Sheena felt a surge of anger that she couldn’t suppress. Her voice turned sharp as she retorted, "Being forced to act as a scapegoat and take her punishment—am I supposed to be grateful for that?"
Hearing this, Travis raised his voice as well. "Jasmin didn’t do it on purpose! And besides, it’s just a trip to the Wilson family. What’s the big deal?"
"If it’s no big deal, then why can’t Jasmin go herself?" Sheena clapped back.
Travis fell silent, his face growing even darker. "You’re being unreasonable. There’s no point in talking to you anymore!"
In the end, Sheena returned to her room alone.
Calling it a "room" was generous—it was worse than the servants’ quarters.
Compared to Jasmin’s bright and spacious princess-style bedroom, hers was a stark contrast.
She stayed in a damp, dark basement, surrounded by cement walls with no windows. The bathroom was so far away that every night, she had to carry a flashlight and nervously traverse a long, unlit hallway just to relieve herself.
Because her swollen ankle hurt so much, Sheena walked slowly all the way back to her small bed, and only then did she finally wipe away all the tears from her face.
In the dim light, Sheena carefully packed up everything in her room.
When she was done, she realized just how little she owned: a few pieces of clothing, a handful of books, a family photo, and a necklace.
The family photo was taken before Jasmin came to live with them. Her parents had brought her and Stephen to a sunflower garden for the photo. In it, Sheena’s small figure nestled in her mother’s arms, her tiny hands tightly wrapped around her mother’s neck, radiating deep attachment.
Her father stood to the side with his usual stern expression. Stephen, however, smiled with arched brows, posing like a knight protecting her. His right hand, half-hidden, was cheekily tugging at the corner of her dress.
It was the only thing Sheena had taken with her when she was sent to the countryside.
For years, this photo had been her token, the proof she clung to in order to convince herself that her parents and brother still loved her. Someday, they would be a happy family again, just like in that picture.
But now, that dream was utterly shattered.
Sheena took the photo out of its frame, ripped it into tiny pieces, and tossed them into the trash.