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Chapter 2
Raelyn’s story with Knox began much earlier.
When Raelyn was first brought back to the Winters family, she actually enjoyed a period of relative peace.
Her parents felt guilty about how she’d been kidnapped by a nanny and ended up in an orphanage. Even without an emotional bond, they tried to make it up to her.
But Raelyn could clearly sense that everyone in her family preferred Skylar, the girl they had raised themselves.
For example, just because Skylar had mild rhinitis, Raelyn wasn’t allowed to have a bedroom on the same floor.
Skylar claimed Raelyn had a strange smell that made her sneeze.
Still, Raelyn never thought about competing with her.
Until one day when Skylar made a secret bet with her-she said she could take away Raelyn’s most important things, nine times in
total.
If she succeeded, Raelyn would voluntarily leave the Winters family, or face humiliation if she stayed.
Raelyn agreed.
Back then, she still had hope in her heart. She believed her blood relatives couldn’t possibly disregard her completely or allow Skylar
to take everything precious from her. She thought she could win the bet.
But slowly, as events unfolded, Raelyn’s disappointment grew:
The first time, Skylar took her private high school admission spot, even though Raelyn had worked hard to earn it.
The second time, Skylar took the kitten Raelyn had raised for three years. Within three months, she returned only a cold, lifeless
body to Raelyn.
The third time, Skylar stole Raelyn’s first crush, who publicly humiliated Raelyn, calling her a “nobody” who couldn’t compare to
Skylar. Yet within a week, Skylar dumped him.
Time after time, whatever Raelyn cared about or loved was easily snatched away by Skylar.
Even more terrifying was Raelyn’s belated realization that her family’s attitude toward her was growing increasingly cold.
Her father lectured her: “You’re the older sister, you need to be the bigger person.”
Her mother called her privately to the study: “Skylar isn’t our biological child. She feels insecure. Don’t be so confrontational with her.”
Her brother Julian was even more direct, locking Raelyn in the school storage room overnight: “You think being my biological sister gives you the right to take Skylar’s things? Kids raised in orphanages have no manners. You’re not worth Skylar’s little finger.”
Every time Raelyn tried to defend herself, Skylar’s few tears easily diverted the family’s attention.
By the time Skylar had succeeded eight times and announced that for her final victory she would steal Raelyn’s future husband, Raelyn had essentially given up.
She packed her belongings, just waiting for the bet to end so she could leave the Winters family.
It was on this very day that she accidentally found Knox in a small alley.
The man lay in the rain with several bloody wounds in his abdomen. The blood had nearly stained Raelyn’s shoes red.
She wanted to run, but he grabbed her ankle.
The desperate will to live shone through his deep eyes, reminding her of the look children have when relatives finally come to adopt them from orphanages. Raelyn was moved, so she took him to the nearest hospital.
Fortunately, they arrived in time. Knox survived, and his broken legs received prompt treatment. With proper recovery, he was soon
able to walk again.
From that moment, a sense of kinship made him someone Raelyn couldn’t let go.
But precisely because of this, Skylar set her sights on Knox as her new target. Despite their brief past relationship, and despite the
fact that she had dumped him for being poor, she was willing to stoop low to drive Raelyn out of the family.
Just when Raelyn thought she would lose like the previous eight times, Knox surprised everyone by taking her hand and declaring:
“Raelyn is the only one I love.”
In that moment, Raelyn was in tears.
She thought she had finally won once.
But the night Skylar lost the bet and angrily agreed to marry Vincent Blackstone, Raelyn overheard Knox casually instructing his men:
“When the Blackstones come for Skylar, tie up Raelyn and put her in the car instead.”
“But keep my identity secret. After Skylar returns to me, I’ll tell her myself.”
His subordinate acknowledged this, then asked:
“What about Miss Raelyn? Are we just going to leave her with the Blackstones?”
After a moment’s thought, Knox replied:
“She’s been obedient and sensible. I promised to treat her well.”
“So, once the Blackstones lose interest in her, find the right moment to snatch her out and lock her up in my North End villa. If she escapes, I’ll break your legs.”
Finally, Raelyn realized that the man she had saved was actually the most mysterious crime lord in the underground world.
His calculated approach to her, from falling in love to proposing-every step had been part of his scheme. It was all designed to make Skylar, who had abandoned him for wealth, jealous enough to return to him.
He would be a nightmare she could never escape, even if she married into the Blackstone family.
But since Knox and Skylar had deceived her for so long, it wasn’t unreasonable for her to keep this one secret from them both-agreeing to the marriage alliance.
A sense of determination washed over Raelyn: this time, she would definitely leave Knox and that family behind completely.
Even though Vincent Blackstone was in a coma after nearly sacrificing himself on a mission, an uncertain future was still better than being trapped in a cage woven of lies.
