From Mocked Wife To A Sister No One Dares Touch

"Carrie, come to my place right now! Your biological brother is here!" Amanda Murphy's voice came through the phone in a rush. She sounded shaken and uneasy.

The call from her adoptive mother immediately made Caroline Murphy uneasy. Without asking for an explanation, she agreed quickly, grabbed her bag, and headed out at once.

She pushed open her bedroom door and hurried to the top of the stairs.

But she froze the moment she took in the scene in the living room downstairs.

Seated in the main seat was her mother-in-law, Deanna Harvey.

Her husband, Isaac Harvey, and a young woman she had never seen before sat on the nearby sofa.

He was dressed in a custom black shirt. Leaning slightly forward, he held out a glass of warm water to the woman beside him. Every movement was careful and patient.

Three years had passed since their marriage, yet this was the second time Caroline had ever seen her husband in person.

Their connection traced back to a one-night stand three years earlier. Under pressure from his grandmother, Susan Harvey, Isaac married her. Yet soon after, he left for overseas to expand foreign projects and never contacted her since.

Slowly, Caroline's eyes shifted toward the unfamiliar woman.

Holding the glass in both hands, the woman wore a faint smile. His attitude toward her seemed exceptionally warm.

A trace of ridicule appeared on Caroline's face. She immediately figured out who this woman was.

A year earlier, Isaac had nearly died after being targeted overseas. Stories about the incident had spread widely. According to the rumors, a woman named Talia Howard had saved his life and paid a heavy price for it.

And that Talia was now sitting beside Isaac.

"What are you rushing around for? You don't know how to behave at all." The sound from the staircase drew Deanna's attention. The moment she saw Caroline, contempt filled her eyes.

"As expected of a maid's daughter," Deanna sneered. "No matter what you do, you can't hide where you came from. People like you don't belong among high society."

Caroline tightened her hold on her bag. Not a word left her mouth.

Going to Amanda's place was the only thing on her mind right now, and she had no interest in arguing with Deanna.

She had barely made it down a few steps when Isaac's cold voice cut through the room.

"Study. Now."

Isaac rose from the sofa. Without sparing her a glance, he headed upstairs.

Pressing her lips together, Caroline followed him to the study.

The study door closed behind them. The voices from downstairs instantly disappeared.

Standing across the desk, Caroline quietly looked at Isaac before her.

Three years had changed him. The sharp edges of his younger self had faded, leaving him steadier and carrying even more authority than before.

"Read it and sign," said Isaac.

A document landed on the desk. Two bold words immediately entered her sight. DIVORCE AGREEMENT.

Indifference filled Isaac's eyes as he looked at her. "Talia lost the use of her leg because she saved me. I owe her for that."

Caroline had imagined this day more times than she could count during the past three years. Even so, hearing those words still left a dull pain in her chest.

Drawing in a slow breath, she steadied herself. She didn't want this marriage to end in such a humiliating way. More than that, she didn't want Isaac to hate her for the rest of his life.

"Before we end this, can you at least hear me out?" Caroline asked. Her eyes turned red. "What happened three years ago wasn't what you think. I never drugged you that night..."

"I've had enough of this," Isaac said, cutting her off. The look he gave her was filled with irritation and contempt. "Three years have already passed, Caroline. Do you really think pretending now will change anything?"

A chill spread through Caroline's body.

"Let's end this without making things ugly," Isaac continued. "Your adoptive father received treatment through the Harvey family's connections for the last three years. And you've enjoyed three years of prestige as Mrs. Harvey. You should know when to stop pushing your luck."

Caroline pressed her teeth into her lower lip until she tasted blood.

Before that absurd one-night stand, her mother had worked as Susan's maid. She and Isaac had practically grown up together.

For ten years, she had quietly kept her feelings for him hidden in her heart.

She had always understood the distance between them. The difference in status was something she never ignored. Because of that, the thought of using a despicable method to get close to him and force a marriage had never crossed her mind.

