Don’t Tell Him About Me

The year was 1983. The sun had set. It was dark outside. Only one dim light was in the Foster family’s living room. “Dad, Mom, I’m willing to live abroad with you.” When they heard their daughter’s words through the phone, Philip York and Angela York were moved to tears of excitement. Chapter 1 The year was 1983. The sun had set. It was dark outside. Only one dim light was in the Foster family’s living room. “Dad, Mom, I’m willing to live abroad with you.” When they heard their daughter’s words through the phone, Philip York and Angela York were moved to tears of excitement. “That’s great, Joy. If it weren’t for that earthquake, we wouldn’t have been separated for so many years. We never abandoned you on purpose, really. We’ll come pick you up right now.” When she heard her biological parents weeping, Joy Foster felt her heart clench in pain. She sucked in a deep breath to calm herself down. “Give me another two weeks. I still need to take care of some matters here. Once I’m done, I’ll go over to where you two are and keep you company.” Her parents seemed to have been reminded of something. “You’re right. How silly of us. No matter what, the Foster family took care of you for years. I heard that your adopted brother has always doted on you, so you do need to say goodbye to them properly.” At the mention of Samuel Foster, Joy stiffened for a moment, and her heart was filled with pain. When she was six, there was a huge earthquake, and she was separated from her parents. In the end, the government had the Foster family adopt her. The Foster family was wealthy, powerful, and had a long history. Even though they took her in, her adoptive parents were busy with work and seldom paid attention to her. Hence, instead of saying that her adopted parents brought her up, it would be more accurate to say that Samuel was the one who took care of her. When she was seven, she was terrified of thunder, so he would hold and coax her to sleep by singing her lullabies. When she was ten, she wanted her classmates’ snacks and toys. He had bought out the store beside the school to spoil her rotten. She was the object of everyone’s envy. When she was fourteen, she had her period. He taught her the knowledge of menstruation and took care of her when she had a stomachache. He gave her everything she wanted, like hair clips, shoes, clothes, phonographs, and cars. Everyone who knew him would tease him by saying that he was an overprotective brother and no one could possibly marry her in the future. At that time, he simply laughed and pulled her into his arms. “If they want to marry my sister, they’ll have to treat her better than I do.” She had buried her face in his arms so he could not see her face turning red. No one knew that Samuel was the person she loved. Since they had kept each other company for so many years, she fell in love with Samuel long ago. But she did not dare confess because she vaguely felt that her love was taboo. That was why she only dared to write down her love for him in her diary or tell Yelena Jones, her best friend, about it. She did not expect Yelena to tell Samuel about it. That night, Samuel suddenly barged into her room and tore her diary to shreds with a dark expression. He then threw the diary at her, and she got a papercut on her face. It hurt her so much that she turned her head to the side. “How could you fall in love with your own brother, Joy?! Have you no shame?!” That was the first time she saw him get so angry, and those words felt like knives stabbing into her heart. As she stared at Samuel dumbly, tears welled in her eyes before falling down soundlessly. Before she could say anything, Samuel left with a slam of the door. After that, Samuel did everything he could to avoid her. If they occasionally met, he looked at her coldly as if she was a stranger. One week later, he announced he would marry Yelena right before everyone. She had not even figured out when they got together when the news dropped on her, and it shocked her so much that her mind went blank. After the party was over, she wanted to get some answers and only saw the usually aloof Samuel pin Yelena against a corner while they made out. That night, she cried until she no longer had any tears left. But she also knew that she would never get answers to certain questions, and there was no longer any need for her to get those answers. At that moment, the Family Reunification Organization came to her and told her that they had relocated her birth parents. After they lost her, her parents had been depressed for a long time. Even after her father was sent to another country to become a diplomat there, they never gave up on looking for her. When they finally received news about her, they were so excited that they nearly fainted. Right then and there, Joy thought that perhaps God had already decided how certain things should end. He had decided that there was no possibility for her to be with Samuel, and he had also decided that all the years she spent at the Foster family was just a nice dream. It was time for her life to return to its original track. Hence, she made her decision to return to her family and also give up on the love she had for Samuel. The next day, Joy went downstairs early. When her adopted parents happily beckoned her over for breakfast, she smiled sweetly and obediently