I met her gaze, unflinching, and instead of getting angry, I chuckled softly.

Her expression darkened with annoyance. "What’s so funny?! Do you think I’m bluffing?"

With a calm smile, I met her gaze and replied, "I’m laughing at you. I’m laughing at how naive you are."

"Yes, with a sister like you, it’s true Charles might never marry anyone," I said with a knowing grin. "But he’s definitely never going to marry you."

Dorothea’s face turned ashen as though my words had struck her at her core.

I smiled faintly, pressing on. "And do you know why?"

"Because… it’s forbidden. It’s incest."

"You…."

Fury flashed in Dorothea’s eyes as she raised her hand to slap me, but I caught her wrist midair, my gaze sharp and unwavering.

"Dorothea, for seven years, I’ve been a fool," I said coldly, my words cutting through the air. "I no longer care about Charles. But as for you, setting that fire to harm me… this isn’t over."

I released her wrist, my hand moving to pull out my phone, ready to call the police. She glared at me, her face hard with defiance, but in an instant, her expression shifted.

Before I could even react, she grabbed my hand and shoved it against her chest. Then, with an exaggerated motion, she fell backward, landing on the ground with a dramatic wail.

"Sister!" she sobbed, her voice trembling with feigned accusation. "I just wanted to stop you from breaking up with my brother. Why did you push me so hard?!"

Frozen in shock, I stood motionless, trying to process what had just happened. "I didn’t push…"

But before I could finish, Charles’ frantic voice rang out behind me.

"Dorothea!"

He suddenly lunged at me, shoving me to the ground in his frantic rush to reach Dorothea.

Still balancing on my high heels, I stumbled, and a sharp twist of my ankle sent a jolt of pain through me.

A cry escaped my lips, but Charles seemed to hear nothing at all.

He knelt in front of Dorothea, his face contorted with worry as he examined her from head to toe.

"Are you okay, Dorothea? Where does it hurt? Is it bad?"

At that moment, it felt as though the entire world had turned its back on me.

A bitter laugh bubbled from my throat as I let out a sigh, resigned to the bitter reality. I pulled out my phone to call a car.

But before I could dial, Charles stepped forward, his hand knocking the phone from my grasp.

With a cold, expressionless face, he commanded, "Isabella, apologize to Dorothea!"