“I agree to the marriage.” My family faced bankruptcy as my parents scrambled for solutions until help arrived with a condition. “The man in power wants to marry you.” I remained silent for a moment and agreed. My mom, Amanda Almond, on the other end of the phone, suddenly fell silent, leaving only the sound of sobbing. I knew that if she weren’t at the end of her rope, my mom would never tell me this. Due to my numerous childhood misfortunes, my mom consulted a fortune teller, who warned of an ominous fate and premature death, advising a southern move to evade disasters. My mom was reluctant to let me go, but she relented after another car accident occurred to me and sent me to the south. It was to recuperate and also to avoid disaster. My dad took the phone with a sigh. “Do you give up that man?” I knew what he meant, smiled bitterly, and shook my head. “He doesn’t love me anymore.” After hanging up the phone, I was about to open the studio for ventilation when the door was suddenly pushed open. Jocelyn Bright ran to my wheelchair and pushed me out. “Where are you pushing me?” She paused and smiled innocently, “Jeremy and Francis said they would take me to the beach to play beach volleyball. Miranda, you should come too.” She looked down at my legs, the malice on her face gradually growing. “Oh, I almost forgot that you’re a cripple and can’t go to the beach!” I’ve gotten used to her two different faces in public and behind people’s backs, having no energy to show my fury. “Since you know I can’t go, just push me back.” But Jocelyn shook her head at me. “No, Miranda.” I suddenly had a bad feeling and reached out to pull her. But she dodged it, and her body fell to the side, hitting her head hard on the railing. After the loud noise, she burst into tears. The two people downstairs heard the noise and came up. Seeing her covering her head, they started accusing me. “Miranda, I just wanted to invite you to go for a walk on the beach. I’m afraid you’ll get bored at home alone. If you don’t want to go, then don’t go. But why did you push me?” Jeremy Dempsey helped her up with a displeased look on his face. Francis Earwood even directly rebuked, “Miranda Almond, Jocelyn thinks of you for everything good. Even when she goes to the beach, she wants to take you with her. Can you please put away your bad temper?” He turned around and looked at Jocelyn, his voice becoming gentle again. “It’s okay, Jocelyn. If she doesn’t want to go, then she doesn’t have to go. We’ll go with you.” Jocelyn tightly grasped Jeremy’s hand. She smiled at Francis when he showed concern but grew wary upon meeting my gaze. “What about Miranda? We can’t leave her home alone!” Jeremy glanced at me and said, “She’s an adult now. Nothing will happen to her if she’s alone at home.” Jocelyn then nodded, turned around and waved to me, then left, pulling the two young men away. It took me a long time to look away and push the wheelchair back to the studio with great effort. This electric wheelchair had been broken for a long time. I wanted to ask them to find a fixer before, but I was put off again and again. I had got used to it. ***** After the car accident, I had problems with the nerves in my legs, which made me unable to walk normally, so my parents sent me to the south. They hired a lot of servants to help take care of me. But the kids of my age around me didn’t like playing with me and called me a little cripple. Sometimes, when I slid my wheelchair out for a walk, some would deliberately pull the wheelchair to tease me. Then, Jeremy and Francis appeared. They said only princesses didn’t have to walk. They protected my dignity and drove away the children around me who wanted to bully me. They grew up with me. My parents would occasionally fly over from the north, and they felt relieved knowing that I had two such good playmates. We all grew up gradually and had our own jobs. Jeremy was now a well-known doctor, and Francis followed in his father’s footsteps and inherited the family business. I chose art because I had a mobility impairment. Fortunately, my work had won awards in various competitions, so I could support myself. I should have gone back to the north last year, but I said that I found the person I loved here. My parents understood and agreed to let me stay here, but they would call me from time to time, worried that the boy’s family would dislike my legs. “No, he won’t.” Jeremy had confessed his love to me many times. He said he would try every means to treat my legs and that he would take care of me for the rest of my life. I was moved. It was not because of the vow but because I could feel his sincere love. “Let me think about it…” Unfortunately, before I could answer, he took back his oath. Because Jocelyn appeared.