and went to sit with them. Then, she told them that her birth parents had found her and that she had decided to leave the country to return to their side. When Martha Foster, Joy’s adopted mother, heard this, she grabbed her hand. Her voice was filled with happiness for Joy, but it was also laced with a hint of reluctance to let her go because she did not know when they would get to meet again. “This is great, Joy. I’m glad that you found your real family. By the way, have you told Samuel about this?” Joy was stunned. Should she tell Samuel about it? As of that moment, he was focused entirely on Yelena. Even if she did not tell him, it did not matter. “What are you going to tell me?” She heard his cold voice behind him. Joy whipped her head around to see Samuel standing at the door. He looked incredibly handsome and tall. Chapter 2 Right when Martha wanted to say something, Joy suddenly changed the topic. “It’s nothing. Welcome back, Sammy.” When he heard the nickname Joy had not used for him for years, Samuel froze for a moment before he gave her a meaningful look. When had Joy stopped calling him Sammy? Was it since she was eighteen, fifteen, or earlier? When she stopped, he thought she had grown up and no longer wanted to be close to him, only to learn later that it was because she had fallen in love with him. But she was calling him Sammy again. Samuel stared at her for a long time with a profound look in his eyes. Something about Joy seemed to have changed. After some time, he looked down and went over to put the gifts he had brought on the table. He said, “Dad, Mom, these are Yelena’s gifts. She said it’s just a small gesture from her, and she hopes that you’d like them.” Martha beamed at that. “Of course I’d love them. Yelena always gives us great gifts. Have you thanked her for us?” Francis Foster also stood up, and a smile appeared on his usually stern face. “Samuel, when you visit Yelena’s family next, bring them the can of Earl Grey tea leaves in the cupboard.” Francis and Martha were always satisfied with Yelena being Samuel’s fiancee. Once they got excited talking about her, they started talking nonstop about asking Yelena’s parents to come over when Samuel was free during the weekend. It was clear that they wanted to talk about their wedding. Joy just sat where she was and observed them quietly. Loneliness bloomed in her, and she dug her nails into her palms, but soon, she unfurled her fists. At that time, she could clearly sense once again that she was the outsider in the situation. But she would never have to feel frustrated anymore. With that thought in mind, she calmly got up and went to her room. Samuel heard the sound of her getting up. He looked up in the midst of talking to his parents, but all he saw was Joy vanishing behind her door. Was he imagining things? Ever since he came back, Joy had only spoken to him once. That was highly unusual for her. … That afternoon, Joy decided to go to the immigration department to get her visa. When she went downstairs, she saw Yelena sitting beside Samuel. He was peeling an orange for her while smiling. Samuel deftly peeled the orange, then peeled off the white bits on it before delivering a segment to Yelena’s lips. Yelena’s cheeks slowly turned red. She gave him a look before she obediently bit down on the orange in his hands. Samuel chuckled and took a piece of tissue from the tissue box beside him before dabbing it against Yelena’s mouth. “Was it sweet?” Yelena nodded. She picked up a segment of the orange and gave it to him. “Why don’t you try it too?” As she watched them flirt, Joy quietly turned away and wanted to head out. “Joy!” Suddenly, Yelena called out to her. When she turned around, she saw her beckon her over. “Samuel is on break today, and we decided to go play at the park. Would you like to join us?” Joy shook her head. “I don’t want to bother you on your date.” Yelena smiled. “You’re my sister-in-law. You wouldn’t be a bother.” She stressed the word “sister-in-law” as if she were reminding Joy of her status. If she heard that word in the past, Joy would feel like a hand squeezing down on her heart, and it would hurt so much that she could not breathe. But at present, he only treated Samuel as her brother, so her heart was as calm as a lake. “I have certain things to take care of. I’ll join you next time.” When she heard Joy refuse her again, Yelena’s smile instantly stiffened, and her voice trembled with sadness. “Joy, are you blaming me for stealing your brother from you? Is that why you won’t join us on our outing?” Samuel hurriedly hugged Yelena and frowned. “I’ve always liked you. How can you say that you stole me?” Those romantic words made Yelena’s ears turn red, and she punched him in the chest. He just chuckled and hugged her before kissing her crown. “If she doesn’t want to go, let her be.” Joy smiled. Yes. That was indeed the case. In the future, they were also going to go their separate ways. She politely bade them goodbye and headed out. Chapter 3 Once she was done applying for her visa, Joy walked out of the immigration department and headed to her dance troupe. One wall of the leader’s office was filled with the dance troupe’s achievements and photos. Joy touched them with great sentiment. She did not want to leave. She once thought she would spend her entire life in this dance troupe, but