Roger Quinn, the man I had secretly loved for years, was about to announce his engagement to my younger sister. Summoning all my courage, I returned to Beltown to confess my feelings. The room erupted with laughter at my audacity. “Look at her,” someone sneered, “a bastard child trying to climb the social ladder.” But they didn’t know. When I was eighteen, Roger had kissed me, a moment so tender it had lingered in my heart ever since. And they definitely didn’t know the truth that I wasn’t the illegitimate daughter. Lisa was. I stood my ground, forcing myself to look Roger in the eye and demand an answer. “I thought you were Lisa back then,” he said coldly. “I’m not interested in you.” Lisa nestled into his arms, her smug smile like salt in an open wound. I bit back the tears, forcing a bitter smile. “In that case, I wish you both all the happiness in the world.” Then I turned and walked away, dialing the number of the wealthy godmother. “I’ll do it,” I said. “I’ll leave Beltown and marry your son.” On the day of my wedding, Roger had called off his engagement to Lisa. He asked me if I could give him another chance. I glanced at him briefly, then turned to my fiancé, tightening my hold on his arm. “Sorry,” I said lightly, my tone indifferent. “I’m not interested in you anymore.”
When I returned from Cletown unannounced, the entire room froze in shock. Roger and my half-sister, Lisa, were in the middle of discussing their engagement. Leona Quinn’s face twisted in discomfort, though she forced a smile. “How long are you planning to stay?” I set my suitcase down and answered directly, “I’m not going back to Cletown. I’m planning to find a job here.” The room erupted into murmurs, the air suddenly heavy with tension. The looks my relatives gave me changed instantly, filled with disdain and derision. Someone sneered, “After what you did back then, you’ve still got the nerve to show your face here?” Another muttered, “Ungrateful brat. The Quinn family took you in, and this is how you repay them? Trying to climb up to Roger?” Silence settled over the room like a thick fog. They weren’t wrong. I had come back to ruin the engagement. Summoning all my courage, I stepped toward Roger, my heart pounding in my chest. “Roger,” I said, my voice trembling, “I like you.” Roger’s expression remained calm as if I were nothing more than a naive child. Lisa rose from her seat, her eyes welling with tears. “If Mirea likes Roger too,” she said softly, “then maybe we shouldn’t get engaged.” Roger finally spoke, his voice cold and measured, “Mirea, stop this nonsense. I don’t feel anything for you.” He didn’t feel anything for me? I stared at him, my composure cracking. “Then why were you so furious when I dated someone before?” “You were too young. As your guardian, it was my responsibility to keep you from making mistakes.” “And the kiss? When I turned eighteen, you came into my room in the middle of the night and kissed me. Was that nothing? Don’t tell me it was a mistake.” Roger’s face didn’t waver. “I was drunk. It was just a kiss; it didn’t mean anything.” I let out a bitter laugh. “And what about the family heirloom bracelet? You gave it to me. Was that ‘just nothing’ too?” “That was to make you happy,” he replied, his tone flat, devoid of emotion. It felt like a wall inside me collapsed. This gamble, this desperate, reckless bet, was a resounding loss. Then Roger added, “If the bracelet caused a misunderstanding, you should return it. I’ll need it back now that I’m getting married.” I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from crying. “Fine,” I whispered. Lisa pouted, tugging on his sleeve. “It’s just a bracelet, Roger. If Mirea likes it so much, let her have it.” The man who had doted on me pulled her close, his voice soft. “No, what’s yours is yours.” Lisa leaned into him, her face glowing with triumph. “It’s just a formality. As long as I have your heart, nothing else matters.” The way he gazed at her, tender and adoring, was exactly how he used to look at me. I stood there in a daze as the room erupted into cruel laughter. “She has no shame, asking something like that.” “They never should’ve let Roger take her in. Look at the mess now.” “Exactly. No wonder her parents didn’t want her. She deserves it.” Even though I had prepared for the worst, the words still stung. Leona couldn’t take it anymore and dragged me aside, her voice a sharp whisper. “What were you thinking? If you had to come back, fine, but why make things so awkward for everyone? “Roger practically raised you. Sure, he’s not your biological uncle, but he treated you like you were the center of his world. “And Lisa is your sister. How could you be so jealous of her happiness that you’d try to tear them apart?” She was right. Roger wasn’t my real uncle. He had taken me in as a child, and I had loved him in secret for seven years. But was it my fault? He was the one who gave me hope, time and time again.