In March, I went to the mountains to shoot. There, I met Jocelyn, who was almost beaten to death. I heard that her father hit her because she didn’t want to get married. Girls in the mountains got married and had children as soon as they reached adulthood. Those who were younger than her had even had two children. But she just didn’t want to get married. I didn’t really want to get involved in other people’s lives, so I left her some money and wanted to go. But she hugged my legs and begged, “Miss, please take me away. I don’t want to live a mediocre life. I want to see the scenery outside.” Maybe it was because her eyes were too bright at that time, and the desire in them was too burning, which reminded me of myself as a child. I nodded, left some money to her father, and took her out. I let her go to school and try new things. She didn’t want to go home, so I allowed her to live in my house temporarily. As Jeremy and Francis heard that she wanted to stay, their first reaction was to refuse. “You don’t know her at all.” “You are disabled, and if she has any bad intentions, we are not around.” “Francis is right. Do not let anyone stay here.” I was a little hesitant and wanted to let them get on with each other first. With Jocelyn’s deliberate flattery, the two of them completely changed after just a few days. They took the initiative to ask Jocelyn to stay and even prepared gifts for her. The two made no secret of their love for Jocelyn and made promises to her. Francis said, “Don’t worry. We will always protect you.” And Jeremy followed up. “As long as you live here for one day, I will protect you.” I was just standing by, listening to Jeremy, who once promised to only take care of me, making a promise to another girl. I tried to smile but failed. It was so easy to say protect someone for a lifetime, and it could be said to anyone. Fortunately, I was used to experiencing bad luck. The person I liked fell for someone else? It should also be included in bad luck. I didn’t know why the person in power in the marriage arrangement chose me. Wasn’t he afraid that I’d bring bad luck to his family? I laughed to myself, thinking of the deadline my father told me. The timeline there was very tight, on the 15th of this month, which was only two weeks away. But it was better to be quick so that I wouldn’t get upset when seeing them. I returned to the studio. The sunlight shone on my unfinished painting, and I picked up the paintbrush and continued coloring. Rose Garden at Sunset. The colors on the canvas changed from light to dark, roses gradually blooming, and a little girl squatted on the ground… The painting was still unfinished, but it was not appropriate to continue today. I pushed the wheelchair and returned to the room. It was only then that I noticed the emptiness of the house. It seemed that none of the servants were there. I picked up my phone and called the nanny who cooked for me. The call was connected after a while, and I asked them where they had gone. The nanny said in a surprised voice, “Miss, didn’t you ask Ms. Bright to give us a day off? So we’re at home.” I was stunned and hung up the phone. I wanted to call Jocelyn to question her but stopped at the last minute. Helplessly, I pushed the wheelchair to the kitchen, found instant noodles, and made it for myself. Just as I took a bite, the door was pushed open. Three people carrying packaged food came in and watched me eat noodles. Jeremy came over and took the instant noodles away, saying with an impatient tone, “Jocelyn said she would bring you food. Why are you acting pitiful by eating instant noodles?” Jocelyn placed the packed meal on the table, behaving generously. “Maybe Miranda didn’t see the message I sent. “Miranda, instant noodles are too innutritious. I brought you some seafood. Come and have some.” Staring at the two men, I just found it a little absurd. “Seafood? But I’m allergic to seafood. Don’t you know?” My words made them choke. Yeah, didn’t they know? This was something they knew as soon as we met! Jocelyn smiled and said, “Miranda, my grandma said that if you eat a little bit of something you are allergic to, you will become desensitized. Would you like to try it?”
I ignored her and wanted to continue eating instant noodles. But my wheelchair was pushed over by Jeremy. “Jocelyn is right. It’s okay to eat a little bit of something you’re allergic to, okay? Don’t let her down.” Jeremy forcefully shoved the bowl of seafood soup into my hands and said, “Eat some soup. You’ll be fine.” I looked into his eyes and smiled with a hint of self-mockery, “I’ll be fine?” I suddenly found it ridiculous to hear it coming from a doctor. He turned his head away, not daring to look me in the eyes. I took a sip, and the allergic reaction appeared instantly. The feeling of suffocation came over me, and Jeremy was utterly panicked. He bent down, picked me up, and looked for allergy medicine in the room. Francis also wanted to go but was hugged by Jocelyn while crying. “I thought Grandma was right. I’m sorry, Miranda. I’m sorry. I didn’t know it was so serious.” After taking the medicine, it took a long time for my symptoms to ease. Jeremy wanted to say something, but I pushed him away. “Get out of my house. “All of you.” Jocelyn moved into Jeremy’s house. She sent me a lot of photos, including her current room, several sets of expensive clothes, and two similar dolls. I subconsciously clicked on the photo, and when the picture became clear, I was stunned. Those were… The dolls I gave them. Jocelyn’s voice message followed. “Miranda, Jeremy is so good to me. He was afraid that I would be scared, so he gave me a lot of things. “Ah, did you see the dolls? I said I liked them, so they gave them to me directly. “I heard that it was you who made them. You won’t be angry, right?” I knew she was provoking me, but I didn’t care anymore. On Jeremy’s birthday, I spent a month studying online before I made the doll. After Francis found out, he insisted that I make one for him as a birthday present. So I made one for him, too. The two used to cherish the dolls so much that no one was allowed to touch them. But now, they were easily given away. The next day, the servants came back. I asked them to pack up the things that the two had given me and put them casually in a box. The nanny who had taken care of me the longest was a little puzzled. “Miss, aren’t these your favorites?” “I don’t like them now.” Those two gave me a lot of things since I was a child, both cheap and expensive. From small items like hairpins to large items like expensive dolls. I treated them as treasures and cherished them well. Unfortunately, things had changed and there was no need for it now. It took eight full boxes to fill up the stuff. Then, I had someone put them in the warehouse. Jeremy and Francis came to see me and saw that. They opened the box at the same time and found that those were the things they had given me before. Jeremy was surprised. “Miranda, why did you ask them to pack up all those things?” “Just putting them away and cleaning them up.” I acted like nothing happened. Seeing that I had recovered from yesterday’s anger, Jeremy breathed a sigh of relief. “I really didn’t know your allergy would be so serious. You had never eaten seafood before, so I thought it was just a skin allergy or something like that.” Francis also asked, “We were both a little impulsive yesterday. Are you feeling better now?” Listening to these words, I just found them absurd. Did they realize they were wrong? But if they did, why would they have done those? Forcing others to do things they couldn’t do just for the person they liked would satisfy them so much? “Thank you for your concern.” I turned my wheelchair and wanted to leave but was stopped by Jeremy. He pressed his lips. He would do this every time he was nervous. I looked at him curiously. “Do you have anything else to say?” “Jocelyn’s birthday is coming up soon. I heard that she has never had her own birthday party, so I want to hold one for her.” Francis then added, “Besides, your birthday is right after hers. After that, we can celebrate yours.” They probably hadn’t finished what they were saying. If they were just celebrating a birthday, why would they come to ask for my opinion? I was right. After sharing their banquet ideas, Jeremy added, “Jocelyn has lived here for such a long time and is most familiar with your place, so we are going to set the venue for the party here.”
