Chapter 4

I failed to leave the Wheeler family's place.

Marc had stationed two bodyguards at the gate and kept me under house arrest.

The next morning, my phone vibrated wildly. I was woken up by countless calls and messages from unfamiliar numbers.

The internet was flooded with rumors about me. So I understood Marc's true tactics.

"Scandal in the Elite Circles: The Wheeler Corporation's CEO's Wife is a Criminal. She Causes a Scene at Family Dinner and Assaults her Younger Brother!"

"Once a Socialite, Now a Prisoner. Driven Mad by Jealousy, she Aims to Steal Stepsister's Fortune."

The rumors portrayed me as a deranged, violent lunatic.

They released a video where I beat Ian. It was filmed from a skewed angle that only captured my furious expression and the distinct slap mark on his face.

The comments section was filled with thousands of venomous curses.

"She is a wicked woman and should rot in jail. I feel sorry for her brother and her sister."

"Look at her eyes. She was like a ghost. Marc is so unlucky to have a wife like her."

Leanna cried when she was interviewed. She acted like the victim, and the video hit a billion views within hours.

"I don't know why my sister has changed like that. We're all very worried about her mental state."

"Ian is innocent. He just wants to protect me. If she needs to vent by hitting me, I'm willing to accept it."

Even a report on my mental health was leaked. It boldly declared that I was diagnosed with "Severe Bipolar Disorder."

It was from that very doctor who said I was insane when they drove me crazy in my previous life.

I became a hated figure across the internet overnight.

My best friend, who had once vowed to wait for me, now had a disconnected number.

Marc's methods were always ruthless. He left no room for me to escape.

He aimed to isolate me completely and leave me to face my downfall alone.

I stared at the curse messages on my phone, and I was numb.

In my previous life, they had used the same way to push me into a corner.

But it would be different this time.

Ian came to my room at noon.

He held a glass of red wine, and his face wore a sanctified yet cruel expression. I knew he was influenced by someone. "They said you're sick. If you drink this wine, you won't hurt Leanna anymore. She is my sister."

In his words, only Leanna was his sister.

I looked at him. I had cherished him and protected him with all my heart.

But he had become the sharpest weapon against me.

I didn't take the wine.

My gaze fell on the pin attached to his chest.

It was a pin symbolizing protection and love with a unique design.

I had designed it myself and given it to him for his eighteenth birthday.

I told him it symbolized that I would always protect him.

But he used it to protect Leanna now.

Seeing my refusal, Ian grew impatient. He even carried a hint of spoiled petulance. "Drink it quickly. If you don't, Leanna will always be afraid. She had heart disease, and it's all because of you."

He pushed the glass to my lips.

I looked into his clear yet foolish eyes and asked, word by word, "Ian, do you know that the medicine you take, the hospital room you live in, and every penny you spend were earned by me? Do you know that I ended up in jail because Marc manipulated me to pay for your treatment?"

Ian froze. He looked puzzled and retorted instinctively, "You're lying. Leanna saved me, not you. She begged Marc to let you out of jail, and you don't even show gratitude to her. You're just a bad woman."

So that was how it was.

They had credited all my efforts to Leanna.

In their stories, I was the ungrateful villain disrupting their happiness.

A bitter taste rose in my throat and nearly knocked me off balance.

I raised my hand and knocked the glass away forcefully.

The wine splashed onto Ian.

Shock and fear flashed across his eyes.

I slapped him hard with all the strength I could muster.

The sound was crisp and loud.

Ian covered his face and was dumbfounded.

I coughed up blood. The dark red hue was tinged with unbearable sorrow.

I looked at Ian and at Marc and Leanna, who had rushed in upon hearing the noise. I said word by word, "I gave you protection, and you returned it with humiliation. From now on, our sibling bond is severed, and you are not my brother any longer."