It was the anniversary of my adoptive mother, Maggie Patterson’s death. I, Alexa Truman, put on a long black dress. Clifford Warren, who was just seven years old at the time, came running towards me. In his hand was a pair of sharp scissors. Swiftly, he cut through the hem of my dress. Then, he emptied an entire bucket of paint over me. “Today is my mother’s birthday! How could you wear such an unlucky thing? Don’t you remember she hated the color black?” Clifford’s words were like daggers. Right then, I understood. In this family, both the father and the son held the most special place in their hearts only for that departed woman. The paint caused an allergic reaction, and rashes broke out all over my skin. The cuts on my legs stung painfully. Looking at the child I had raised with such care standing before me, I just felt completely drained. “Alright, as you wish. I’ll leave this place soon,” I said. The pungent smell of the paint wafted towards me. My entire body was sticky, and the sensation made me wrinkle my nose in distaste. Clifford sneered and jeered, “You deserve it. It’d be even better if your face got messed up. You’re so sly. Did you think that by looking like my mom and having others say you resemble me, you could take my mom’s place? Never in a million years!” His eyes flared red with fury as if he’d been deeply affronted. I’d witnessed this kind of scene far too many times. Whenever someone commented that Clifford’s face didn’t resemble his long-deceased mother but was increasingly looking like mine, he would fly into a rage. In the past, each time I saw him like this, I would console him, saying that he was a member of the Warren family and that the similarity between us was just a coincidence from living together for so long. But today, I truly had no energy left. I was just utterly exhausted. I furrowed my brows slightly and said, “I didn’t have plastic surgery. You look at your mom’s photo every night before going to sleep. You know better than anyone whether she looks like me or not. If you don’t believe me, we can find a doctor to check. Do you really want to hear the truth?” Clifford was taken aback at first, and then his face flushed red. He gave me a fierce glare, turned around, and dashed out. With a sigh, I made my way back to my room and discovered that the maid had already prepared bathwater in the bathtub for me. Unexpectedly, as soon as I stepped into the bathtub, the cut on my leg began to throb sharply, and the skin in other areas also started to burn with pain. I quickly tried to climb out, but I lost my footing and tumbled to the ground. My knee was immediately bruised. Clifford bounded into the room with a sneering expression on his face and taunted, “Stupid! Does it feel good to bathe in salt water and chili juice? This is my way of being kind to you. Aren’t you touched? You should pay for enjoying what belongs to my mom!” He gave me a scornful look. Before leaving, he even shooed the maid away and forbade anyone from helping me. I lay on the ground in a sorry state, watching the ground gradually being stained red with blood, and remained silent for a long time. When my eggs were taken away back then, I also bled a great deal. Later, that egg was combined with the sperm of Vincent Warren, the president of the Warren Group, to create a test-tube baby, which was then implanted into the uterus of his then-wife, Bianca Truman. Then the child who carried part of my genes was born. It was a boy named Clifford Warren. He was the son of the Warren family, the son of Bianca, and Clifford, who loathed me intensely. After washing my body, I walked out of the bathroom and saw Vincent sitting on the sofa, waiting for me. Clifford resembled me a bit in appearance, and his innate noble and haughty demeanor was inherited from the man in front of me. He glanced at the rashes on my body and said indifferently, “Clifford was indeed a bit too extreme. I brought you some anti-allergy medicine. Take it. Don’t spoil the mood at the party tonight.” Although his ex-wife had been dead for many years, on her birthday, Vincent still hosted a grand party at home and wouldn’t allow anyone to forget the woman he had once loved so deeply. Over the years, I, who had been living warily in the Warren family, had always been accustomed to following his orders. Just after swallowing the pill, several servants came up and, without a word, pinned me down on the sofa, restraining my hands and feet. Two masked individuals held seasoning bottles and syringes, smeared them on the wound, and directly inserted them deep into the skin. The pain instantly coursed through my entire body, and I winced in agony. Vincent looked down at me and said, “Although Clifford was indeed a bit mischievous this time, you also shouldn’t have worn the color Bianca disliked on the anniversary of her death. I remember stating that there’s no place in this house for anything that upsets Bianca. Those who make mistakes must face the consequences.” After about an hour, the area where I was originally injured transformed into a vivid and extremely beautiful rose tattoo, with blood beads that hadn’t fully dried at the center of the petals. That was the flower species and color combination that Bianca had adored the most during her lifetime. And she had had the exact same tattoo on her leg as well.