I knew it. “Whatever!” Jeremy didn’t expect me to agree so quickly, and a look of surprise flashed in his eyes. “You’re not angry?” I looked at him strangely and felt pathetic. Would they stop doing it if I was angry? In the end, they would still do it. Jeremy wanted to continue asking but heard Jocelyn exclaim, “Oh… Stop it…” Eventually, his concern for Jocelyn outweighed his doubts about my condition. With the servant’s help, I resumed painting in the studio, only to be interrupted by a knock at the door. Something seemed to have happened, and her voice was a little anxious. “Ms. Almond, go check it out! Jocelyn demolished your rose garden and said she wanted to grow vegetables there.” I pressed the paintbrush in my hand with more force, then immediately opened the door and had someone push me there. The rose garden, my mom’s gift on my tenth birthday, had always been meticulously tended, for it was special to me. I thought that when I felt better, my mom could come to see me and enjoy the roses together again. ***** After all, it was not very convenient to move around in a wheelchair. And upon arrival at the garden, we found the flowers in that small garden cleaned up. I was a little stunned. But the instigator pretended not to notice anything and pointed to a big dog digging in the dirt nearby. “Miranda, this is a great help in helping me farm. If it weren’t for this Labrador, I wouldn’t be able to demolish it so quickly.” Feeling that it was not enough to stimulate me, she quickly added, “You rich people are always wasting land growing flowers and trees. I think it’s more practical to grow some vegetables. Not only can we eat them, but we can also save money. Don’t you think so, Miranda?” She really knew how to find my bottom line. Those I couldn’t eat. Those I couldn’t touch. Those I couldn’t do. She wanted to try everything that could piss me off. I closed my eyes. I was leaving anyway, so I didn’t have to care much about things that couldn’t be kept. The nanny glared at her and was about to push me away when she suddenly exclaimed, “Miss, that’s Lucky…” Jocelyn looked at the bones in Labrador’s mouth with disdain, picked up the plastic bag, put them in it, and threw it away. Then, she looked back at me and said, “Are all you rich people so unrefined? You buried the dead dog in the garden? What if Star eats it? No need to thank me, Miranda. I just helped you clean it up.” My reason tumbled at this moment. I slid my wheelchair over and slapped her in the face. Jocelyn screamed, covering her face and crying out in pain. The Labrador named Star noticed that its owner was crying, and it showed its ferociousness. It rushed directly towards me, biting my arm with its sharp teeth, and I couldn’t shake it off. The servant wanted to help me but was stopped by Jocelyn. “Don’t go! Star will bite you.” The dog dragged me into the mud, shaking its head wildly. The pain of my skin and flesh being torn apart made me scream, which greatly stimulated the Labrador’s ferocity. I waved my other hand desperately and accidentally grabbed a stone, which I immediately picked up and smashed on the dog’s head. It was hit again and again, making it scream in pain. Jocelyn shouted, “Don’t smash it… Star, stop biting and run!” The noise was so loud that people in the front yard heard it early on. But no one came to see until Jocelyn shouted, and then the two men came over. Seeing the people who supported her coming, she said nothing and rushed to them to complain, “I just wanted a vegetable garden to grow vegetables, but I didn’t expect Miranda to be so angry. After slapping me, she also wanted to beat my dog.” She looked at Francis. “Francis, please help me bring Star here. Don’t let Miranda kill it!” She just twisted the facts with a few words. My hands were still bleeding. But they acted as if they didn’t see it and were very angry. Francis held Jocelyn in his arms and comforted her gently. “It’s okay. It’s fine. If you want to grow vegetables, just grow them. I’ll find someone to help you take care of them later.” He then looked at me again, his anger soaring. “Miranda Almond, have you had enough of making trouble? You can’t bully Jocelyn, so you want to take it out on her dogs. When did you become so hateful?” As the Labrador saw that someone was supporting it, it opened its mouth and ran to Francis’s feet, crying. I was so angry that I laughed. “I am hateful? “You are good at doing favors.” I covered my bleeding hand and pointed at the scattered rose trees on the ground. “These are my flowers, a gift from my mother. How could you give them to her just because she wants it? Who are you to make the decision for me?” I pointed at the pile of exposed bones and said hysterically, “Besides, she wants to throw away my Lucky. Why can’t I beat her? Can you please have a limit to your partiality!”
