After being adopted by a wealthy family, my three older brothers hated me. When I performed in front of a crowd, my fingers were pierced by needles hidden under the piano keys. As blood poured from my hands, they stood in the crowd, watching with cold indifference. But in the middle of the night, someone slipped into my bed to secretly bandage my wounds. I called out softly, "Brother." His fingers tightened, roughly bruising my lips. He gritted his teeth and demanded: "Do you even know which brother I am before you call out?" I lowered my eyes and stayed silent. It didn't matter which one he was; he wasn't the one I wanted to call "Brother." 01 The news of rising star jewelry designer Chloe Vance returning to the US dominated the trending charts. In the video, she wore sunglasses and bright red lipstick, looking as radiant and captivating as a rose soaked in morning dew. Reporters shoved microphones in her face, swarming around her: "Miss Vance, we heard that the piece that won the International Gold Award was your debut work. Could you share your inspiration with us?" "Miss Vance, elements like doves and feathers frequently appear in your designs. Do they hold a special symbolic meaning for you?" "Miss Vance, rumor has it you've already signed with the design studio under the Sterling Group. Does this mean wedding bells are in the near future for you and the CEO of the Sterling Group?" Chloe stopped walking, looked at the cameras, and smiled slightly. "You'll all have the answers to those questions very soon." She pulled her left hand out of her trench coat pocket. On her slender ring finger, a massive diamond ring sparkled brilliantly. "My fiancé and I will soon be..." The video abruptly cut off. I pulled my gaze away from the black screen and looked up at the man holding me in his lap. He casually tossed the remote aside, took my hand, and pressed it against the black and white piano keys. "Break time is over. The fingering we just practiced—do it ten more times." I nodded obediently. "Okay, Julian." Julian Sterling's hand paused, a hint of pleasure coloring his voice: "After you finish practicing, I'll take you to pick out a pretty dress. We're going to the Vance estate together tonight." "Julian, are you taking me to meet my future sister-in-law?" His breath suddenly hitched, and he spoke with near-irritation: "...No." I didn't say another word. I gently pulled my hand free and began to play. His long, calloused hand rested motionless on the high-octave keys for a long time. My fingers occasionally brushed past his as I expertly pressed the keys in between his hands. The brief brush of our skin was as light as a feather. The melody of Für Elise flowed exceptionally smoothly. Julian stared intently, but he never lifted his hand. 02 Julian and Chloe had gotten engaged two years ago. That was when I first entered the Sterling household, just starting my senior year of high school. Chloe had eagerly arranged for me to transfer to a prestigious private prep school. As the third son of the Sterling family, Liam Sterling, was in the same grade, Chloe put on the airs of a future sister-in-law: "Mia is just a young girl in a new environment. It's always safer to have her own brother keeping an eye on her." "I'll be studying abroad for two years. Having a little sister in the house will keep you guys entertained." "Just make sure you don't scare her." She smiled slyly, reaching out to pat my head. I ducked to avoid her touch. A flash of darkness crossed Chloe's eyes before she picked up her designer bag and gracefully walked away. A lot happened during the two years she was away. For instance, I became the target of severe bullying at that elite prep school, and my grades plummeted. Chloe's younger brother, Carter Vance, was a notorious, reckless rich kid. He took a liking to my face and began making loud, public declarations of love around campus. After I rejected him to his face, he flew into a humiliated rage and swore he would make it impossible for me to stay at that school. My textbooks and assignments would be reduced to confetti by the next morning. Whether I opened the classroom door or a bathroom stall, I would be drenched head to toe by a bucket of dirty water. Flying stationery and random trash would strike me from every angle when I wasn't looking. Being shoved and pushed amidst mocking laughter became a daily routine. They spread vicious rumors about me, claiming I was the one seducing Carter, that I was stalking him after he rejected me, and that I was desperate to climb into his bed. One guy maliciously taunted me to my face: "If you can't climb into Carter's bed, I won't mind settling for you. Name your price. We all want a taste of the Sterling family's new 'miss'." The group erupted in laughter. Liam, sitting nearby seemingly unbothered, finally grew irritated upon hearing the last sentence and spoke up: "That's enough." The guy looked from me to Liam, reeling in his laughter as he prepared to leave. I clenched my trembling fists and slapped him hard across the face. He flew into a rage: "You fucking—" That day, he kicked my desk over and shoved me to the ground. My head slammed into the sharp corner of the desk. The overwhelming metallic scent of blood filled the air, and my consciousness began to blur. It was Liam who rushed me to the hospital. Lying in the hospital bed, I clung to his shirt, refusing to let go. Even while unconscious, I cried out: "Brother, please don't leave me." When I woke up, I had forgotten everything from my past. I looked at Liam, who was keeping watch by my bed, and asked him timidly: "Are you my brother?" From that day on, the gloomiest, most fearful adopted daughter of the Sterling family became a docile, flawless princess. 