Chapter 1
Arabella Obelon steadied herself against the wall, pale-faced, as she walked out of the blood draw room. Her arm was covered in needle marks.
This was the third time this month they'd taken her blood. Even the healthiest body couldn't hold up under this kind of abuse.
"Regina, how are you feeling? Still dizzy?"
A familiar voice drifted out from the next room, and Arabella stopped in her tracks.
It was her oldest brother Winston Obelon. She hadn't heard Winston speak to anyone that gently in a long time.
But that gentleness was no longer meant for her. It belonged to Regina Hayes, the daughter of their family's housekeeper.
"I'm fine, Winston," Regina replied in a soft, delicate voice, weak but sweet. "By the way, is Arabella okay? She gave so much blood for me. She must be feeling awful."
"What does she have to feel awful about?" Her second brother Justin Obelon cut in, his voice dripping with contempt. "It's just a little blood. It won't kill her. You're too kind-hearted. She pushed you down the stairs and hurt you this badly, and you're still standing up for her?"
Arabella's fingers curled into a fist.
She hadn't pushed Regina. That day, Regina had missed a step on her own. Arabella had reached out to grab her, only to be shoved back, and she was the one who tumbled down the stairs.
By the time she'd picked herself up off the floor, Regina was already lying in Winston's arms, crying. Her brothers had looked at her like she was a monster.
"Exactly," her third brother Easton Obelon sneered. "Someone as vicious as Arabella — the more you do for her, the more she takes. She doesn't deserve to be my sister."
"But..."
"No buts." Winston cut Regina off. "Just focus on getting better. The doctor says you'll need another transfusion this week. We'll have Arabella come back in."
Arabella's whole body went cold. She hurried back to her room, pressed her back against the wall, and felt her eyes start to sting.
She was nineteen years old and weighed only eighty-eight pounds.
The first time they drew her blood, the nurse had frowned and said, "Given your condition, taking this much at once is really pushing it."
But no one listened.
Her three brothers had dragged her to the hospital, strapped her to a bed, and ordered the doctors to take her blood.
She couldn't go through this again. She had to get out of here.
As Arabella looked around for a way to escape, the door to her room suddenly swung open.
She had no time to hide. She walked straight into her second brother Justin.
"What are you doing standing there?" Justin's eyes went cold immediately. "Were you eavesdropping?"
Arabella opened her mouth, but couldn't find any words.
Because it wouldn't have mattered anyway.
"Arabella, are you okay?" Regina's soft voice floated over, her face full of concern. "I'm sorry. They're only doing this because they care about me so much. Please don't blame them. Blame me instead."
"What right does she have to blame anyone?" Easton let out a cold laugh. "A woman as twisted as her should consider it an honor to donate blood for you."
Arabella looked up at the girl lying in the hospital bed.
Regina was propped against her pillow, thin and frail, her big dewy eyes blinking slowly, lashes trembling — like a startled fawn.
That face. Anyone who saw it would feel sorry for her.
Arabella used to be fooled by that face too.
Three years ago, Regina had shown up at their front door in tears, saying her mother had died and her father was gravely ill, begging them to take her in.
Arabella's heart had softened. On top of that, Regina was their housekeeper's daughter — turning her away would have made them look heartless.
So Arabella spoke up for Regina and convinced her brothers to let her stay.
She treated Regina like a friend. She gave her the best room in the house, dressed her in the same designer clothes she wore herself, and even split her allowance with her.
But Regina wasn't grateful. Instead, she worked against Arabella at every turn — painting herself as a poor girl being bullied by a rich family's daughter, slowly pulling her brothers' affection away from Arabella and toward herself.
At first, Arabella thought it was her own fault. That she was being too sensitive, and that was why her brothers misunderstood her.
So she tried harder. She bent over backwards to please them, desperate to win back the brothers who had once adored her.
But it was all for nothing.
No matter what she did, her brothers found fault with it. Even when Regina fell down the stairs, they all agreed without question that Arabella had pushed her.
Their parents were always abroad, and the three brothers ran the household. Arabella quickly became the least loved person in her own home.
When Arabella said nothing, Justin stormed over and grabbed her by the arm. "Stop wasting time talking to her. Get in there and give Regina your blood."
"What?" Arabella instinctively pulled back, staring at him in disbelief.
"Regina's not doing well. She needs another draw." Winston stood in the doorway, his eyes flat and cold.
Regina stood beside him and, right on cue, let out a small, delicate cough.
"No. I can't. If they take any more, it'll kill me." Arabella shook her head frantically, every instinct in her body screaming to fight back.
"Stop being so dramatic," Justin scoffed. "You've lived in luxury your whole life in the Obelon family. A little blood isn't going to kill you."
"It will. I'm serious." Arabella grabbed Justin's sleeve, her voice shaking. "Justin, please. Just let me recover for a few days first. Please."
Justin shook her off. "Stop playing the victim. Regina needs blood now. You want her to wait a few days?"
"My body really can't take any more—"
"Tie her down." Winston was done listening. He signaled to the staff behind him.
Two orderlies walked in, grabbed Arabella firmly, and started dragging her toward the door.
Arabella fought with everything she had, but she was too weak. She couldn't break free.
Just as they were about to push her into the blood draw room, Arabella suddenly ducked her head and bit one of the orderlies on the hand. She broke free and ran to the window, gripping the windowsill with both hands.
"Stay back! Come any closer and I'll jump!" She didn't know where she found the courage, but she screamed it at the top of her lungs.
Her three brothers looked at each other, unsure what to do.
Regina put on a show of concern from the side. "Arabella, don't do anything stupid. You're an Obelon. You have to value your own life."
The moment those words left her mouth, Justin — who had seemed uncertain just a second ago — immediately chimed in. "She's right. You're way too vain to throw away a life of luxury. There's no way you'd actually jump."
Arabella was shaking with rage, tears streaming down her face. "I'm your little sister. You used to love me. How did it come to this?"
"Don't bring up the past." Winston's face hardened. "If you hadn't been so cruel — if you hadn't pushed Regina down those stairs — would we be treating you like this? You brought this on yourself."
"I told you, I didn't push her—"
"Still lying!" Winston caught the eye of the orderly behind him. "Drag her away from there. Stop making a scene."
Easton stood to the side, sneering. "If you're going to do it, then jump."
Arabella stared at her three brothers, and felt something inside her go completely hollow.
Just as the orderly reached for her, she said quietly, "Fine. I'll give you what you want."
And she jumped.
In the split second she was falling, she heard the cries from behind her.
"She actually jumped!"
"Call an ambulance!"
Then Winston's voice, low and measured, but perfectly clear: "What about Regina's blood?"
So even in her final moments, all her brothers cared about was her blood.
She was done. She was so done with this life.
When Arabella came back to consciousness, she was pulled awake by the sound of crying.
"Arabella, please, let me stay. I'm begging you."
Arabella's eyes flew open. The familiar chandelier above her came into focus. She was back in the Obelon house.
"Arabella?" The crying continued. "I know I shouldn't be bothering you. But my mother is sick, and I have nowhere else to go."
Arabella slowly looked down and saw Regina standing there in a worn, tattered dress, eyes red and swimming with tears.
Her three brothers stood nearby, their faces full of sympathy as they watched Regina.
The scene was painfully familiar. It was identical to the day Regina had first shown up at their door, three years ago.
A wild, impossible thought took hold of her.
Had she been reborn?
