Chapter 1

My entire world revolved around Julian.

They told me that during a massive house fire five years ago, Julian carried me out of the burning ruins.

But in my memory, I was the one who pushed him out first, right before a burning wooden beam crashed onto my head.

Since then, my mind stopped growing. I became childlike, and I only ever listened to Julian.

Julian loved me. He bought me the prettiest dresses.

But his fiancée, Victoria, hated me. She would pinch me when Julian wasn't looking, calling me a brainless freak and telling me to stop clinging to him.

Once, she glared at me and hissed, "I wish I could just strangle you, you useless little parasite."

But I remembered Julian telling me to always listen to Victoria.

So, I went to the kitchen, grabbed a paring knife, stood on my tiptoes, and carefully handed it to her.

"Here you go, Victoria. This way, you can actually kill me."

Victoria’s face went dead white.

She stared at the knife in my hands. The blade glinted coldly under the living room chandelier. She looked at it as if it were a venomous snake.

"Chloe! Are you insane?!" she shrieked, stumbling backward. She knocked over a glass of water on the coffee table, sending it shattering to the floor.

I tilted my head, genuinely confused.

She was the one who said she wanted to strangle me.

Julian said Victoria was going to be family, and that I had to listen to her and make her happy.

I was just trying to help.

"Here's the knife, Victoria," I said, stepping closer and offering it to her earnestly. "This makes it easier for you."

"You... you psycho!" Victoria’s voice shook, her eyes wide with genuine terror.

Just then, the front door clicked open.

Julian was home.

"Chloe, Victoria, I'm back."

Before he could even finish his sentence, he took in the bizarre scene.

I was holding a knife, pointing it at his beloved fiancée.

And Victoria was crying, trembling violently behind the sofa.

Julian’s expression turned ice-cold instantly.

"Chloe! Put the knife down!"

His voice was harsh and freezing, like a block of winter ice.

I flinched, dropping the knife. It clattered loudly against the hardwood floor.

Julian had never spoken to me like that before.

He rushed over, pushing me aside roughly to pull Victoria into his arms. His voice softened instantly into pure worry.

"Victoria, hey, it's okay. I'm here. What happened? Why did she have a knife?"

Victoria buried her face in Julian’s chest, sobbing hysterically.

"Julian... I was so scared... I was just teasing her. I said... I said if she kept being naughty, I’d cut up her favorite dress. I didn't think... she went to the kitchen and grabbed a knife... she said she wanted to... to kill me..."

I froze.

That wasn't what happened at all.

I opened my mouth, trying to explain. "No, Victoria said she wanted to—"

"Shut up!" Julian snapped, his glare cutting into me like glass. "Chloe, how did I raise you? Did I teach you to threaten family with a knife? Apologize to Victoria. Now."

My eyes stung with tears at his shout. I looked at him, feeling incredibly wronged.

"Julian... I didn't..."

"Apologize!"

He raised his voice further, his chest heaving with anger.

I shrank back.

I was terrified when Julian got angry.

I walked over to Victoria, hung my head, and whispered, "I'm sorry."

Victoria peeked over Julian’s shoulder, a flash of smug triumph in her eyes, though she sounded pitiful. "Julian, don't be too hard on Chloe. She didn't mean it. She's just... she doesn't know any better..."

The more "magnanimous" she acted, the more Julian’s heart ached for her.

He held her close, stroking her back, not sparing me a single glance.

"Go upstairs and rest, honey. I'll handle this."

He escorted her into the bedroom and shut the door.

Then, he walked out, picked up the knife from the floor, and slowly approached me.

I watched him in fear, taking steps backward until my spine hit the cold wall.

"Julian..."

He tossed the knife into the kitchen sink with a loud, jarring clang.

"Chloe, remember this," he said, looking down at me with deep disappointment. "Victoria is going to be my wife. She will be your sister-in-law. You can be difficult, but you cannot hurt her. If this ever happens again, I’m sending you away."

Sending me away?

To where?

Would he abandon me?

My entire world crumbled. Tears fell like rain.

"Julian... please don't send Chloe away... I'll be good..."

He watched me sob, but his face held no pity, only exhaustion.

"Go to your room. Think about what you did."

With that, he turned and went back into the bedroom, closing the door for the night.

I hugged the teddy bear he had given me and cried all night.

I didn't understand what I had done wrong.

I was just trying to be good.