who would have expected her to leave so suddenly? “Joy.” Helen Quinn, the leader, came in and patted her shoulder. As she stared at Helen, she was reminded that Helen had guided her for ten years. Her reluctance to part filled her heart again, but she barely managed to suppress it. She clenched her fists and sucked in a deep breath. “Helen, I’m resigning. My birth parents found me, and I’d like to live with them abroad.” Helen’s eyes flew wide open. Her surprise was quickly replaced by happiness. She was delighted for Joy. “That’s great. Are you going to keep dancing after you leave?” Helen had watched as Joy turned from a timid and shy girl into an elegant woman. She also knew just how much effort Joy put into dancing. Dancing was the one thing that let Joy show herself off and gain confidence, so she did not want Joy to give up dancing. Joy looked at the photos of the dancers dancing. Determination shone in her eyes. With a faint smile, she nodded. “Dancing has always been my dream. I won’t just give up on it. In the future, I’ll continue dancing.” Helen nodded. She had always admired Joy’s determination. That was why she was willing to give Joy the troupe’s lead dancer position and wanted to make her take over in the future. But fate had thrown a wrench into her plans. Joy was going to resign to reunite with her parents. Helen could not say no to that, but she still asked tentatively, “Are you leaving right away? The dance you choreographed for a year is about to debut. You’ve spent so much effort and time on it. You should show it on stage at least once.” Joy nodded. “I’ve already talked to my parents. Once I’m done tying up loose ends here, I’ll go to them. I still have half a month before I leave. It’s enough time for me to perform the dance.” Helen felt at ease then. She patted Joy’s shoulder. They then chatted a little more before Joy went to the studio to dance. Joy grabbed her bag and headed home when the sun had long since set. When she pushed the door open, Yelena was still around. After listening in on the conversation, she realized they were talking about her wedding dress and jewelry. “Martha, I’m feeling a little overwhelmed from all the dresses and jewelry. I want Joy to help me make a decision. No matter what, we’ve been best friends for years. She knows what I like too.” When Yelena said those things, Joy stepped into the house. Martha quickly beckoned her over. “Joy, Yelena is having some trouble with this. Why don’t you help her pick what she’ll need for her wedding?” Joy stared at Yelena. She was smiling, but when she met her gaze, her smile revealed provocation. Joy looked down. After some thought, she still decided to say no. “Sorry, I’m not free. I still have something to do at the dance troupe.” She only had half a month left and was about to perform. Before she left, she still had plenty of loose ends to tie up. She was not lying when she said she did not have time to help Yelena. But right after she said those things, the atmosphere turned gloomy. Samuel glared at Joy, and his gaze was cold. “Your best friend is about to get married. Can’t you set aside your own things? It’s settled. You’re helping Yelena, and I’ll apply for leave on your behalf tomorrow!” If he was going to force her to take leave on the excuse that he was her guardian, then she had no right to refuse. Joy gave a wry smile and said nothing else. Over the next few days, Joy set aside everything else and helped Yelena choose the things she wanted for her wedding. Originally, she thought Yelena only needed to pick her stuff from the department store. But Yelena brought her from the south of the city to the north, and she kept asking Joy’s opinions on everything, from her wedding dress to her hair accessories. Whenever Joy asked her to ask Samuel, she would pout. “Why should I ask Samuel? He’s a man. Aside from giving me money, he knows nothing about such things. You’re the one who understands me. “When I asked him to help me pick our wedding rings, he delivered the entire shelf of wedding rings to my house and asked me to pick one.” While Yelena tried the various hair accessories in front of the mirror, she kept complaining. It was evident that she was boasting. Joy just listened in silence and did not react as she expected. Yelena bit her lip. Right when she was about to say something, she saw Samuel from her peripheral vision, and she cried out in delight, “Samuel, you’re here!” Joy looked up and saw Yelena run over to throw herself into Samuel’s arms. She kissed his chin sweetly. Samuel patted her hair and said dotingly, “Didn’t you say you were going to the church in the suburbs to pray? I applied for half a day’s leave to pick you up.” They whispered to each other for a little longer before Yelena blushed and buried her face in his arms. Suddenly, she remembered something and grabbed Joy’s hand. “Joy has been keeping me company over the past few days. Why don’t we go together?” Samuel did not even look at Joy. He just picked up the stuff Yelena bought and headed out. “We’ll do whatever you want.” Chapter 4 Church bells rang in the distance. The fog gradually disappeared to reveal the church in the mountains. Joy ducked her head to look at the stone path underneath her feet as she continued upward. “What’s this?” Suddenly, a voice interrupted her thoughts. She looked up and saw Yelena