His Stepsister’s Shadow, Her Broken Heart

The day before the engagement party, the immigration department called Cara up, telling her that there was something wrong with her submitted documents.

Cara quickly hurried over to make sure that the issue could be solved as efficiently as possible.

By the time she was done with the paperwork, it was already midnight.

Cara walked alone slowly on the empty streets. Suddenly, she heard hurried footsteps behind her.

When she realized that something was wrong, the person behind her had already yanked on her hair and forcefully dragged her into a deserted alley.

Cara kept struggling, but she got a few slaps in return instead.

"Stop struggling!"

Someone stood waiting in the alley. Something glinted momentarily in that person's hand that was hanging by her side. It was a sharp knife.

Cara managed to recognize the person under the faint moonlight. "Winter Langford! What are you trying to do?"

Winter crouched down to be on eye level with Cara.

"I don't know what kind of spell you cast on Austin to make him suddenly insist on giving you a baby and a stupid engagement party. I can't stop what he wants to do, but hey, do you think the engagement will still go on after I slash this pretty face of yours?"

The cold blade was then pressed lightly against Cara's face. It took just a little pressure before beads of blood appeared on her skin.

The blade of the knife slowly pierced into Cara's flesh. When Cara realized that things were about to get completely out of control, she yelled, "Wait! Austin has actually only ever been in love with you!"

The knife fell to the ground with a clang.

Winter grabbed Cara by the collar and stared at her in disbelief. "What did you just say?"

"Your brother loves you!" Cara exclaimed. "We've been together for years, but he's never touched me! We've never slept together! I even witnessed him masturbating to your nightgowns three times in the middle of the night!"

Winter's grip loosened as a complicated look flashed across her face. She seemed shocked, overjoyed, embarrassed, yet regretful.

Cara looked at her and suddenly felt that fate was a funny thing. Austin would never have admitted any of it out loud, but she had spilled his secrets as easily as that.

However, before Cara could even heave a sigh of relief, Winter picked up the knife again and stepped even closer to her, this time brandishing it against her neck.

"Even so, you're the one getting married to him. Austin will only reclaim his freedom after you're dead!"

The murderous look on Winter's face was apparent, and Cara knew that she was determined to kill her.

Cara's back was beaded with cold sweat. She shakily took out the marriage form from her bag and said, "What if I tell you that I've never submitted the marriage registration form?"

She then tore up the form into tiny shreds right in front of the stunned Winter.

"Are you happy now? Also, you can just replace me at the engagement party tomorrow. He's planning on a traditional one anyway, where he won't be able to see your face under the veil. No one can tell if it's you or me."

Winter stared at Cara for a long time, as if in complete disbelief that Cara was actually smart enough to remove herself from the picture beforehand.

She smiled and said, "At least you know what's best for you. Let's go!"

Cara looked at the two disappearing figures and finally fell to the ground, her energy completely depleted.

On the day of the engagement party, Austin, the groom-to-be, left the mansion early in the morning.

Cara just handed the engagement ring straight to Winter. It was a little small on her finger anyway, but it fit Winter's finger perfectly.

Seeing that it was almost time for the cruise to depart, Cara grabbed her suitcases to leave, but she quickly realized that her room door was locked from the outside. Nobody came to answer, even after she banged on it several times.

Just then, the stench of gasoline filled the room and soon covered the tiles on the floor.

Winter's chilling voice could be heard again.

"Sorry, Cara, but I'm still insecure even though you told me everything. Austin will never belong wholly to me as long as you're still alive."

"What are you planning to do?" Cara asked.

Cara had a terrible feeling about this. She could hear Winter's piercing laughter from the other side of the door.

"So, for the sake of my happiness, please die as quickly as you can!"

A match was struck and dropped onto the floor. The blaze was immediate.

The fire quickly spread into the room with the gasoline on the floor and eventually consumed Cara's room entirely.

Thick smoke entered Cara's lungs, and she choked hard.

There was no other way out of the room apart from the window in the corner.

Cara rushed over and opened it up quickly. However, this was a five-story drop to the ground, and she didn't have any tools with her.

…

At the same time, the city was buzzing with news of Austin's engagement.

Austin finally lifted the veil at the engagement banquet, and he was completely shocked. "What are you doing here? Where's Cara?"

This wasn't the person he wanted.

Winter grabbed his hand and said, "Austin, please just let me be your bride."

Austin shook her hand off for the first time as he chided, "We're siblings! This is incest! Winter, what… what are you doing!"

Winter held a bottle of pesticides in her hand. It was highly concentrated and poisonous.

She held the mouth of the bottle to her lips and threatened, "If you don't marry me, then I'll take my own life right in front of you!"

They glared at each other for a long time.

Eventually, Austin caved in to his desire and pulled Winter into his arms.

He was very happy to spend time with Winter like this, even if it was only for a short hour.

"You're not allowed to act recklessly like this again. Is Cara at home?" he asked.

Winter pinched herself in the palm and smiled at him in response. "She's sleeping really well at home."

Just a minute before the banquet was about to start, one of Austin's men rushed into the hall and said urgently, "Mr. Langford! Your mansion is on fire! The neighbors also heard a woman screaming for help inside!"

The man's voice was quite soft, and Austin couldn't hear what he said. However, Winter caught a few keywords from him, such as "fire" and "mansion".

She immediately raised her voice and said, "Austin! How could your subordinate be so inconsiderate? Can't he see that the event is about to start? Why is he suddenly reporting to you now about work?"

Austin felt a sense of unease in his chest, but he thought he was just getting nervous before the engagement banquet.

He frowned impatiently and waved his hand dismissively at his subordinate. "Is it about work? Alright, alright. You may leave now."

"But—"

The music began to play loudly just then, completely drowning out the man's voice. Austin then offered his hand to Winter. She took it, and they made their way into the banquet hall together.

After the engagement banquet was over, Austin planned to ask the authorities to expedite his marriage registration form so that Cara would stop feeling insecure. As for Winter, he swore to treat her well for the rest of her life, just like how he used to do in the past.

However, he never thought that the very woman he was thinking of was now dangling five stories above the ground as she slowly made her way down with a rope she made out of bedsheets.

Cara's fingers were rubbed raw from rope burn, and it was so serious that she thought she could see her bone peeking through the flesh on her palms.

She was also charred and singed all over her body, and her body ached terribly. Still, she didn't dare to slack off and remained tense the entire time, gripping firmly onto the makeshift rope.

The metallic stench of her blood filled her nostrils, and the thick, billowing smoke stung her eyes.

A split second later, there was a loud snap, and Cara's pupils constricted at once.

"No!"