Betrayal and Redemption

Aurora Wells stood in the police station, her heart pounding as her brothers pointed at her.

"It's her!" Ethan and Lucas exclaimed in unison. "Aurora Wells!"

The accusation cut through her like a knife. The officer taking the statement looked up, his gaze sharp.

"So, you're saying Aurora Wells was the one driving the car?" he asked, his voice firm.

Aurora's eyes widened in shock. She shook her head. "No, it's not me! I was in the passenger seat, I swear!"

But her words fell on deaf ears.

Ethan, the eldest, glared at her, his eyes cold with anger. "If it's not you, could it be Ruby?" he spat.

Lucas scoffed. "Ruby is the most well-behaved girl. How could she do such a reckless thing? Aurora, you're a habitual liar! How dare you try to blame Ruby?"

Tears pricked at the corners of Aurora's eyes. "It's not me! I'm telling the truth!"

But her brothers wouldn't listen. The station erupted into chaos, with the officers trying to restore order.

The officer slammed his hand on the table. "Enough! Suspect, hand over your phone. We need to investigate further."

Aurora hesitated but handed it over. A wave of unease washed over her. She knew she was innocent-but would anyone believe her?

The officer's next words made her heart sink. "The other party has completed an injury assessment. Whether to sue you or accept a letter of apology is up to them."

Aurora felt like she'd been punched in the gut.

Ethan and Lucas turned to leave, but Ethan shot her a venomous glance. "Ruby is in the hospital because of you. If anything happens to her, Aurora, I swear I will kill you!"

Tears streamed down Aurora's face. "Eldest brother... second brother... it wasn't me."

But they didn't even look back.

As they walked away, despair settled over her. She was alone. No one believed her.

The officer's voice cut through her thoughts. "Aurora Wells, you need to come with me."

She nodded, feeling resigned as she followed him.

Aurora sat in the cold detention center, her mind replaying the accident.

The four of them had gone camping, driving two cars. Ruby had first driven her out of the camp, followed by Ethan and Lucas. Under the overpass, Ruby saw the red light but stepped on the accelerator anyway, causing the crash.

Now, Aurora was the one being accused. It wasn't fair.

Days passed. No one from her family came. She was starting to lose hope. Would she be stuck here forever?

Then, on the second day, the officer returned.

"Aurora Wells, you're free to go."

She stumbled to her feet, stunned. Relief flooded her-until she heard his next words.

"The other party agreed to sign a letter of understanding. Your family paid one million in compensation."

Aurora's heart clenched.

Did they pay them off?

She stepped outside, scanning the parking lot. No car was waiting for her.

She was alone.

The five or six kilometers home stretched endlessly, but she finally reached the Wells' two-story villa.

As she crossed the courtyard, shouting erupted from inside.

"Mom, why are you wasting money on Aurora? She made a mistake-let her go to jail! Maybe then she'll learn her lesson!"

Aurora froze. Ethan's voice was filled with disdain.

Before she could react, a servant spotted her. "The eldest lady is back!"

The noise inside stopped abruptly.

Then, Ruby stepped out, holding a bucket of water.

With a *splash*, the freezing liquid poured over Aurora, drenching her from head to toe.

She stood frozen in shock.

Ruby's voice was laced with false remorse. "I'm sorry, Aurora. My eldest brother and second brother asked me to do this. They said you've been in jail and are full of bad luck. You can't enter the house without washing yourself clean."

A shiver ran down Aurora's spine.

Her mother rushed out with a blanket, wrapping it around her. She rubbed Aurora's wet hair, her voice soft. "Don't worry, Rory. I'm here for you."

But even her mother's warmth couldn't thaw the coldness in her heart.

Lucas sneered. "She deserves it! She caused the accident and tried to blame Ruby. Now, she's cost the family a fortune. What did I do in my past life to deserve such a sister?"

Ethan's face was grim. "Mom, you shouldn't have bailed her out so quickly. She should've stayed in detention for ten days, maybe even a month, to learn her lesson!"

Aurora's fingers curled into fists.

But she bit back her anger. Fighting them now would be useless.

Her mother sighed, ignoring her son. She pulled Aurora inside. "Go take a hot bath, Rory. You'll catch a cold."

The warmth of the house slowly seeped into her frozen body, but her heart remained numb.

Ruby appeared again, her voice dripping with insincerity. "Sister, shall I make you some hot soup?"

Aurora glared at her, hatred burning in her eyes.