standing before a tree as she observed the prayer ribbons tied on it. “May Joy always be happy and successful in life. Samuel. “May Joy always be successful and be filled with hope. Samuel. “May Joy be blessed, and may no misfortune befall her. May the people she meet be kind. Samuel. “May Joy always be safe.” Yelena kept reading, and her jealousy grew. As Joy stared at the prayer ribbons, her composure cracked, and her thoughts drifted. Due to the earthquake, she had always been sickly and often fell ill. In order for her to get better sooner, Samuel came over to the church every week to hang prayer ribbons for her so that she would be safe. She never expected Samuel to have tied so many prayer ribbons to the tree over the years. The ribbons were still on the tree, but things would no longer be the way they were between her and Samuel. “Your relationship is so good. It makes me feel like I’m a third wheel.” Yelena stopped reading. With a long face, she turned around to leave. Samuel hurriedly grabbed her and patiently tried to calm her down. “Don’t get angry now. You’re not a third wheel. You’re my wife, and she’s just my sister. If you don’t like it, I’ll have someone remove the ribbons.” With that said, Samuel had the church attendant remove all the ribbons on the tree. The ribbons were removed one by one and stepped all over. They were stained with mud. Soon, new ribbons were tied to the tree, all containing Samuel’s love for Yelena. Yelena finally smiled, and she gave Joy a smug look, but she pretended to be worried. “Won’t Joy be mad if you do this?” Samuel just smiled. “My sister can’t possibly be more important than my wife. You’re not mad at me anymore, are you?” Perhaps Yelena was happy because of what Samuel did because she stuck herself to Samuel’s side when they returned to the city. Joy sat in the back with her eyes shut. Just when she wanted to rest, the car suddenly sped up. She opened her eyes and wanted to ask what had happened when she suddenly heard a loud bang. The car suddenly broke down, breaking through the barricade before spinning a few times. In the end, it got stuck in the mountain valley. Her head was slammed back against her seat, and it knocked her out. When she regained consciousness, she found that she was pinned to her seat. A tree branch had stabbed through her arm, and blood was flowing everywhere. To her side was Yelena, who was unconscious. She seemed to be fine and had just fainted from shock. Samuel reacted quickly. He first broke the car window and climbed out. After staggering a few steps, he finally regained his footsteps. After looking at the pained Joy and the unconscious Yelena, he hesitated for a moment before he picked Yelena up. “I’ll leave with Yelena first and have someone pick you up later.” Then, he did not even look at Joy anymore. With Yelena on his back, he hurriedly left out of worry about anything happening to her. When he gave up on her, Joy told herself that she would never cry for him again and only live for herself. But when she was pinned in the car and trapped in an empty mountain valley, she could not help but remember the earthquake all those years ago. At that time, she was also trapped under debris. She was alone in the dark underground with nothing else around her. She had been trapped for three days and three nights, and she cried for the exact same amount of time. Later on, the Foster family took her in, and she dreamed about that night every day. Then, she would wrap herself up in her blanket while crying so hard that she trembled. At that time, Samuel would always rush into her room and hug her tight. “Don’t be scared. I’m here. I won’t let you get hurt anymore.” But at that very moment, she could only watch him as he left. In the end, he vanished from her sight. More blood showed up on her arm. As the sun set and the seconds trickled by, Samuel did not come back to pick her up. With a bitter smile, she used the last shred of her strength and climbed out of the car regardless of the pain. Then, she gritted her teeth and pulled the tree branch from her arm. Finally, she started crawling out. She did not know how long she spent crawling. Her blood mixed with her tears, but in the end, she managed to crawl to the road before she fainted. When she woke up, Joy found herself in a hospital bed, and her arm was wrapped up in thick bandages. The last thing she remembered was a kind passerby picking her up and sending her to the hospital. Up to that point in time, Samuel never visited her. The nurse told her that he was taking care of Yelena. Yelena was only mildly injured, but he had reserved an entire floor for her to rest. He even had specialists take care of her. Once she heard this, Joy instinctively looked at her bandaged arm and remembered how she was hospitalized for a minor cold in the past as well. Just like how he was doing with Yelena at the moment, Samuel had made it seem like Joy was terminally sick and asked many doctors to examine her. He also stayed by her side at all times and even pushed back the time for him to return to his duties. Tears fell from her eyes and wet the pillow. Many of her friends came to pick her up on the day she was discharged. Among them was a boy who was once her admirer. When she saw the flowers in front of her, Joy instinctively wanted to reject them, but the boy interrupted