Unfortunately, Isaac never accepted her explanation. To him, she was nothing more than a woman chasing status at any cost.

When Caroline noticed the undisguised mockery and disgust in Isaac's eyes, the last shred of hope she had been clinging to finally shattered.

She gave up completely.

"Fine." No more words followed. Caroline reached for the pen on the desk, turned to the signature page, and wrote her name down. Not even a second of hesitation appeared.

Her reaction caught Isaac off guard. He had expected her to burst into tears or cling to him desperately.

"The Harvey family will still handle your adoptive father's medical bills going forward," Isaac said softly. "Consider it repayment for your mother saving my grandmother's life back then."

Caroline set the pen down. Nothing showed on her face.

"Thank you, Mr. Harvey," she said. Her voice remained courteous and distant. After that, she turned around and left.

The moment she entered the hallway, she came face to face with Deanna and Talia.

Deanna's attention immediately landed on the agreement in Caroline's hand. Satisfaction spread across her face.

"So you finally know your place," Deanna said with a snort. "For three years, you held onto something that was never yours."

Without any change in expression, Caroline stepped forward, intending to walk past them and go downstairs.

"Deanna, don't be so hard on Caroline," Talia said. "She must be hurting right now." As she spoke, she lightly touched Deanna's arm. "Weren't you going to help her pack? I'll stay here with her."

"Right. I'll look through her room myself. We can't let her walk away with anything that belongs to this family!" said Deanna. She shot Caroline a hard look before heading straight into the bedroom.

Once she was gone, only Caroline and Talia remained in the hallway.

As soon as Deanna disappeared from view, the weak and harmless look on Talia's face dropped away.

She raised her head and looked Caroline over from top to bottom without any attempt to hide her arrogance.

"So you're the woman who got Isaac into your trap?" Talia said with a sneer. Her eyes were filled with contempt. "I don't see anything remarkable about you. Yet because of someone like you, Isaac has spent the last three years suffering."

Caroline only wanted to see her biological brother. She had no interest in wasting time with a woman who changed faces so quickly.

"Move," she said. Her voice was cold as she tried to walk past Talia and make her way downstairs.

Right when they passed each other, Talia suddenly grabbed her wrist.

"What are you doing? Let go!" Caroline said with a frown as she tried to pull away.

Before Caroline could put any force behind the movement, a strange smile appeared on Talia's lips.

Then Talia let go.

A sharp scream rang through the corridor. Talia dropped backward and hit the floor hard.

The study door flew open. Isaac came out at once.

The moment he saw Talia on the floor, shock flashed across his face. He hurried over, went down on one knee, and gathered Talia into his arms. "Talia, what happened?"

Talia leaned against him as tears ran down her face. One hand gripped her left leg, and her body shook from head to toe. "Isaac, my leg hurts so much... Did I make my old injury worse when I fell? I can't take the pain..."

While speaking, she cast a cautious glance toward Caroline before quickly shaking her head. "This isn't Caroline's fault. I slipped on my own. She didn't mean to push me..."

It was a perfect act of innocence.

A chill settled around Isaac. A furious look crossed Isaac's face as he lifted his head and fixed his gaze on Caroline, who remained where she was.

"Apologize!" he ordered.

"I won't apologize," Caroline said. Her back remained straight and firm. Although her hands trembled slightly at her sides, she refused to look away from Isaac and Talia. "I didn't push her. She fell by herself. Why should I be the one apologizing?"

"Isaac, please don't blame Caroline..." Talia said as she held onto the edge of Isaac's shirt. Her eyes were red from crying. "I lost my balance. My leg is disabled. I'm just a burden who can't even stand properly. This wasn't Caroline's fault. Please don't make her apologize. Otherwise, the two of you will end up arguing again..."

Her words sounded like she was trying to calm the situation. In reality, they only made Isaac even angrier. After all, the injury to her leg was the sacrifice she had made to save his life.

When Isaac's eyes settled on Caroline, they were filled with disappointment and disgust.