Before she could speak, Lucas grabbed Ruby's hand and pulled her away. "Ruby, don't bring bad luck upon yourself. Why care about her life or death?"

Ethan patted Ruby's head. "Our Ruby is too kind. She always suffers."

Aurora felt suffocated.

They had always favored Ruby over her.

At that moment, she thought back to the police station-to how quickly they had turned against her.

For years, she had tried to be a good sister, to protect them.

But now, she didn't want to love this family anymore. She didn't want to protect unworthy people.

She turned and left.

Back in her room, Aurora spotted a large photo on her desk.

The five of them, smiling. Her brothers were standing beside her, arms draped protectively around her shoulders.

It was taken before Ruby entered their lives.

Aurora picked it up-and tossed it into the trash.

A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts.

"Miss, the second young master wants you downstairs."

Her heart sank.

Downstairs, Lucas lounged on the sofa, a document in his hand.

"Sign it," he ordered coldly.

Aurora took the document and read it.

A divorce agreement.

Her breath hitched. "Break off the engagement?"

Lucas smirked. "That's right. The Ryder's family will never accept a woman who's been to jail. This came from them-black and white. So don't even think about denying it or making a fuss."

Aurora's fingers trembled.

She had been engaged to Ryder since childhood. It was an arranged marriage, but over time, she had grown to care for him.

And now, they were severing ties without a second thought.

Anger and hurt twisted inside her.

"I won't sign it," she said firmly.

Lucas's eyes darkened. "I'll give you one day to reconsider. If you don't sign by tomorrow, I'll make sure you regret it."

A chill ran down Aurora's spine.

She knew she was in grave danger.

But she refused to back down.

Turning on her heel, she walked away.

Back in her room, Aurora clenched her fists.

She would fight for herself.

No matter what it took.

But little did she know-her brothers were only getting started.

And she was about to be caught in the center of their storm.

The elegant face of her fiancé flashed before Aurora Wells' eyes, and her heart, numbed by pain, began to ache all over again.

"I don't agree!" she said, her voice trembling. "Ryder would never abandon me!"

Her emotions surged, and she was rushing toward the door before she knew it. But just as she was about to step out, Lucas Wells grabbed her arm and yanked her back with such force that pain shot through her shoulder.

"You're shameless, but our Wells family still has our pride!" Lucas' voice was like ice, his grip as hard as iron. "You think you can storm over to the Jin family and demand answers? Do you even have the right? Take a good look at yourself in the mirror, Aurora. Do you really think you're worthy?"

Aurora flinched at his words, her heart twisting.

What had she done wrong?

Ruby Wells had struck her. She had been wrongly imprisoned. Her own brother had turned against her. And now-even her fiancé wanted nothing to do with her?

"Sign it!" Lucas growled, slamming a document down on the table. His eyes burned with anger, their intensity piercing through her like daggers.

Aurora was overwhelmed with sadness, her nose tingling as she fought back tears. Though her vision blurred, she refused to let them fall.

Taking a deep breath, she picked up the pen. With a heavy heart, she signed her name at the bottom of the divorce agreement, swallowing her grievances like bitter medicine.

The next morning, Aurora woke early, as she always did. Pulling back the curtains, she was startled to see a luxury Cayenne parked in the courtyard.

Standing next to the car was a tall man in a perfectly tailored gray suit. His slightly curly hair framed his face, and a pair of gold-rimmed glasses rested on the bridge of his nose.

Ryder.

Her breath hitched.

She had already signed the divorce agreement. Why was he still here?

Aurora's chest tightened as she left her room, her mind swirling with questions. Was he here for her?

But as she stepped into the living room, the answer hit her like a slap to the face.

Ruby Wells stood in the center of the room, twirling in front of Lucas as if she were showing off a new dress. She was draped in a fox-fur coat, her white boots clicking against the floor. Her voice was laced with excitement.

"Brother, do I look too mature like this? Will Ryder like it?"

Lucas chuckled, his earlier coldness gone. His eyes softened as he looked at Ruby. "How could he not? If that boy dares to dislike you, I'll smash his head in."

Ruby giggled, grabbing her designer handbag. "Then I'm going!"

As she turned toward the door, she caught sight of Aurora lingering at the top of the stairs. Immediately, she shrank back, her expression guilty.

She looked like a mouse caught by a cat.

Lucas followed Ruby's gaze, and his expression darkened when he saw Aurora. The warmth in his eyes vanished, replaced by that same cutting disdain from the night before.

