Chapter 1 New Year's Eve Tragedy

Kingville, New Year's Eve. The city was alive with lights and fireworks, creating a festive atmosphere. Not far from the Somerton Villa, in a less festive location—a warehouse. "Thirsty ... I am so thirsty ... Wren, please, just a sip of water ... " Caroline Somerton pleaded from her bed in the dark, damp warehouse. Her pale, frail hands gripped the maid's trousers desperately. Paralyzed and neglected, she had not had water for two days, her throat dry and burning as though scorched by the sun, nearly choking her. "Pah! What do you want? You want water? Drink your own urine when you're thirsty!" Wren snapped cruelly, then kicked Caroline hard in the ribs, causing her to gasp in pain and curl up, clutching her side. The two servants who had accompanied Wren to fetch items from the warehouse sneered at the scene. "So what if she's from a wealthy family? She lives worse than a dog. If I were her, I'd be too ashamed to live, I'd rather die." "Hmph! She deserves this, trying to hurt Ms. Helen just to gain favor—how despicable!" "Ms. Helen was lucky this time, only getting external injuries after being pushed down the stairs by her. Otherwise, her brothers might have broken more than her legs." "Sigh, Ms. Helen really has bad luck ... " The mention of Helen Somerton caused the servants to look worried. "Aren't you going to grab the items and leave? It's not good to linger around such people!" Wren snapped, prompting the servants to quickly shut up and scurry out after her. Left alone, Caroline lay on the cold bed, staring quietly out the window. The fireworks outside cast light on her face, but they could not brighten her sunken heart. She remembered being five years old when her father had passed away from illness. Back then, the Somertons were not considered wealthy, but they owned a modest villa and life was decent. Caroline was cherished by her six brothers. However, those happy days did not last long. At eight, her life began to shift when her eldest brother's first love showed up with a girl Caroline's age. The first love eventually became her sister-in-law, and the young girl became her niece. Over time, her brothers' attention shifted more towards their niece and away from Caroline. After their mother died suddenly of a heart attack five years ago, the brothers grew even colder towards Caroline. She missed the old days, yearning for the affection and warmth her brothers once showed her. In her desperation to regain their love, Caroline started going out of her way to please them. She would stay up late to offer her eldest brother food after his social events. For her second brother, who suffered from neck pain, she took classes in alternative medicine to provide him with therapeutic massages. She always made sure to cook for her third brother, who loved her meals, no matter how busy she was. ... Caroline even sacrificed her education, hoping to win her brothers' favor. Yet, all her efforts seemed in vain. Their hearts were preoccupied with Helen, their niece. Every disagreement between Caroline and Helen was automatically blamed on Caroline, without any attempt to understand her side. Things escalated a few days ago when Helen allegedly fell down the stairs and her brothers, convinced Caroline was to blame, broke her leg in a fit of rage. "Aunt Caroline, do you want some water?" The sudden, sharp voice snapped Caroline out of her painful reverie. The girl who always seemed so meek and gentle to outsiders was now approaching Caroline with a cup of water in hand. It was Helen, the beloved daughter of her eldest brother, the niece who could do no wrong. "Hmph! Are you really that kind?" Caroline eyed the cup of water skeptically, swallowing hard and fighting back her cravings. "Helen, what have I done to you that you'd hurt yourself just to frame me?" Caroline asked. "Can't figure it out, huh?" Helen's face twisted into a cruel smile, sharp as a knife slicing through Caroline's heart. "Here, drink this, and I'll explain everything slowly," Helen offered. "You're so fake ... " Caroline started to say, but her words were abruptly cut off as Helen grabbed her jaw and forced a cup of scalding water into her mouth. Within moments, an intense pain exploded in Caroline's mouth, driving her to the brink of madness. "Ah!" Caroline screamed in agony. Helen's face gleamed with triumph, her eyes glinting with malice. "Caroline, don't call me heartless. I just can't stand looking at you! We're the same age, yet I have to call you Aunt. It disgusts me! You can't walk now, better off dead sooner rather than later." Caroline felt a sinking dread. "Are you ... are you trying to kill me?" "Too bad you only realized it now," Helen cackled wildly. Caroline felt her stomach lurch as she realized the water she had just drunk was drugged. "It's no use. Even if I hadn't drugged you today, your organs would've failed soon enough," Helen coldly explained. Helen's words struck Caroline with the force of a hammer blow to the head. "What do you mean by that?" Caroline gasped. "It's a slow-acting poison. A little won't kill you right away—it just slowly eats away at your body. You've been ingesting it for a year now." Suddenly, everything clicked for Caroline. No wonder she had been feeling increasingly ill. She had thought it was exhaustion from her relentless efforts to win over her brothers, but in truth, Helen had been secretly poisoning her all along. "You evil woman ... " Caroline gritted her teeth, her fingers twitching with the urge to wrap them around Helen's throat. However, confined to her bed, paralyzed, she could only seethe silently. "Aunt Caroline, don't get angry, getting angry will only hasten your end," Helen cooed, her voice a sinister whisper in Caroline's ear. "Let me tell you one more thing—your mother's sudden death from a heart attack was my handiwork. "On the bright side, you should thank me. You'll be seeing her very soon." The revelation sent a violent surge of blood rushing through Caroline's veins, her heart thumping painfully against her chest. "Monster! That was your grandmother! How could you do something so vile?" "Grandmother? Ha! That old hag always took your side, even dared to lay hands on me. She didn't deserve to be my grandmother. She deserved to die, just like you!" Helen's laughter was cold and merciless as she turned to leave. "You vile creature! Karma will find you!" Caroline's eyes blazed with fury at Helen's retreating figure, her hands clenching helplessly into fists. She had once thought of Helen as merely sly and underhanded, but now the full scope of her malice was terrifyingly clear. Reflecting on her life, Caroline felt a profound sense of ridicule and sorrow. She had given up everything to win her brothers' affection, only to be left in this wretched state. Did she hate Helen? Absolutely. Did she despise her six brothers? Without a doubt. However, above all, she loathed herself the most—for having ever cared about such a worthless family bond. If she could have another chance, she vowed never again to sacrifice herself for the sake of others, never again to yearn for any illusory familial ties. Sadly, life offered no second chances. As the wind and snow raged outside, Caroline's heart slowly stilled, resigning itself to the inevitable end of her story.