03 I attended Chloe's welcome-back banquet arm-in-arm with Julian. I wore a pale blue princess gown handpicked by him. Around my neck was a dazzling necklace he had personally fastened for me—a white dove pendant. The dove's eye was a massive, brilliant Graff pink diamond. Under the banquet lights, it was blindingly beautiful. Chloe greeted us with a smile, but her pupils constricted when her gaze swept over my neck. She looped her arm through Julian's other arm, forcing a strained smile: "I thought when you won that diamond at the auction, you were going to use it for an engagement ring. You're spoiling your little sister a bit too much, aren't you?" I tactfully pulled my hand out of Julian's arm. "What are you talking about, Chloe? For something as important as an engagement, Julian obviously has something even better prepared for you." Chloe's eyes widened, her voice full of surprise: "Really? Julian, then I..." "Mia." A gentle, familiar voice cut into our conversation. A man wearing gold-rimmed glasses walked up to me, looking sharp and elegant in a white peak-lapel suit. He held a glass of red wine. His voice was as rich as the vintage in his hand, yet it made my spine go rigid: "Haven't you forgotten everything? How is it that you specifically remember your 'sister' Chloe?" "That's hardly fair." I steadied my nerves and reached for his wine glass: "Tristan, Julian has a picture of Chloe in his study. Don't act like I don't know that." The corner of Julian's mouth quirked up. He didn't deny it. Chloe looked bashful, gazing at Julian with ever-growing affection. I looped my arm through Tristan's and gave the engaged couple a sweet smile: "Julian, Chloe, I won't be the third wheel here." "Tristan, let's go over to the dessert table, okay? I want some red velvet cake." Tristan led me away. Behind us, Julian stared at my arm linked with Tristan's, his expression bordering on displeasure. Chloe had to call his name several times before he snapped out of it. 04 At the dessert table, Tristan took his wine glass back from me. "You're still young. You shouldn't drink too much." I playfully shoved half a spoonful of cake into his mouth: "Tristan! I'm a sophomore in college now. I'm an adult." "Is that so?" He chewed slowly, his eyes behind the lenses dark and unreadable, a smile playing on his lips: "Then you can only have one sip." He held the wine glass to my lips. I tilted my head back. The deep red liquid flooded my mouth and flowed down my throat, bringing a fiery heat. He showed no sign of pulling his hand away, so I kept drinking. I drank until a rosy flush spread across my pale skin. I drank until I choked and started coughing softly. Tristan finally lowered the glass, thoughtfully patting my back: "Greedy little cat." "I told you not to drink too much, and you didn't even know when to stop." His warm palm pressed against my bare back. My cheeks burned as I smiled dizzily at him. Tristan's hand lingered for only a second before someone pushed it away. A suit jacket landed on my shoulders, enveloping me in the faint scent of verbena. Liam's clear voice sounded highly displeased: "Tristan, why did you let Mia drink so much?" "That Miss Vance just said she wanted to hear our Mia perform on stage. I don't think she can..." "What do you mean, she can't?" I clutched my chest and looked up, just in time to see Julian striding over with a cold expression. He was walking so fast that Chloe could barely keep up, having to jog to catch him while lifting her dress: "Julian..." Julian turned sideways and firmly grasped her hand. Ignoring Chloe's suddenly flushed face, he looked only at me: "Your sister-in-law wants to hear you play. Go play." "Julian, you..." I gently placed my hand over Liam's, my eyes bright and innocent. "Julian has spent so much time teaching me the fingering. It's only right that I show Chloe the results." I sat down on the piano bench. A sharp, silvery gleam caught the light in the gaps between the keys, making me think back to the night of the high school anniversary gala. Without my knowledge, Carter had signed me up for a solo piano performance. I had only recently "lost" my memory, and Julian's sudden interest in teaching me piano was only a few weeks old. I could only play beginner-level exercises. I forced myself onto the stage. And on a keyboard lined with hidden needles, I played