However, partiality was something that had no bottom line. People would always indulge the ones they loved. Jeremy looked at the girl who was throwing herself into Francis’ arms like a kitten with gentleness. But there was only disgust in his eyes as he turned to me. “A dog that has been dead for so many years is worthy of you being so harsh on Star?” At this moment, I felt like my breathing was about to stop. A dog that had been dead for so many years? Anyone could say this except him! When he was kidnapped, it was Lucky who tracked him down and ran dozens of miles to bring him back. Lucky, bloodied from the criminals’ slashes, managed a final glance at me before closing its eyes. I cried out and held its body tightly, not wanting anyone to bury it. Jeremy then came to comfort me despite the injuries he suffered from the beatings. “Miranda, it’s okay. Without Lucky, I will be with you in the future.” I was finally persuaded and joined him in burying Lucky in the rose garden. He told me, “In the future, a bunch of roses called Lucky will grow in the rose garden and continue to accompany you.” Jeremy, at that time, seemed like two different people than he was now. One just wanted to protect me, and the other one indulged in hurting me. ***** They asked me to apologize, but I ignored them. Francis snorted coldly and scolded me for not repenting, “If you’re stubborn, just keep not apologizing.” Then they took the servant and my wheelchair away, leaving me alone there. The unrecognizable rose garden and the bleeding wounds all mocked my initial soft-heartedness. I struggled to move from the mud to the lawn, and rose thorns pierced my palms. I tore the clothes off my arms, revealing the flesh that had been turned inside out. Enduring the pain, I used the running water to wash away the mud. But my aunt, Yolanda, called me at this time. She was married in the south and lived not far from me. She knew that I was going back soon and wanted to come and see me. But I rejected her. “Yolanda, you just got pregnant. Don’t walk around.” She noticed the nasal tone in my voice and was a little surprised. “Do you have a cold again?” I was afraid that she would come over and see my mess, so I quickly made an excuse that I had eaten spicy food. “I’ve been packing up recently. When I’m done, I’ll go to visit you.” Then, Yolanda was relieved and just reminded me. “You are vulnerable. Take good care of yourself, and don’t worry your mom and me.” After hanging up the phone, I finally burst out crying. Tears fell. The sky became gloomy, and a cool breeze blew. Although it was summer, I felt chilled to the bone. The pain in my arm brought me back to my senses, and I prepared to call emergency services again, but unfortunately, I collapsed before I could even make the call. It rained heavily. The raindrops woke me up, and only then did I notice that it was already dark. I felt hot and cold at the same time, and Francis came over with an umbrella and a flashlight. Seeing my embarrassment, he frowned. “Can’t you just give in? “Why are you still so stubborn? “How can Jeremy and I get along with you in the future if you behave like this?” He bent down, trying to carry me, but I smelled his pungent yet familiar scent. It was Jocelyn’s perfume. They were so close to each other, which was really disgusting. I pushed him away with all my strength. “There is no future.” Soon, I’d finish what I needed to do. And I would leave on my initiative. The past would only be the past. But I wouldn’t tell them directly. He thought I was joking and increased his strength. “Come on. I came to you without even joining my meeting. Can’t you just behave yourself? “Jocelyn is different from you. She has suffered so much, but she has the tenacity to climb up. She is also more worldly-wise than you.” I pulled his clothes tightly on his chest to keep a distance from him. Since I couldn’t break free, I didn’t want to have excessive contact. “But I have always been like this. “Why didn’t you say I was stubborn, I was naughty, and I did something wrong before?” My voice got lower and lower, and my head nodded. “But did I really do anything wrong?” Because my hands were infected from being caught in the rain, I developed a high fever that night. The fever didn’t go down even after taking antipyretics. Jeremy found out that I had a fever and paid me a visit with a hint of impatience in his eyes. “Why didn’t you have a fever just when Jocelyn was about to have her birthday party? Do you just want to make things difficult for Jocelyn?” I heard his words clearly, and my heart was filled with bitterness again, but this time, it was less than last time. This should be desensitization. Francis remained silent, staring at the wound on my arm, then arranged medical treatment and a rabies vaccine. I cried for most of the night because of the pain and couldn’t sleep all night. Then, the fever went away the next day. My painting agent, Luke Moore, called me and said that I won second place in the last competition. He was coming over to give me the trophy. I agreed. I fell asleep in a daze, and as I checked the time, I found that it was already three o’clock in the afternoon. But I didn’t see anyone. I took out my phone and saw Luke’s message. [I heard that you were not feeling well, and your sister collected the trophy.]
