Back then in Maple Ridge only two people had opposed Wade Harlan marrying Lily Thompson.
One was Lily Thompson herself. The other was her younger sister, Aunt Claire.
Lily had never liked Wade Harlan. The man was arrogant, greedy, and lazy. Yet his family was well-off and had the whole village's backing. Even Lily's parents demanded she marry him—it was a sure-win deal for the entire family.
Everything seemed inevitable: parental orders, the matchmaker's words. Only Aunt Claire cared about her sister's feelings. Only she stood by her.
Wade Harlan loved stirring up drama and spreading gossip. A few words from him easily whipped up public pressure. Soon the village was full of talk about how Lily didn't know a good thing when she saw it, and the rumor traveled through every loose tongue.
Inside and out they pressed Lily to give in—until Julian Shaw stepped into Maple Ridge.
Julian was an ordinary, unknown painter. He had come to the village to sketch. He set up his easel by the mountain stream, capturing the beautiful landscape, and that was exactly when he met Lily, who was hiding from the villagers' gossip.
Lily had finished junior high and even passed the exam for a city college. But the moment Wade set eyes on her, her parents stopped her schooling and pushed her to marry early so they could collect the bride price they had been eyeing for so long.
A girl who had tasted modern education could never be content to marry young and spend her whole life trapped in the village.
She voluntarily took on the household chores—watering the fields, chopping firewood—just to escape into the mountains every day and avoid the noise at home and outside. That was how she gradually fell in love with Julian from the city.
Running away was a bold decision, especially for Lily who had only just come of age. Fortunately she hadn't chosen wrong. Leaving Maple Ridge and stepping into the outside world, she truly lived a time filled with laughter.
Julian's hometown was just a small sixth-tier city, but it was far more advanced than Maple Ridge back then. The two of them built a warm, lovely little home. During those years of mutual respect and harmony they brought a lovely daughter into the world. Everything was heading in a good direction.
But fate is cruel. A sudden fire easily destroyed their originally peaceful, beautiful life. At the time Evelyn was not even two years old, and Lily was in poor health. How could a widowed mother and orphan survive…
Returning to Maple Ridge sounded insane, but it became the woman's only option. After she had run away, Wade had spread even worse rumors in the village. The day she returned she faced the scorn of the entire place.
The days that followed were naturally miserable. Her parents had passed away less than two years after her elopement, and the villagers naturally piled that guilt onto her. Already seriously ill, the woman lived under constant gloom and soon left the world as well.
In the end the household was left with only Aunt Claire, her husband, and a little girl who was just learning to talk.
Lily's death meant the village's malice landed on the little girl exactly as expected. A child still learning the world faced humanity's hostility far too soon.
Even before she could understand the adults' words, she could clearly feel the outside world's hatred toward her.
Bastard. Spawn. Curse… Faced with those vicious tones and contemptuous looks, the little girl could only shrink deeper into her family's arms. At that time Aunt Claire had already become her only support.
After Aunt Claire, the second adult Evelyn ever saw smile at her was Laura Miller. Laura had just been diagnosed as unable to have children. After careful consideration, she and her husband decided to adopt her.
But after some attentive care, less than a year after Evelyn was adopted, Laura became pregnant.
The day Noah was born he cried for a long time, heart-wrenching sobs that no one could soothe—until the five-year-old sister took him into her arms. His first smile belonged to her.
Sister was also the first clear word he ever spoke. That obsessive love had planted its seed right then.
…
"Now your sister has told you everything."
"Eve, when you were little… you went through so much." Noah's lashes lowered, a touch of sadness in his voice. "That Wade guy is absolute scum. He deserves to be dead."
"Your sister doesn't care anymore. Your sister isn't afraid. Nate isn't allowed to do anything dangerous."
"Don't worry. I'm not some reckless little kid."
"You punched him straight in the face. How is that not reckless? What if you got hurt?"
"He… he had such a filthy mouth, cursing you right in front of me. How was I supposed to hold back?"
Evelyn smiled gently and stroked the boy's hair. "Silly boy. Now you're the one protecting your sister."
"Of course. I'm supposed to protect you."
"Good, good. From now on you can protect your sister." Evelyn felt the warmth of the boy's body against her palm. The air carried his faint sunny scent.
"Nate, hug your sister."
"Mmm…"
The weight on her thigh lifted. In the darkness a figure sat up. After a few seconds of silence, the familiar slender body wrapped around her, gently tugging up the slipping collar of her shirt to cover the faint white strap beneath and block the generous stretch of exposed skin.
His breathing was right by her ear, so close, urgent and warm. Evelyn held him, using every inch of her body to feel his presence.
Loving someone is painful and agonizing, especially when you've held on for twenty full years. She had fallen for him when he was still innocently unaware. She had waited until he grew up to speak those feelings aloud.
This love would continue for a very long time—from a single moment to eternity, from one leaf to the whole autumn.
He was her everything, and he was worth every sacrifice.
Evelyn kicked off her cotton slippers, wrapped her arms around the boy's body, and lay down on her side. She pulled the blanket over them both. "Tonight… sleep with your sister."
"Mmm. Together."
She brushed the stray hair from Noah's forehead and pressed a gentle kiss there. Darkness flooded over them like a tide. She guided the boy's head against her chest, the soft, snowy curve pressing to his cheek so she could feel his warm, steady breaths.
She really loved him too much. She wanted to crush him into her body, to own every single thread of him—blood and sin be damned. She had never been a good person.
"Nate."
"Hm?"
"From now on you're not allowed to call me with just one word. You have to say it properly."
"Got it… sister."
A few soft, enchanting laughs brushed Noah's ear. The woman pulled him even closer. "Good night, Nate."
"Good night, sister."
The faint sounds in the darkness gradually quieted. The night grew thicker. All the lights outside the window went dark. The figures fell asleep. The embrace slowly loosened. In the moonlight a slender silhouette rose.
The short-sleeve top slipped off. She put on the plain white dress. The door opened and closed.
Anyone who hurts you must pay the price…