until my hands were dripping with blood. The disjointed, horrific melody drew a chorus of boos from the audience. I retreated from the stage in humiliation, only for Carter to corner me and warn me: "Don't actually think of yourself as some princess. You're nothing but a toy the Sterling family picked up to pass the time while my sister is abroad." But then again, who isn't a toy? I smiled and placed my hands on the keys. The next second, the powerful chords of Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 echoed through the banquet hall. I struck the keys with all my strength. The pain was bone-deep. Blood splattered, yet it felt exhilarating. I watched the crowd in the audience, watching me with casual detachment. Julian caught sight of the red spreading across the black and white keys. For a moment, he looked as if he wanted to walk toward me. Tristan whispered in his ear: "Didn't you say she was just a toy?" Julian stopped moving. He also placed a restraining hand on Liam's shoulder. When the piece ended, I stood up to take a bow. The droplets of blood splattered on my dress looked like vivid rose petals. As the thunderous applause died down, gasps of horror erupted. I heard Chloe let out a perfectly feigned shriek of panic: "Oh my god, what happened?! Who... who messed with her piano beforehand?!" 05 The Vance family doctor haphazardly bandaged my hands. He didn't even bother to disinfect the wounds. Chloe apologized profusely, yet her eyes held no real remorse. She looked at me like I was an ant. Her apologies were purely to display her grace as the Vance heiress and to protect the reputation of both families. Just as the Sterling family knew exactly who the culprit was but remained silent—also to protect the families' reputations. In the end, I was just a toy kept on a whim. It wasn't worth making a fuss over a toy. On the ride back to the Sterling estate, the alcohol hit me. I curled up and fell asleep, whimpering in pain in my dreams. It was Julian who carried me back to my room. He looked at the blood seeping through the bandages, his expression complex: "If you knew it was going to hurt, why didn't you stop?" "I couldn't embarrass you, Julian." I sat up, arguing earnestly: "You taught me how to play. With so many people listening, if I messed up or stopped halfway, it would look so bad for my teacher." He froze for a moment, then awkwardly looked away from me and strode out of the room. "No practice for the next few days. Just rest." I replied with a sweet, obedient "Okay." "Goodnight, Julian." I slept very poorly that night. In my hazy consciousness, I felt like a dark, beastly gaze was fixed on me. Sharp pain shot through my injured fingers intermittently. I snapped my eyes open and saw a dark figure lying beside me, gently dabbing ointment onto my fingers. His movements were clumsy, but incredibly tender. I drifted in a daze for a second, then called out to him: "Brother." The man scoffed. He slowly finished wrapping the fresh bandage around my hand, tying a tight, forceful knot. I flinched in pain. In that moment of clarity, tears welled up in my eyes. He leaned over the covers, pressing his weight onto me. His fingers, smelling of antiseptic, ground roughly against my lips. His voice was low and furious: "Do you even know which brother I am before you call out?" I lowered my eyes and stayed silent. His anger flared. He sneered ominously in my ear: "So now you play mute with me? But when it comes to Julian, you do exactly what he tells you. So incredibly obedient." I buried my face in the crook of his neck, my hot tears hitting his skin. He seemed burned by the touch, freezing instantly. I sobbed into his ear: "I thought you would come save me." "My hands hurt so much... Why didn't you come save me, Liam?" Liam clumsily pulled me tight, using his sleeve to wipe my tears: "It's not your fault... I don't blame you anymore, Mia. Please don't cry, okay?" "It's all Julian's fault. He shouldn't have agreed to marry into the Vance family, and he shouldn't have used you to please that woman." "Trust me, Mia. I won't let her hurt you again." But she had already hurt me. Over and over again. From the needles in the piano to the maliciously orchestrated bullying. And even earlier, before I had even entered the Sterling home. She had destroyed the only thing I had left to hold onto. 06 At the breakfast table the next morning, it was just Tristan and Liam. The maid said Julian had left for the office early. As soon as I sat down, Tristan joked about my hands: "Who wrapped these for you? They look like mummies. How are you supposed to eat breakfast?" "Come here. Let me re-bandage them." A maid immediately brought over the first-aid kit. I glanced at Liam's dark expression, hesitated for a moment, and then walked over. The bow Liam tied came undone with a single pull from Tristan. Liam set down his knife and fork, crossing his arms as he watched: "I thought they were wrapped perfectly fine. If Mia can't use her hands to eat, I'll feed her." Tristan leaned over, patiently and