Chapter 1 Chapter 1

Splash! As I was thrown roughly into the sea, cheers erupted from the cruise ship's deck. Applause and shouts of approval filled the air, yet no one seemed concerned if I would make it back alive. I flailed desperately, and my limbs thrashed in the water as I opened my mouth and tried to scream for help. However, all I swallowed was salty seawater. "Help… Please, help me…" My desperate cries only entertained them. My cries were a thrill to make their night even more exciting. Some even tossed pieces of bread and wine into the water, laughing so hard they doubled over. In their eyes, I wasn't a person drowning in the sea but a spectacle for their amusement. Soon, my limbs grew heavy, my legs cramped, and I started to sink. In my haze, I saw two people on the deck, watching. One of them had once given me new life, and now he was gazing at my struggle with a blank expression. The other had promised to be kind to me forever, yet now he was holding another woman in his arms with the same twisted mirth on his face as everyone else. Mockery, scorn, and derision. To him, I was merely a plaything. I felt so tired, both physically and emotionally. All I wanted was to let go and rest. The undulating sea felt like the comforting embrace of my mother's arms when I was a child, rocking me to sleep. With a faint smile, I slowly closed my eyes. Here, in her embrace, I didn't have to hear their mocking laughter or wonder if anyone truly cared. I just needed to close my eyes and drift off to sleep. But even this safe harbor was fleeting. Murmured voices pulled me back, and when I opened my eyes, I was blinded by the white surroundings. My mind was blank. I couldn't remember anything, not even who I was. Then, the voices around me changed tone. "The patient is awake. Notify Mr. Cooper and Mr. Reed immediately.""Run another check on her, and prepare her for further treatment." I lay there on the bed and let them move me as they needed. Someone offered me a bit of water, and the dryness in my throat eased. Gradually, my mind cleared. I remembered I'd attended Rebecca Greene's birthday cruise party as Jonathan Cooper's date. In her usual thrill-seeking fashion, Rebecca had proposed a gamble between Jonathan Cooper and William Reed: the loser's date would be tossed into the sea for five minutes, without any safety measures. Whether one of us would live or die was left entirely to chance. While Rebecca loved her dangerous games, I didn't want any part of her madness, let alone wager my life. But to appease her twisted desire, Jonathan and William had both held me down and agreed. I had looked at Jonathan, silently pleading for him to come to his senses. To my dismay, he hadn't spared me a glance, focusing solely on his cards. I'd turned to William, hoping for some mercy, but he only had eyes for Rebecca. He had smirked and chuckled at me. "Don't be scared, Cherry. Who knows? Maybe Jonathan will win this last round." Two rounds had already passed, and each had scored one. All my hope rested on this final hand—I would have given up every ounce of luck I had left to be spared. But in the end, Jonathan laid down his cards in defeat. Gasps of disbelief rippled through the crowd, and I, too, was wide-eyed. Jonathan was known for his relentless drive to win, yet he had surrendered. For the first time, he had uttered, "I give up." William had snickered. "Sorry, Cherry. Looks like I won." Any last bit of hope had drained from me, leaving my heart feeling cold and heavy as stone. Rebecca had clapped her hands, her eyes glinting with satisfaction. "Sorry, Ms. Davis, but it looks like you're going for a swim tonight. Make way, everyone—I want the best view." Two bodyguards had seized me, one on each side, and as they dragged me past Jonathan, I had clung to his sleeve and begged, "Jon, I can't swim. Please, don't do that." But Jonathan had just looked at me calmly and covered my hand for a brief moment. "Cherry, I lost. I have to accept the punishment." It was the middle of summer, yet a deep chill had overtaken me. I had been thrown overboard, plunging from the cruise ship into the water. The impact had jolted my mind, and a piercing ache had throbbed in my temples as I struggled to breathe. And those two people—the ones I had believed would be there for me my entire life—had looked on, detached and almost entertained. At that moment, I had felt an overwhelming sense of despair I'd never known before.