her with a stammer, “J-Joy, you don’t have to read too much into this. These flowers are to congratulate you for being discharged. I know that you’re about to leave soon, and I want you to live your life well from now on.” Joy was stunned momentarily before she thanked him and took the flowers. But right when she turned around, she saw Samuel standing at the hospital entrance. He seldom got mad, but his expression was dark at the moment. He glared at the flowers in her hands coldly before he left. Joy was surprised and a little puzzled. She could not understand why he was angry, but she did not think too much about it. Once she got home, she put the flowers into a vase. Suddenly, someone knocked on her door. While using the wall as her support, she walked over to open the door to see a well-defined face. Samuel! Ever since he learned of her feelings, their relationship had become sour, and Samuel never came to visit her again. Why was he here? When she was about to ask, Samuel hugged her. The sudden action made her stagger backward and they fell on the couch in her room. She smelled the scent of alcohol from him and wanted to avoid him, but Samuel grabbed her chin and kissed her! Chapter 5 Joy’s mind went blank. During that time, Samuel deepened the kiss, and he called out a name hoarsely, “Yelena…” So, he was drunk and thought she was Yelena? Joy snapped out of her daze and hurriedly shoved Samuel off of her before she ran out. Fortunately, he did not chase after her. The next day, after Joy left the guest room, she saw Samuel approach her with a scowl. “Why was I in your room?” The impatience and suspicion in his voice made her pause. When she saw that he did not remember anything that had happened last night, Joy wanted to tell him, but Samuel interrupted her coldly, “Did you get me inside? Joy, I already told you that it’s impossible between us. Besides, I’m about to get married. Haven’t you given up?” Joy was stunned before she ducked her head and said nothing. There was no need for it. Her love for him was a crime. To him, no matter what she did, she was in the wrong. When he saw her tear up and say nothing, Samuel’s breathing deepened for a bit. He wanted to go over when a gentle voice called out from outside. “Samuel!” Yelena walked in. Just as she was about to throw herself into his arms, she suddenly saw something, and her smile froze. “Why is your lip broken?” He instinctively touched his lip before he gave Joy a meaningful look. In the end, he said, “It’s nothing. A mosquito might have bitten me.” Then, Joy no longer had any time to talk with Samuel alone. He was busy with Yelena while she was busy practicing. One day, while she was repeatedly practicing a difficult move, Helen suddenly brought Samuel and Yelena over. “Everyone, please stop for a moment. I’d like to introduce you to Yelena Jones. She’s a dancer Mr. Foster brought over. Please welcome her.” While everyone clapped, Helen looked at Joy, who stood at the outermost layer of the crowd and said, “Joy, you’re the lead dancer. Please teach Yelena.” After the introductions, Helen respectfully brought Samuel and Yelena over for registration. The moment the doors swung shut, the dancers started talking. “Didn’t Yelena audition for our dance troupe in the past and failed? Heh. She’s really Mr. Foster’s fiancee, alright. With just a word from him, she managed to join.” “To think that we fought tooth and nail to get into the dance troupe. We really can’t compare to her.” Those words of jealousy kept spilling out of the dancers. In the distance was Joy, who was sitting cross-legged on the floor. She looked into her own reflection, and her mind drifted for a moment. No one else knew Samuel more than she did. He was an aloof man with principles, and he cared about obeying rules the most. Even though he was a man of great power, he never abused it before. For the first time ever, he had made an exception for Yelena. By the looks of it, he really loved her. From then on, Yelena joined the dance troupe, and Joy became her instructor. Due to Helen’s instructions, Joy taught Yelena seriously, but Yelena refused to listen. Not only was she not serious when learning how to dance, but she looked for all sorts of excuses every day to not join practice so that she could leave early. On one instance, before Joy could stop her, Yelena disappeared, so she could only call out to her through the window, only to see Samuel pick her up. They shared a deep kiss before they went into the car. Joy did not stare at them for long. She calmly shut the window and continued practicing. Chapter 6 It was late when Joy arrived home, and she immediately saw Samuel standing at the door. His expression was unreadable, but he appeared to have been waiting for her. Just when she walked over and wanted to ask him what he wanted, he demanded coldly, “Joy, could you stop targeting Yelena all the time? If you don’t like her, just say it. Why bully her in the dance studio?” Joy was already tired, and when she heard him say such things, all sorts of complicated emotions surged to her like a tidal wave—sadness, indignity, and resignation. She did not even have to guess; Yelena must have told him an exaggerated account of what had happened. Joy did not offer any other explanation. She just bypassed him and returned to her room. But from then on, Joy was less strict