methodically unwinding the gauze layer by layer. Behind his gold-rimmed glasses, his eyes were focused entirely on my hands, not even glancing at his younger brother: "They were bundled into a clump. If Mia can't use her hands, how is she supposed to go to class and draw today?" I was a jewelry design major. The series of "accidents" during my senior year of high school inevitably took a toll on me. I didn't get into the top university. Julian made the executive decision to enroll me in a local college near the Sterling estate, demanding that I commute from home every day. We had a disagreement when it came to choosing my major. He was very unhappy with my choice of jewelry design. "A girl your age should study literature, history, or philosophy. Why choose something like this?" I hugged his arm and pleaded: "I know the Sterling Group is expanding into the jewelry market. I just want to be able to help you in the future, Julian." "From now on, I'll design all your tie clips, brooches, and cufflinks!" Julian's lips curled into a smile, and he didn't argue any further. After breakfast, Liam and I went to campus. In class, the senior sitting next to me, Sarah, frowned when she saw my fingers: "What happened? How did you get hurt this badly?" "Just a little accident. I'm sorry, Sarah. I might need to delay submitting the drafts by three days." "It's fine." After class, Sarah took me to her dorm and pulled a tube of ointment from her drawer. "This is amazing for surface wounds. Try it." My heart ached with gratitude as I thanked her. The Sterling family didn't know about the design studio Sarah and I had started together. Sarah never asked me why I didn't just intern at the design studio owned by the Sterling Group, opting instead to start from scratch. She had just looked at my past design portfolio and immediately made the call: "Your style is very distinct. I think we can get commissions." During all the time we didn't have class, we ran around, visiting factories to find suppliers. We went from a two-person operation relying on word of mouth to the moderately sized "Chrysalis Studio." This was the other world where I could breathe freely, far away from the Sterling family. Sarah reminded me again: "Don't rush to draw for the next few days. Let your hands heal. We have plenty of time." I nodded, watching as she opened her laptop. A familiar design draft was prominently displayed on a tab she hadn't closed. Countless dazzling colored gemstones and brilliant gold formed a magnificent crown. In the center of the crown was a dove encrusted with white diamonds. It was posed to take flight, holding a flower made of red diamonds in its beak, looking like it was dripping blood. "Sarah, do you know Chloe Vance?" Sarah scrolled with her mouse: "I know who she is, but we're not close." "She's been in the news a lot lately. I've looked at her early work. Honestly, every piece is breathtakingly brilliant." "But for some reason, her later style completely changed. Even though she's still praised online, I feel like there's a huge disconnect from her early work." Sarah looked thoughtful as she spoke. Then, she suddenly realized something: "I'm sorry. I forgot that your brother is engaged to the Vance family. Was I out of line by saying that..." "It's fine, Sarah. You're right." I stared at the screen. The dazzling light of the jewelry stung my eyes. Those pieces never belonged to Chloe Vance in the first place. And the Sterlings were not my family. 07 The Sterling and Vance families began discussing a wedding date. Chloe's social media updated almost daily, showcasing her either trying on wedding dresses or picking out wedding rings. She playfully complained about Julian: "When will you finally put down your work to spend time with me? I'm always picking out things alone. My fans are going to suspect we're not doing well." Julian finally took a weekend off to accompany her to look at wedding dresses. I used the excuse of a rescheduled class to avoid coming home during the day. By the time my hand was fully healed, the design draft I had given Sarah had been manufactured into a finished product. The craftsmen were incredibly skilled. Every detail of the brooch was flawless. Even Sarah couldn't put it down. "If this doesn't become a best-seller, it would be a crime. You're our cash cow, Mia." "The first piece of the 'Kapok' series is a brooch. Have you thought about what to make next?" I smiled and said, "Let's do a bracelet." I started pulling frequent all-nighters, staying at the studio for several nights in a row. One day, while I was in class, I suddenly got a call from Julian. His voice carried an unprecedented rage: "Mia, come home immediately." My heart pounded frantically as I rushed back to the Sterling estate. Julian was sitting in the living room, with Chloe sitting beside him. Even Tristan and Liam were there. This interrogation-like setup made my steps falter. I stood at the doorway, looking confused: "Julian, did you need me for something?" Julian didn't say a word. Chloe tugged his sleeve and