1 Scarlett Bennett’s greatest regret was falling in love with her uncle who also is her guardian, Damien Graves. At ten, the tall, comforting man had held her close, promising to protect her after her parents’ death. At fifteen, when bullies tormented her, Damien forced them to grovel for forgiveness. At eighteen, she donated part of her liver to save his life—then stole a kiss. He awoke with stunned alarm, pushing her away with chilling distance. The final betrayal came when Damien’s beloved Serena needed a kidney. "I’ll grant any wish," he vowed, if Scarlett would donate hers. She refused. Serena died. At the memorial, Damien exposed Scarlett’s teenage love diaries, branding her with shame. On her birthday, he drugged her, staged a vile scene with rough men, and spat: "Don’t imagine I’d touch you. You’re repulsive." As ice water revived her, she saw Damien approach, knife in hand. "This is what you owe Serena." Then—she woke up, back to the day he first asked for her kidney. … “Please, I’m begging you. This kidney might mean nothing to you, but Serena will die without it.” “If you agree to donate your kidney, I will do everything in my power to fulfill any request you have.” Damien’s pleading voice echoed in Scarlett’s ears, jolting her back to reality. She had been reborn. In her previous life, Scarlett had refused Damien on this very day, leading to a truly horrific fate. But back then, Scarlett had already sacrificed part of her liver for Damien. How could she possibly risk losing a kidney as well? Yet, reborn, Scarlett now understood everything. Refusal would still mean death. This kidney, then, would be her repayment for Damien’s eleven years of raising her. Once it was given, they would be completely even. At the thought, Scarlett clenched her fists, her voice resolute. “I’ll do it.” Damien’s unfinished words caught in his throat, while the doctor beside him exclaimed in alarm. “Miss Bennett, have you thought this through? Under normal circumstances, we strongly advise against a second organ donation for someone who has already donated before. This not only significantly increases the difficulty of the surgery but also carries a considerable risk of death.” Scarlett, however, nodded firmly. How could she not know these risks? But to finally escape Damien, she was willing to die if necessary. Only after witnessing Scarlett sign the consent form did the heavy weight lift from Damien’s heart. He had feared Scarlett was playing games, yet she had signed the agreement without a moment’s hesitation. The realization softened his expression as he looked at her. “Since you’ve agreed to the kidney donation, I’ll keep my word. Name your price, whatever you ask.” “My only request is to sever all ties with the Graves family. From this day forward, I will no longer be a Graves.” Damien frowned, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. “Are you serious?” He’d expected Scarlett to try to blackmail him into marriage, but her request was to cut ties with him completely. Scarlett met his gaze, her voice cool. “Yes.” Damien stared at her suspiciously for a few seconds, then his face hardened. “Scarlett Bennett, I advise you to drop your little games. Don’t think that by breaking ties with my family, you and I could ever be together.” “You and I are impossible, always. There’s only one person in my heart, and that’s Serena. Not you.” Scarlett’s eyelashes trembled slightly. “I know.” The humiliation of her past life was still vivid. How could Scarlett not know how deeply he loved Serena? So, in this life, Scarlett would no longer love Damien. She just wanted to be as far away from him as possible, the farther the better. Damien’s gaze lingered on Scarlett’s face for a moment longer. He didn’t know why, but Scarlett felt… different. He just couldn’t pinpoint how. Damien was about to speak, but Serena’s voice drifted from the hospital room. He rushed in almost instinctively, and Scarlett, her expression dimming slightly, followed him in. Serena coughed, her eyes welling up. “Damien, please don’t pressure Miss Bennett anymore. I know she doesn’t like me, and I understand if she’s unwilling to donate her kidney.” Serena seemed about to continue, but Damien gripped her hand tightly, his voice joyful. “Serena, Scarlett has agreed to donate her kidney! You’ll be alright!” Serena’s words caught in her throat. She stared at Scarlett in shock, then her eyes turned scarlet. “Damien, did