The Runaway Sister

“Get on your knees!”

At Jonah’s cold command, I was roughly forced to the ground by a soldato.

“Do you admit your mistake?” Marcus asked coldly.

“I didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Still lying,” Marcus concluded. “Since that’s the case, you’ll kneel in the punishment room until you realize the mistake you’ve made.”

I was left alone in the punishment room for three days. From upstairs, laughter and cheerful voices carried down clearly.

“Alyssa, be good and take your medicine.”

“I don’t want to. It’s too bitter.”

“I know you hate bitter things, so I prepared your favorite candy.”

“Still no… unless, Elio, you feed me.”

Those voices were like knives, stabbing into my already tattered heart.

I thought I was numb from the pain, yet the sharp ache in my chest remained painfully clear.

On the fourth day, I was released.

I leaned against the wall. My knees were bruised and purple from kneeling for so long, and I could only move forward one step at a time.

Elio’s cheerful voice reached my ears.

“I heard Alyssa’s favorite singer is having a concert today. Didn’t she always want to watch them?”

My brothers immediately agreed. “Then let’s go today. It’ll be good to take Alyssa out and lift her spirits.”

I froze where I stood, unwilling to move forward.

Alyssa suddenly looked up, her gaze locking onto me. “Luna, you finally decided to come out?”

I pulled at the corner of my mouth, feeling only bitterness.

Alyssa didn’t care about my response. She skipped over and warmly looped her arm through mine.

“Luna, even though you ruined my reputation and made the family lose face… I don’t have much time left, anyway. I don’t want to argue with you anymore.

“Let’s make up and go to the concert together, okay?”

Alyssa’s deliberate closeness pressed against my injury. I instinctively tried to pull my arm back, which immediately drew Elio’s anger.

“Alyssa is being generous and taking the initiative to reconcile, and this is your attitude?”

Jonah lifted his head and sneered. “Look at Alyssa, then look at you! The difference is obvious.”

I bit down hard on my lip until I tasted blood.

The four people who should have been closest to me now felt like strangers.

In the end, I was hurriedly changed and pushed into the car.

All just to make Alyssa happy.

Inside the VIP room at the venue, Alyssa watched the performance. As her mood lifted, she said she wanted to have a seafood party.

The four men immediately arranged for the freshest ingredients to be airlifted in by helicopter. Then they rolled up their sleeves and prepared everything themselves right there in the room.

“You’re not eating?” After the food was grilled, Elio suddenly asked me.

“I’m allergic to seafood.”

He looked embarrassed.

After all, when the soldati were instructed to prepare the ingredients, everyone had only thought about Alyssa’s love for seafood. The entire table was filled with food, yet there wasn’t a single thing I could eat.

Elio frowned, opening his mouth as if to give another order.

At that moment, several armed soldati suddenly burst in through the door.

Gunfire erupted instantly.

“It’s the Saalfelds!” Elio shouted, throwing himself toward Alyssa and shielding her tightly with his body.

My three brothers rushed over as well, nervously protecting Alyssa.

As for me, there was no one beside me. I was completely exposed.

A bullet hit my shoulder. As the bodyguards clashed with the attackers, another stray bullet grazed the back of my hand.

“Ah!”

I screamed in pain. However, no one turned around to even look at me.