"Whose illegitimate child are you pregnant with?" My parents demand to know, looking crazed. They want to know whose child I'm carrying.

I look at them and laugh. "One of the kidnappers, of course."

My parents and brother are stunned, and they turn ashen. I continue softly, "Don't you guys remember? The kidnappers asked for a ransom, but you guys were only willing to save your other daughter. You wanted to teach me a lesson."

Mom collapses on the couch. "That can't be. We wanted to teach you a lesson so you would stop bullying Eden. I didn't… We didn't…"

I crouch before her. "You guys never expected the kidnappers to violate me, right?"

I don't wait for an answer. "Do you think a few kidnappers would have morals and ethics?"

She parts her lips to speak, but I don't give her the chance. "I was covered in injuries when I got home. Why didn't any of you ask me about them?

"You guys took Eden away without bothering to save me. You didn't return for a day, for two days, for a month… Did you think the kidnappers would think that they could still receive the ransom?"

They should be happy now—I'm about to die.

"I need you to come in, Ms. Larson. There's something I must discuss with you in person." My doctor, Tyree Cameron, sounded unusually anxious on the phone.

"This treatment plan is unacceptable! I've told you. The child is innocent!" I shouted angrily.

Lately, I'd been dealing with constant, unexplained headaches, and stress only made me more irritable.

"It's not... about the child," Tyree stammered, clearly flustered. After a brief pause, he finally said, "Ms. Larson, you have a tumor in your brain."

As I ended the call, my legs felt like they would give out beneath me. I swayed, as fragile as the last leaf drifting off a tree in the dead of winter.

"Have some shame, Cindy! Who's the father of this illegitimate child? Go get an abortion already!"

"Don't you have any self-respect? You're no longer some country bumpkin. You're a Sainsbury now!"

"Dad, Mom, calm down. Maybe Cindy has her reasons."

"Stop defending her, Eden! A leopard can't change its spots. She's always been like this. Otherwise, how else would she have gotten abducted back then?"

Outside the door, my parents' endless chatter echoed, mixed with my sister, Eden Sainsbury's snarky remarks and my elder brother, Craig Sainsbury's sarcasm.

Yes, they were the real family. The prestigious Sainsbury family.

I pulled a slightly yellowed old photograph from my pocket. It showed a bare-faced rural woman in her 50s.

When I saw her face, a faint glimmer of warmth lit up my expression.

The woman in the photo was Lila Hemsworth, my adoptive mother who had raised me for 16 years. She was the last light in my life.

Time would fly. There was no way anyone could turn back the clock.

All my happiness froze on the day Lila passed away. When the glittering facade of life faded, all that remained was pain.

An empty shell—that was all I was now. I continued wandering through the world until my expiration date arrived.

I gently ran my fingers over the photo as silent tears slipped down my face. Life was so good back then, but there was no going back.

Suddenly, the door burst open with a loud bang. A gust of cold wind swept in, making my skin crawl.

Craig crossed his arms over his chest, his scrutinizing eyes fixed on me.

The Sainsbury family were multimillionaires. They lived in a mansion spanning over ten thousand square feet. Yet, I deliberately chose the storage room as my bedroom.

Why? Because it was tucked away, out of sight. I wanted the entire Sainsbury family to forget I even existed.

But of course, Craig wasn't about to let me have my peace.

"Still daydreaming, princess? You've humiliated us enough with this illegitimate pregnancy. You're going for an abortion today. No discussion."

His oppressive tone was suffocating.

"And who do you think you are to order me around?" I spoke calmly without any expression.

For weeks, the whole family had been pressuring me to get rid of the baby. But something primal and protective within me wouldn't let go of this tiny life—even if they all called it a illegitimate child.

Craig's eyes widened in anger. "Who am I? I'm your brother, that's who!"

"My brother?" I let out a snort. "You mean the same brother who dumped me at the amusement park 16 years ago?"

"How dare you?" Craig raised his hand as if to hit me.

But before he could, a young lady dressed like a princess rushed over and clung to his arm. Her affection was unmistakable.

"How can you talk to Craig like that, Cindy? He's spent 16 years searching for you. He has done everything he could to bring you back."

This was Eden, my so-called sister. My parents adopted her after I went missing.

