Chapter 11 "Yes!" my dad replied firmly. "Great," I said, my gaze unwavering. "I'll leave for abroad right now. Please help me with the paperwork, and while you're at it, let Leila know to pick me up." My dad froze again, stumbling over his words. "That... might not be ideal. Maybe we should discuss it with Leila first? Wait until she wakes up...' >> I smiled, picked up my suitcase, and waved goodbye. No one followed me. The two of them just stood there, ashamed and helpless, watching me walk away. After enrolling at Crownridge University, I worked harder than ever. I wanted to become a strong, independent woman standing at the top of the world, not the desperate heiress I used to be. In my second year, Shane came to the capital to meet a client and decided to visit me. The first thing he did was complain. "Leila has completely lost her mind abroad. She has gone wild!" I asked what happened. He hesitated for a long time before gritting his teeth and saying that Leila had picked up all the worst habits overseas-gambling, drugs, drinking, and everything in between. Our parents had already flown abroad to drag her back home. I simply smiled and said nothing. That winter, just before New Year's, my parents finally returned with Leila. She had fallen completely, irredeemably, into ruin. Of course, she had always been rotten. She'd just been better at hiding it before. Living overseas with no restrictions and unlimited money to spend, Leila embraced a reckless, indulgent lifestyle without limits. When she came back, she showed no remorse. She continued partying day and night, eventually clashing fiercely with my parents. One night, my mom suddenly video-called me. 1/3 I nad gotten up to use the bathroom anu diswered it by chance. On the other end, my mom looked disheveled, her hair a mess, her cheeks swollen, and her eyes filled with despair and exhaustion. "What happened?" I asked. She broke into tears immediately. "Your sister snuck out in the middle of the night to party with seven or eight men... it was so disgusting. I dragged her home, and she hit me! Look at my face!" Her face was so swollen it bordered on comical. I said nothing. Wiping her tears, my mom lamented in a trembling voice, "Your dad's on a business trip, your brother's tied up at the company, and I can't control your sister on my own. God must be punishing me! "We should never have spoiled your sister. I thought she was just mischievous, but I didn't realize she was selfish, stubborn, and completely incorrigible..." She had a lot to vent about. But I was too tired. As she kept talking, I dozed off. Half-asleep, I vaguely heard her sobbing and stammering an apology. "Carol... are you asleep? I want to say... I'm so sorry...' I turned over and ended the call. I found her too noisy. ܙܙ While Leila was wreaking havoc at home, turning it into complete chaos, I was soaring at the country's top university. I became my professor's star student. My name appeared in numerous academic journals. I spoke confidently at prestigious conferences. By my senior year, I became a rising star, admired and celebrated by everyone. To my surprise, my parents and Shane had been keeping tabs on me all along. They frequently checked on my progress and often sent messages to praise me, calling me the pride of the Lowe family. I never replied. That same year, my dad fell ill, reportedly due to extreme anger. He coughed up blood, leaving him in critical condition. 2/3 +25 Bonus My mom and Shane begged me repeatedly to come home, saying my dad wanted to see me. It happened to be during my holiday, but I had plans to visit the coast. While passing through my hometown, I decided to make a quick visit. When I entered the villa, my mom didn't even mention my dad. Instead, she eagerly pulled me upstairs to the third floor. "What's going on?" I asked. She didn't answer, just tugged me along until we reached the largest, most spacious room. Smiling brightly, she said, "Sweetheart, look! We've completely redone this room. Everything has been replaced. Do you like it?" The room had indeed been transformed, looking brand new. Even the panda plush was gone. I wasn't interested in looking around. Instead, I asked her, "Leila doesn't live here any more?" At the mention of Leila, my mom's expression darkened, her eyes clouded with anger. "Live here? Why would she? She's not even my real daughter. She doesn't deserve it." Her words caught me off guard, but I wasn't particularly invested in the topic. My thoughts were elsewhere.