Miss Bennett’s condition… was it for you to marry her?” Before Damien could answer, Serena raised her hand and slapped Scarlett across the face. A red mark instantly bloomed on Scarlett’s cheek. Serena clutched her chest, her voice trembling with emotion. “Scarlett Bennett, have you no shame? Damien is your guardian! How could you do something so despicable?” “Damien, if you marry Scarlett Bennett, I swear I’d rather die right now!” Serena’s emotions were spiraling. Damien, completely ignoring the bruised Scarlett, pulled Serena into his arms. “Serena, you’re the only one I love. I’ll only marry you in this life. As for anyone else, don’t even think about it.” Scarlett covered her stinging cheek, a self-mocking smile twisting her lips. She wisely chose not to watch further. As she walked away, she overheard their conversation. “She already donated her liver for you. Is it safe for her to donate a kidney for me as well?” Scarlett’s steps faltered, a flicker of hope for Damien’s response sparking in her heart, only to be utterly extinguished the next second. “Serena, you know I don’t care about anyone else’s life or death but yours. All that matters is for you to get well. That’s enough.” After stepping out of the room, Scarlett took a few moments to compose herself, then dialed her academic advisor’s number. “Hello, Professor. About the Frontier Aid Initiative you mentioned last time, I’d like to join.” 2 Her advisor’s voice immediately filled with delight. "That's wonderful, Scarlett! I'm so proud of you. The country needs dedicated young people like you!" "But this program is very demanding, and it's in a remote location." "Your guardian, Damien, is so protective of you. Will he agree to you joining?" Scarlett gripped her phone, her voice firm. "He doesn't need to agree. I can make my own decisions." After hanging up, Scarlett instantly felt all her strength drain away, a desperate need to lean against the wall. But as she took a step back, she bumped right into Damien's solid chest. Scarlett flinched in surprise, and Damien’s brow furrowed. "Who were you on the phone with? What 'joining'?" Scarlett calmly replied, "Oh, my professor asked if I wanted to join a school club." Damien said nothing more, his voice now a flat announcement. "The surgery is scheduled for a week from now. During this time, I'll be bringing Serena home to stay." He paused, then, remembering something else, his tone turned icy. "Also, I don't want to see any strange letters in my study. I don't want Serena to have any unnecessary misunderstandings." Scarlett turned her head, her nails digging into her palm, then acquiesced bitterly. "Understood." Ever since her stolen kiss was discovered, Scarlett had written Damien a long, detailed love letter every week, solely to express her affection. But every single one of those letters had, without exception, ended up in the trash. Yet, Scarlett had stubbornly continued to write. She never imagined that her heartfelt confessions, brimming with love in her eyes, were seen by Damien as peculiar and utterly distasteful. Seeing Scarlett agree, Damien said no more. He simply gave instructions to his driver, then turned and walked back into Serena's hospital room. An hour later, Scarlett saw Damien's car pull up to the hospital entrance. Damien was helping Serena into the back seat. Seeing this, Scarlett immediately went downstairs to the curb. She was about to open the car door, but it drove off, leaving only a puff of exhaust fumes. Scarlett froze in place. The next second, she received a text from Damien. "Serena has a phobia of unfamiliar scents. She doesn't like strangers' smells. Get a cab back yourself." Scarlett's eyes dimmed. She lowered her phone and hailed a passing taxi. Inside the cab, Scarlett stared silently out the window. The driver, noticing her distress, kindly asked, "Miss, your face looks quite bruised. Should I stop at a pharmacy?" Scarlett shook her head, her eyes growing even sadder. Her so-called family hadn’t offered a single word of concern. The only person who cared was a complete stranger. How ironic, how ridiculous. After a long drive, the car pulled up to the villa. Scarlett got out and pushed open the door. Inside, she didn't see Damien, only Serena, toying with a necklace. Scarlett looked closer, realizing the necklace in Serena’s hand was the jade pendant she kept in her safe. It was the only memento her parents had left her, something