with Yelena. This made Yelena increasingly smug. Every day, she just went to the dance studio to announce her presence before she left. The others were furious and wanted to argue with her, but Joy just grabbed them and shook her head. This was Yelena’s life. She would be forced to quit if she did not pass the dance test. She chose this life, and she had to be responsible for it herself. Besides, Joy did not have the time to continue teaching her. She thought this was the end of the entire thing, but to her surprise, Samuel suddenly approached her and wanted her to let Yelena become the lead dancer of the dance routine. In the beginning, Joy could not register what he said, and the demand only fully sunk in when he repeated it. Then, Joy looked at him with eyes burning with cold fury. “You’re telling me to let her become the main dancer for the dance routine?” She tried her best to control her emotions, but she could not hide the quiver in her voice. Samuel did not notice anything strange about her. He just said coldly, “She’s your sister-in-law. Besides, it’s just the main dancer’s role. It’s not that important.” The main dancer’s role was not that important? At that moment, she could no longer control her own emotions. “Samuel, five years ago, once you noticed that I loved dancing, you hired the best dance instructor for me. “Four years ago, when I returned with the dance champion’s award, you could not sleep for the entire night because you were so excited about celebrating it with me. “Three years ago, when I was ostracized after becoming the lead dancer, you supported me to continue pursuing my dreams and told me to not care about other people’s thoughts. “Now, you’re telling me to let Yelena become the main dancer of the dance routine I choreographed for an entire year! You know exactly what dancing means to me!” She clenched her fists, and her voice was choked up. When he saw the tear-stained face, Samuel felt as if someone had gripped his heart, and memories of a girl jumping and landing repeatedly in a brightly lit dance studio rose to his mind. He clenched his fists, but in the end, he said nothing and left in silence. Chapter 7 Ever since Yelena joined the dance troupe because of Samuel, the troupe had gradually split into two factions. One faction was centered around Joy and worked hard with her as their goal. The other was centered around Yelena and neglected practice. All they thought about was how to get on Yelena’s good side so that she would put in a good word about them in front of Samuel and bring them benefits. The two factions never spoke to each other face-to-face until the end of the practice session today. With a smile, Yelena blocked Joy. “Joy, I don’t understand a certain part. Could you teach me?” When she saw how unusually Yelena was behaving today, Joy instinctively frowned. Just as she was about to say something, one of Yelena’s lackeys suddenly pushed her. “What’s the meaning of this? Yelena is asking you nicely. What’s with your attitude?” The people beside Joy could not stand it, so they stood in front of Yelena. “‘What’s the meaning of this’? I would much rather want to know what Yelena means by this. She had plenty of time to ask during practice, but she didn’t. Instead, she only came over to ask after practice was over! She’s just doing this on purpose!” Joy did not want any conflict to arise from this. She pulled her friend back, but Yelena’s lackeys thought that they were scared and started saying even more demeaning words. “You’re scared of us, aren’t you? I’m telling you now. Yelena is going to be Samuel’s wife very soon. It’s Joy’s honor to be able to teach her!” “That’s right! She’s just an orphan. If she makes Yelena mad, Samuel might just chase her out!” As they spoke, someone threw the first hit, and both factions instantly started fighting against each other. During the chaos, Yelena suddenly arrived beside Joy and shoved her. Joy was standing at the edge of a tall platform. Just as she was about to fall, she grabbed Yelena and dragged her down as well. Both of them fell. Screams erupted everywhere. It was pure chaos. When Samuel rushed over, both of them were about to be pushed into the surgery room. The sight of them covered in blood made his face turn pale, and his usually calm voice was laced with panic. “What’s their situation?” A doctor hurried over. “Mr. Foster, Ms. Foster and Ms. Jones fell from the platform, and their legs were broken. Ms. Foster was pinned under Ms. Jones, so her situation is worse. “We only have one type of special medication to treat broken legs, but Ms. Jones doesn’t need it. Should we—” Before the doctor finished speaking, Samuel interrupted him. “Give it to Yelena!” “But—” “Enough talk! Perform the surgery now!” Joy had woken up right then due to the pain, and she heard his decision. She felt as if a hammer had struck her. He knew just how vital legs were to a dancer. The doctor had even said that Yelena could do without the medicine. She endured the pain and used the last shred of her strength to cry out. She had always been prideful, but at that moment, she pleaded while crying, “Please, Sammy, give me the medication. “I don’t mind if you don’t like me. I don’t care that you left me in the mountain valley for a day and night. You know just how important my legs are to me. I can’t lose them! I want to