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To help his illegitimate daughter Alaiya secure a future as the CEO's wife, my three brothers went to great lengths. My oldest brother locked me in a kennel, commanding his hunting dog to maul my face and destroy my looks. My second brother paid off the nurses, ensuring my tendons were severed during surgery so I'd never be able to use a knife properly again. My third brother hired thugs to ambush me in an alley and take compromising photos. Ultimately, Alaiya smoothly took my place as the CEO's wife. Only then did my brothers remember me, after she had secured her position. "Morgan, don't worry. Even if you've lost everything, you still have your brothers. We'll look after you for the rest of your life," Santos promised with a smile I could no longer trust. I quietly tucked away my marriage certificate with Asher, the local prince, and gave them a faint smile. "No need, I can't afford your care." Within three days, I had cut ties with them, not looking back as I climbed into the Maybach. Later, I heard that my brothers exhausted every connection to find me, even publicly apologizing to the media, hoping I'd come back. I scoffed at the thought, finding it utterly pointless; they were out of my life for good. In the backyard, Santos was training his newly bought puppy. Both my other brothers had dogs personally trained by Santos for protection, but I had none. Once, I thought Santos was afraid I'd be unable to handle a hunting dog, worried I'd get hurt. Now, as I watched him stroke the pit bull's fur, I could hear the anticipation in his voice. "Bruno, you're going to be the perfect gift for Alaiya. You'll protect her in the future." The scars under my mask, not yet fully healed, ached faintly. Touching them, it was as if my heart was being wrung. Since my mother's death five years ago, my father made a big show of bringing his mistress and her daughter, the same age as me, into our home. Santos, who once cherished me, changed as though he had become someone else, his eyes filled only with Alaiya, with no place for his biological sister. I walked over to Bruno, reaching out to stroke his soft fur. "Remember when I was little, Santos? I begged you for a dog, but you refused, saying, 'You're a girl.'" At the sight of me, Santos’s expression darkened immediately. He grabbed my hand, his voice sharp. "I raised this carefully for Alaiya, don't touch it with your filthy hands!" His hatred for me wasn't sudden. Five years ago, when Alaiya moved in, she deliberately flaunted the spiced honey cake our father had a chef make just for her, trying to provoke me. I ignored her, but she escalated things, smashing the plate and cutting herself. Santos rushed over to find Alaiya tearfully sitting on the floor, blood seeping from her ankle. Like a resilient little daisy, although injured, she pleaded mercy for me, the so-called attacker. "Santos, don't blame Morgan. It’s my fault for not holding the plate steady. Sorry for worrying you all." Santos, naive and trusting, believed every word. His disappointed gaze cut me like a knife. "I never imagined you were that kind of person." He remains the same now. Over the years, I faced countless accusations and tried to defend myself, but no one wanted to listen. It doesn’t matter anymore. After severing ties today, Santos is just a stranger. As I held the severance contract, Santos scoffed. "It's just a damaged face, not like you're dead. Is this really necessary to threaten me?" "Alaiya is better; she's sweet and sensible, never causing trouble. Unlike you, always throwing fits for no reason..." I looked at him calmly. "I'm not throwing a fit; I'm serious." Santos paused, then his face returned to its previous disdainful expression. "Isn't this just your comeuppance?" "Back when you purposely took Alaiya to the backyard, coldly watching as the dog attacked her, you should've imagined this day would come." An old memory surfaced: just after Alaiya moved in, she insisted on dragging me to the backyard despite my warnings. At the time, Santos's dog hadn’t been fully trained and broke free, lunging at us. I shielded Alaiya, my back gashed by the dog, while Alaiya was left with just some minor scratches. When Santos arrived with help, Alaiya placed all the blame on me. Santos was infuriated, locking me in the kennel with the dog for three days and nights. My injuries, neglected, left scars that throbbed whenever it rained. Drawing back my thoughts, I forced a smile more painful than tears. "If you think I deserve this, then sign. It'll make it easier for Alaiya to become your legitimate sister." "Fine, I'll sign." Santos snatched the contract from my hand, signing his name with a flourish, then tossed it at me without hesitation. The force was strong, hitting just where I was wounded, making me gasp in pain. "Even if I sign the contract, won’t you still depend on the family to survive..." he began, but I interrupted, collecting the papers. "Don't worry, Mr. Johnson, I’ll be gone in three days." He appeared amused, his anger turned to mocking laughter. "Well, you've got some nerve; don't come crying back, because I won’t show mercy." I left without looking back, indifferent to whatever he might have said thereafter. At least one thing was certain—I wouldn’t regret it.