After the humiliation at the auction, for the next few days I locked myself in my room, refusing to come out. Tessa Lane came to see me several times, even bringing me my favorite pastries. But I paid her little attention, because I knew Tessa Lane didn't genuinely care about me either. That night, she'd said it herself. To make me stay away from her, she was even willing to jump off a building.
"He's been hiding in his room for days now. We need to figure out a way to lure him out. Otherwise, if this gets to old man Sinclair's ears, it won't be good."
"So annoying. I don't want to go. I need to be with Dylan."
"You think I don't want to be with Dylan? Let's stick to the old rules. Whoever lures Sebastian Sinclair out gets the privilege of finding Dylan."
In the living room, my six foster brides gathered, pushing each other. No one was willing. No one wanted to go upstairs to coax me out.
But what they didn't know was that I'd heard their entire conversation. After accidentally discovering the foster brides' secret last time, I'd secretly installed cameras in every corner of the house. I didn't want to be a fool who knew nothing. I wanted to hear with my own ears how these seven foster brides talked about me behind my back.
"I'm not going," Tessa Lane said angrily. "It's always Elena Monroe who makes him mad, then forces us to go coax him. Why should we? Whoever causes trouble should fix it."
Just then, Elena Monroe's slender figure suddenly appeared on the camera screen.
"You don't need to go," Elena Monroe said coldly. "My man, I'll handle him myself. No need for any of you to bother."
With that, she grabbed a gift box and turned to head upstairs.
I quickly shut off the camera feed, so I didn't see the remaining foster brides, their faces twisted with rage.
"She's way too arrogant." Grace Chen clenched her fists. "Sebastian hasn't even chosen her yet. What right does she have to call Sebastian her man?"
Hearing this, Tessa Lane laughed bitterly. "What difference does it make? Sebastian's definitely going to choose her anyway. We're all just background characters."
I'd clearly locked my door, but Elena Monroe still opened it effortlessly.
"Get out. I don't want to see you," I said coldly. "And by the way, a locked door means rejection. It means I don't want you coming in. If you're going to pick a lock, don't do it so brazenly."
Elena Monroe smiled. "Sorry. I picked up bad habits back when I was wandering the streets."
She said this as she quietly sat down beside me. "Sebastian, I'm actually incredibly grateful your father gave Dylan and me a home. And I'm willing to do anything for you. But the prerequisite is you have to accept Dylan. Dylan is my brother. The only family I have in this world. I won't allow anyone to hurt him. Not even you."
For a moment, I almost believed her. Until she said, "Dylan is my brother."
Brother. Siblings who kiss each other in the garden. She was nothing but a liar.
"So you're saying even if we get married someday, you'll always put Dylan Monroe first?" I asked with a laugh.
"That's right," Elena Monroe admitted without hesitation. "Dylan will always be my top priority. But after we're married, I'll also do as old man Sinclair requires. Put you first, love you forever, protect you. I won't let you feel even a hint of sadness."
I kept smiling, but my eyes burned with unshed tears. Elena Monroe, you say you won't let me feel even a hint of sadness. But do you know all my sadness comes from you?
I'd always been noble. I'd endured humiliation before because of love. But now, hearing this woman's lies, I couldn't take it anymore.
"Your precious brother is nothing but a manipulative pretty boy who's bewitched his sister. What right does he have to compare to me?"
After hearing my words, Elena Monroe's expression changed dramatically. She'd been in my room less than five minutes when a call from Dylan Monroe pulled her away.
Before leaving, Elena Monroe left behind a gift box. Inside was a brand new Rolex watch. The watch was quite valuable, but clearly couldn't compare to End of Time.
Everything was exactly as Elena Monroe had promised. She would accommodate me, but Dylan Monroe would forever be her top priority, and I could only come second.
I glanced at the gift box, then threw it in the trash without hesitation. My woman had to put me first in everything. If I could only come second, then I didn't need this woman.
Soon enough, my birthday arrived. This was my twenty-first birthday. Old man Sinclair had said that on my twenty-first birthday, he would announce who my future wife would be. So this birthday party was extravagantly grand. All of the capital's elite attended. I'd had an expensive suit custom made in advance. Unfortunately, End of Time had been stolen by Dylan Monroe. Otherwise, it would have matched this suit perfectly.
Just then, a servant suddenly knocked and entered, holding an exquisite gift box.
"Mr. Sinclair, I was sent by Miss Winston," the servant said respectfully. "Miss Winston heard you lost the watch at auction and were quite upset. So she specially had another one made for you, carved from blood-red diamonds."
As the servant spoke, he opened the gift box. Inside the box glittered the deep red diamond surface, making everything around it immediately lose its luster.
"Blood-red diamonds are the most precious," the servant continued. "This watch is called One and Only Immortal. Miss Winston says blue diamonds are an impure color. Red diamonds are the true royalty."
A rare smile crossed my face. I fastened One and Only Immortal around my wrist. An aura of nobility immediately radiated from me. How could marriage be the same no matter who you chose? In that moment, I was infinitely grateful I'd chosen Olivia Winston.