"Caroline, you've never changed." His deep voice carried a sharp edge. "You're still the same as you were three years ago. You make mistakes, but you never admit to any of them."

Caroline suddenly found it hard to breathe. A dull ache spread through her chest. The pain was so overwhelming that even drawing breath became difficult.

Three years of marriage. Ten years of loving him in secret. Yet in Isaac's eyes, she was nothing more than a calculating and stubborn woman.

Talia leaned against Isaac's chest and buried her face against him. Hidden from his sight, a satisfied smile appeared on her lips.

Someone from a background like Caroline's could never compete with her for Isaac.

A loud bang suddenly came from the other end of the hallway.

Dragging a suitcase behind her, Deanna walked out and immediately saw Talia crying in Isaac's arms. Anger instantly covered her face.

"You wretched woman, Caroline! You're nothing but trouble!" Deanna pointed directly at Caroline as she spoke. "Talia saved Isaac's life, and you actually laid your hands on her? How can you be so cruel? It's no surprise you used shameless methods to get into Isaac's bed and force him to marry you back then!"

"Mom, that's enough," Isaac snapped as a frown appeared on his face.

But the moment Deanna brought up that matter, Caroline reached her limit.

"I never got into his bed on purpose!" Caroline finally snapped. Her eyes were red as she lifted her voice and looked directly at Isaac. "This is the last time I'm explaining it. Someone tampered with my drink that night three years ago. I didn't know you were in that room, and I never had any intention of forcing you to marry me!"

"That's enough!" Isaac interrupted her without hesitation. His eyes were filled with annoyance and impatience.

"Caroline, I stopped believing that excuse three years ago." He looked at her with cold indifference, as though she were someone ridiculous. "Hearing you repeat it now only makes you look even worse."

Caroline stood there in silence. A freezing chill spread through her entire body. The last bit of pride she had left crumbled completely.

Isaac wasn't going to believe a single word she said. The ten years they had known each other since childhood meant nothing to him at all.

"Why are you still standing there?!" Seeing Isaac's anger, Deanna seized the opportunity and threw the suitcase directly at Caroline.

The suitcase slammed into Caroline's calf with a heavy thump and made her lose her balance. Several old pieces of clothing tumbled onto the floor. The sight looked miserable.

"You already signed the divorce papers, so take your garbage and leave!" Deanna said as she stared at Caroline with complete disdain.

Caroline didn't even glance at the clothes scattered across the floor. Slowly, she straightened herself. Her gaze passed over Deanna before settling on Isaac's cold face.

"Isaac, remember what I'm about to say." Caroline's voice became strangely calm. "I won't confess to something I never did. I won't apologize to you, and I won't apologize to her. Not now. Not ever."

After saying those words, she left the clothes where they were. Without looking back, she picked up her worn canvas bag and headed downstairs.

Isaac watched her walk away. His brows drew together. An uncomfortable feeling of irritation rose inside him without explanation.

...

Outside the villa, a cool breeze drifted through the night air.

The moment Caroline walked out, she noticed a long row of identical black Rolls-Royce Phantoms parked along the wide driveway of Harvey Villa. Even at the height of the Harvey family's success, they had never displayed such an extravagant scene.

The door of the car in the middle opened. A familiar person quickly stepped out.

"Carrie!" Amanda hurried toward her.

The streetlight soon revealed Caroline's pale face and reddened eyes. The moment Amanda saw Caroline's condition, her expression turned dark.

"Did those bastards from the Harvey family bully you again?!" Anger immediately flared inside Amanda. She clenched her teeth and turned toward Harvey Villa. "They've got a lot of nerve bullying my daughter! I'm going to tear Deanna apart!"

"Mom, don't!" Caroline quickly caught Amanda by the wrist and shook her head. Tears threatened to spill from her eyes again.

"I already signed the divorce agreement with Isaac," Caroline said quietly. Exhaustion weighed heavily on her voice. "From this moment on, I have nothing to do with the Harvey family anymore. Mom, please don't waste your anger on them. They aren't worth it."