continue dancing! Dancing is my dream! Please!” In the end, she broke down and started crying. Huge beads of tears fell down her pale cheeks. In the past, no matter how heavily injured Joy was, she never cried, but at the moment, she cried in such despair that it made Samuel clench his fists. He trembled slightly. Just as he was about to speak, Yelena also woke up from the pain. When she remembered the pain that came when she fell, she cried in panic as well. “Samuel, it hurts! My legs hurt… Save me…” At that, Samuel flung Joy’s hand away and hurried over to hold Yelena. “Be good. I’ll have the doctor give you the medication right now.” He no longer hesitated. He urged the doctor to give Yelena the medication. Joy saw all this unfold. She hurriedly pushed herself up to reach out to Yelena so that she could grab the medication. But her broken legs dragged her down and made her unable to move. The cold needle pierced into Yelena’s legs, and Joy could only watch as the medication was injected into her. Chapter 8 Three days later, Joy finally woke up. She saw Samuel waiting by her bed. He was exhausted, and his eyes were bloodshot. When he saw her stir, he tried to help her up with trembling hands, but she avoided him. Samuel’s hands froze in midair. After some time, he finally pulled his hands back. With a hoarse voice, he said, “You can still walk, but you won’t be able to dance again. “If you can’t, then don’t. I’ll take care of you. But Yelena is my fiancee. I can’t just abandon her.” Joy should have felt plenty of things at that moment. She should have been angry, be in despair, be sad, or be in suffering. Perhaps she should have even exploded in fury. But all those emotions were contained in her heart. In the end, only a feeling of helplessness remained. Finally, she said hoarsely and with a choked-up voice, “Please leave.” The ward sank into a long period of silence. Eventually, Samuel got up and told her to rest before he left in silence. When the door fell shut, Joy, who had been silently crying, finally wailed. In the past, she had stayed day and night in the dance studio just to dance. In the past, she had kept on practicing despite the scorching summer. In the past, she swore that she would bring her dance troupe to newer heights. In the past, she said she would keep dancing until the end of her life. But all those things were destroyed because of her injured legs. All her dreams were utterly crushed. Ever since the doctor told Joy that she could no longer dance, Joy gradually turned into a shadow of her former self and was more akin to a walking corpse. She no longer cried or laughed. She only sat in her chair with a blanket over her legs as she stared outside numbly. Then, the day of the dance troupe’s official performance arrived. Despite Martha and Francis trying to stop her, she had someone help her to the performance hall, and she sat at the last row. The lights dimmed. Piano music played. Joy looked to the stage. Yelena wore the dress that was supposed to belong to her and performed the dance she was supposed to do. She received the applause and flowers Joy was supposed to receive. When the curtains fell, everyone stood up and clapped. Samuel even brought flowers up to kiss her. The others stood up and went to praise as well as flatter Yelena. Joy alone sat in her seat while she watched the people move about before they left. After a long period of time passed, she stood up and went on stage. When Samuel saw her, he instinctively stood in front of Yelena. “If you’re angry, come at me. Don’t hurt her.” She only watched him quietly with eyes as dead as still water. Yelena gave Joy a provocative smirk before she tugged at Samuel’s shirt. She pretended to be pitiful and said, “It’s fine, Samuel. No matter what, it’s my fault for stealing her role as the lead dancer and performing the dance she choreographed. It’s only fair for her to be mad.” Joy shook her head. “I’m not angry. I’m here to give you two a gift.” Those words shocked everyone. What gift? “Come with me.” With that said, Joy headed out of the performance hall. Precisely when they exited, fireworks shot to the cry and exploded before falling like rain. They continued exploding and lighting up the sky. Samuel was stunned. The next second, he heard Joy say, “Samuel, do you still remember putting on a fireworks show for me on the day I became the lead dancer? You said that you hoped that my life would continue shining brightly, and that I can live my life as freely as the wind. I’m returning the fireworks show to you. I hope that you can be together forever with my sister-in-law.” When she declared Yelena as her sister-in-law, Samuel widened his eyes and looked over at her instinctively. It was the first time Joy had publicly declared Yelena to be sister-in-law! His heart clenched. Just as he was about to say something, Joy had already turned around and disappeared. Chapter 9 The Foster family was busy preparing for the wedding. It was night, but the house was still brightly lit. Martha had the nanny move the wedding items to the bridal room and decorate it. Joy was upstairs in her room. She only had one lamp lit. She sat on the carpet as she packed the presents Samuel had given her over the years into a box. Samuel had given her a teddy bear as a greeting on the first day she arrived at the Foster family. Back