Weathered by time, the old mansion stood solemn, its gray bricks exuding an air of poignancy. In the yard, a few old trees swayed in the cold wind, with white blossoms scattered amongst the branches like silent sighs.

Ian and Henry walked into the house, followed by a string of household staff carrying boxes of various sizes. Christopher and Anna were already waiting for them in the living room. When they saw the two men, they forced out a weak smile.

"Mom, Dad," Ian greeted lowly, his voice heavy.

Anna nodded in return. Her gaze lingered on the boxes behind them. Her eyes were red. "And so this day comes again… It's been so many years. We still don't know where she is or if she's doing well.

"Why can't we find her? We've been searching for so many years. Where is my daughter? Could it be… that she's no longer alive?"

"No!" Ian's head snapped up. "She's definitely still alive. I wil

The auction hall was dazzling with lights, the crystal chandeliers refracting a brilliant glow that illuminated the room. Filled with jewelry and art pieces, the whole place sparkled with a mesmerizing radiance.

Henry sat below the stage, his gaze fixed on an emerald necklace. Every translucent gemstone on the necklace shone brightly, almost enough to reflect the deepest desires of the human heart.

"5 million dollars," he bid, raising his paddle. His voice was low yet firm.

Beside him, Ian muttered, "Henry, this is the 72nd piece you've bid on. Are you really going to buy so many?"

Henry's gaze did not waver from the necklace. "She deserves the best," he said stubbornly. "We owe her a lot over these past few years, so we need to compensate her tenfold. Besides, you bought just as many items."

Ian turned to the towering pile of purchases beside him and smiled. "You're right. She's my

Although her wound had been treated, Ruby still couldn't sleep at night due to the pain.

Unable to fall asleep, she decided to get up and pack her belongings.

That night, she cleared out everything related to Henry—dozens of gifts that she had sent but were returned, the scarf she had knitted by hand, the medicine she had bought for him…

She put them all in a cardboard box and threw them out.

Henry came back just then. When he saw the box, he froze. "What are you doing now?"

Ruby wiped the sweat from her brow. "Just throwing out things that I don't need," she said, her voice weak.

Henry's expression changed, a sudden irritation rising in his heart.

He attributed this emotion to his anger at Ruby for causing Cecelia to faint. His voice turned even colder. "This is my last warning. Don't ever hurt Cecelia again, or you'll face the consequences!"

Consequences? What consequences?

Being thrown into prison and tortured to death?

She'd already faced that once.

Lowering her head, Ruby looked at the wounds on her body and forced out her answer softly, "I won't do that ever again."

With that, she turned to go back to her room, but Henry stopped her. 

"Wait. Do you have a birthmark?"

Ruby paused. She turned and stared at him quietly for a moment before answering coldly, "No."

That birthmark was the last proof of her connection with the Daltons.

It had been burned off in the fire.

Hearing this, Henry let out a sigh of relief.

He knew it—he must have been mistaken last night.

How could Ruby be Ian's long-lost sister?

It would've been too coincidental.

The next day, Ruby was awoken by noises downstairs.

As soon as she opened the door, she heard the butler, Matthew Heath, lecturing the household staff. "Today is not an ordinary day. Be mindful of what you do if you don't want to get in trouble."

One of the new housekeepers, Mary Smith, asked curiously, "What's so special about today?"

"Today is the anniversary of the day young Ms. Dalton went missing. Mr. Spencer and Mr. Dalton are always in a bad mood every day on this day."

Hearing that, Mary was even more confused. "Then what's with all these presents?"

"Young Ms. Dalton has been missing for over ten years. Mr. Spencer and Mr. Dalton haven't gotten over her disappearance yet. They prepare gifts for her on every special occasion and send them to the old Dalton residence on this day."

"The old Dalton residence?"

"Yes. Ever since they lost their daughter, the Daltons were so heartbroken that they moved out, unable to bear seeing traces of her all over the mansion. Now, only everything related to the young Ms. Dalton is left in the mansion. They're all waiting for her return so that they can make it up to her."

Hearing this, everyone sighed, moved by the Daltons' love for their lost daughter and Henry's unwavering devotion.

Ruby just listened to the conversation quietly, mockery flashing in her eyes.

After her morning ablutions, she went to the laboratory. On her way home, she bought herself a birthday cake.

When she returned, she got some candles and stuck them into the cake. Just as she closed her eyes to make a wish, an angry voice sounded behind her.

"Didn't I say that no celebrations are allowed in this house today?" Henry demanded. "How dare you celebrate your birthday?"

Ian strode forward, picked up the cake, and threw it at her. "How could you throw a party on the day my sister went missing, Ruby Lynch? How could you be so despicable?" he asked coldly.

Ruby's mind churned with memories as she stared at the ruined cake.

When she was seven, she had gotten lost and was taken in by Emma Lynch.

Traumatized, she had developed a high fever and forgotten everything—her name, her family, and even her birthday.

Because of that, Emma chose the day she found her as her birthday.

14 years passed. Until now, she still didn't know when her real birthday was.

And now, even the only day she could commemorate her existence was taken from her.

Ruby smiled silently and raised her hand to wipe off the frosting on her face, her expression blank.

Without a word, she turned and went back to her room.

Before she closed the door, she heard Ian's voice, slightly choked with emotion. "If my sister were still here, she would have turned 21 this year too."

Henry's eyes dimmed. "We will find her."

Ruby couldn't help curling her lips in a smile that didn't reach her eyes.

No, they wouldn't.

Soon, they would find out that the person they had spent years yearning for was right in front of them.

But they would never find her again.

From this moment on, she would disappear from their world for good.

Right before Henry and Ian left with their gifts, Ruby came out of her room with the suitcase she had finished packing long ago.

She placed the DNA test report on the table. "Ruby Lynch and Ian Dalton are confirmed to be biologically related" was written clearly on it.

Then, with her suitcase, she left the villa.

She never looked back.

Weathered by time, the old mansion stood solemn, its gray bricks exuding an air of poignancy. In the yard, a few old trees swayed in the cold wind, with white blossoms scattered amongst the branches like silent sighs.

Ian and Henry walked into the house, followed by a string of household staff carrying boxes of various sizes. Christopher and Anna were already waiting for them in the living room. When they saw the two men, they forced out a weak smile.

"Mom, Dad," Ian greeted lowly, his voice heavy.

Anna nodded in return. Her gaze lingered on the boxes behind them. Her eyes were red. "And so this day comes again… It's been so many years. We still don't know where she is or if she's doing well.

"Why can't we find her? We've been searching for so many years. Where is my daughter? Could it be… that she's no longer alive?"

"No!" Ian's head snapped up. "She's definitely still alive. I will find her!" he said stubbornly.

Henry stood beside them, his gaze heavy on the gift boxes. Complex

Chapter 10