out.

My mother immediately withdrew her hand and rushed out anxiously. "Hey, why did you come here? This place is full of bacteria. You might be infected."

I looked up and saw my mother holding Violet's hand outside. Her face was filled with a concern I had never seen before. Violet held her arm intimately, whispering something that eventually made her laugh. Without looking back, my mother left my room.

Pain gripped my heart as if a dull knife were tearing at my insides. I couldn't help but press my head against my chest and gasp for air.

But the dreadful suffocation didn't ease. Instead, my throat grew dry and painful, my coughing louder and more violent. The white handkerchief I held tightly in my hand couldn't suppress my coughs or stop me from feeling overwhelmed by despair. After a while, I stared at the bright red bloodstain on the handkerchief, dazed.

At that moment, I was acutely aware that I was going to die.

I silently hid the handkerchief under my pillow and thought, if my parents punish me again, I'll just cough up blood on them and make a scene.

What their reactions would be then? Would they regret, worry, or find me disgusting and unlucky?

They would probably find me disgusting and unlucky.

But soon, I couldn't concern myself with these thoughts anymore.

Violet had caused significant trouble.

I hadn't fully healed when the butler summoned me to the main hall. Before I entered, I heard Violet's crying and my mother's wailing.

"What are we going to do? My poor Violet!"

I pushed open the door, and the crying stopped abruptly. My father, who looked worried, glared at me.

I bowed my head. "Father, Mother."

It turned out Violet had angered the regent, a man with absolute power. He had requested an imperial decree to take her as his concubine.

I asked, "So, why did you call me here?"

A trace of hesitation flashed across my mother's face before she braced herself and said, "I want you to marry the Regent in place of Violet!"