She didn't want Amanda to continue suffering because of her. More importantly, she refused to give the Harvey family another reason to mock them.

The moment Amanda heard the word "divorce," she paused briefly. Then she raised her voice and said, "Good! That idiot never deserved my daughter in the first place!"

Caroline said nothing. Instead, her attention shifted to the row of luxury cars parked behind Amanda. "Mom, what's going on with all these cars?" Caroline asked. "You told me over the phone that my biological brother came looking for me?"

She had been an orphan. Amanda had adopted her when she was still a child.

More than twenty years had passed since then. How could a biological brother suddenly appear out of nowhere now?

Judging from this display alone, it was obvious that his status was far from ordinary.

Letting out a sigh, Amanda took Caroline's hand and guided her toward the car. "This isn't the right place for this conversation. Come with me. Get in the car first. It's a long story, and I'll explain everything once we're inside."

Caroline was full of questions. Even so, she quietly followed Amanda and climbed into the back seat of a Rolls-Royce.

Just as the door was about to close, the front gate of the villa opened. After making sure Talia was settled, Isaac came outside with Deanna.

Deanna had originally come out to instruct the security guards not to let Caroline back inside. She was worried Caroline might change her mind about the divorce. The moment she stepped out, however, she saw Amanda and Caroline getting into a Rolls-Royce.

The car door shut. Moments later, the entire convoy drove away with an imposing presence.

Deanna's eyes immediately widened. A malicious expression spread across her face.

"So that's why she agreed to the divorce so quickly!" Deanna sneered before turning toward Isaac. "Look at that, Isaac. Amanda hasn't changed at all after all these years. She's still using her daughter to gain benefits. She must've handed Caroline over to some rich old man to keep him entertained. Like mother, like daughter. They're both disgusting!"

Isaac continued staring at the departing convoy. Dark emotions gathered across his face.

Those weren't ordinary Rolls-Royces. The influence represented by that license plate alone was enough to make even the Harvey family think twice.

Who exactly had Caroline become involved with?

Deanna kept hurling insult after insult. Each word only fueled the strange anger building inside Isaac.

"Shut up!" he said sharply. His voice was cold enough to make people uneasy.

Deanna stared at him in shock. She looked both wronged and irritated. "Why are you yelling at me? Did I say anything wrong?"

Isaac paid no attention to her. With obvious irritation, he loosened his tie and headed back into the villa.

Deanna was left standing there. Frustration filled her face as she stamped her foot.

At the same time, Talia stood on the second-floor balcony. Her eyes remained fixed on the direction where the convoy had disappeared.

The lights inside the car had come on the moment Caroline stepped into it. During that brief moment, Talia had caught sight of a man sitting in the back seat.

His profile was sharp and striking. There was a natural authority about him that made him look like someone born to lead. For a split second, he reminded her of her eldest brother, Caleb Howard, who was living in Ylerton.

The thought barely surfaced before she dismissed it.

That couldn't be possible. The Howard family was based in Ylerton. As far as she knew, Caleb had never once visited this city. Someone like Caroline, who had been raised by a maid, wasn't even qualified to stand beside the Howard family. How could she possibly have any connection to Caleb?

"I must've imagined it..." Talia murmured to herself as she gave her head a slight shake. A victorious smile slowly returned to her face.

It didn't matter whose car Caroline had left in. As far as she was concerned, now that Caroline was out of the picture, Isaac would eventually belong to her and her alone.

A suffocating silence filled the car. As one of the highest-end Rolls-Royce models available, the vehicle's soundproofing was exceptional. Not a trace of the night breeze could be heard.

Caroline held her canvas bag tightly. Her body remained tense as she sat on the wide leather seat. Only after she got inside did she realize that someone was already sitting inside the car. Across from her sat an unfamiliar young man.

He was dressed in a custom-made black suit that fit him perfectly. One leg rested casually over the other.