then, she was often too afraid to fall asleep at night. Samuel would sneak into her room. With the teddy bear in hand, he told her bedtime stories and told her that the teddy bear was a part of him. In the future, it would protect her in his place. The dance shoes were a present he got for her as motivation after she decided to learn how to dance. He hired a foreign shoemaker and customized them. He also said he hoped the shoes would shine with her on stage. The crystal shoes were a present he got for her on her eighteenth birthday. He put them on her himself and said that she was finally grown up. Even so, he wished that she would still be close to him. She put the presents away. In the end, she carried the box and went downstairs. It was quiet. The house was filled with wedding decorations, and every corner reminded her that it was about to welcome a new matriarch. Joy stopped looking at the decorations. With the box in hand, she headed outside. Just then, she ran into Samuel, who came back from the Jones family. The sight of the box in her hands made Samuel anxious. He asked, “Where are you going?” “Throwing some unnecessary things away,” Joy said flatly. Then, she bypassed him and headed to the door. “Joy!” He felt his heart clench as he looked at how she moved without hesitation. Ever since the accident, she seemed to have become someone else entirely different. When she learned that she could no longer dance, Samuel thought Joy would kick up a fuss, but she remained so calm that it was nerve-wracking. Joy looked at him. In the next second, he said, “Yelena said that she wants you to be her bridesmaid during the wedding.” Joy’s expression remained flat as she politely replied, “She’s going to be my sister-in-law, not my best friend. There are certain things that are inappropriate for me to do as her sister-in-law, and this is one of them. Have someone else do it.” She no longer spared him another look and headed out. It was not that it was inappropriate for her to be the bridesmaid, but she was going to leave on the day of their wedding. Before the wedding day, Joy met Martha and Francis with a box in hand. She teared up as she looked at the two kind and loving faces. “Dad, Mom, I won’t be attending Sammy’s wedding tomorrow. “My parents have booked a plane ticket for me tomorrow morning. I’m leaving tomorrow.” Martha and Francis exchanged a look before they exclaimed in surprise, “Why so sudden?” Joy shook her head with a smile before she took out a thick envelope from her pocket. She handed it to them. “It’s not sudden. I should have left long ago. Here, I saved some money over the years. It’s enough to pay you back for all the years you took care of me.” It had been fifteen years. Martha and Francis shook their heads and shoved the money back to her. “Don’t be silly, my dear.” But Joy pushed the money back stubbornly. She said, “Please keep it.” Then, she hugged them tightly. When she removed herself from their embrace, she was already crying. “Thanks for taking care of me over the past fifteen years. I will never forget the kindness you’ve shown me. I won’t be able to stay by your side from now on, but I hope that you’ll remain healthy and live long lives.” On the wedding day, Samuel was supposed to head to the church, but he did not move. Instead, he lingered in front of Joy’s door. As he stared at the shut door, Samuel’s heart clenched tightly. He had a feeling that he could not leave. If he did, he would lose something very important to him. “What’s wrong?” When Joy opened the door, she saw Samuel cradling his chest before her room. The indifference and detachment in her eyes made his heart clench again. He took a deep breath and said, “Why don’t you go to church with me?” Joy was stunned. Why should she go to church with him? Even if she went to church, she should be going with Martha and Francis instead. If she went to church with Samuel, she would just end up watching him flirt with Yelena. She instinctively checked her watch. She did not have the time for that, anyway. She shook her head. “I still have some business to attend to. Once I reach the church, I’ll see you there.” Samuel still wanted to say something, but Martha called out to him. “Samuel, hurry up! It’s time for you to go to church!” Despite Joy saying no and Martha as well as Francis telling him to hurry up, Samuel still refused to move. He put a hand on the door. Martha and Francis called out to him again, and he finally squashed down the anxiety in his heart. “Come to me before the wedding starts. I have something to tell you.” Joy said nothing. She just looked down. But Samuel wanted to get confirmation from her. He repeated himself, “It’s really important. You have to come to me!” It seemed like he would not leave unless she said yes, so Joy lied by nodding. “I understand. I will.” The anxiety in Samuel’s heart faded away because of Joy’s words. He let go of the door and left. Joy nodded and watched Samuel go downstairs before getting into his car. Then, everyone else got into their cars. Finally, they left. The entourage of cars grew smaller in her vision before they disappeared. She whispered, “Samuel, I hope you’re happy with your married life. Goodbye.” With that said, she picked up her luggage bag, went downstairs, got out, and headed to the airport. Her steps were firm, and she did not look back.