Three years ago, a long-standing rival of the Albright family, seeking to settle an old score, abducted their youngest adopted daughter, Elara, and dragged her deep into the mountains. Her three adoptive brothers offered a reward of hundreds of millions of dollars, sparing no expense to find her. But when she finally escaped and returned home, she found her fiancé, Damon, her second brother, marrying someone else. Julian, her eldest brother, was delivering the best man’s speech, and Rhys, her third brother, the best man, was holding the wedding rings. Turns out, the Albright family had adopted Veronica two years prior. Simply because she bore a striking resemblance to Elara, they poured all their guilt onto Veronica. They explained, “Mom had a complete breakdown and started seeing Veronica as you. We just… went along with it, because it seemed to bring her some peace.” But Elara couldn’t accept it. She forced them to choose between Veronica and herself. After a brief, tense silence, all three unanimously chose Veronica. Yet that very night, their disoriented adoptive mother set the mansion ablaze, dying in the inferno with Veronica. That fire transformed them from family into sworn enemies. They blamed Elara, accusing her of being relentlessly demanding and unable to tolerate Veronica, which they claimed led to them losing their dearest ones forever. Disgust, insults, and beatings became her daily routine. Until Elara began experiencing abnormal and persistent bleeding, which eventually led to a devastating diagnosis: advanced uterine cancer. Clutching that cold “death sentence” in her hand, she walked out of the doctor’s office only to see her supposedly dead adoptive mother accompanying Veronica to a prenatal check-up. Her eldest and third brothers surrounded Veronica protectively, and her fiancé, Damon, his face alight with joy, pressed his ear to Veronica’s belly. Elara’s blood ran cold. Just as she was about to step forward and confront them, Julian’s voice drifted over, chillingly: “After all this, Elara must have learned her lesson. Maybe we should tell her the truth now.” “No!” Rhys immediately objected: “If she knows Veronica is alive and carrying Damon’s child, there’s no telling what kind of trouble she’ll stir up. Better to keep her in line with more ‘lessons’ until the baby is born!” Mrs. Albright, far from looking disoriented, sighed with contentment. “Veronica was there for us during our most painful and desperate time. Now that she’s pregnant, I won’t allow anyone to make her leave.” Even Damon lowered his gaze, saying, “Even though Elara is… tainted, I won’t abandon her. As long as she stays in her place, I’ll give her an explanation.” Elara stood frozen, tears streaming down her face. She yearned to ask the heavens why they were so cruel to her. She was the one who was abducted and abused, yet they showered all their love and guilt upon Veronica. All she wanted was for things to return to how they were, but they had tormented her with a “fake death” lie, leaving her utterly broken. Gazing at Veronica’s visibly pregnant, happy face, Elara’s hand trembled as she instinctively touched her own abdomen. They didn’t know that before she was abducted, she too had been pregnant with Damon’s child, but then a brute violently kicked it out of me. Recalling the doctor’s grim prognosis—that she wouldn’t last another month—Elara offered a tragic smile. What could a dying person possibly fight for against the living? She would give them what they wanted. Elara didn’t step forward to confront them. She simply turned away, dragging her heavy feet, fleeing the hospital as if her life depended on it. Memories flooded her like a surging tide. Ever since that fire, she had considered death countless times. She slit her wrists, and Julian, the forensic brother, stitched her up with a sewing needle, refusing painkillers, slowly savoring her agony. She tried to jump from a building, but Damon, the business tycoon fiancé, sealed off all high-rise structures. Helpless, she jumped from the third floor, suffering full-body fractures that left her in pain for three agonizing months. After her discharge, Rhys, the legal elite third brother, forged her psychiatric records and locked her in a mental asylum, subjecting her to daily electroshock therapy. They wouldn’t allow her to die; they wanted her to live and atone. But they were all living perfectly fine. Atonement for what sin? She stumbled through the front door, her abdomen seized by another bout of agonizing cramps. The diseased uterus caused relentless bleeding, soaking through her light-colored pants and trickling down her leg. Just then, a familiar, icy voice came from behind her. “Disgusting. Can’t you even keep yourself clean?” Julian’s face was stern as he quickly averted his gaze. Rhys pinched his nose, brows furrowed. “That’s utterly revolting. Clean it up, now!” As Elara knelt on the floor, frantically wiping away the mess, Damon carefully helped a woman in, then casually tossed a piece of paper at Elara. “These are instructions for prenatal care. You’ll follow them from now on.” She stared at the densely written paper, her voice hoarse. “What does this mean?” Damon’s brow furrowed. “We found Veronica’s twin sister, Vanessa. She’s pregnant and needs looking after.” He paused, looking down at Elara with disdain. “If you take good care of her, and she delivers the baby safely, we’ll forgive your past mistakes.” Elara’s gaze fell upon the face identical to Veronica’s, her heart as clear as glass. They were still trying to deceive her. Twin sister, indeed! It was merely Damon’s desperate excuse to bring Veronica back home… “Fine, I’ll take care of her.” Elara lowered her head, her voice eerily calm. She wouldn’t live to see the child born. Soon, the suffering would end. Before she could react, Veronica suddenly lunged, snatching Mochi from her arms. “Meow—” A desperate cry, and Mochi’s head was twisted 180 degrees in Veronica’s hand, blood spilling from its mouth. “Mochi!” Elara screamed in despair, struggling to grab her cat back.
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