The whispers around me pulled at the dark threads of my past, dragging back memories I’d rather forget. I was Lisa’s half-sister, sharing the same father but not the same life. She was born into the Bentley family as their beloved princess, showered with love and privilege. I, on the other hand, was the outcast. It all started with Hugo Bentley, the man who had promised my mother the world. She fell in love with him, only to find herself pregnant. He convinced her to keep the baby, promising they would marry. But he kept delaying the wedding, and when I was four, he turned his back on us completely, marrying a wealthy debutante instead. The day Hugo wed the Quinn family heiress, my mother showed up at their grand estate with me in her arms, desperate for justice. Instead, she was branded a homewrecker and pelted with eggs. Shielding me with her body, she endured every insult and slur hurled her way. From that day on, she was a pariah in Beltown, a walking scandal whispered about behind every closed door. She could no longer bear the humiliation. A year later, when I was five, she took her own life by jumping from our apartment window. My existence became a thorn in Hugo’s side, an embarrassment he couldn’t ignore. Reluctantly, he brought me into his mansion, but he treated me like a ghost, neither acknowledging me nor caring whether I lived or died. Roger, who lived next door, saw me for the lonely child I was and took me in. He gave me a new name, Mirea Quinn, erasing my ties to the Bentley family. To the world, I was now “Ms. Quinn,” no longer the unwanted daughter of a disgraced mother. Roger raised me with care and affection, spoiling me as if I were his own. He nurtured me, shaping me into someone more elegant and poised than Lisa could ever be. I didn’t know when my admiration for him shifted into something deeper. Somewhere along the way, I fell in love with my handsome and kind “uncle.” In high school, suitors came in droves, but I turned them all down. My deskmate, Laura, once asked if I liked anyone. Unable to contain my secret, I confessed my feelings for Roger. What I planned to keep buried forever was dragged into the light at my 18th birthday party. Somehow, Lisa had gotten hold of a recording of my conversation with Laura. She played it for everyone to hear, the words echoing like a cruel joke: “I think I might be in love with Roger.” My cheeks burned as I stammered out an explanation, but Roger said nothing. Instead, he told me to go to my room and rest. The rumors that followed engulfed him like wildfire. Ken, Roger’s grandfather, was furious. He demanded that Roger send me away to avoid further scandal. Roger refused. He defied the family for my sake, even at the cost of being stripped of his position as CEO. I couldn’t bear to see him suffer, so I changed my university application. Late at night, I knocked on his door, telling him not to worry. “I’ve already applied to a university down south,” I said. “I’ll leave soon. You won’t have to worry about me anymore.” His room reeked of alcohol. He said nothing as he stepped closer, his breath hot and heavy, before losing control and kissing me. That kiss seared itself into my memory, a moment I clung to even as I moved thousands of miles away. For four years, I stayed away, never once returning to Beltown. But I couldn’t stop thinking about him, replaying that night over and over. I thought he liked me. When I heard about his engagement to Lisa, I rushed home and demanded an answer. But it turned out I was just a joke. That night, I lay in bed staring at the ceiling, my mind refusing to rest. By two in the morning, I gave up on sleep and went to the wine cellar for a drink. Passing by Roger’s room, I heard faint voices, a woman’s soft, coquettish murmur. “Come closer,” he said. “Didn’t seeing her like that make you feel the slightest bit guilty?” Lisa asked. “What’s there to feel guilty about?” Roger’s voice was calm, even dismissive. “When I took her in, it was purely to strengthen the Quinn family’s alliances. Once we’re married, I’ll find a suitable match for her and send her on her way.” The string I had been clinging to so tightly snapped. I stood frozen outside the door, each second stretching into an eternity. Everything I had believed, the warmth that had carried me through my darkest days, it was all a lie. To him, I was nothing more than a pawn, a tool to be used and discarded. For the first time, I felt an overwhelming urge to leave the Quinn family behind, no matter what it took.
