Chapter 2

My mother’s hand was still seeping blood, staining the handkerchief.

Since time was running out, she didn't have a chance to mess with my waistline and instead grabbed a jewelry box.

"Maya, this was a gift from your grandmother; I’m giving it to you now for good luck."

She took out a sapphire pendant and personally fastened it around Maya's neck.

"This blue suits your skin tone; it’s beautiful but subtle for the Sterlings."

Maya touched the pendant, her eyes curving with delight: "Thank you, Mom, I’ll treasure it."

I stood to the side with empty hands and a plain, cheap belt.

My mother finally noticed me and rummaged through a corner of the box, pulling out a handful of old hairpins with peeling gold paint: "Elena, wear these so you can't say I'm biased. Your outfit is plain, so these will provide some contrast."

She shoved them into my hand, not caring if they even matched.

Father watched and, instead of finding it unfair, nodded in approval: "Maya was raised in London; she has the class for that pendant. Elena spent her life in the dirt; wearing fine things would just look ridiculous on her."

I squeezed the cheap hairpins until they bit into my palm.

The countryside?

Why was I even there?

It was because they threw me away to some distant relatives years ago to hide from their creditors.

Now they only brought me back because the Sterlings insisted on the "biological" daughter to fulfill the old marriage pact.

Even though Maya was the favorite, she was legally just an adopted orphan.

They needed to use me as a stepping stone to get Maya into the Sterling family.

In my past life, I never understood why my own parents were so heartless.

Until the moment before I died, I heard the neighbors gossiping.

"Mr. Blackwood is truly cruel, leaving his real daughter to die for the sake of an adopted one."

"Adopted? That’s his secret love child with his mistress!"

"Mrs. Blackwood knew all along, but to keep her husband happy, she raised the bastard as an 'adopted' child and trampled her own daughter to pave the way."

So that was the truth.

One was the precious child of a mistress.

The other was the unwanted burden of a legal wife.

My mother sacrificed her own child just to keep her husband's favor.

My father treated me like trash for the sake of his hidden affair.

I gripped the hairpins until they bent and broke in my hand.

I looked at the three of them—Maya holding my mother’s arm, my father looking on with fatherly love.

They were a happy family, and I was the intruder.

"Dad, Mom, it’s time to go."

Father gave me a look of pure annoyance: "What’s the rush? No manners at all. When we get to the manor, speak less and follow Maya’s lead. If you ruin this marriage, I’ll send you straight to a strict boarding school in the middle of nowhere!"

I lowered my gaze and said nothing.

A boarding school? I’ve already been to hell; that’s nothing.