4 Chapter 1 My breath caught in my throat . Like a madwoman , I dragged my weak , tired body downstairs . And there she was . Penny , sitting on the sofa . She was toying with the photograph . When she saw me , a defiant smirk twisted her lips . " Look what I found . " " The great Rosalie's one weakness . " My hands clenched into fists . I fought to suppress the murderous rage boiling inside me . " You've already won everything . Why are you still wasting your time on a dying woman ? " Penny blinked innocently . " I have to make sure you die for good this time . " With that , she took out a lighter and set the corner of our family portrait on fire . The flickering flames danced across her pretty face , twisting her features into the mask of a demon . " You should have just died sooner , you know ? I had Malmo pretend to be in a coma for three years because of you . " " Your idiot brother is completely devoted to me . Once you're gone , the Sterling family fortune will be all mine . " Perhaps it was a final burst of energy before death , a last flicker of a dying flame . I moved faster than I thought possible , lunging at her , grabbing her hair , and slamming her head against the floor . Penny , not expecting me to have any strength left , screamed , her face contorting with fear . " How dare you touch me ! Adrian will never forgive you for this ! " I looked at the photograph , now half - consumed by flames , and a grim , cold smile spread across my face . " It's true , I'm dying . But before I go ... how about I drag you down to hell with me ? " Ignoring her terrified screams , I took the lighter and set her hair ablaze . Penny scrambled away , shrieking and batting at the flames , fumbling for her phone to call Adrian for help . I watched the chaos unfold , laughing until tears streamed down my face . But what I didn't know , what neither of us knew , was that Penny was pregnant . And in the struggle , she lost the baby . It was the first time I had ever seen Adrian on the verge of tears . He looked like he wanted to kill me , but instead , he just dragged me to the family hall of ancestors . " Tell me , " Adrian's voice was shaking uncontrollably . " Why did you go after Penny and the baby ? " I placed the half - burnt photograph in front of him . " She burned this . " Suddenly , Adrian snapped . He snatched the remaining half of the photo and ripped it to shreds . 14 44 " Stop lying ! " he roared , his face contorted with rage and disappointment . It was the same look he'd given me years ago when Pen- ny had her accident and he refused to believe my innocence . " Someone like you doesn't have a shred of family feeling left in your heart ! " 1444 Chapter 1 " I've known it all along . You wanted the family fortune all to yourself . When you realized you couldn't get rid of me , you decided to make sure I'd never have an heir . " " I'm done giving you chances . " He let go , and a single sheet of paper fluttered down in front of me . The disownment papers . " From this day on , we are no longer family . We split the inheritance , fifty - fifty . " I stared at him , numb , and asked , my voice barely a whisper , " You know the price of this , don't you ? " Adrian refused to look at me . He knelt ramrod - straight before our parents ' memorial tablets and , in a loud , clear voice , declared for all to hear : " The Sterling family creed is absolute . Those who break the bonds of family must endure the ninety - nine lashes ! " " And I have summoned the witnesses ." His voice cracked for a moment before he continued . " As for your ninety - nine ... I will take sixty - six of them for you . Consider it repa- yment for our childhood . " The pain in my heart was so intense it was a physical thing , but I let none of it show on my face . My body was failing , but I forced myself into a posture of pure , biting contempt . " Fine by me . I couldn't be happier . " The barbed whip fell . By the tenth lash , I couldn't hold on anymore . My vision swam with red . A pain unlike anything I'd ever known ripped a sob from my throat , and I found myself crying out for our parents . In the room next to me , Adrian remained silent . He took his hundred lashes without making a sound . When the punishment was over , he limped to the doorway to look at me . He was silhouetted against the light , so he couldn't see the blood streaming from my eyes , nose , and mouth . A sudden , disdainful scoff broke the silence . * Stop faking it , Rosalie . I've fought you for three years , and you've always bounced back . Thirty - three lashes ? That's nothing more than a scratch to you . " " I'm leaving . Good luck . " I didn't even have the strength to give him the finger . And then , the pain vanished . In my fading vision , I saw Mom and Dad , smiling at me . At the same time , Adrian stepped outside , just in time to see Penny being forced into a police car .