Chapter 2 Chapter 2

Even now, as I recalled it, I couldn't help but shiver, and my teeth chattered involuntarily. Footsteps hurried outside the hospital ward, and soon Jonathan and William entered. Rebecca followed behind them and stood at the foot of my bed, her eyes red-rimmed. "Ms. Davis, I'm sorry. I didn't know where to draw the line. I'll cover all your medical expenses. I just hope you can let this go and not hold a grudge against me." Her voice was soft and sincere, a stark contrast to the Rebecca who'd proposed that reckless bet on the cruise. My head buzzed, and I closed my eyes to block out the ache. To Jonathan and William, though, it seemed like I resented Rebecca. Jonathan stood by my bed, looking down at me from his usual aloof distance. Even though I'd almost died right before his eyes, it hadn't shaken him in the slightest. But he hadn't always been like this. I had been ten years old when Dad had taken me to the red-light district. He had handed me a single red rose and said gently, "Cherry, remember, whoever takes this flower, you'll go with them. Do you understand?" I hadn't asked him why. Seeing that tenderness on his face for the first time had left me speechless. When I hadn't responded, he had grown agitated, grabbing my arm and shaking my frail body. It was only at that moment I had recognized the father I had known all too well. He had been an alcoholic addicted to gambling and only knew how to hurt me and Mom. After he'd beaten Mom to death and become burdened by a child he hadn't wanted, he had planned to sell me off. I had seen it happen to others—girls clutching red roses, waiting to be taken away by strangers. If no one had taken the flower, they would be sold straight into the district. One by one, people had walked by, yet no one had taken the rose from my hand. Dad had grown angry and cursed me for being useless. "I should have ended you as well!" he had spat while dragging me toward the doorway. Just then, a boy had taken the flower from my hand. He had barely looked at me when giving instructions to the bodyguard behind him to speak with Dad. I had watched Dad accept a thick wad of cash, bowing and scraping as he had watched us leave. The boy had taken me to a large house and had people teach me reading, writing, and manners. But after that day, I hadn't seen him again, not until three years later. I had grown from a skinny child to a young woman, and finally, he had shown up. He had still worn that calm expression, but his eyes had brightened when he had seen me. That day, I had learned his name was Jonathan, and he had told me to treat him as an older brother. And I had. For ten years, I had stayed by his side. Jonathan had once promised he would protect me all his life, that no one would ever hurt me again. But now, he'd forgotten those words and reserved his care for another woman. Even as I lay here after nearly having drowned, he was defending someone else. "Cherry, Becca just had too much to drink. She got carried away in the moment. Don't hold it against her." His tone was as indifferent as ever, his lips a thin line and his gaze emotionless. My throat was dry, and I couldn't find my voice. Jonathan frowned slightly with a hint of annoyance in his expression. "Cherry. Don't be childish." So, my pain was just a childish tantrum to him. I clenched my fists hard at the realization, my nails digging into my palm painfully. He had once told me that by doing so, my heart wouldn't hurt as much. I wanted to tell Jonathan I wasn't throwing a tantrum. I wasn't even angry. I simply wanted us to be done with each other. But when I tried to speak, my throat hurt and no words came out. William lost his patience, and whatever brief guilt he had felt earlier was completely gone. "Charlotte, Becca has already apologized. Would it kill you to say something? What, do you think you're so precious? Can't even take a little joke?" He added, "You've been living under Jonathan's wing for over ten years, and instead of learning anything worthwhile, you've become downright spoiled."

