Chapter 1

When I was kidnapped, my fiancé and my brother ignored my pleas for help.

They chose to spend the night celebrating my stepsister's birthday instead.

"Gia, when did you get so pathetic? Do you really think you're in a movie? Stop faking a kidnapping for attention," they sneered.

Then, they hung up the phone.

As the kidnappers prepared to end me, I broke free from my zip ties and jumped into the freezing river to escape.

After surviving that nightmare, I finally gave up on them. I chose to leave.

But suddenly, they were the ones who were sorry.

After dragging myself out of the river, a kind stranger helped me call the police.

Once the statement was filed, the officers drove me home.

As I reached the front door, the sound of laughter and music drifted out.

My own brother and my fiancé were busy celebrating Sienna's birthday.

I looked at Sienna in her expensive designer dress, then at my own torn, muddy clothes.

I couldn't help but let out a bitter, dry laugh.

The sound caught everyone's attention inside the foyer.

"Gia? You're back?" Sienna asked, faking a look of shock. She pointed at my filthy dress and covered her nose.

"Gia, if you wanted attention, you didn't have to try this hard. You look like a disgusting beggar. It's actually making me sick."

As soon as she spoke, the two men who had looked shocked by my state immediately changed their expressions. Their faces twisted with disgust.

"Gia, I thought you said you were kidnapped? What happened? Did the act fail, so now you're back to play the victim?"

I was covered in bruises. My hair and clothes were soaking wet. Anyone with eyes could see I was hurt.

But because of one word from Sienna, they assumed I was faking it.

My nose stung with tears. I clenched my fists, trying my best not to let them fall.

"Gia, please don't do something this stupid again. We were all so worried about you," Sienna said.

She walked over and tried to grab my hand.

I didn't move an inch, but she suddenly collapsed onto the floor. She took the massive birthday cake down with her.

"Gia! You… it's okay if you push me, but how could you ruin my cake? Do you really hate me that much?"

Sienna's eyes turned red as she looked up at me with a pout.

Before I could even open my mouth, my brother, Jax, lunged forward. He slapped me across the face with everything he had.

"Gia! You come back just to cause trouble? Can't you stand to see Sienna happy for even one second?!"

His cold voice cut through my heart like a blade. I touched my throbbing, swollen cheek, and the tears finally hit the floor.

In all the years we had grown up together, Jax had never laid a hand on me.

Once, I accidentally broke his favorite vintage watch, and he didn't even raise his voice.

But now, he was hitting me for Sienna.

Maybe my expression was too haunting, because a flash of regret crossed Jax's face.

However, it was quickly replaced by cold indifference.

Meanwhile, Landon, the fiancé who once promised to love me forever, was tenderly pulling Sienna into his arms.

That gentle look on his face used to belong only to me.

"Why are you even talking to her? Gia, get on your knees and apologize to Sienna right now, or we're done," Landon said.

He looked at me with pure annoyance.

I stared back at him, unable to believe what I was hearing.

He wanted me to kneel?

We grew up together. He knew better than anyone how much I valued my pride.

Yet, he was demanding I kneel to Sienna.

"I didn't do anything wrong. I'm not apologizing for anything!"

Landon's face darkened. His voice turned icy.

"First you lie about being kidnapped, then you attack Sienna and ruin her party. You still think you're innocent?"

"Honestly, I wish you really had been kidnapped and stayed gone. At least then you wouldn't be here ruining our lives!"

Hearing such hateful words from the person I loved most made it hard to breathe.

But they weren't finished with me yet.

Jax grabbed my wrist while kicking the back of my knees.

Caught off guard, I slammed forward onto the floor. I ended up on my knees right in front of Sienna's smug face.

The pain in my knees was the final straw. Twenty years of love and family turned into ash in that moment.

I scrambled up, breaking free from their grip like a madwoman.

The family, the love―I didn't want any of it anymore.