My sister? I got in the wheelchair and went downstairs. The banquet was still going on downstairs. I saw my trophy being given to her friends by Jocelyn. And I could hear the boasting faintly. “Jocelyn, you are amazing. I heard that this award is very valuable.” “You haven’t received any systematic training, but you can still win this award. You are more talented than her.” All the flattery. Jeremy and Francis just listened without exposing anything. Even after seeing me come out, they locked the living room door tacitly. My phone vibrated. It was a message from Jeremy. [It’s Jocelyn’s birthday. Don’t spoil her fun.] Francis followed closely behind. [A trophy can make Jocelyn happy, so what if you give it to her?] After the party was over and everyone had left, Jocelyn entered the living room with the trophy. Seeing that I was there too, she realized belatedly that she was being protected again. Jocelyn looked at her two good friends with gratitude, which was beyond words. “That’s great. You treat me better than my own brothers.” Hearing such sincere praise, Jeremy and Francis both smiled. “We will always treat you well from now on.” “No one can bully you.” The atmosphere was so harmonious, but I couldn’t fit in at all. I grabbed the trophy and threw it directly into the trash can. They were stunned by my actions. Jeremy was the first to react and asked, “What are you doing?” I tilted my head, my tone puzzled. “I’m throwing trash. Is it bothering you?” I, who had always been docile, now seemed to have turned into a hedgehog, with my quills standing up and stabbing anyone who came near me. “You don’t think that once she touches it, it becomes hers, right?” I turned around and looked at Jocelyn. “Your name’s not on it, right?” Seeing her stunned, I laughed softly. “If it is, just pick it up from the trash can. I don’t mind. You’re a trash picker anyway.” Then, I returned to the studio without paying any attention to the changes in their expressions. Francis followed closely behind, wanting to argue with me. But he was stopped outside. I locked the door. Picking up the paintbrush, I slowly made some changes. The darkness gradually swallowed the warm and cozy rose garden. It was turbid and dark, reminding people of the abyss. There were pairs of hands inside, tentatively pulling me in little by little, trying to assimilate me. I was somewhat relieved that the dog bit my left hand, but that did not prevent me from modifying my painting. My mom sent me a message saying that they wanted to pick me up in advance. They would come in about four days. The time was just right. I added the finishing touches to the painting and a discreet signature. I packed up the other paintings and told Luke to pick them up. I was not selling them, but I had a regular partner for art exhibitions. I would deposit my work with him. Occasionally, I could collaborate with him on auctions. And I donated most of the money from the auctions to poor mountainous areas. My mom often told me that the goodness I accumulated would eventually come back to me. If there was no reward yet, then it was not the right time. I no longer believed it. But I would still do what I should do. Some people were born evil, and I couldn’t generalize, but I was exhausted. Tomorrow was Wednesday, the day for my biweekly visit to the orphanage. The next day, I got up early and didn’t wait for Jeremy and Francis as usual. I brought a servant, rented a car, and took the boxes of things I had packed earlier. as well as the clothes I had bought for the children.
As soon as I entered, Maria Cooper, the orphanage director, enthusiastically pushed me in. “I don’t know how many times those naughty kids have asked me why you haven’t come yet. “They miss you so much.” Hearing this, I felt a little more relaxed. Maria noticed the white gauze on my hand, stunned for a second, and couldn’t help but soften her voice. “Has anything happened recently?” I looked at her but said nothing. She gently stroked my head. “Miranda, you’re a good girl. I can tell whether you’re happy or not at a glance.” Maria’s hands were big and covered with thick calluses, not as delicate as my mom’s hands, but they were both warm and powerful. I smiled and suppressed my annoyance. “I’m fine. Troubles will pass, right?” Maria realized that I didn’t want to talk about it and got over the topic. Many of the children in this orphanage were disabled. They had been abandoned here because of physical disabilities or serious illnesses. I got along very well with them, probably because we had similar childhood experiences, so it was easier for us to empathize with each other. Every month, I would give them lessons, and for the rest of the time, I would just play with them. Maria sent me there, and I asked her to divide the things I brought and distribute them starting from the first floor. She scolded me for wasting money and went downstairs to find a teacher to help. “Stay after class. We’re having dumplings today.” I nodded, feeling somewhat happy. I taught them in a small classroom. But I had just been drawing for a while when a boy rushed in. “Miranda, the doll you gave to Nina was snatched away by an adult.” Several strong boys pushed me. As I got closer to the noise, I saw three familiar figures pointing at a little girl. Jocelyn was also among them, and she was the most outrageous. “Such an expensive doll. Does your director have the money to buy you one? “Your director must have stolen it. The children in the orphanage are all thieves…” She held the finely crafted doll and showed it to Francis. “I remember seeing this doll in Miranda’s room. It costs tens of thousands of dollars! “She must have stolen Miranda’s doll.” Francis thought of this as well and was about to lose his temper when I interrupted him. “I gave her the doll. Are you going to say that I stole my own things and gave them to others?” The children in the orphanage were strong, and they