Chapter 3 Chapter 3

William's words were full of disdain, and the mockery in his gaze struck like an invisible slap. The first time I met William was at Jonathan's 18th birthday party. That day, Jonathan had brought me back to his home and introduced me to his family. "She's part of our family now," he'd said. "As long as I'm here, I'll protect her for life." William, who'd been engrossed in his game, looked up as soon as he heard that. He had given me a long, measuring look, then broke into a grin. "Well, if Jonathan says so, then Cherry is my family too. I'll look out for you as well." For a moment, everyone's gazes—some curious, some dismissive, some envious—had fallen squarely on me, and I had felt utterly lost. Then, William tossed his phone aside and took my hand. "Come on. Let's go out and get to know each other better." Before I could say anything, he'd bundled me into his car and driven me around the city. If Jonathan hadn't called, he might have taken me all the way to the beach. As I had gotten out of the car, William had pinched my cheek and spoke sincerely, "Cherry, don't just stick to Jonathan. I can be a brother to you, too." From that day on, I had lived with Jonathan, while William became a regular visitor to our home. He often took me out to play. When we'd exhausted places domestically, he had taken me abroad. On my college graduation day, both William and Jonathan had attended the ceremony. Surrounded by admiration, I had been the center of attention. That night, William had set off fireworks by the beach and confessed his feelings. I had felt a spark and a fleeting impulse to answer him, but a hand had clamped over my mouth. William's smile had faded as Jonathan pulled me toward him and said, "Cherry is still young and not ready for relationships. Stay away from her, William." William had looked down with a wounded look flickering in his eyes. I had felt a pang of sympathy, but Jonathan had held me back, as controlling me as always. I had assumed William and I might grow distant after that night, but the next day, he had appeared as usual and invited me out. Meanwhile, Jonathan hadn't stopped him. It had been as if nothing had changed. That was until Rebecca returned. After that, I saw less of William, and Jonathan started staying out. The place that used to feel like home eventually became a space I occupied alone. I licked my lips to moisten the dry, cracked skin. "I'm not angry," I rasped. Though it was only a few words, my throat felt like it was tearing, and my voice was hoarse and ragged. William let out a breath, his expression softening. "Good. When you're better, I'll take you out again." I managed a small smile and kept my expression neutral. In truth, ever since his confession, William hadn't referred to himself as my brother, nor did he want me to treat him like one. Instead, he preferred if I called him by his nickname, Will. He'd once told me it made him feel warm. However, the day Rebecca came back, his face had darkened in displeasure when I'd used his nickname. "You shouldn't call me that," he'd reprimanded me. Since then, he'd started acting like we were siblings again, and he insisted I do the same. A suffocating ache settled in my chest. The memories were so vivid and sweet that even now, recalling them left me wistful. But there was always someone to remind me of my place. Jonathan glanced at his watch and said in a gentler tone, "Get some rest, Cherry. Don't overthink it and just sleep. You'll feel better after that." Would sleep really fix everything? Would a nap erase what had happened? I nodded but didn't agree with his casual approach to "solving" this. Jonathan left, and after staying for a while, William was also called away by work. Soon, it was just Rebecca and me in the ward. I was surprised she hadn't left; she usually avoided me as much as possible. From the very first day she returned, she'd shown nothing but disdain for me. I could still recall the look on her face—haughty and filled with contempt as though she were staring at an insect. It was the same look she wore now. I looked away, but her voice clung to me like a shadow. "Charlotte, you're lucky you survived that. But it's good you're alive. Now you can see with your own eyes just how foolish it is to think you could ever take my place." Take her place? I'd never even considered it. "You're mistaken. I've never wanted to replace you," I replied. Rebecca scoffed. "Is that so? Then why won't you leave them? Don't tell me it's out of gratitude. Don't tell me you still think Jonathan saved you out of pity. Haven't you noticed? You look a lot like me." My eyes widened in shock as I stared at Rebecca. She raised an eyebrow, looking as if she'd suddenly had an epiphany. "You really don't know? Oh, Charlotte, you're so naïve. Did you ever ask Jonathan why he brought you home in the first place? Aren't you even a little curious?" Of course, I'd asked. At Jonathan's 18th birthday party, I had a few drinks. Feeling a little bold, I had raised the question. He'd hesitated for a few seconds, then gently touched the corner of my eye. "I was drawn to the emptiness in your eyes when we first met. You were like a withered flower, and I wanted to bring you back to life, to see how you'd bloom. "And now you have bloomed—bright and beautiful, just like the rose you held back then. That was why I brought you home, Cherry. That's all there is to it." Was that really all? I carefully observed Rebecca's face, particularly her eyes. They did look like mine. So, that was it. I owed my survival to Rebecca, it seemed. All the affection I'd received was because of her. To Jonathan and William, I was just a substitute for Rebecca. It all made sense now. The real one had returned, and I was no longer needed. I let out a small, relieved smile. In a way, it was good; leaving would be easier without any burdens. After all, these years with them were just a transaction. They found comfort after losing Rebecca, and I got a second chance at life through them. From here on out, let the bygones be bygones. I stayed in the hospital for two weeks. Jonathan came by occasionally, but he'd only sit for a few minutes before leaving. William hadn't visited at all, though I saw updates of his travels with Rebecca every day. After two weeks of overtime at work, Jonathan finally freed up his schedule and joined them. My phone buzzed again with another message from Rebecca. Strangely, I felt nothing. In the photo, William and Jonathan flanked her like two knights guarding their princess, while she sat in the middle with quiet elegance. Her eyes were soft and serene, and I could see how alike we seemed. Jonathan used to say he liked my calm nature. Now I understood what he'd really meant. Setting down my phone, I went through my final discharge procedures, gathered my things, and bought a plane ticket to the farthest city from Denwick. Just as I boarded, I received a call from Jonathan. I switched off the phone, took out the SIM card, and tossed it in the trash. The moment the plane took off, I felt a wave of relief. At last, the ties between us were severed.