Chapter 9 My wedding day arrived, and no one from my family graced the occasion. Word reached me that Brent's stroke had left him partially paralyzed. Fiona juggled his care, her days blurred by exhaustion and tears. Andrea cited her packed exhibition schedule as an excuse for her absence, never once checking in. My life with Levi unfolded in serene bliss. Then, one day, headlines broke. [Rising Star Andrea Jordan Busted for Plagiarism] [Prodigy Painter Exposed as Copycat] Her acclaimed artworks were blatant rip-offs from an obscure artist who'd finally mustered the courage to expose her. The comments section detonated with insider revelations. [Andrea has been swiping concepts since her college days.] [That's how she snagged all those scholarships.] [And don't get me started on her flings with the professors.] Digging ensued, unearthing more skeletons. During her studies abroad, Andrea had vanished into online gambling dens, squandering scholarships on debts that spiraled out of control. Desperate, she'd traded favors for cash infusions. Ashamed to confess to our parents, she'd manipulated Steven with stories. Oblivious to her vices, Steven had dipped into his pockets repeatedly and finally gotten ensnared in her web. One night, with her face obscured by a mask, Andrea crept into the hospital room. "Mom, cough up whatever cash we've got left. I need it badly," she whispered. Her show had imploded, and sponsors demanded reparations. Now she was a social outcast with no recourse. She could only turn to our parents for help. Fiona, weathered and aged prematurely by strain, dissolved into sobs. "With your dad in this state, we're tapped out. Everything went to you already." Andrea's glare turned vicious. "Then sell the house! Are you hoarding it for Claudia? Don't you give a damn about me?" 1/2 Unbeknownst to her, that house was purchased with my hard-earned savings years back. I owned that property, but I had severed ties, blocking them all. Levi and I had relocated overseas, chasing global expansion for our ventures. In her desperation, Andrea sought help from Steven, whose affluent lifestyle hinged on his family's support. After that scandal, they cut off his pocket money so that he couldn't maintain any ties with her. In a frenzied bid, she brandished a knife at Steven, trying to extort funds from his family, but a slip of the blade turned the threat into injury. Outraged, the Leonardes pressed charges, landing her behind bars. Joyce relayed the saga via messages. I lounged on a beach, absorbing the news. The sun dipped below the horizon in a blaze of crimson and gold. In this reborn existence, I'd finally found my fresh start. The End