"Although your marriage with Ryder has fallen through," Lucas said coldly, "the engagement between the Jin and Wells families cannot be annulled. Ruby is now Ryder's fiancée."

Aurora felt as if her heart had been ripped from her chest.

Ruby turned to her with a falsely innocent expression. "Sister, you won't blame me, right?"

Before she could even respond, Lucas sneered, pushing Ruby toward the door. "She almost ruined the generations-long friendship between our two families. How could she possibly blame you?" He shot Aurora a glare full of contempt. "We've been too soft on her, and this is what we get in return. She doesn't even know what's good for her-always trying to take advantage of us!"

Aurora felt her throat tighten as she watched Ruby skip toward Ryder's car, her heart shattering with every step she took.

She turned away, unable to bear the sight any longer.

Back in her room, she fumbled through her desk drawers, her hands shaking. Finally, she found what she was looking for-her old phone. She plugged it in to charge, and the moment it turned on, she dialed a familiar number.

The call connected almost immediately.

A teasing, aged voice came through the line. "What's wrong, little thing? Have you finally been wronged enough to call your master?"

Aurora bit her lip, tilting her chin up defiantly. "No!"

Her voice was stubborn, but deep inside, she knew she was lying.

When she was three years old, a wandering Taoist priest had taken one look at her and declared that she was a lucky star destined to experience calamities. He had offered to teach her skills, and over the years, other than her mother, he had been the one person she trusted the most.

She could still remember what he had told her the day she went to pick up Ruby from the orphanage.

"Be careful," he had warned. "This is a calamity."

At the time, she had laughed off his words.

"Sister Ruby has been lost for twenty years," she had argued. "If she hadn't made a name for herself in that talent show, our family wouldn't have even found her. Master, didn't you always teach me to be compassionate?"

But now...

Her master had been right.

Ruby was not the innocent half-sister she had thought her to be. She was a wolf in sheep's clothing.

Her master's voice turned serious. "You're the most stubborn disciple I've ever had." He paused. "I assume your marriage is ruined, and you have no family to rely on anymore."

Aurora's grip tightened around the phone. "I still have my mother," she insisted, refusing to believe that she had truly lost everything. "She loves me!"

Her master hummed in thought. "Aurora, be obedient. I've found you a perfect match based on your birth date. This man was born under an unlucky star and carries the Seven Killings Fate. With your good fortune, you two are a match made in heaven."

Before Aurora could respond, several photos popped up in her messaging app.

She tapped on them.

Most of the images were candid shots of a man dressed in a well-ironed suit. He was tall, his angular face sharp as a blade.

Aurora zoomed in on one of the photos.

His cold eyes and intimidating presence sent a chill down her spine.

Did her master... want to send her to her death?

Just as she was about to demand an explanation, a knock came at her door.

"Aurora, come downstairs for dinner," her mother, Vivian Wells, called gently.

"Okay!" Aurora quickly hung up the phone.

Before the call fully disconnected, she faintly heard her master say something about sending a betrothal gift.

A betrothal gift?

Wasn't that something the groom's family sent to the bride's?

What kind of joke was her master playing now?

She sighed, setting her phone aside and heading downstairs.

The Wells family's dining room was always immaculate, and today was no exception. Her mother sat at the head of the table, a timeless beauty in her fifties, showing no signs of aging.

She smiled warmly at Aurora, picking up some food with her chopsticks and placing it on her plate. "Eat more, Rory. You've lost weight these past few days."

Aurora felt a warmth in her chest.

For the first time since returning home, she smiled.

But the moment was short-lived.

Ethan Wells strode into the dining room, a file bag in one hand and his tie loosened. He grabbed a glass of milk and drank half of it in one go.

"Ethan, where are you off to in such a rush?" Vivian asked, concerned. "You should at least sit down and eat."

Ethan shook his head. "Today is the Winter Veil Festival. My company is selecting design drafts. The first-place winner is going to be a big deal for us."

"You can't work on an empty stomach," their mother insisted. "Take some cakes with you."

"I don't have time!" Ethan waved her off. Then, catching sight of Aurora, his lips curled into a sneer. "Our family might be wealthy, but it's all because we work hard. We can't afford to feed freeloaders forever."

Aurora's grip on her chopsticks tightened.

Was that how he saw her now?

She glanced at the design drafts in his hands.

A thought struck her.

Winter Veil...

She wanted to participate too.

Aurora Wells took a taxi and went straight to the Winter Curtain organizer, filled out the registration form, and submitted her drawing. She didn't think she had any talent in drawing designs, but she had the ability to remember everything she photographically.