She did resemble me in some ways. I had heard that when I went missing, the whole family was devastated, nearly unable to go on.

Paula picked a little girl from the orphanage, around my age and resembling me, to offer some solace.

For 16 years, Eden had basked in their love, slept in my room, played with my toys, and taken everything that should have been mine.

Everyone adored her. She was charming and perfect to the world, but I knew better.

I knew how vicious and manipulative she could be, how much she hated me, and how many traps she'd laid for me.

"Eden, don't waste your breath reasoning with such a shameless woman," Craig said coldly.

I looked at them and suddenly started laughing. "A shameless woman? Me?

"Don't you all remember? When the abductors demanded a ransom, you only wanted to save your other precious daughter. You decided to let me 'learn a lesson.' You called it an illegitimate child. But it's not. It's the abductor's baby!"

My parents and Craig stared at me, their faces drained of color.

Paula collapsed onto the couch, mumbling, "It can't be. We just wanted to teach you a lesson, so you'd stop bullying Eden. I didn't… We didn't know…"

I fixed my eyes on Paula. "You didn't know that the abductors would violate me, did you?"

Without waiting for her reply, I continued, "Let me ask you this. Do you think a few kidnappers would have morals and ethics?"

Paula opened her mouth to say something, but I interrupted her, "When I came home, covered in bruises, why didn't any of you ask about me?

"You didn't come to save me. You just took Eden away. You didn't show up after one day, or two, or even after a whole month. Did you really think the abductors would still believe they could get a ransom?"

The more I spoke, the more hurt I felt, and the tears began to fall uncontrollably. This was the surprise that awaited me upon my return to the Sainsbury family.

"If that's the case, then get rid of the child!" My birth father, Dale Sainsbury, slammed his foot down in frustration, and in his rage, he shattered a cup. "Get rid of it. It has to be done!"

No matter whose child this was, they had been asking me to go for an abortion long enough. Every time, I'd resisted with all my strength.

But this time, I changed my mind.

Seeing them still furiously blaming me for embarrassing the Sainsbury family, I spoke coldly, "Fine, I'll go. We'll go to the hospital today."

The room fell into stunned silence at my words. They all stared at me, wide-eyed.

After a long pause, Craig said, "Alright, I'll contact the best doctor right now." His gaze was a little scattered.

"Ouch, my stomach hurts so much!" Eden screamed all of a sudden. Instantly, everyone rushed to her side.

…

I sat alone in the hospital corridor, waiting for Tyree's diagnosis.

"The results are in, Ms. Larson. Where are your family members?" Tyree asked.

"It's fine. I came alone. My parents are getting old. You can just tell me, Dr. Cameron."

"Alright then." Tyree hesitated for a moment before handing me the diagnosis. "You have a grade four brain tumor. The child can't be saved, no matter what. We'll have to…"

I felt a ringing in my ears, as though I had entered another world. I couldn't hear Tyree's further explanations.

Was I going to die? At 20 years old?

I sat there, my grip tightening on the diagnosis, as if holding onto the last thread of my crumbling world.

The entire hospital was filled with the smell of disinfectant. Amid the flowing crowd, anxious or exhausted faces became the backdrop of the moment.

But my eyes were fixed on the paper in my hands. The words on it exuded an undeniable coldness.

Just then, a burst of chaos broke the silence in the hallway.

I turned my gaze toward the sound and saw Craig forcefully push open the double doors before rushing down the corridor.

Eden, pale and clutching her abdomen, was walking slowly behind him.

Dale and Paula stood by her side, with Paula supporting her shoulder and Dale anxiously making a call, seemingly contacting a doctor.

The loving parents were helping their precious daughter. They were the ones who truly loved each other. They were a family supporting one another.

This scene struck me deeply. Some things just couldn't be forced.

I was Cindy Larson, and I didn't belong to the Sainsbury family. I reaffirmed this in my heart.

I shifted slightly, trying to stay out of sight, but it was impossible to avoid their attention. Especially Craig, whose gaze felt like a blade, cutting right through me.

Did he want to eat me alive?

At that instant, it felt like countless unsaid words collided between us, and it all came out as his sharp question.

"What are you doing here? Eden didn't eat or drink because of you, and now her stomach problems flared up. What do you want now?"

I stared at him blankly, as though he were a stranger.