Scarlett cherished so deeply she rarely even dared to touch it. And now it was in Serena’s hand. Scarlett’s face turned icy. She extended her hand towards Serena. "Give me back the pendant." "Miss Dawson, entering my room without my permission? Is that the upbringing of a well-bred lady?" As Scarlett spoke, Serena’s face twisted in displeasure, but Damien’s voice came from upstairs first. "I told Serena to go in." "Serena will be the lady of this house eventually. It's her right to enter and exit any room she pleases. Besides, as long as Serena is happy, you shouldn't object, even if she wants to stay in your room." Damien stood before Scarlett, scrutinizing her with a cold, detached expression. Scarlett's face went pale. Serena, seeing Damien descend, became even more brazen. "It's just a broken old pendant, isn't it? If you want it back, here." Serena extended her hand, offering the pendant to Scarlett. As Scarlett reached out to take it, the pendant slipped and shattered on the floor, breaking into two pieces. "No!" In that instant, the jade shattered. And Scarlett's heart shattered with it. It was the only relic her parents had left her, her sole tangible memory of them. Scarlett knelt on the floor, tears blurring her vision, ignoring her dignity as she pushed past Serena. She tried to piece the pendant back together, but she couldn't change the fact that it was broken. Serena stood by, bewildered. She hadn’t expected Scarlett to react so strongly. Damien’s brow furrowed slightly. In all their years living together, this was the first time he had seen Scarlett lose control. But seeing Serena visibly startled, he frowned, attempting to soothe her. “It’s alright. Serena didn’t do it on purpose. How much is the pendant? I’ll compensate you.” 3 Scarlett didn't react. She simply, reverently, gathered the shattered pieces of the jade pendant and tucked them into her bag. After a long moment, she forced a desolate smile for Damien. “No need, Uncle Damien.” As Scarlett spoke, she hurried away, leaving Damien rooted to the spot. Uncle Damien? Ever since Scarlett had confessed her feelings, she had never once called him that. No matter how many times Damien insisted, Scarlett refused to change. But now, she had called him ‘Uncle Damien’ on her own accord. Damien stood frozen, lost in thought, until Serena shook his arm, pulling him back to the present. “Damien, what’s wrong?” Damien immediately reverted to his concerned tone. “I’m fine. Don’t mind what just happened. Scarlett isn’t a bad person, really. She’s just been spoiled by me all these years, a little headstrong.” Serena paused, surprised that Damien would defend Scarlett. She pretended to be understanding, nodding, but a flash of jealousy and malice flickered in her eyes the next instant. Seeking reassurance, Serena wrapped her arms around Damien’s waist, cooing. “Damien, after my surgery, can we get married? I can’t wait to live with you.” Damien’s eyes softened. He gently ran his thumb over Serena’s nose, his voice filled with affection. “Yes, darling. Anything you wish.” Serena’s voice trembled with excitement. “Really? Then I’m going to be the most beautiful bride in the world!” … For the next several days, Scarlett went to school to complete the paperwork for the Frontier Aid Initiative. She worked tirelessly, burning the candle at both ends, leaving early and returning late. Despite living under the same roof, she never once saw Damien. One evening, Scarlett carried a large box filled with the love letters she had once written, heading towards the fireplace, intending to destroy them all. Just as she was burning the last one, Damien’s sharp voice cut through the air behind her. “What are you doing?” Scarlett said nothing, but Damien’s eyes landed on the unburnt part of a letter. His face turned ashen. He strode forward and tightly gripped Scarlett’s wrist, his voice low, tinged with a warning. “Scarlett Bennett, what kind of stunt are you pulling now? Trying to get my attention this way?” “Is this amusing to you?” Scarlett lowered her head, pulling free of his grasp. “You’re overthinking it.” Damien, however, became even more convinced of his theory. He announced coldly, “In ten days, it’s my wedding to Serena. You’re welcome to attend.” Scarlett’s face went paper-white, her smile strained. “Congratulations.” In ten days, she would already be with the Frontier Aid Initiative, likely unable to attend his wedding. But