As the streetlights passed by outside, faint streaks of light swept across his profile. The brief illumination revealed a remarkably handsome face. His eyes were deep and sharp. His nose was straight and well-defined.

Without saying a single word, he carried the commanding presence of someone who had spent years in a position of authority.

Amanda was usually outspoken and fiery. Yet inside this car, she sat close to the door. Her fingers repeatedly twisted the hem of her clothing.

The nervousness on her face was impossible to miss. Noticing Caroline's gaze fixed on the man, Amanda swallowed nervously before finally speaking. "Carrie, let me introduce this gentleman to you."

Amanda raised her hand and pointed toward the man sitting opposite them. A slight tremor lingered in her voice. "This is your biological brother, Caleb Howard."

Caroline's thoughts instantly went blank. Her biological brother?

She became completely still. Shock widened her eyes as she stared at the man sitting across from her.

Ever since she was young, she had known Amanda adopted her from an orphanage.

For more than twenty years, she had imagined her biological family countless times. She had often wondered what her parents looked like. Yet now that the moment had finally arrived, she didn't know how to react. A brother connected to her by blood had suddenly appeared. And he was sitting directly across from her. Her mind was in complete disarray.

There was no excitement. What filled her heart instead was overwhelming confusion.

Caleb quietly observed her stunned expression. He noticed her reddened eyes. A trace of pain surfaced in his eyes.

Then, in the very next moment, he noticed her body give a slight involuntary tremble.

Caleb's breathing faltered for a moment. A sudden sense of panic flashed through him. He had frightened his younger sister.

At once, his thoughts returned to the countless reminders his personal assistant of ten years had repeated before he left.

"Mr. Howard! When you go meet your sister, you have to get rid of that intimidating gang boss presence! Stop walking around with that cold expression! Brothers in ordinary families are kind and approachable! If you look at your sister the same way you look at gang members during an interrogation, you'll scare her away before you even get to know her!"

The Howard family had established their wealth in Ylerton. For generations, their ancestors had been well-known figures in the underworld. Although the family had gradually moved into legitimate businesses over the years, the fierceness and aggression in their blood had never completely disappeared.

Before this journey, the entire Howard family gathered for a meeting. Everyone reached the same decision-under no circumstances could Caroline find out about their mafia background. Their true origins had to remain hidden from her.

The family planned to wait until she adjusted to life with them. Only after she had built a close relationship with them would they slowly reveal the truth at the right time.

With that thought in mind, Caleb immediately straightened his posture.

Taking a deep breath, he forced the tension from his face. At the same time, he suppressed the intimidating look in his eyes. Then he did his best to form what he believed was a warm and gentle smile.

"Carrie, don't be nervous." Caleb deliberately slowed his speech. His voice was low and gentle. "I'm your oldest brother, Caleb Howard."

Caroline looked at the stiff smile on his face. Even so, she noticed the careful anticipation and hope hidden deep in his eyes.

"Y-you're really my brother?" Caroline's voice came out slightly hoarse. Her fingertips pressed deeply into her palms. "But I've been away for more than twenty years. There are so many people in this world who look alike. Are you certain you've found the right person? I don't even have anything that can prove who I am..."

"There is absolutely no possibility that we've made a mistake." Caleb's expression stayed firm as he reached into his inner pocket, took out a document, and passed it to Caroline. "This is the DNA test report. Also, you have a red birthmark about the size of a coin below your left shoulder blade, don't you?"

Caroline's body stiffened in shock. Aside from her and Amanda, no one else knew about that birthmark.

The words Confirmed Biological Relationship were printed in bold black letters on the report, and they struck her sight at once.

All the hurt she had buried for years, all the confusion that had never left her, and all the coldness Isaac had brought into her life came rushing over her at the same time. Yet the warmth of blood ties slowly washed it all away.

She had truly found her real family.

Caroline took several deep breaths and forced down the tight feeling in her throat. Only then did she finally accept the truth in front of her.

