Two years after I was sent to the mountains, I learned my lesson.

Two years ago, Jessica threw a fit and tried to end her life. That’s why my adoptive brother sent me deep into the remote mountains.

Two years later, I was finally allowed to come home.

And I had completely gotten over Liam.

But no one believed me. Their eyes were full of suspicion.

“That’s your sister’s fiancé. Do you want to harm your sister and make her try to kill herself again? How could you be so vicious?”

“The Carters kindly adopted you, but they raised an ungrateful monster. Why didn’t you just die in those mountains?”

“Alice, you don’t deserve to live!”

Listening to their barrage of insults, I clutched Pippin to my chest and said nothing.

But later, Pippin, who had been with me all this time, suddenly went missing.

My already frayed nerves finally snapped. I collapsed to my knees, begging them to give my dog back.

“Please, I won’t fight with my sister. I don’t like Liam anymore. Can you please give me my dog back?”

My frantic, deranged state didn’t seem like an act, and finally, no one doubted me anymore.

Liam pulled me into a tight, heartbroken embrace, his voice trembling: “Alice, don’t cry.”

“From now on, I’ll be your Pippin, okay?”

But Liam, I don’t need you anymore. I just want my Pippin.

…

As soon as I came down from the mountains, reporters swarmed me.

Their eyes were filled with scorn, as if I had committed some unforgivable crime.

“How dare that ungrateful wretch even show her face?”

“Weren’t there any widowers in those mountains? Why didn’t one marry her and beat her to death? Or let her die in childbirth?”

“At the very least, a car crash on the way back would have been a public service!”