Kieran looked at her, and their eyes met. The cold indifference in L''s eyes sent a jolt through his heart.


    "L." He reached out to grasp L as though she would disappear forever.


    "


    "L, Kieran didn''t know. When all of this happened, he was still very young," Jasmine exined as she approached. "All of this is my fault. I''m the one who wronged you."


    They hadn''t been married for long, and she couldn''t bear for the adults'' past mistakes to create distance between them now.


    "He truly loves you. Marrying you was something he begged for. If you hold a grudge, me me instead. Can the two of you stay together, please?"


    L raised a hand to cover her eyes, suppressing the pain welling up inside her.


    After a moment, she looked at Jasmine, this aunt who bore a resemnce to her mother. This woman she had once regarded as a mother figure turned out to be the person responsible for her parents'' deaths.


    How ridiculous.


    "Why? Why did you protect that murderer?" L''s eyes reddened, though she stubbornly refused to let her tears fall.


    Jasmine lowered her gaze and said, "After my husband passed away, the Lloyd Group that he founded merged with Morgan Group, and James went to work in Morgan Group.


    "That''s how he met your parents. James was ambitious and wanted to be the one in power. However, due to a misjudgement of market trends, thepany suffered a huge loss."


    She exined slowly, seemingly uncovering the painful memories she had buried.


    "Because of this, the shareholders demanded that James step down. Morgan Group was already in turmoil, but he refused to give up. Out of desperation, he threatened your father to hand over the Morgan Group''s core technology.


    "But he underestimated your father''s loyalty. Your father knew that if Morgan Group broke their promise and went bankrupt, it would cause a disaster."


    Lughed bitterly as tears began streaming down her face.


    "So, he killed my father. At the time, Morgan Group was already unstable. If news of the internal struggle that caused my parents'' deaths had spread, thepany''s reputation would have been ruined."


    She looked at Jasmine and then at Amelie. "To protect Morgan Group, you all epted the story that my parents'' deaths were an ident, even though you knew who the murderer was."


    "You even had evidence, didn''t you?" L recalled the files she had found in the safe in the study of the Morgan residence.


    "The deaths of my parents and theter leak of Morgan Group''s core technology were treated as separate incidents. No one suspected a connection between them. And then the Morgan family adopted me to stop people from talking, right?"


    Her voice wasn''t loud, but in the small hospital room, every word could clearly be heard.


    "L," Amelie said, choking back sobs. "The Morgan family has wronged you, but over the years, we''ve truly loved and cared for you.


    It wasn''t just out of guilt. Every single one of us sees you as family."


    L looked at her, a bitter smile tugging at her lips. "And what about my parents? Did they deserve to die in vain?"


    Taking a step back, she demanded, "Killing someone is a crime. Why does James get to walk free?"


    "L, it''s the Morgan family''s fault. It''s my fault."


    "Will apologizing bring my parents back to life?" L suddenly raised her voice.


    The air in the room felt suffocating, making her feel as if she couldn''t breathe, and that staying any longer would kill her.


    She turned and headed for the door.


    "L, are you going to leave your grandmother behind?" Amelie called out behind her.


    L paused briefly, but then quickly continued walking and left. As if a beast were chasing her, she hurried away.


    Amelie cried, "This is all the Morgan family''s fault!"


    Jasmine stood silently with her head lowered. She should never have married into the Lloyd family back then.


    Kieran took a step forward, as if to follow L, but stopped midway.


    "Back then, did James only want the Morgan Group?"


    Jasmine nced at him briefly before turning away. "Go after L. Don''t let her be alone."


    James had wanted the Morgan Group. He had also wanted her.


    Even while L''s parents were still alive Jasmine''s rtionship with James had been strained. Ancrafter James orchestrated their deaths, the twopletely severed ties.


    For the sake of the Morgan family, she had kept the truth hidden, using the evidence to force James to leave.


    But she hadn''t expected him to return.


    L''s footsteps crunched on the thinyer of snow. On this night of family reunions, she wandered outside by herself.


    Kieran''s car followed behind her, but she didn''t stop walking.


    Her mind was a chaotic mess,


    memories shing randomly with et


    scenes of her childhood with her


    parents a warm, happy family of three.