Scarlett said nothing more, turning to leave. Just as she reached the door, Damien called out to her. “Serena says a wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime event, and she doesn’t trust anyone else to plan it.” Scarlett didn’t understand Damien’s meaning. She asked, “So?” “So, I’d like to ask you to plan this wedding for us. I raised you from a child, so you must know exactly what I want.” 4 Scarlett lowered her gaze, a faint smile playing on her lips, masking the self-mockery and cold sarcasm in her eyes. "Uncle Damien, I truly don't love you anymore. There's no need to humiliate me this way." With that, Scarlett strode out of the villa, leaving Damien frozen in place. Scarlett hailed a cab to school. She still had some documents to fill out. As she left the office after finishing, she suddenly felt countless gazes fixed on her, accompanied by whispers and snickers. "Oh my god, seriously? Rich people are so twisted." "Figures, the more prim and proper they look, the dirtier they are behind closed doors." "I’ve already got a novel title in mind: The Tycoon's Caged Canary." As Scarlett stood bewildered, her dormmate rushed up and grabbed her arm. "Scarlett, check social media!" Scarlett quickly pulled out her phone, only to see a headline glaring back at her: "Graves Heir's Forbidden Love Exposed!" She clicked on it in disbelief, finding a pixelated, salacious video. The woman in the footage was undeniably her, captured in compromising positions, appearing to brazenly proposition Damien. Her eyes turned bloodshot, her fists clenched tight. "This video is doctored! I never did anything like that!" "I believe you, Scarlett. This trending topic was clearly bought. You have to find the culprit who spread these lies! Don't let them get away with it!" At her friend’s words, Scarlett immediately hailed a cab back to the villa, hoping to discuss it with Damien. As she ascended the stairs, she saw Damien blocking the way. Before she could speak, he fixed her with a cold, contemptuous gaze. "Is this what you meant by 'not loving me anymore'?" "You, a young woman, willing to ruin your own reputation just to sabotage my wedding to Serena? Have you no shame?" Scarlett bit her lip fiercely, desperate to say something, but no words would come out. She hadn’t expected Damien to think such things of her. All her strength to argue evaporated in an instant. Damien, however, misinterpreted her silence as guilt. A sneer twisted his lips, his expression growing colder. "Scarlett Bennett, if you think I'll be forced to marry you because of public opinion, you're gravely mistaken." "I, Damien Graves, will marry no one but Serena Dawson, in this life or any other!" No sooner had Damien spoken than Serena, who had overheard everything from behind him, stepped forward. She approached Scarlett, her voice dripping with disdain. "Miss Bennett, a young lady should have self-respect. Not debase herself in such a manner." Scarlett started to explain, but Serena secretly put force behind a push. Behind Scarlett was a treacherous flight of fifty steps. The next instant, Serena feigned a sprained ankle and tumbled forward down the stairs. In that split-second decision, Damien almost instinctively reached out and caught Serena’s hand. Only when the sound of Scarlett tumbling down the stairs echoed did Damien finally notice her. Scarlett curled into a ball, writhing in pain, biting her knee. Large, silent tears streamed down her face, as if their flow could dull the agonizing pain. Damien's eyes narrowed. He took the steps two at a time, rushing down. "Scarlett Bennett, are you alright?! Are you hurt?" 5 When Scarlett woke up, the first thing she saw was Damien’s drawn, tired face. Seeing her awaken, Damien’s voice was, for once, a little softer. “I didn’t save you because Serena… she’s ill.” Scarlett’s voice was flat. “I understand.” Damien let out a barely perceptible sigh, then cautioned, “You’re donating a kidney in a few days. You absolutely must rest and recover.” Scarlett heard him and let out a bitter laugh. She knew it. Of course Damien was only here because he was afraid her injuries would delay Serena’s kidney transplant. After speaking, he fell silent for a moment, then spoke again. “Also, no matter what, I won’t forget my promise. Even after I’m married, I will protect you for the rest of your life.” Scarlett’s eyes lifted slightly. Then, in her heart, she silently replied, “Unfortunately, I