When her elder brother, Ethan, was studying, she would always be by his side, and she could do everything he couldn't. In order to save face for Ethan, she never said that she had this ability.

Since Ethan doesn't love her, why should she try to maintain the relationship with him? Aurora thought to herself.

The Winter Festival is a large-scale event in Sheng'an City. There are awards for various industries, and it is crowded with people. When Aurora squeezed to the periphery, someone suddenly blocked her way.

The young girl looked at Aurora carefully, "You are Ruby's sister, right?"

Aurora didn't know them, but when she heard Ruby's name, she knew something bad was going to happen, so she staggered and walked away, "You have recognized the wrong person."

But the girls were insistent. "It's you!" they exclaimed, checking their phones and following Aurora's steps. "You bastard, what kind of bastard, you actually framed Ruby for the accident!"

They smashed the mineral water bottles in their hands on the back of Aurora's head. Aurora was stunned, and before she could react, she received another ice cream hit on her face.

"What are you doing?" Aurora turned around mechanically, her face bruised and swollen. "You stinky bitch, if Sister Ruby's face is disfigured, I will kill you!" one of the girls shouted.

Aurora was surrounded by the group of girls, and she was hit by two elbows. She was getting angry, and she knew she had to defend herself.

Did Ruby save their lives or something? Aurora thought to herself. Her master, August, had told her to keep a low profile for fear of being targeted by interested forces, but at this moment, what else could she endure?

Aurora pushed one of the girls away with her backhand and punched her, causing her nose to bleed. She slapped another girl who was pulling her, causing her to fall all over the place.

The fighting power of the thin-looking Aurora shocked the other two girls. Only then did they realize that they had provoked a terrifying existence.

"You, don't come over here!" they shouted, scared and stepping back.

Aurora had a blank expression on her face, her hand bones crackling as she moved closer step by step. The girls fled in panic, and one of them was standing in the middle of the road when a commercial vehicle braked suddenly after a shrill honking.

When Aurora tried to hide, the opponent's bumper hit her calf. She felt a surge of pain and stumbled backwards.

"Fourth Master, there's been an accident," the driver exclaimed, unbuckling his seat belt and reporting to the man sitting in the back seat.

The man braked due to inertia, and the documents in his hand fell out of his hand. He raised his eyelids and looked forward, his eyes as deep as the sea and the cold light chilling.

Aurora saw the man's face and felt a shiver run down her spine. Who was this person, and why did he seem so familiar?

The assistant's scalp tingled, and he hurriedly ran to Aurora, "Ma'am, how are you? Are you hurt anywhere?" he asked, looking into the car with fear.

"How much compensation do you think is appropriate? Our boss has a very urgent meeting," he added, trying to placate Aurora.

Aurora was extremely depressed. She stiffly took out a wet wipe from her bag and wiped the ice cream from the corner of her eyes without even looking at them, "No need."

It was their luck that they didn't beat those brainless star-chasing girls to death, Aurora thought to herself.

The assistant who was about to hand over the business card stopped awkwardly in mid-air. The man in the car, with a sinister look in his eyes, followed Aurora's figure into the distance.

Aurora didn't notice the man's gaze, but she felt a sense of unease. She quickened her pace, trying to lose herself in the crowd.

But as she turned a corner, she stumbled upon a figure she least expected to see. It was Ryder, her ex-fiancé, standing in front of her with a mixture of surprise and guilt on his face.

"Aurora, what are you doing here?" Ryder asked, his voice hesitant.

Aurora's eyes narrowed as she looked at Ryder. What was he doing here? And why did he seem so guilty?

Aurora's eyes narrowed as she looked at Ryder. What was he doing here? And why did he seem so guilty?

"I could ask you the same thing," Aurora said, her voice cold. "What are you doing here with Ruby?"

Ryder's eyes darted back and forth, and he seemed to be searching for an excuse. "Aurora, I can explain..." he started to say.

But Aurora didn't want to hear it. She turned around and walked away, leaving Ryder standing alone in the crowd.

As she walked, Aurora felt a sense of unease. She had thought that she was over Ryder, but seeing him again brought up all sorts of emotions.

She quickened her pace, trying to lose herself in the crowd. But no matter how fast she walked, she couldn't shake off the feeling that she was being watched.

Suddenly, she heard footsteps behind her. Aurora's heart skipped a beat as she turned around, ready to face whoever was following her.

