You were the one who abandoned me, why do you regret it?

Hearing Kelsie's words, my parents immediately frowned. Their eyes were filled with reproach as they looked at me.

"Giana, what's going on? You're an adult now. Why are you still fighting with Bradyn? No other man except Bradyn would put up with your temper!

"Running off for two months! Explain yourself. Where did you go for two months? You're our only daughter. You need to be careful and not associate with the bad guys out there."

My father's authoritative voice filled the room, and even my mother seemed to think I was at fault.

"It's not all Giana's fault. We're to blame too. We're always traveling for work, so we haven't been around for them. But still, it's only been two months, but why has Giana lost so much weight?"

Bradyn's mother gently interrupted, trying to ease the tension.

Only then did everyone realize how much weight I'd lost. My once-round cheeks, which my parents had affectionately teased for their baby fat, had now sunken in, leaving me gaunt.

How could I not have lost weight? I had endured endless torture, going without food was the least of it. Most of the time, the pain would knock me out cold.

My parents, though busy, had always doted on me. I had grown up sheltered, never knowing cruelty or hardship.

The two months in that mental hospital nearly pushed me to the brink of insanity.

If not for that lucky charm, would I have even survived to see my parents again?

Everyone was staring at me, clearly puzzled. Bradyn's mother even came over to pinch my cheek.

"You have lost a lot of weight."

I tried to speak, but Kelsie quickly cut me off.

"Ms. Miranda thought she was getting a bit chubby and wanted to lose some weight. Bradyn has heard her say that, haven't you?"

Bradyn's gaze had been lingering on my thin face, lost in thought. When Kelsie suddenly addressed him, he was caught off guard and didn't know how to respond.

Weight loss? I hadn't even been 110 pounds to begin with. Why would I need to lose weight?

I looked up at Bradyn, but he turned away, quietly murmuring in agreement with Kelsie's story, effectively framing my suffering as self-inflicted.

"You're always being so reckless!

"You'll ruin your health if you keep this up!"

Bradyn's father stepped in to smooth things over, instructing the maids to serve the food quickly before we got hungry.

There were fish, shrimp, and chicken...

The table was filled with all my favorite dishes.

"Come on, Giana, enjoy yourself," Bradyn's mother urged.

Under her watchful gaze, Bradyn reluctantly served me with the braised pork and placed it on my plate.

But that was the dish I despised the most.