Chapter 2

Ethan was a celebrity.

He couldn't be seen causing a scene in public.

I went upstairs, got Pearl, and through the hallway window, saw him still standing dumbfounded below.

He never cared about me before. His melancholy now was probably just him not being used to my coldness.

After all, four years ago, when I learned about his dream of making it in music despite being poor, I exhausted all my connections in Capitalis high society just to get him a chance on stage.

Even his current agency was the top one I found for him.

He was my brother. He suffered a lot. I wanted him to do well.

But he twisted that good intention, thinking I was scheming to isolate Liv and make her miserable.

"Mommy, was that man today your family?" Pearl asked, her eyes curious.

I paused, then smiled and patted Pearl's head. "No, why would you think that?"

"Just a guess. You look alike."

Family.

Andrew's face suddenly flashed in my mind.

I used to believe that, blood or not, Andrew would always be my brother. But four years ago, he held Liv, who had just fallen down the stairs, and looked at me with pure fury.

He said, "Mia, you've disappointed me too much. From today, you are not part of the Quinn family. I don't want a sister like you.

"My only sister is Liv."

I cried, grabbing his pant leg, saying I didn't push Liv, begging him not to cast me aside. But he kicked me away and walked off without looking back, still holding Liv.

I shook my head. "That person is not Mommy's family."

Pearl looked disappointed. "I thought besides Uncle Samuel, Mommy had other family."

I smiled and tapped her nose. "Mommy has you and Uncle Samuel. That's enough."

"But Uncle Samuel is gone." She pouted. "I miss him so much."

I understood.

Disappointment was better than the heart-wrenching pain of gaining and then losing, of depending and then being ripped away.

I'd been through that. I didn't want my daughter to experience it.

I never expected that the next day, I would see Andrew.

*****

Pearl had a fever in the middle of the night.

I took her to the hospital. The viral infection was fierce, requiring an IV drip and admission. I didn't sleep all night.

By early morning, the fever finally broke, but she was listless. I carried her home on my back, stopping at a supermarket for some groceries.

After paying, the bags were taken by a hand with distinct, elegant fingers.

I looked up, and through the hazy morning mist, saw Andrew's face.

Lack of sleep left my mind blank. I blurted out "Andrew" before remembering he'd driven me out of his house.

I couldn't afford to offend the Quinns.

Back then, to punish me for "bullying" Liv, Andrew merely said the word, and the entire Capitalis elite circle blacklisted me.

I corrected myself immediately. "Mr. Quinn."

My mind raced. I wondered why he'd suddenly appear in Southport. I didn't notice the brief shift in his expression.

His voice was soft. "Let me carry those."

"No need." I reached urgently for the bags in his hand, wobbling. Pearl whimpered on my back.

"Don't strain yourself, Mia." He held my arm, stopping me. "I'll drive you and the child home."

Andrew hadn't been so nice to me in so long.

The Quinn parents were always abroad. For most of my life, Andrew practically raised me.

When he considered me his real sister, he truly spoiled me.

Once, someone asked if he ever worried I'd cause trouble, with how spoiled he let me get.

He shrugged and said, "That won't be a problem. Let her. I'll handle anything."

But later, Liv returned to the Quinn family.

At first, he told me I'd always be his sister.

Yet, faced with Liv's repeated provocations, he always told me to endure it.

"She suffered a lot, Mia. Give way to her," Andrew would say.

He said we had to compensate her.

I didn't want to put him in a difficult position. He'd been my brother for over twenty years. I wanted him to be happy.

So I yielded. I endured, again and again.

But he finally took her side without a second thought. That was when I understood. I saw him as my brother, but he'd long stopped seeing me as his sister.

And when he took back all his favor, when I fell into the mud, scorned by everyone, I realized how foolish I'd been to depend on him.

The car ride was silent.

It had been so long since I'd been in a luxury car like a Maybach. Feeling out of place, I held Pearl closer, curled up in the seat, trying to figure out why Andrew was here.

Did Ethan tell him? Was he afraid I'd hurt Liv, so he rushed here overnight to check?

What would he do to me? Punish me for secretly having Lucas's child?

I didn't know. My head ached. I held Pearl tighter, completely missing the deep longing in his eyes as he looked at me.

"Mia," he finally said.

I looked up. There were many more lines around his eyes now.

"Four years ago, we all thought you were..." he started.

"You all thought I was dead. I know." I finished for him. "Actually, you can just keep thinking that. I have no intention of competing with Liv anymore.

"Everything was hers to begin with. She can take back what's rightfully hers. You don't need to be nervous or wary. No need to come check on me. I just want to live a stable life with my daughter now.

"Oh, and my daughter will only stay with me. She won't go looking for Lucas. I swear on my life, I will never actively use her to sabotage Liv and Lucas's relationship. You can rest assured."

I looked straight at him. "I mean it."

He was stunned. "That's not what I mean."

I continued. "Are you afraid I'll use the Quinn name to do something bad? Don't worry, I won't. I've already changed my last name."

"Mia!" He suddenly cut me off.

His eyes welled up. "I want to bring you home."