But to her surprise, it was the man from the car earlier. He was standing in front of her, his eyes fixed intently on her face.

"Who are you?" Aurora demanded, trying to keep her voice steady.

The man smiled, his eyes glinting with amusement. "My name is Julian Blackwood," he said. "And you are?"

Aurora hesitated for a moment before answering. "I'm Aurora Wells."

Julian's eyes narrowed as he looked at her. "Aurora Wells," he repeated. "I've heard of you."

Aurora's heart skipped a beat as she wondered what Julian meant. What did he know about her?

But before she could ask, Julian turned around and walked away, leaving Aurora standing alone in the crowd.

Aurora watched as Julian disappeared into the distance, feeling a sense of confusion and unease. Who was Julian Blackwood, and what did he want with her?

Aurora Wells walked through the living room dejectedly, having lost interest in fighting for her due rights. Suddenly, Lucas stopped her and asked, "Where have you been?"

Aurora just paused for a moment, ignored him, and continued walking. Lucas's face turned red with anger. "I asked you where you were going? Are you mute?" he shouted.

How could Lucas tolerate being ignored by Aurora? He stepped forward, grabbed her, and threw her onto the sofa. Aurora was spinning around, her eyes flashing with anger.

Lucas had a sullen face and pointed his phone at her face. "Look where all these negative comments come from. Ruby treats you like her own sister, why are you smearing her everywhere? What's in it for you?"

Aurora squinted her eyes and read the news clearly, and couldn't help laughing out loud. It turned out that there were still smart people who could see through Ruby's tricks, and their comments were sharp and on point.

Lucas's eyes almost popped out of his head when she smiled. "What are you laughing at, Aurora! Are you very proud? You really did everything you could to occupy a position in the family. Do you think that this will make us love you more?"

Aurora restrained her smile and glanced at Lucas, her heart dead. "You concluded that it was me who did it without any evidence. Do you have any evidence?"

Lucas was silent for a moment, but quickly justified himself, "Who else could it be if not you? Everyone in the family remembers that you poisoned Ruby's water on the first day she was brought to the Wells family. Not long after, you secretly cut her clothes..."

There were countless things like this. Every time, Ruby made excuses for Aurora and treated her as well as always. They gradually realized that their own sister, with whom they had lived day and night for twenty years, was bad from the beginning and was not worthy of being loved by them at all!

Lucas's words were like a knife to Aurora's heart. She felt a surge of anger and hurt, and her eyes flashed with tears.

"You believe whatever Ruby says. If she tells you to die, will you go?" This was the cruelest thing Aurora had said to Lucas in the past twenty-two years.

Lucas was stunned with astonishment. Aurora had done all kinds of bad things in the past, but at least she was timid. Why was she like that today?

Suddenly, he understood and sneered, "What, you can't pretend anymore?"

He stood up straight and stared down at Aurora, "At this point, you don't have the slightest sense of guilt. My brother and I have taken care of you and spoiled you since you were a child! You really disappoint us!"

Aurora remembered that Lucas had taken care of her in every possible way in the past. But the good things that Lucas had done for her were few and far between, but now he had made them all public and explained them in detail.

Aurora stood up and confronted Lucas, "How have you been nice to me? Which of the food, clothes, and things I use was given by you?"

Suddenly, she saw the gold bracelet on her wrist and pulled it off with red eyes, "This is my 18th birthday gift. It's the gift you gave me. I'm giving it back to you."

The bracelet fell into Lucas's arms, and he weighed it several times before catching it, as if it were a hot potato.

Aurora returned to her room, swinging her long hair. The hatred in her heart grew wildly after being indulged. "In this family, I owe no one but you."

Watching Aurora's back, the gold bracelet in his hand still retained her body temperature. Lucas shouted at the top of his lungs, "Aurora, stop right there!"

But Aurora did not even turn her head. They said that her tolerance was a guilty conscience. They called her explanation sophistry. She did nothing and said she had no guilt.

Since whatever you do is wrong, why should you swallow your anger?

Lucas's prestige was seriously challenged.

The living room became quiet. He stroked the bracelet in his hand, feeling a little empty inside. His little sister was not like this before.

When Aurora returned to her room, her mother had already placed the documents confiscated by the police station on her desk.

Aurora's eyes widened as she saw the documents. What were these papers, and why did her mother have them?

Suddenly, she heard a knock on the door. "Aurora, can I come in?" It was her mother's voice.

Aurora's heart skipped a beat as she wondered what her mother wanted to talk to her about.