Still holding the strap of her canvas bag in an awkward grip, she raised her head and asked softly, "Caleb, what about Mom and Dad? Why didn't they come with you today?"

The moment Caleb heard her call his name in that soft and careful voice, his heart skipped. Joy nearly overwhelmed him so much that he almost wanted to shout out loud to celebrate.

In the end, he held himself back.

"Mom hasn't been in good health. After losing you all those years ago, she grieved so much that she developed a long-term heart condition. She can't handle traveling far. Dad stayed in Ylerton to look after her," he said.

Caleb looked at her with rare gentleness in his eyes. "They both wanted to come, but I persuaded them to stay home. I came here first to pick you up. Your second and third brothers are away on business today, but they'll fly over tomorrow morning to see you right away."

"I have two more brothers?" Caroline asked in surprise.

"Yes. Lance Howard and Jaime Howard. You're the youngest." Caleb looked at her with open affection in his eyes.

Caroline gave a small nod. The uneasiness pressing against her heart eased a little. After hesitating for a moment, she glanced at the luxurious Rolls-Royce convoy around them and couldn't keep herself from asking, "Caleb, what kind of business does our family do?"

This level of wealth was shocking. Even Isaac had never traveled with such an exaggerated display.

Caleb froze for a second. There it was. This was exactly the question his assistant had warned him to prepare for.

He cleared his throat and lied with a completely serious face. "Nothing much. Our family just runs a small business."

"A small business?" Caroline asked.

"That's right. A small business." Caleb continued making up the story, his expression still perfectly calm. "We own a modest company, and I only handle some basic management work there. We happened to have a good year and made a little extra money. I didn't want your welcome to look too plain, so I rented this convoy for the occasion."

Then he continued expanding on the family story he had made up, saying, "Your second brother is a doctor working at a hospital, and your third brother works as a lawyer at a law firm. Our family is doing well financially, so you'll never have to worry about money."

Sitting beside Caroline, Amanda finally released a long breath. So the family was wealthy. That was good news.

Amanda patted her chest, relief written all over her face. Then she took Caroline's hand and held it tightly. "Oh, Carrie, I'm so glad I stood my ground all those years ago and insisted on sending you to that prestigious school with Isaac. You learned how to play the piano there, and you even became fluent in four foreign languages. I may be nothing more than a maid, but I never raised you to be rude or uneducated. Look at you now. You carry yourself so well. Once you return to the Howard family, you'll never embarrass them. With everything you've learned, nobody will dare look down on you."

Amanda's words struck a chord deep inside Caroline. In response, she squeezed Amanda's hand just as firmly. "Mom, it doesn't matter which family I come from. You'll always be my mother. Nothing will ever change that."

Across from them, Caleb listened quietly to their conversation. A slight frown appeared between his brows.

Isaac? That name sounded familiar. He had seen it before in the intelligence reports on Amanda. Isaac was the young heir of the Harvey family in Yeufield. His reputation for arrogance wasn't exactly a secret.

Caleb's eyes slowly moved downward. His gaze landed on Caroline's slightly swollen calf. A dark bruise was clearly visible there. It had been left behind when Deanna struck her with the suitcase earlier.

His eyes then shifted toward Caroline's reddened eyes. After that, he noticed the old canvas bag she was carrying.

The gentleness on Caleb's face disappeared. In an instant, the dangerous presence hidden deep inside him surfaced. The aura of a mafia leader seemed to spill out from his very bones.

The temperature inside the car suddenly felt colder.

"Carrie." Caleb's eyes turned frighteningly dark. He stared toward the direction where Harvey Villa had long since disappeared from view. His voice carried a dangerous edge. "Did they throw you out of the house just now?"

His hands slowly curled into fists. The force was so strong that his knuckles cracked. At that very moment, countless ways to throw Isaac into the sea and wipe Harvey Villa off the map flashed through his mind.

All it would take was a single nod from Caroline. If she agreed, the Harvey family wouldn't survive the night.