Chapter 3: Birthday Confessions

3

On my eighteenth birthday, to get back at Lillian for taking Dad away, I decided to slip something into Caleb’s drink.

When he was dazed, I climbed onto his bed.

Just like the villainess in a novel, I called Dad at the height of Caleb’s confusion.

When Dad burst in, he saw a man desperately holding me in his arms.

I can’t remember how that night ended.

I only remember that the next day, a clear slap mark was still visible on Caleb’s pale face, and he limped as he came downstairs.

I glanced once, but didn’t dare look again.

The injury on his leg was from Dad, who’d hit him in a panic. The mark on his face… was from Lillian herself.

“That night, my prank went too far. I wanted to hurt Lillian, but all I did was break Caleb. The next morning, he wouldn’t even look at me.”

“I’ll move out.”

At breakfast, Caleb bowed deeply to Dad. “Thank you for taking care of my mother, and… I’m very sorry.”

I chewed my toast mechanically, the taste of milk lingering, but my heart felt pricked by needles—painful and numb. The kitchen clock ticked in the silence, and the orange juice in my glass trembled with my shaking hands.

After Caleb left, Dad, who’d never spoken harshly to me, scolded me for the first time.

Usually quick to talk back, I said nothing.

But instead of the satisfaction I expected from revenge, I was left with nothing but guilt and confusion I didn’t want to admit.

Everyone knew that night was just a prank by me, the overbearing young lady.

But from start to finish, Caleb never defended himself—not a single word.

Nor did Lillian.

Remembering this, I couldn’t help clenching my fists. My palms ached from the pressure, like I could squeeze out the guilt that haunted me.

“Go to bed early,” Caleb said, changing the subject. “We’ve got that country club thing tomorrow night. If you stay up late, you’ll be miserable.”

Just as I was about to reply, the chat bubbles above Caleb’s head surged:

[Tomorrow, the girl will meet that male lead—dazzling as the sun, sharp and explosive!]

[Don’t go to the banquet, girl! I still want more of this fake sibling romance with our boy!]

[Damn author, I even spent my snack money tipping you. Can’t you change the plot, sob sob?]

[Sigh, if only the girl would listen to us readers, she’d live a long, happy life with the second male lead.]

[But I think the girl doesn’t hate the second male lead anymore. Maybe she’s interested? Or am I just imagining things?]

[I also… thought the girl had finally awakened. Maybe I’m hallucinating from food poisoning.]

[Girl, if you’re being held hostage by the author, blink twice!]

I blinked hard.

No response from the live comments.

I blinked again, rapidly.

Before I could check for a reaction, Caleb strode over, leaned down, and asked softly, “What’s wrong with your eyes?”

I made up an excuse. “Maybe something got in them.”

Caleb instinctively reached out his right hand, but before he touched my face, he slowly lowered it again.

“Try rinsing them with water.”

A thought struck me. I leaned close to his hand. “Then you wash them for me, okay?”

I pouted. “Look, my nails are so long. If I poke my eye, it’ll hurt.”

Caleb looked startled. “You never liked me touching you before.”

“That was before.”

I grinned, pulling his hand over. His hand was slender and cool. “I’ve changed now.”

This time, I clearly saw the live comments go wild.