Chapter 1

“Gabrielle, what are you doing? Smile.”

Her stepbrother, Chris, wrapped his arm around Gabrielle’s shoulder. Gabrielle pressed her lips together. The touch of his skin made her shiver.

It was the day the shares of the company, which had been nearly ruined for years, were finally listed. The banquet hall was crowded with people she didn’t even know, and Chris, the company’s CEO, was the busiest, greeting guests.

Gabrielle regretted coming here, tricked by her mother’s words. She had returned home, hoping to get back the money her mother had taken under the pretense of living expenses. But that was a mistake. Chris dragged her to the dressing room and salon, and she was changed into a flashy, revealing dress.

Originally, Chris’s real sister Angela was supposed to be his partner, but she had gotten drunk on strong liquor the night before and passed out, so Gabrielle was brought instead.

“All your sisters are beautiful.”

“Thank you. This is Gabrielle, you’re seeing her for the first time, right?”

Men approached, openly scanning Gabrielle, who stood awkwardly.

Red hair and hazel eyes. Not a striking beauty, but undeniably lovely. Her large eyes, slightly frightened, made her look like an innocent rabbit, and her small nose and full lips made one want to step onto fresh snow, stirring desire.

“Yes. I was really shocked. How did you hide such a beautiful sister all this time?”

It was an unpleasant, snake-like interest. Gabrielle wanted to leave the banquet hall right away.

Chris and the men talked as if haggling over merchandise, with Gabrielle kept close by.

Gabrielle wasn’t stupid. She could guess what those glances and conversations meant.

The way they looked her over was surely to judge her value. For Chris, the most effective way to expand his business and strengthen ties was a marriage of convenience.

Gabrielle forced a bitter smile. But things wouldn’t go as Chris intended. A woman who had already broken off an engagement once would always be seen as flawed.

Just then—

As Gabrielle was lost in self-mockery, she suddenly spotted someone in the bustling crowd. At first, she thought she was mistaken and rubbed her eyes. That figure disappeared the moment she blinked.

“I’d like to go to the powder room.”

With a pale face, Gabrielle spoke to Chris.

“It’ll only take a moment.”

“No—”

Chris frowned, about to refuse firmly.

“Your eye makeup is smudged. When did you rub your eyes?”

“…”

“Go quickly. The person I want to introduce you to hasn’t arrived yet.”

Clicking his tongue, he replied irritably. Gabrielle nodded and quickly left the banquet hall, clutching her pouch tightly as if it were a lifeline. She hurried away, almost running, but her body swayed.

Unaccustomed to high heels, her ankle twisted and she collapsed.

“Ah!”

Gabrielle groaned, grabbing her ankle. The pain was so intense that tears welled up. Then, without a sound, someone approached and stopped in front of her.

“Gabrielle.”

Immaculate, neat shoes. Gabrielle held her breath and slowly looked up.

Hair like birch trees in the snow, eyes as yellow as a wild beast’s.

A man whose features were as neat as ever stood before her. He reached out his hand and gently asked,

“Are you alright?”

She thought nothing had changed, but now she noticed one thing was different. He wasn’t someone who usually spoke so informally. Even at their closest, he had always been polite.

When they parted, he was even colder. It was as if he had thrown her from the height of summer into the depths of winter. That chill had made Gabrielle shiver for a long time.

And even now.

“Gabrielle.”

He called her again, but Gabrielle didn’t answer. Limping, she got up and brushed past him, pretending nothing was wrong. A low sigh followed behind her. She tried her best to walk away, but his long strides caught up in just a few steps.

Before she could feel helpless, he bent down. He wrapped his arms around her knees and shoulders and lifted her easily. She struggled only for a moment, surprised, then thrashed in his arms as her view flipped upside down.

“Put me down.”

“It’ll just be a moment.”

“Let me go!”

The more she struggled to free herself, the tighter his large hands held her. Gabrielle, panting, was about to call for help when the man stopped and set her down on a plush couch in the retiring room.

He drew the curtain behind her, then knelt and placed Gabrielle’s foot on his knee, removing her shoe. His touch was careful, as if handling fragile glasswork.

Gabrielle, her face pale, glared at him as if chewing him out.