I didn’t know when I had fallen asleep, but by the time I opened my eyes, the sun was already high in the sky. I packed my bags, along with the gifts Roger had given me over the years, including the bracelet. Hesitating for a moment, I walked to his door and knocked. It was Lisa who answered. She stood there in a deep V-neck dress, her neck and collarbone covered in fresh kiss marks. Seeing me, she tilted her head with a smile and stepped aside. “Roger, Mirea’s here to see you.” The events of the previous day played in my mind, and whatever lingering attachment I had for him vanished. I handed the bracelet and other items to Lisa, dragging my suitcase as I turned to leave. I hadn’t even reached the stairs when Roger called out behind me, “Where are you going?” I turned, my voice calm and detached. “I’m moving out. I won’t trouble you anymore.” He stared at me in silence for a few seconds before replying in an indifferent tone, “Then let’s have dinner together tonight. Consider it a welcome for your return. Let’s not dwell on yesterday. We’re still family.” I didn’t want to go, but then I thought about all he had done for me over the years. Whatever his feelings for me now, I owed him my life. If not for Roger, I might have died of neglect in that cold Bentley Villa. This would be our last meal together before we moved on with our separate lives. At least it was a peaceful ending. “Alright,” I murmured softly, then turned and walked down the stairs. After checking into a hotel, I buried myself under the covers and slept like the dead. At 5 PM, Roger texted me the restaurant’s location. I got up, washed, and applied some light makeup. When I entered the private dining room, I saw a group of familiar faces waiting for me. Lisa greeted me with a glass of wine, her tone overly sweet as she apologized, “Mirea, I’m sorry. Let me toast you to make up for yesterday.” Before I could respond, Roger reached over and took the glass from her. “Lisa’s pregnant; she shouldn’t be drinking,” he said flatly. “And if anyone should apologize, it’s me for letting you misunderstand. I’ll drink this on her behalf.” I stared at the two of them, their performance making me feel strangely hollow. So while I had agonized over whether or not to confess, he had already started a family with someone else. Those moments I had once clung to, were they really just meaningless signals I had misinterpreted? The realization left me feeling like a fool. It was no wonder people laughed at me. Sensing my silence, the atmosphere grew awkward. Roger’s friends quickly stepped in, showering Lisa with compliments and defending her at every turn. Feeling suffocated, I excused myself and went to the restroom. I wondered if coming to this dinner had been a mistake. Perhaps I should make up an excuse and leave early. As I debated, voices drifted in from outside the restroom. “Lisa, why are you even bothering to appease Mirea? Why invite her out at all? “And you’re pregnant! Aren’t you worried she’ll try to seduce Roger?” Lisa’s voice, though hushed, was perfectly audible. “What’s there to worry about? The baby isn’t even Roger’s.” She continued, her tone dripping with malice. “Besides, the more magnanimous I act, the pettier she looks. Roger will hate her even more.” Then, with a sneer, she added, “Her mother was no better, stealing my father like the shameless woman she was.” I couldn’t take it anymore. My foot slammed into the restroom door, flinging it open. “Why are you doing this to him? He loves you!” I shouted. Lisa jumped, startled, but quickly recovered, her expression twisting into mockery. “Why? Because seeing you miserable makes me happy. Everything you want, I’ll take it all.” Before I knew it, my hand lashed out, striking her across the face. She stared at me in shock, her cheek flaming red, before rushing back to the dining room. By the time I returned, she was sitting beside Roger, tears glistening in her eyes as she touched her face. “What happened to your cheek?” Roger asked. Before Lisa could answer, Laura jumped in. “Mirea slapped her.” Roger’s cold gaze pinned me where I stood. “Why did you hit her?” Lisa sniffled pitifully, her voice trembling. “Roger, it’s just a misunderstanding. Please don’t blame her.” Without even attempting to hear my side of the story, Roger moved to her side and demanded I apologize. The suffocating weight of it all crushed any remaining desire I had to stay. I stared at him coldly, grabbed my bag, and made for the door. But Lisa wasn’t done. She lunged after me, grabbing at my arm. I yanked free and quickened my pace, wanting no part of her antics. Behind me, there was a loud crash. Lisa had tripped over a table leg, landing heavily on the ground. Her screams of pain echoed through the room as blood began to pool beneath her. I froze, instinctively turning back to help, but Roger shoved me away with such force that my back slammed into a table corner. Pain radiated through my body, sharp and unrelenting. “Roger, help! Save our baby!” Lisa wailed, clutching her stomach. “Roger, I didn’t push her! She ran at me!” I explained. The next thing I knew, I was being dragged to the hospital, my back throbbing with every step. In the antiseptic hallway, Roger’s voice was as cold as ever. “If something happens to Lisa or the baby, we’re done.” I let out a bitter laugh, glaring at him through the pain. “You think that’s your baby? Open your eyes, Roger. It’s someone else’s bastard.”