had no difficulty pushing an adult like me. They pushed me over, quickly picked up the little girl, and hid behind me. Children came one after another, and they all held something I gave them in their hands. Jeremy and Francis recognized those things immediately, and their eyes fell on me. “Aren’t these all gifts from us?” I used to treasure the gifts they gave me. And I even joked with them, “I’ll keep them until I die…” Thinking about it now made me feel uneasy. Jeremy looked at the white porcelain doll he gave me when I turned 18, and his eyes slowly drifted towards me. “Why did you give this to them too? “You can give them something else.” I thought about it and found a more appropriate sentence. “I don’t really want to keep anything that’s not important.” After all, I would leave, and it would remind me of the unhappiness if I kept them, so it was better to get rid of them. Their expressions became somewhat strange, which made Jocelyn aware of something unusual. She quickly spoke up to smooth things over. “Those things are given away. Francis, Jeremy, can’t you just give Miranda new ones in the future? “Aren’t you going to take me to play with other kids? Let’s go!” She pulled the two and wanted to leave quickly. But I stopped them. “Shouldn’t you apologize since you wrongly accused her? “You are used to stealing and cheating, so you think the whole world is the same as you!” Jocelyn was furious at the contemptuous looks of the children around her. Unfortunately, Francis and Jeremy were in a trance, and no one stood on her side. She could only apologize. Words spread quickly among the children, and by the time they were eating dumplings, most of what had happened in the morning was known to them. The dining hall was full except for the small table where the three of them sat. They were completely isolated. After returning home, the three of them came in with me. They were silent in the living room, watching me ask the servants to pack up and clean the house. Francis and Jeremy felt something was weird. Jeremy was about to talk to me, but I directly answered the call from my best friends. They heard that I was going home and wanted to ask me out. Remembering that my legs were inconvenient, they called the driver and asked him to take me to the bar. I agreed without thinking. I changed my clothes and prepared to leave, but Francis pulled my wheelchair and asked, “Where are you going?” The bodyguard who came to pick me up was honest. “The ladies invite Ms. Almond to the bar. Don’t worry. I will get her there safely.” Francis frowned when he heard this, and his voice was filled with criticism. “You are a girl, and you are disabled. Why are you going to a bar? You can’t go.” I didn’t hold back any strength and slapped the back of his hand. “Who are you to control me?” Jeremy also stopped me. “Francis is doing this for your own good. Don’t be unreasonable.” The bodyguard showed a trace of embarrassment. As the atmosphere became tense, Jocelyn intervened. She hadn’t been the center of attention for a day, so she felt displeased. She thought this was an excellent opportunity, so she just cut in. “The bar. Is that a fun place?” “Francis, Jeremy, if you are worried that the bar is a bad place, why don’t you take me with you? It will definitely be safer with more people.” I was almost vomiting at her shamelessness. But the other two agreed in unison, “You can go, and we will accompany you…”
My best friend, Gladys Frost, saw the three extra people and showed a dark face. But she wasn’t angry with me. Since Jocelyn came, her eyes couldn’t help but stick to Gladys’ boyfriend, a famous rising actor named Patrick Gellar. Jocelyn was outgoing and called him affectionately, “Patrick, I’ve seen your TV series, and the prince you played was really amazing…” Gladys sneered. “You’re so noisy. My boyfriend’s never seen you before. Why are you pestering him so shamelessly?” Her words made Jocelyn burst into tears, and she began to act again. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know he was your boyfriend. I just thought it would be closer to call him Patrick, because I really like the TV series he starred in…” Francis couldn’t stand it anymore and spoke up to defend Jocelyn, but Gladys didn’t give him any face. She just pushed my wheelchair to the bar to have a drink. There were many girls around me, and we had a lot of common topics. Jeremy was worried that Jocelyn would feel a gap, so he ordered several kinds of light wine for her to try. The scene was highly harmonious. Gladys looked away and touched me with a look of distress on her face. “They are so blinded. No wonder you are fed up with them. Do these two always do stupid things?” I didn’t answer. But she had already guessed most of it, and Gladys was so furious that she turned around and was about to rush to them, but I quickly pulled her back. “I’ll just bear with it for a few more days. I’ll be leaving soon. “Then, no matter what they do, it will not affect me…” While persuading her, I was also convincing myself. At some point, Jeremy and Francis had walked away from Jocelyn, one disappearing while the other picked up a computer and started handling official business. Jocelyn was strolling around out of boredom, and she was very envious of the atmosphere where Gladys and I were chatting in the distance. She didn’t know why some were born with everything. They didn’t have to do everything they could to avoid being beaten, try every possible means to avoid getting married in exchange for money, or be afraid of being beaten to death if they were not obedient. For many girls in her hometown, marriage was hell. They gave birth to one child after another. If the first one was a boy, it was fine. But if it were a girl, they would continue to bear children. But why? Jocelyn didn’t want to live that kind of life, and after seeing the girl who was painting, she prostrated herself and begged. She hoped to get