smiled at me: "Oh, it's not a big deal. Mia just spent a few nights out. It's not like she was out doing anything bad." "She's a young, beautiful girl. It's completely normal for her to have a boy she likes..." So it was about me not coming home. I thought the secret about the studio had been discovered early. I relaxed and walked further inside, feigning calmness: "What are you talking about, Chloe? I don't have a boyfriend." "Then what were you doing every night?" Julian's expression softened slightly, but his eyes were still frighteningly dark: "If I hadn't been talking to Tristan, I wouldn't have even known you haven't been home for days!" "And you two! Why didn't you keep an eye on her?!" Liam lazily raised his hand: "I asked Mia. She said she had assignments to rush and spent the nights pulling all-nighters in the metalworking studio of her jewelry design department." "How can you sleep comfortably in a classroom..." Chloe smiled slyly: "Mia, it's okay to go out and get a hotel room to rest with a classmate." As expected of a Vance. Her methods of spreading rumors were exactly the same as her brother's. Julian clearly understood the implication of her words. His face turned ugly again: "Mia, have some self-respect." Tears welled up in my eyes. I looked at him sadly, my voice choking: "Julian, you're accusing me." I unzipped my backpack and pulled out a thick stack of design drafts. "I was in the classroom the whole time. I really didn't go out and get a hotel..." "Enough." Julian stood up, his face full of irritation. He walked past me with long strides, coldly dropping a single sentence: "Don't let me find out you're staying out all night again." "Otherwise, you're changing your major." The drafts were hit by the coat draped over his arm. My grip loosened, and the snow-white pages fluttered all over the room. I crouched down to pick them up, large teardrops falling one by one. Tristan and Liam stayed to help me. Chloe originally wanted to chase after Julian, but her peripheral vision caught something. She suddenly leaned in close to comfort me: "It's my fault. I shouldn't have spoken out of turn. I'll go explain it to Julian." She patted my shoulder, secretly slipping a piece of paper from the stack behind me, quickly crumpling it up and stuffing it into her bag. 08 After that, I spent my nights at the Sterling house. The light in my bedroom stayed on late into the night. Someone would always come knocking. Sometimes it was Tristan, sometimes it was Liam. Sometimes they came together. I couldn't hide it fast enough, and they saw the pattern on the paper. It was the second piece of the Kapok series: the Kapok flower bracelet. Fortunately, they didn't know much about jewelry, so they naturally didn't connect it to the Kapok brooch that had been gaining popularity domestically. They didn't know it was my design. Tristan was a partner at a law firm, and Liam dreamed of becoming a race car driver. "You're staying up later than me every day. Don't tell me you're making a wedding gift for Julian?" Tristan asked me with a half-smile. I looked up from the pile of drafts, feigning surprise: "How did you know, Tristan?" "The day my drafts fell, the final sketch went missing. I have to work overtime to redo it." I explained shyly, my face flushed. Tristan stopped smiling. After a long pause, he looked at Liam with a sneer: "Our older brother is certainly lucky." Liam snorted and walked out. Once the design drafts were finalized, I began the handcrafting process. I brought some equipment from the studio into my bedroom and continued working through the nights. Julian only had the maids report to him daily to confirm I slept at home. But Tristan and Liam practically witnessed the creation of the very first finished Kapok bracelet. Given the color scheme and diameter, it was clearly not meant for a woman. Tristan examined it in his hand for a while, making a motion to slip it onto his wrist: "Looks like a good fit." I glared at him, grabbed his wrist, and pulled the bracelet off: "That's for Julian. Don't break it." Liam leaned lazily against the doorframe, watching us bicker with a cold expression: "You ungrateful little brat. Two of your brothers are here keeping you company, and all you care about is the one who's absent." "If you're making a wedding gift, it should be a pair. What does it mean to only make one for Julian?" I carefully placed the bracelet into a velvet box and flashed him an innocent smile: "I don't have enough time. The wedding is coming up so fast. I'll make one for Chloe later." In reality, I had already finalized the design for the women's version of the bracelet. After the factory-produced finished product passed inspection, the women's bracelet—the second piece of the Chrysalis Studio's Kapok series—was already available for sale. That weekend, I stayed home, which was unusual. Sarah called me, her tone uncharacteristically serious: "Mia, during the design process of the Kapok bracelet, did anyone see your drafts?"
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