Chapter 1

A day before the dance competition, Natalie Carter was dragged into the alley by a group of thugs. She was covered in blood by the time she was rescued. In the end, she was diagnosed with severely deformed and twisted legs and permanent deafness in her left ear, and she would need to live with a catheter for the rest of her life. Natalie would never be able to dance again. Jayden Carter, her older brother who loved her dearly, flew into a rage and swore that he would make them pay. Logan Hall, her fiancé, who pampered her the most, was heartbroken and immediately called in the world's best medical team to treat her. But on the third day, while Natalie was pushing her wheelchair around the corner of the stairs, she overheard their conversation. "Are you crazy? We only agreed to make Natalie miss the competition, but now she has to live with a catheter forever!" It was Logan's voice. Before Natalie could make sense of what they meant by "making her miss the competition", the next moment, Jayden's voice came through the smoke. "Those thugs really went too far, but wasn't the result just great? This time, Clara will definitely win the competition!" "But—" Jayden said, "There's nothing to think about. Natalie's been spoiled since she was young. I'm her biological older brother, and you're her fiancé. Her early life was carefree with the both of us protecting her—she won't suffer even if she has ended up crippled in her later years. "But it's different for Clara—she's just an adopted daughter who's had to live cautiously since she was a child. "She's now set on winning that dance championship, but Natalie is too outstanding—she's a hindrance. Clara has no other choice but to rely on me. I can't let anyone get in her way. Jayden continued, "We're best friends, Logan. Our bond should be strong enough to withstand any woman who comes between us. "I know you like Natalie and are about to marry her, but didn't you also promise me that you wouldn't let your feelings for her mess with Clara's future?" Logan stayed silent for the longest time. Eventually, he sighed as if he were convincing himself. "Alright. The pain has been keeping Natalie awake every night. You should get the doctors to give her the best painkillers." The two of them put out their cigarettes and walked away. The silence around Natalie was deafening, and all she could hear was the sound of her own heart pounding loudly. It turned out her running into the thugs in the alley hadn't been a coincidence—it was a carefully planned trap. And the masterminds behind everything were the two people she trusted the most. Natalie parted her lips to scream or cry, yet despite all the rage and despair, all that came out was a soft, helpless whimper. Before today, she'd been comforting herself that everything was okay even after she'd gone through such a painful ordeal. After all, she still had her brother and fiancé—the two people who loved her the most. But now, they were saying that Natalie's painful ordeal—one that had left her with a battered mind and body—was all thanks to them. Her eyes were brimming with tears as she sat trembling in her wheelchair. She almost passed out from the pain. She couldn't understand how everything came to this. Natalie used to be the pride of the Carter family. Jayden had raised her like a precious gem, never once willing to speak harshly to her. Meanwhile, Logan had spoiled her endlessly, telling her that he wouldn't marry unless it was to her. She'd lived like a rose in a greenhouse—delicate and full of innocent faith that someone would always be there to protect her from the harsh realities of the world. Everything had changed when she was 14. That was the year her parents had brought Clara Johnson, the only daughter of their good friend who'd passed away, to their home. The thin and petite girl, dressed in a washed-out dress, had stood in the Carters' living room with her head hung low. She'd softly greeted her, "Hi, Natalie." Natalie had even clipped her favorite hairpin onto Clara's hair naively. She never imagined that her shy and delicate-looking younger sister would one day become the biggest heartbreak of her life. It had started with small things. Clara had broken the antique vase that Zoey Glimmer, Natalie's mother, had left behind. Yet, she'd tearfully accused Natalie of breaking it. She'd lost Natalie's competition pass but pouted and claimed that it was by accident. And every time, Jayden would frown and tell Natalie not to make a fuss. Meanwhile, Logan would rub his temples and sigh, telling her that Clara didn't do it on purpose and asking her to be patient with the latter. However, things had only gotten worse. After Natalie had stayed up late preparing for a competition, the award had ended up going to Clara. Natalie had worked tirelessly for a solo dance performance, but Clara had been the one standing beneath the spotlight. Natalie could only helplessly watch as everything that once belonged to her gradually slipped into Clara's hands. She'd even ironically thought that she just wasn't good enough. But only today did Natalie start to realize the truth. Everything she'd cherished had been carefully handed over to Clara by the two people she'd trusted the most. Her excellence was a mistake, and her talent was a crime. She was born to pave the way for Clara as her stepping stone. However, Logan was Natalie's fiancé, and Jayden was her own older brother. Clara was nothing more than an adopted daughter. They'd become her only support after her parents passed away. But now, they were the ones who crushed her with their own hands. Now that everything had turned out like this for her, Natalie didn't know what her reason for living was anymore. She was in a daze as she pushed her wheelchair with trembling hands. Just as she'd made up her mind to push herself and the wheelchair off the staircase, her phone suddenly rang. An unknown number appeared on the screen. Natalie let it ring for a while before finally accepting the call. "Hello?" "Hello, Ms. Carter." A gentle male voice came from the other end of the line. "I'm calling from Nova Medical Research Institute." "Yes?" "We've heard about the accidents you've been through." The man softly asked, "Would you be willing to become one of our test subjects?" Natalie laughed until tears rolled down her cheeks. "Am I not miserable enough now?" "No. Our new drug can give you a second chance at life," the man replied. "What?" "Bone regeneration, hearing restoration, and even—" the man paused before continuing, "the opportunity to be on stage again." Natalie's heart skipped a beat. "Why me?" "That's because…" the man fell silent before gritting out, "only those who've been completely shattered are worth getting a rebirth." Natalie froze, finally stopping herself from pushing her wheelchair. She numbly looked out the window, where the sun shone brightly, making her tear up. After a while, she gripped her phone and replied, "Alright, I'll do it!"