a little mercy from that girl. And she made the right bet. That girl was so kind that it made her feel sick. She funded her to see the new world, bought her new clothes, and sent her to vocational school, but she didn’t give her money, the most important thing. Jocelyn could only try every possible way to get close to her friends, deliberately using her pitiful life experience to beg for sympathy from them. Little by little, she lured them to her side and then took away what belonged to her. Jocelyn thought she had taken enough, but why was there someone else around her? No, everything she wanted should be hers! “How is your family’s situation? I can ask my sister to help…” Jocelyn aimed at her target, found Gladys, and forcefully interrupted the topic. “What are you talking about, Gladys? Did something happen to your family?” Jocelyn’s voice was awkward, which disgusted Gladys. “Can you speak in a normal way? At first you sounded like a duck, and now you sound like an old weirdo.” Jocelyn was puzzled, not knowing the meaning of her words. Gladys directly told her, “You know, those old guys with the weird laugh on TV series. “Oh, I forgot. You were in the mountains before, so you probably didn’t watch TV series!” This remark caused a small amount of laughter. Jocelyn became more and more embarrassed and glared at me fiercely. Receiving the gaze, I felt confused. What was wrong with her? I turned around and took a sip of my drink, not bothering to deal with such a person. “Miss, can you give me your number?” A strange young man came over at some point. Jocelyn subconsciously blocked him and slapped his phone away. “I don’t want to! “Don’t you see yourself in the mirror? If you want to ask a girl for her number, at least you should dress decently, like Francis…” The young man sneered and pulled her away. “Can you know yourself first, ugly woman? Asking for your number just makes me sick enough to want to replace my phone! “How dare you throw my phone? Who do you think you are?” He pulled her without mercy and threw her to the ground. All of a sudden, everyone’s eyes turned over. The scene became a little agitated, and boys and girls who were in the same group as the young man also gathered. Francis noticed something was wrong and walked over there. The initially quiet and comfortable atmosphere had changed. Francis was the first to attack me. “Miranda, are you just going to watch others bully Jocelyn like this? “I saw you were here, so I felt relieved that she came to you. Why didn’t you take better care of her?!”
Well, what a high-sounding excuse. He just put the blame on me. Gladys almost exploded with anger. “Francis, just because Miranda doesn’t bother to be angry with you doesn’t mean I won’t get angry with you. “Do you know what a scumbag is? “If you don’t, just look in the mirror.” Gladys had always been generous in her attacks on people she didn’t like. But she forgot that Jocelyn was sitting on the ground. Jocelyn was furious that she cursed at them, so she pushed Gladys. There was a sharp corner of the bar behind her, and if Gladys got hit, she would definitely bleed. I slid my wheelchair to block it, and my arm, which had not yet healed, started bleeding instantly. The bright red liquid stained my white sleeves. Seeing this, Patrick, who was a step late in holding Gladys, instantly got angry and raised his voice. “What’s wrong with you? If you don’t want your hands anymore, just chop them off.” His cruelty revealed in an instant reminded Jocelyn of that show. She was not angry at all but rather a little intoxicated. “Well, I’m sorry. I know you didn’t mean to be mean to me.” But when she thought that this man showed this expression because of another woman, she felt a little displeased. In her eyes, as long as it was related to me, she could take it. “Patrick…” Her lingering call instantly attracted the attention of several girls. “Is that Patrick?” “Patrick, the new actor that I like very much.” “Let’s ask for an autograph.” A hot topic quickly climbed to the top of the trending searches during the confrontation, and almost in an instant, candid photos from various angles were released together. If it weren’t for the fact that there were so many people taking pictures around, Gladys would have wanted to kick her. She could not imagine how Jocelyn could be so stupid. Did Jocelyn see nothing but evil thoughts and affairs? How could she be foolish enough to scream Patrick’s name out loud? So many people had found out! Gladys had no way to end it now. I pulled on her clothes and whispered, “Let’s stop here for today’s gathering. You leave with your boyfriend first. I will leave later.” Right now, this was the best solution. Before leaving, Gladys glared at Jocelyn fiercely and said coldly, “You’d better pray that Francis can always protect you. Otherwise, I will make you regret for what you did.” “Francis, I’m so scared.” After receiving the threat, Jocelyn directly chose to find her greatest helper. There were more and more people in the bar, and many girls were live streaming with their mobile phones. People were pushing and shoving each other, and someone deliberately knocked over my wheelchair. Francis wanted to help me, but Jocelyn held his arm. “Francis, I’m so scared. There are so many people here…” He retracted his hand, carefully protected Jocelyn, and only reminded me in a low voice. “Be careful.” I was used to it, so I didn’t even look at them and picked up the wheelchair. Crazy fans stepped on me. After I finally climbed up, the wheelchair was grabbed by someone. I looked back, a little surprised. They didn’t leave? Patrick helped Gladys push me into the private room before leaving. But little did we know that this scene was recorded in its entirety. The entries on the Internet changed in an instant. Initially, it was suspected that Patrick was arguing with someone, but it turned out to be Patrick’s disabled girlfriend, and Patrick was