no longer need it.” For the next day, Damien didn't return. Scarlett waited alone for her IV drip to finish, then handled her discharge papers by herself. Just as she finished the paperwork, she saw a gurney rushing towards the emergency room. Scarlett instantly spotted Damien’s frantic figure beside it. Lying on the gurney, to her shock, was Serena. Scarlett’s mind suddenly snapped. In her previous life, Serena’s death was due to Scarlett’s refusal to donate a kidney. Now that she had agreed, why was Serena still on a gurney? She didn’t wait for an explanation, simply ran towards the emergency room. At the doorway, Damien sat on a long bench, his head bowed in despair, his drumming fingers betraying his anxiety. Scarlett asked Damien what had happened. Only then did she learn that Serena had a blood clotting disorder. She had felt dizzy while bathing and hit her head on the bathtub, leading to a serious hemorrhage. After a long moment, the doctor emerged from the emergency room. “The patient has lost a lot of blood. Is there a family member who can donate?” Damien shot up. “I will!” “The patient has Rh-negative blood type. What is your blood type?” Damien’s face went stark white. His voice trembled, weak. “I’m B positive.” Rh-negative blood, a rare blood type. In the room, only Scarlett possessed it. Scarlett stood up almost without hesitation. “I’m Rh-negative! I’ll donate!” Everything she had experienced in her past life was still vivid. She was finally on the verge of escaping that fate. She absolutely could not let history repeat itself. Scarlett was led by the nurse and had a full liter of blood drawn. Afterwards, Scarlett’s vision went black, and she collapsed in the donation room. When she woke up again, her bedside was empty, save for the nurse who came in to change her bandages, casting her a sympathetic glance. “Miss Bennett, you’re awake!” “Your guardian, he’s quite cold-hearted, isn’t he? Making you have surgery without anesthesia, all for his girlfriend.” Scarlett offered only a pale, bitter smile. After the nurse left, she checked her phone. Two hours left. Enough time to hail a cab, pick up her luggage, and get to the airport. Scarlett breathed a sigh of relief. She was about to get out of bed, but a searing, splitting pain surged through her. It was an agony that pierced her bones, struck her very soul, as if countless sharp blades were indiscriminately slicing inside her body. Every heartbeat was accompanied by a heart-wrenching cry. But at the thought of leaving Damien, Scarlett gritted her teeth, braced herself against the bed frame, and got out of bed. She painstakingly changed her clothes, picked up the severance agreement she had carried with her for so long, and limped, step by agonizing step, towards Serena’s hospital room. Inside the room, Damien was intently watching the sleeping Serena, completely oblivious to Scarlett’s entry. It wasn’t until Scarlett presented the severance agreement that he finally reacted. His face darkened as he read its contents. He asked in a low voice, “What is this? Are you truly going to cut ties with me? I told you, there’s no possibility between us. Why are you still pursuing this?” Sweat beaded on Scarlett’s forehead from the pain. She bit her lip, stubbornly stating, “This is what you promised me.” Damien looked at Scarlett’s pale face, suddenly feeling a surge of irritation. After a moment, he took the paper and pen from Scarlett, and signed his name prominently on the agreement. Scarlett, finally receiving the signed agreement, felt a wave of relief. She turned and limped away. Damien, however, frowned and asked, “You just had surgery. You’re still so weak. Why aren’t you in a hospital gown, resting? Where are you going, dressed in your own clothes?” Scarlett’s throat was dry. Her slender back seemed ready to collapse at any moment. “The hospital is stifling. I’m going for a walk.” Damien watched her retreating figure, a rare hint of concern in his voice. “It’s windy outside. Come back soon.” Scarlett murmured, "Mmm," but in her heart, she whispered, “Damien, I’m not coming back.” She picked up her luggage and, dragging her bruised and aching body, boarded the plane bound for West River City. Sunlight spilled over her slender back. Scarlett turned then, taking one last deep look at the city. “Goodbye, the place she lived for twelve years. Goodbye, Damien.”
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