“What are you doing? Why are you here?”

“I invested in your stepbrother.”

Her twisted ankle was already swollen. His gentle hands caressed her ankle.

Seeing him look at her with such concern, as if he were the one hurt, Gabrielle was at a loss.

“This isn’t a coincidence, is it?”

“Well, what do you think?”

“Bastard.”

The curse slipped out instantly. No matter how rough things got, no matter what terrible things happened, even after betrayal, she had never spoken like this before. Once she started, the words poured out like a flood.

“Rotten jerk. Damn you.”

Hot tears ran down her cheeks. Without even trying to wipe them away, Gabrielle glared at the man, her eyes bloodshot from burst vessels.

“You should’ve just died. Why did you come back?”

He should have died. The memory of her, abandoned by her fiancé and driven to desperate measures, overlapped with his calm appearance before her.

“Even if you didn’t die, you should’ve lived as if you were dead. You should never have shown up in front of me again!”

He silently looked up at her. Even as she poured out harsh criticism and curses, he gazed at her quietly, like a priest looking at a sacred object. Out of breath from all the shouting, Gabrielle panted, and he reached out to wipe away the tears on her chin.

“I did die once.”

“What…?”

His voice was calm, almost resigned. Gabrielle, repeating his words, shook off his hand.

“But I came back from hell.”

He bowed his head, pressing his forehead to her knee.

“To see you, Gabrielle.”

His damp breath warmed her knee like gentle water. Gabrielle barely held back the sob rising in her throat.

* * *

When poverty walks in through the door, love escapes out the window.

Gabrielle’s parents were the embodiment of that saying. They met at an orphanage, relied on each other, and married, but happiness didn’t last.

When Gabrielle was born, another mouth to feed, her father quit his office job and started manual labor for higher pay.

At first, things were fine. The wife cared for her tired husband, who came home exhausted every day. But happiness built on cracked glass didn’t last.

Day after day, her father grew worn out from waking at dawn and returning after sunset, and his irritation increased.

“What’s this mess in the house, Sabrina?”

“I’ll clean it soon. Leave it.”

“Couldn’t you at least make a decent dinner?”

“I’ve been looking after the child all day, I’m tired too!”

Her mother was just as exhausted, spending all day caring for Gabrielle and doing housework. The two of them fought loudly, often enough for the neighbors to intervene.

During the shouting and harsh words, Gabrielle would crawl under the bed, eyes shut and ears covered, waiting for the fight to end.

“If you hadn’t gotten pregnant so soon, I wouldn’t have had to quit my good job!”

“Ridiculous! Did I have the baby alone? Alone? Why blame me for your struggles?”

“Let’s just end this, end it! To hell with it!”

The sound of breaking dishes, doors slamming, sobbing.

Only after everything ended would Gabrielle crawl out from under the bed and look for her mother.

“Mom.”

“Hic… Gabby.”

Sabrina, eyes red from crying, grabbed Gabrielle’s shoulders. Gabrielle winced at the strong grip, but her mother ignored it, needing reassurance from her daughter.

“You’re all I have. You’re everything, understand?”

“Yes.”

“If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t live like this. You must never abandon me.”

Her mother’s bloodshot eyes glistened. Gabrielle nodded, feeling a chill.

“Yes, I understand.”

“My good girl.”

Sabrina hugged her daughter tighter, almost suffocating her.

In the end, when Gabrielle turned ten, her parents divorced.

Her mother, Sabrina, took Gabrielle with her. Soon after, Sabrina remarried and started a new family, giving Gabrielle a new sister and brother.

“Let’s get along, Gabrielle.”

“I’m so happy to have a little sister.”

“These are Chris and Angela. Be close with them, Gabby. We’re family now.”

The hopeful beginning didn’t last. Gabrielle became increasingly isolated in her new home. She was left out of spring boat rides and summer trips to the beach. Even at family dinners, she sat at the end, unable to join the conversation.

Sabrina, now devoted to her new husband and stepchildren, neglected Gabrielle. When her husband’s business faltered and money became tight, Sabrina told her daughter first.

“Your school fees are too much. You’ll have to quit. Even your brother’s and sister’s study abroad funds are a burden.”