suspected to be kept by a wealthy woman… The topics were becoming more and more explosive and weird. Patrick’s fans didn’t believe it and started refuting it. Someone said: [It must be some bitch who wants to debut and wants to use Patrick to get to the top.] Another added: [Don’t let me know who you are. If I find out, I will definitely skin you alive.] Others echoed: [Is there anyone in the group chat who is good at IT technology? Please find out that crippling little bitch…] And so on. Meanwhile, a newly registered account uploaded a video. She tagged Patrick’s group of crazy fans several times, claiming to have proof that Patrick had a girlfriend. And she commented: [You want to know if she is Patrick’s girlfriend outside the showbiz? You can tell by just taking a look at the video.] Then, she posted a video. It was apparent that Patrick was wearing a mask and ordinary clothes. But somehow, even though Gladys was there, the camera in the video was all on me. Even from some angles, Gladys looked more like a passing fan. Patrick pushed the wheelchair, bowed his head and instructed, and… Some irrational fans exploded instantly. They swore to find that little bitch. That account continued to release some vaguely true things. For example, I was a painter. My family was kind of rich. And I had a boyfriend but kept a lover. She said I was slutty and even often engaged in some particular sports. Because of my disability, I liked to torture others… And so on. If she said this unilaterally, there would definitely not be many people who believed it. But this account was known by some classmates in my junior high and high school. Those people didn’t like me, so they just got involved and slandered me. Some said: [That person… I am her junior high school classmate. She’s just very pretentious, and there are a lot of men around her.] Another commented: [I am also her classmate. You have no idea how chaotic her private life is. My mother never allowed me to play with her because she was afraid that I would get sick.] And others added: [Boyfriend? You underestimate her. She has more than one boyfriend.] My phone had run out of battery long ago. By the time I charged it and turned it on, it was flooded with calls from unfamiliar people. I tried answering one of them but was cursed. That stranger cursed my whole family and cursed me to die. This was the first time I experienced the viciousness of words. My good mood for the day was ruined. I just felt depressed and panic in my heart. So, I slid my wheelchair to take a breath, but Francis was sitting in the living room, holding Jocelyn.
Jocelyn covered her face and cried, looking so pitiful. “I don’t know why those people scolded me. I didn’t do anything.” Francis looked at me with a look whole of condemnation. “It’s all your fault for insisting on going to that bar. Now Jocelyn has been implicated by you. “Those people dug up your identity and even found Jocelyn’s phone number. What they said was extremely unpleasant.” My phone started ringing again, and I picked it up impatiently. Another strange call. I just rejected it and turned off my phone. I looked into Francis’ eyes calmly, trying to find the boy through these eyes. Leaving my familiar home, I came here alone. Being bullied, I was powerless. Most of the time, all I could do was cry. Later, I fantasized that if I had a brother who accompanied me to school, would I not be bullied? He would definitely chase away the kids who bullied me and called me a cripple. He would definitely hold me in his arms and coax me softly, “Miranda, it’s fine. You’re not a little cripple. You’re an angel…” Then he actually showed up. Francis appeared in my life. After seeing my wrist bleeding from being hit with a stone, he rushed over and chased away those kids. Then, he pushed me back to his home and took out a small first aid kit to disinfect me. Somehow, I looked at his serious profile, and all the grievances that I had accumulated burst out. I kept crying like a wounded little animal. He didn’t mind my noise but just reached out and touched my head. “You feel wronged, right? “It’s okay. Mom said that girls are made of water. Cry if you feel wronged. I won’t laugh at you. “I will be your brother from now on. If you are in danger, call me and I will protect you from being bullied.” I believed that. I also believed him. Unfortunately, it was a mistake. ***** After searching for a long time, I still couldn’t find what I was looking for in him. I smiled with relief, and the tears began to fall. I looked up at the sky and forced the tears back. “Francis Earwood, are you questioning me? “But didn’t you propose to go there with her?” It was the first time that Francis heard me call his name in such a distant way. Every time I saw him, I always smiled, but now I looked indifferent. And even my eyes seemed like I was looking at a stranger. No, not even as good as a stranger. He was a little uncomfortable. “You never called me so distantly…” These words drifted away in the wind. I pretended not to hear anything. Things on Twitter were escalating. My phone had been completely compromised. Gladys, who couldn’t contact me, came to my house directly and saw me eating instant noodles alone. “Well, where are your servants?” I pointed to a room where people were packing up things. “I fired a few and asked the rest to help pack. “After all, it’s almost time, and I have to prepare in advance.” Gladys nodded and returned to the original topic. “Don’t worry about these bad things for now. I have asked my sister for help with the disputes on the Internet.” She took my instant noodle and pushed it away with a look of disgust. “Today is your birthday. No matter how anxious you are to leave, don’t forget your birthday.” “Leaving what?” Two men’s voices were heard behind us. Jeremy and Francis walked to the table with a look of confusion on their faces.
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