Chapter 1

The day my fiancé got engaged to Liv Morris, I almost drove my car into the venue to end us all.

But just as that insane thought took over, my phone wouldn't stop ringing.

I answered.

It was the hospital. "Miss Quinn, you're pregnant."

The engine died. I stood frozen.

Half an hour later, joyful music floated from the hall. I started the car, turned it around, and headed for the airport.

Just like everyone wished, I vanished from Capitalis.

I went to Southport, a thousand miles away, fought through a near-death experience to survive, and gave birth to my daughter, my own flesh and blood.

I never contacted those people again.

But four years later, they started appearing before me, one by one.

*****

Four years later, I saw Ethan Morris again outside the kindergarten.

I picked up Pearl when a lady next to me suddenly nudged me. "Look at that guy across the street. He looks like that singer. What's his name again?"

I followed her gaze and saw him.

"Ethan Morris." The lady smacked her forehead. "Right, Ethan."

I looked away. "Don't know him."

She seemed surprised. "You don't listen to music? Ethan has been the hottest original singer these past few years. He won tons of awards!"

"Honestly," she added, leaning in, "his face, it kind of looks like yours. Both are so pretty."

I shook my head with a smile and took Pearl's hand to walk on.

His voice came from behind. "Mia."

I ignored it and kept walking.

"Mia Quinn!" Ethan called again.

Pearl looked up. "Mommy, is that man calling you? Why is he calling you Mia Quinn?"

I shook my head, smiling. "He's mistaken."

We reached the parking lot. Just as I was about to open the car door, someone grabbed my arm.

I turned. It was Ethan, panting heavily.

His words were as sharp and bitter as ever. "Mia... you're... actually alive?"

Maybe from running too fast, his eyes were faintly rimmed with red.

*****

I left Pearl at the neighbor's.

Then I walked downstairs and saw Ethan standing with his hands in his pockets. "Why are you living in a dump like this? Where's your apartment? I'm coming up."

I shook my head. "Not necessary."

Four years ago, he was the one who said Liv Morris was his only sister.

He was the one who said calling someone like me his sister made him sick.

When Andrew kicked me out of the Quinn family, Lucas dumped me, and I had nowhere left to go, I had thought of seeking out Ethan.

On a snowy day, I stood outside his company building all night, nearly frozen solid.

And all I got was his wish that a sister like me had never been born.

He'd said, "If you'd never been born, Liv wouldn't have been switched at birth. She wouldn't have suffered so much.

"Sister? What a joke. The Quinns don't want you, so now you're using blood ties to latch onto me?

"I'd never acknowledge someone like you as my sister."

That was when I knew. No matter how good I was to him, he'd always hate me because of Liv.

Now, he looked me over with the same critical gaze, frowning. "That kid... is it Lucas's? Is that why you ran away? To have his child?"

I stayed silent for a moment. "She's my child, mine alone."

He smirked. "Mia, that kid is his spitting image. Think I'm blind?

"You didn't actually think sneaking off to have his baby would win him back, did you? Are you that lovesick?

"Pathetic. And stupid."

"I said, she's my child," I cut him off. "I never planned to return to Capitalis. I never planned to use a child to compete with your sister for Lucas. You can relax. No need to be so aggressive.

"Just like you said back then, apart from blood, we're strangers. I'm not interested in your life now, so please don't tell me how to live mine."

He was stunned.

"If there's nothing else, you should go." I turned to leave.

"Wait." He grabbed me again, opened his mouth, then closed it. "You..."

I frowned. "What?"

"Why did you leave back then?" he finally managed to ask.

I looked at him calmly.

He continued, "You were a spoiled little rich girl who couldn't do anything. People said a few things, so you pulled a 'runaway pregnant' act?

"If I hadn't run into you, how long were you planning to live like this? And these four years..."

He paused, then asked, "How did you survive?"

I looked at his eyes, reddening again. Probably from anger.

He must be shocked I didn't die. And my living was a threat to Liv's happiness.

How did I survive?

Someone else traded their life for mine.

But I didn't need to tell him that.

The old Mia was like a beautiful, delicate dodder vine.

The Mia of now needed not to cry to others or to seek their support anymore.

Seeing my silence, he grew impatient. "When did you get this sluggish? Don't tell me that huge earthquake in Southport a few years ago scrambled your brains?

"Running to some backwater like this, getting caught in an earthquake serves you right."

Just then, a neighbor passed by and greeted me. "Still haven't made dinner, Ms. Keyes?"

I smiled. "Just about to."

Ethan froze.

"You should go," I said.

But he held on tight. "You changed your last name? Keyes? Did you get married? No, whose last name is that?"

"Whose name it is doesn't concern you." I pushed his hand away. "My name, my life, Ethan, have nothing to do with you."