His Stepsister’s Shadow, Her Broken Heart

Unexpectedly, Cara got a high fever after the rain that night.

While she was recovering at home, Austin somehow became less cold toward her and personally cooked for her, making sure she was taken care of and that she ate her medication.

If this were in the past, Cara would have been touched and grateful toward Austin. But now, she just found it pathetic.

Austin was merely atoning for Winter's sins. It wasn't because he actually felt sorry for her at all.

If he did, then he wouldn't have just pretended to tell Winter off at home or run into her bedroom later that night to apologize and make it up to her because he felt terrible about it.

Cara finally recovered completely and was eating lunch downstairs one day. Winter was sitting at the head of the table, wearing an eye-catching, glimmering crystal bangle around her wrist.

The crystal bangle had been an heirloom that Cara's mother, Diana Fontaine, had left for her after her death. Cara had kept it away safely in the attic upstairs, and she didn't know how Winter had managed to get her hands on it.

Cara marched up to Winter, pointed at the bangle, and asked sharply, "Where did you get this bangle from?"

Winter didn't look the least bit guilty. She even showed it off proudly to Cara and said, "Austin found it in the attic and gave it to me. It matches the dress I'm wearing for tonight's club."

Cara didn't want to waste her breath on Winter anymore and demanded that she return the bangle to her at once. However, Winter refused.

"You're going to marry Austin anyway! That means everything you own will be his, and everything his is also mine! Why can't I wear it, then?" Winter shot back.

Cara was just about to grab the bangle back by force when Winter suddenly slapped her so hard on the cheek that Cara swore she saw stars.

The bangle flew off during the altercation and fell to the floor, breaking into a few pieces. A few broken pieces bounced off the ground and cut into Cara's legs, making her bleed.

At that moment, Austin stormed into the dining room.

"Austin! My finger's bleeding!" Winter cried, showing him her finger that was just mildly scuffed. At once, Austin took her finger and put it in his mouth to lick it and stop the "bleeding".

Cara watched as Austin's eyes grew increasingly unfocused and his breathing got faster and more rapid.

At the most crucial moment, Austin suddenly got up and headed straight for the bathroom expressionlessly.

He never looked at Cara at all as he chided her, "It's just a bangle. I will never forgive you if anything happens to Winter!"

He didn't even ask if Cara had been hurt.

Cara just looked down and laughed at herself pitifully. She then fetched the first-aid kit, cleaned the wound, disinfected it, and dressed it herself. However, she could hear quarreling downstairs.

It sounded like Winter was insisting on going out to party at the club, but Austin wouldn't let her. In the end, Winter stormed out of the mansion in a fury and slammed the door behind her.

…

That night, Austin suddenly walked into the room, looking genuinely concerned.

"Is your leg okay? I'll bring you to the hospital if needed," he said.

Austin was always playing games like this, giving Cara the stick before rewarding her with a carrot. It almost felt as though he was a cat toying with its prey, constantly keeping Cara's heart on edge as he pushed and pulled on her heart that was pounding with anxiety and insecurity.

"Forget about it," she replied.

He didn't care about her refusal and dipped a cotton swab in iodine before gently applying it to her wound.

Cara hissed lightly, making him chuckle.

"You're behaving just like a kid."

A fruit-flavored lollipop suddenly appeared in her lap. She recognized the packaging. It was from a handmade sweets shop in Sothernia, and one would have to queue for at least a few hours to get in.

She picked up the lollipop and unwrapped it, feeling the sticky sugar coating her fingers.

Just as she was about to put it in her mouth, she suddenly heard the sound of the door opening downstairs.