Days had passed…
Jinny had been ignoring Ran since the day she caught him having sex with another woman. He had lied. All his sweet words, all his promises—nothing but lies.
Wait for the right time?
No. There was no right time.
To him, she was just a toy—something to entertain him, a mere pastime. That painful truth finally sank in: Ran would never truly care for her. He would never take her seriously.
He had tried to talk to her whenever he got the chance, but she refused to listen. She shut him out completely—closing her ears, closing her heart.
It hurt. It hurt so much.
First, it was Matias. And now, Ran.
Was it something in their blood? The way they broke a woman's heart so easily… the way they lied over and over again?
She told him to leave her alone—to never approach her again.
Ran got furious. He cursed at her, throwing harsh words her way. She cried, but she stood firm. She wouldn't fall into the trap of his adopted brothers ever again.
After that, Ran stopped approaching her.
But then, Shuu started.
Day after day, he kept pestering her. Finally, she confronted him, telling him that no matter what he did, she would never fall for their lies again.
Shuu denied everything, but she refused to believe him.
Still, he continued to approach her. She let him talk and talk, but she never listened. And whenever she had the chance, she ran—away from the brothers.
Jinny closed the book she was reading.
She was now standing on the balcony. It was Saturday, and her class wouldn't start until 3 p.m. She glanced at the time.
Nine in the morning.
She sighed. Bored.
The mansion felt unusually quiet. Her mom had gone shopping, her uncles were at work, and her brothers were out as well.
With nothing else to do, she went back to her room and took a bath.
She decided to go for a walk.
She wore a simple carnation-pink T-shirt with a cat face printed at the center, paired with white denim shorts. She slipped into her soft pink-and-white rubber shoes, tied her hair up, and put on her wireless earbuds.
Once ready, she stepped outside and began walking.
She inhaled deeply, letting the fresh air fill her lungs.
So peaceful.
This was what it felt like when no one was bothering you.
Soon, she reached the center of the city. She watched people passing by—some ordering food from stalls, others eating, some waiting for taxis, and students chatting happily with their friends.
She stopped in front of a cake shop, her eyes fixed on a slice of cheesecake displayed inside.
"It looks delicious…" she murmured.
Without hesitation, she went in and ordered a slice of cheesecake and a lychee fruit tea. She chose a table outside, scrolling through her phone while waiting for her order.
Opening her messages, she noticed an announcement in their class group chat.
"Exchange student program?" she read aloud.
The school was looking for five students to join the program. All expenses would be covered by the Fuentebella Organization—tuition, allowance, travel costs, document fees, and even boarding.
She carefully read through the requirements.
Then she paused, thinking deeply.
After a moment, she called her mom.
.
.
At home…
When Kaye heard about her daughter's plans, she immediately headed home to see her and talk things through.
"Are you really sure?" she asked.
They were seated in the living room.
Jinny nodded firmly. "Yes, Mom. I want to apply. This will be a good experience for me. I'll learn so much by being in a different place. I want to understand other cultures and ways of living."
Kaye frowned slightly. "But you'll be alone there. What if I ask your brothers to go with you? They can protect you while you're abroad."
"Please don't, Mom," Jinny said gently. "I don't want to bother them. Besides, they won't like it. I'll be fine, really. I'll be with four other students, so I won't be alone."
Kaye let out a quiet sigh as she glanced at the school announcement on her tablet.
Spain.
Her gaze lingered on the screen. If needed, she could always ask her husbands to arrange someone to discreetly keep an eye on Jinny—to make sure she stayed safe.
"All right," she finally said. "If that's what you truly want."
Jinny's face lit up. She smiled and wrapped her arms tightly around her mother.
"Thank you, Mom."
.
.
When Jinny arrived at school, she immediately went to the office handling the application process for the exchange program. Because she was the adopted daughter of a Fuentebella, everything was processed quickly.
She held her approved documents in her hands, her heart racing with excitement.
The program would begin next week.
She still had so many things to prepare—clothes to pack, documents to organize—but none of it felt like a burden.
She was too excited.
Finally…
She would be far away from her brothers.