“Mirea! Do you even realize what you’re saying?” Before I could respond, the doctor came out with news: Lisa’s child was gone. The next moment, Roger’s icy slap landed on my cheek. Before I could process the sting, he dragged me to Lisa’s hospital bed. “Apologize!” he barked. I bit down on my anger, refusing to open my mouth. Roger pushed me down forcefully until my knees hit the floor with a loud thud. The sharp pain made tears stream down my face uncontrollably. “I’ve told you before, Lisa isn’t like other women. If you ever bully her again, don’t bother coming back.” I struggled to my feet despite the searing pain. “Fine, I won’t come back. After all, the only reason you brought me into the Quinn family in the first place was to secure your family’s business interests!” Roger’s eyes darkened with disappointment. “If you want to leave, then go. Just remember, you owe Lisa a life.” I let out a bitter laugh, wiping away my tears as I glared at him. “I owe her a life? What about the Bentley family? Don’t they owe my mother one? Who’s paying that back?” “Get out,” he hissed coldly. Without a backward glance, I walked out of the hospital and into the pouring rain. I sat on the curb, letting the cold rain soak me as I calmed myself. After what felt like an eternity, I pulled out my phone and made a call. “Godmother,” I said, my voice steady, “I’ve made up my mind. I’ll come back to Cletown tomorrow and get engaged to Yance.” There was a pause on the other end before her excited voice came through. “That’s wonderful news! But don’t rush back just yet, stay a day or two and attend Roger’s engagement party. After all, he did take care of you all these years, and it’s only polite.” I hesitated, then reluctantly agreed. “Perfect timing!” she added. “Yance just got back to the country. He can swing by Beltown to pick you up.” I frowned. “Swing by? Is it really on the way?” “Of course it is! You’re going to be family soon anyway. It’s a great opportunity for you two to chat and get to know each other.” After some thought, I nodded. She wasn’t wrong. After my mother’s death, my godmother had reached out, offering to take me to Cletown to live with her. But Roger had been so kind to me back then. I couldn’t bear to leave and hurt him, so I turned her down every time. Years later, I ended up going to Cletown for university. My godmother often took me shopping, and I spent most of my holidays at her home. When I graduated, she offered me a job at her company and even suggested introducing me to her son, the same boy my mother had once taken me to meet. But back then, my heart belonged to Roger. Now, all of that was behind me. I no longer wanted to stay in Beltown. I needed to start over somewhere new. After hanging up, a notification popped up from an old friend. I opened it to find screenshots of Roger at the hospital, doting on Lisa. I didn’t respond. My friend, noticing my silence, sent another message: “Mirea, are you really giving up just like that? You’ve loved him for seven years.” I sighed, typing back: [What else am I supposed to do? Stay entangled in this mess and become the laughingstock of Beltown?” “That’s not what I meant. I just think…” “Don’t.”I cut her off. “There’s nothing to think about. I don’t love him anymore.”
🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “295341”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #魔幻Magic #现实主义Realistic #励志Inspiring #惊悚Thriller
Leave a Reply