My complexion was pallid, and Vincent’s expression softened slightly. He motioned for the others to leave. He knelt down on one knee. Gently, he pressed a kiss on the rose tattoo, and then his lips met mine. He spoke, “Remember to put on Bianca’s favorite red dress tonight. As long as you’re obedient, I can think about giving back one of your eggs. But you must never let Clifford nearly discover the truth like you did today. Clifford is Bianca’s child, and no one can take her son away from her.” Vincent had always been supremely confident in his physical state. Thus, on the day I first stepped into the Warren family, he had someone remove all my eggs. He declared, “Only the child born from Bianca’s womb is considered my offspring. I asked you to look after Clifford because of Bianca’s final wish. She didn’t trust others, but you can’t harbor any improper ideas.” When his lips were about to touch my thigh, contrary to my usual compliance, I pushed him away. “Mr. Warren, I won’t wear the red dress, and I have no intention of going to the party either. My adoptive mother passed away today. So, the agreement between us is automatically void, and I’m leaving this place,” I stated. As soon as those words left my mouth, the tenderness in Vincent’s eyes vanished instantly. He stood up, his face taking on a somewhat gloomy cast. “So what if an adoptive mother with no blood relation died? Are you going to mourn for someone who has no connection to you? Don’t forget what your identity is now. The Warren family can’t afford to be disgraced like this! Although Clifford isn’t your biological child, he does have half of your genes after all. You’ve raised him for seven years, and now you want to just walk away. Alexa, aren’t you being overly selfish?” When he brought up my identity, I was momentarily confused. What exactly was my identity at present? Was I the daughter of the Truman family who couldn’t be in the spotlight? Or was I the nanny Vincent had hired to take care of the child? Or was I the despised mistress in Clifford’s words? Back then, Vincent and my half-sister Bianca were an enviable couple. Their relationship also significantly elevated the status of the Truman family, making them well-known figures in the circles of Aegisburg. Perhaps their relationship was too idyllic, and even the heavens were envious, for Bianca was born infertile. But she adored children and didn’t want to use the eggs of an outsider. Our little sister, Louisa Truman, was too young, so she came to me, who was in desperate need of money. One million dollars covered Maggie’s surgical expenses, and at the same time, it made me lose my first child. Later, Bianca unfortunately passed away. Before her death, she was worried that no one would take care of Clifford, so she hoped that I would look after him. The Truman family initially objected, but they didn’t want this matter to further impact the family’s interests. So, they changed my surname back to Truman and sent me to the Warren family. Vincent had always heeded Bianca’s words, so we signed an agreement. I would do my utmost to raise Clifford and ensure that Bianca’s soul could rest in peace, and they would be responsible for paying all of Maggie’s medical expenses. Our marriage had no ring and no wedding. Over the past seven years, I had only a husband who didn’t love me and a child who saw me as an enemy. I said calmly, “I came to the Warren family initially to save Maggie. Now that Maggie has passed away, I have no reason to stay here any longer. Moreover, Clifford doesn’t like me. Staying here any longer will only make him more wretched, and it’s not beneficial for the future heir of the Warren family.” Seeing that I was thinking about Clifford, Vincent’s tone softened a bit, which was a rare occurrence. “If you’re worried that you’re not close enough to Clifford and that he’ll be left alone in the future after I return your eggs to you, we can have another child. Although this child can’t have the surname Warren, I can arrange a position for him in the company, and the salary won’t be bad. You…” I cut him off indifferently and took out the signed divorce agreement. “Thank you for your kindness, but I don’t need it. Please sign it.” Over the years, because of my identity and the attitude of this father and son, I had already endured enough cold stares and ridicule from others. If we had another child whose identity wasn’t acknowledged, then I would truly be too humiliated. Vincent completely lost his patience and tore the agreement into shreds. “Alexa, I think you’ve had it too easy and are deliberately causing trouble! Since you don’t want to wear those dresses, you don’t have to attend today’s party either, lest you ruin the event I’m holding for Bianca.”
The Warren family was hosting a party, yet the hostess wasn’t invited. This was a huge humiliation for me. However, I didn’t let it bother me. Late at night, long after the guests had left, bursts of laughter still drifted in from outside. I opened the door and saw Vincent and Clifford, each holding one of Louisa’s hands, walking into the room at the end of the corridor. In the blink of an eye, seven years had passed. The beloved daughter of the Truman family had grown up, and she was looking more and more like Bianca. Previously, only Vincent and Bianca were allowed to enter that room. Once, I accidentally barged in, and as a result, I was punished to kneel in the snow for three days. My knees were almost permanently damaged. At that time, I was lying in the hospital. The wound on my leg festered and oozed pus, and I was writhing in pain. When Vincent came to visit me, I thought he might feel sorry for me. But all he said was, in an indifferent tone, “I hope you learn your lesson. If you dare to break in again, you’ll have to face the consequences on your own.” Now, with a face so similar to Bianca’s, Louisa easily moved into this room. The servants around started treating me with contempt and whispered among themselves. “Some people, no matter how hard they try to worm their way into this family, still can’t win Mr. Warren’s favor. They don’t even have a room of their own. How pitiful.” “Of course. Mr. Warren will never get over his ex-wife in his heart. Some people are just nannies for taking care of the kids. Now that Louisa looks so much like the former Mrs. Warren, I’m afraid Mr. Warren will change his mind soon.” I paid no attention to these rumors. Just as I was about to turn around and leave, I saw a dart hurtling towards me. The dart flew just past my cheek, slicing the skin, and a thin trickle of blood slowly ran down. Clifford held the remaining darts and made a face in front of me. “I just can’t stand the sight of you. I’ll teach you a lesson one day. My mom said, ‘bad people deserve to be ugly’!” I still remember when Clifford was three years old and sick. I took care of him without eating or sleeping for two days and two nights until his fever broke. At that time, I looked so worn-out that I was almost as frightening as a ghost. But then, he still hugged me and said, “Aunt Alexa, you’re the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen. You’re even more beautiful than an angel.” Since then, as Louisa often came to play with Clifford, his attitude towards me gradually turned cold. I picked up the fallen dart and aimed it at Clifford. I asked calmly, “Clifford, did I ever tell you that those who casually hurt others will eventually get hurt themselves?” Although Clifford was scared, he still stubbornly replied, “I’m not afraid of you! You killed my mom and took her place. I’m avenging my mom. At worst, you can kill me too! If you don’t dare to do it today, next time I’ll directly throw sulfuric acid in your face!” After saying that, he quickly slipped into the room and slammed the door shut. My hand, which had been suspended in mid-air, didn’t move for a long time. Finally, I could only smile helplessly and toss the dart into the trash can. This dart was a birthday gift I had once painstakingly made for him with my own hands. I never imagined that it would end up as a weapon used to hurt me. After going back to my room and packing my luggage, throughout the entire night, I heard the sounds of the three of them chatting merrily, continuously coming from that room at the other end of the corridor.
