Chapter 3

3

"Aria, I am talking to you. Did you hear me?"

His suppressed anger flared up again. Caleb slammed his hand hard against the mattress and unleashed a barrage of scolding right at my face.

"Yesterday was our engagement, and you threw a fit by sitting on the floor all night. Brianna and I brought you to the hospital. She spent the entire day taking care of you!"

"Do you have any idea that she did not sleep a wink all night? She stayed right here while you tossed and turned. Aria, how many times have I told you? A person needs to have a conscience!"

Conscience. Conscience. I sneered coldly in my heart as my chest throbbed with increasing pain.

I knew I was wrong, and I knew I shouldn't cling to the past. But speaking of conscience, was locking me in my room the right thing to do?

"I am sorry, Brianna."

But in the end, I did not voice my grievances. I was just so tired.

These years of endless, desperate chasing had left me speechless. Since Caleb wanted me to call her that, then I would.

"Aria, let me tell you..."

Caleb opened his mouth first. He knew me well, and he knew I wouldn't surrender easily. But just as the words left his lips, he heard my apology. "What did you say?"

Caleb looked at me in disbelief. Under his stunned gaze, I spoke again.

"I am sorry, Brianna. Can you please forgive me?"

Saying her name and accepting her position made my breathing ache with agony.

But after I said it, I realized it didn't really matter. I had said it. What did it change?

She was destined to be his wife anyway.

"It is okay, Aria. Your brother was just too worried about you, which is why he got so angry. Do not hold it against him."

Brianna was an expert at hiding her emotions. I gave her one brief look and buried my head back into the pillows.

"As long as you understand. We are all family now. Do not let me catch you doing what you did last time."

Seeing how obedient I was, Caleb's expression softened slightly.

But he was still angry. Because in his eyes, everything I did was just a desperate attempt to fight for his attention. He despised these kinds of manipulative tricks.

Just like on the day they finalized the engagement. To frame Brianna, he believed I had deliberately eaten food containing mangoes, knowing I was allergic.

If the maid had not testified later, everyone would have thought Brianna couldn't tolerate me and intentionally fed me my allergen.

Because of that incident, my image in Caleb's heart took a massive hit. He couldn't understand how the sister he had so painstakingly raised could become so unrecognizable.

"I won't do it again, Caleb."

I didn't even have the energy to explain myself.

I was exhausted. A few days ago, I was hospitalized for a severe allergic reaction. Now, this high fever had drained the rest of my spirit.

"Let's go home, Caleb."

Perhaps sensing that I didn't want to talk, Brianna considerately wrapped her arms around Caleb's waist to lead him away.

"Aria's fever just broke. I hired a nurse to look after her. You haven't slept all night. Go back and get some rest."

It was always like this. You couldn't find a single flaw in Brianna's words, yet listening to them made my skin crawl.

I couldn't describe that feeling, and that was exactly why I hated Brianna.

"You are always so thoughtful. If only Aria had half of your consideration."

As they walked to the door, I heard that final sentence.

I couldn't even describe how devastating that felt.

In the past, Caleb used to love my stubborn temper. Whenever he stood up for me, he would proudly say, "Aria acts like this because I spoiled her. If you have a problem, take it up with me."

Now, everything had changed. The people were different. Now he said, "Aria only knows how to throw childish tantrums."

Is it true that when someone loves you, everything you do is perfect?

Or was my love for Caleb just that repulsive to him?

After my IV drip finished, I still couldn't shake off the depression.

I felt a bit dazed. Over the past two years, Caleb had grown to hate me more and more.

Without us even realizing it, we were no longer the people we used to be.