A Heart Gone Cold

My brother and childhood sweetheart both fall in love with my adopted sister who is about to marry someplace afar in my stead.

One of them has forgotten about me, and the other has broken his vow to always be by my side. To win back Mona Pierce—who has learned the truth—they join forces to push me down the stairs on my birthday.

I lose all hope in them and agree to the arranged marriage. Five days later, I leave the Greer family for good.

Yet, after my departure, they regret everything.

On the day of the birthday party, Douglas Greer and Marcel Finley joined forces to push me down the stairs, just to amuse Mona Pierce.

Douglas, the only family I had left, sighed as he looked down at me lying in a pool of blood.

"Jolene, Mona is marrying far away for your sake. So, is it so wrong for me to share half of the love I have for you with her?"

Marcel, my childhood sweetheart who had once risked his life to save me, was holding Mona affectionately.

He chuckled coldly and said, "Jolene, you've bumped your head, but Mona lost her lifelong happiness."

They cursed at me for being vicious, completely forgetting how they had once begged me not to marry far away and gone to great lengths to find someone to be my adopted sister.

Watching the two of them walk away, I felt utterly disappointed. Without hesitation, I dialed the number of my arranged marriage partner.

"Mr. Woodrow, when are you coming to pick me up?"

"Ms. Greer, are you really sure? Marriage isn't a trivial matter," Brad Woodrow asked, his alluring voice carrying a hint of concern.

I struggled to suppress the trembling in my voice and nodded. "Yes, I'm sure."

"Alright then. I'll pick you up in five days."

After hanging up, a new post from Mona popped up on my phone.

"No matter where you hide, those who love you will find you and bring you home. Today, I'm the happiest woman in the world."

One of the attached photos captured Douglas carrying her home on his back, while another showed Marcel, dressed in an apron, cooking dinner for her. The third photo had the two men standing on either side of her, gazing at her with adoration, with a pile of gifts that should have been mine at their feet.

I let out a bitter laugh, my heart aching.

After our parents passed away, Douglas and I leaned on each other to survive. I still recalled how he had held me tightly and said, "Don't be afraid, Jolene. From now on, I'll be your support. I'll take care of you for the rest of your life."

He was only 18 years old at that time, yet he suppressed his own grief to comfort me.

While looking after me, he also took on the responsibility of running the family business. Knowing how frail and sickly I was, he climbed a