The following day, as soon as I stepped outside, I caught sight of Louisa and Clifford playing from afar. Clifford’s small face was rosy as he nestled into Louisa’s arms, acting all cute and saying, “Aunt Louisa, I like you. You look like my mom and you can play the tune my mom composed. You’re so much better than those fake-nice people. When I see you, it’s like my mom is still here. Can you marry my dad? I want him to divorce that useless, scheming woman, and then you can be my mom!” Louisa gently wiped the sweat from Clifford’s forehead and said tenderly, “Clifford, don’t talk about others like that. If your dad agrees, of course I can be your mom. I think your mom would be happy about it too.” She seemed to have just noticed my presence and immediately put on an apologetic expression, saying, “Ms. Truman, Clifford is young and speaks without thinking. Please don’t be offended.” Even though we shared the same mother, Louisa had never considered me her elder sister. Clifford shot a glance at me, then tugged at Louisa and ran towards the study. Perhaps they were going to convince Vincent to divorce me. That was precisely what I desired. Just as I was about to leave, someone suddenly grabbed my arm. My so-called elder brother, Leonard Truman, immediately started scolding me. “You’re so useless. How can you not even hold onto your husband’s heart? You actually let Louisa be alone with Mr. Warren. Luckily Clifford was there last night. Mr. Warren only has Bianca in his heart, and Louisa looks like Bianca too. What if Mr. Warren takes a fancy to her? I definitely won’t let my sister be someone’s replacement.” I said, “But I’m also your sister. How can you bear to make me stay with someone who doesn’t care about me?” Leonard furrowed his brows and blurted out, “That’s different. Even if Louisa doesn’t get married, I’ll ensure she lives comfortably. But if you leave the Warren family, you’ll have nothing.” So that was the deal. Since he didn’t want Louisa to become someone else’s substitute and also didn’t want to lose the benefits from the Warren family, he was willing to sacrifice me. Seeing that I remained silent, Leonard continued to persuade me. “Alexa, I know about your adoptive mother. But the future of our Truman family depends entirely on you. The South District development project is about to start. If you don’t cooperate now, what if Mr. Warren abandons us? Besides, Clifford is also your child. How can you be so heartless as to leave him behind? You can’t be this selfish.” I smiled and replied to him, “You’re wrong. I don’t have the surname Truman. This surname was given to me as a charity by you, and now I’m giving it back. Since Louisa has grown up and I’ve fulfilled my responsibility for seven years, it’s someone else’s turn. If you want to gain benefits, you have to pay a price, right?” After hearing this, Leonard flew into a rage and slapped me across the face. “You’re so heartless. I should have listened to Mom back then and left you to freeze to death in the snow! You ungrateful wretch!” My biological mother was Selena Truman, a mistress, and my father was just a model in a nightclub. At that time, to get back at her husband for his infidelity, Selena randomly picked a model and spent the night with him. Unexpectedly, she got pregnant with me. The doctor told her that if she had an abortion, she might never be able to conceive again. She secretly gave birth to me. As soon as I was born, she ordered Leonard, who knew the truth, to abandon me in the snow to fend for myself. The young Leonard really didn’t have the courage to kill me, so he left me at the doorstep of a family. Just like that, Maggie and I lived together, depending on each other for twenty years until one day Leonard found me again and asked me to donate eggs for Bianca. In his view, since he hadn’t been ruthless enough to kill me back then, I should do whatever the Truman family asked of me as a matter of course. I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth and stared straight at him unflinchingly. “Your one act of mercy back then cost me seven years of my freedom and all my chances to be a real mother. Now, I’ve repaid everything I owed you,” I said firmly.
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