Behind him came Eden's quiet sobs, almost emphasizing each word he had spoken.

"Please, Cindy. Stop hurting Eden. Please!" Paula's voice, tinged with resentment, crushed my already fragile nerves.

"You're all mistaken." I shook my head, almost as if bidding farewell to the family I once belonged to. "I'm not so free that I'd come here to see you."

Perhaps, after everything, the Sainsbury family had become a gradually fading silhouette to me.

After saying that, I walked toward Tyree's office without another word.

The biopsy results came back, confirming a grade four brain tumor. Surgery wouldn't make a difference anymore.

Tyree's voice echoed in that sterile white room.

At that moment, I felt less fear than before. My mind was unusually calm. It was quite different from what I had expected.

First, I would go for an abortion, and then I would start the chemotherapy and follow-up treatments.

In that decisive moment, I felt strangely relieved.

I tucked the diagnosis back into my bag, preparing to admit myself to the hospital.

Just then, Craig appeared again. His accusatory gaze was harsh under the cold hospital lights. "What are you really here for? I won't let you hurt Eden!"

"Move!" I had already made up my mind. Since I was no longer part of the Sainsbury family, I would sever all ties with them completely—just like they had done to me.

Maybe, deep down, I shared the same cold blood they did.

I shrugged off Craig's hand and turned to leave. The anxiety, helplessness, and fear of the uncertain future turned into a complex emotion I couldn't fully describe, but I knew it was real.

I had to fight this battle alone. I no longer expected help from those who never intended to protect me.

Before, I had envied the way my parents and Craig treated Eden, but now I no longer cared.

The noise of the hospital faded away, and all I could hear was the steady beat of my own heart.

Three days later, the abortion procedure took place as scheduled.

That day, the hospital corridor was eerily quiet. There were no relatives filling the space with their endless advice—just the occasional sound of a cart rolling by and soft whispers.

The operating room lights were on. As I lay on the table, I felt the cold sting of the needle and the rapid numbness spreading throughout my body.

My consciousness faded as I drifted through a series of shallow dreams, with countless memories swirling in my mind.

When I finally opened my eyes again, it was the next morning.

Sunlight filtered through the curtains, gently spilling onto the bed.

I blinked and looked up at the unfamiliar ceiling. A sense of disorientation washed over me.

"If death is like this, it doesn't seem that hard to accept," I murmured with a bitter smile.

When Tyree arrived, he brought both good and bad news. "The abortion surgery went smoothly, but..."

He hesitated. I shifted slightly, signaling him to continue.

"But the cancer cells have already spread. Now, we can only try to buy some time."

I instinctively nodded, without much emotional reaction.

Leaving it to Tyree was the best outcome I could secure for myself.

During my hospital stay, I often sat in the chair by the window, watching the ebb and flow of people outside. Through that, I felt a sense of peace as though I were disconnected from the world.

Throughout this time, no one from the Sainsbury family came to visit, just as I had expected.

After completing the radiation therapy, I was discharged from the hospital. I felt as light as a feather. In truth, I had lost 24 pounds.

As I was preparing to leave, Tyree reminded me, "The radiation's done. Next, you need to start chemotherapy. Stay positive."

I smiled bitterly and nodded. I knew full well that time, for me, was just a form of empty comfort.

Just as I was adjusting my emotions and getting ready to leave, I received a call from Eden.

"If you're going to leave the Sainsbury family, then do it decisively." Her voice was sharp, impatient, and laced with a hint of deliberate authority.

She asked to meet me at a café to return my belongings.

20 minutes later, I walked into the café. Eden had clearly been waiting for a while, as her impatience was evident.

She sat by the window, tapping away on her phone with a frown. Her face was a picture of frustration.

When I sat across from her, she glanced up and looked at me coldly. "Everything's here." She handed me a bag. Her tone was flat and devoid of emotion.

I took the bag without a word. For some reason, the things that had once belonged to me now felt so unfamiliar.

"Thanks," I said, unsure of what else to say.

Eden scoffed, "Thanks? I should be the one thanking you for giving me the space to survive all these years by leaving the family."

She was skilled at using gentle cruelty; she often switched between angelic and demonic personas.

I sighed softly but didn't argue. The past felt heavy, and a simple "thank you" couldn't undo it.

Eden and I had endured the same hardships. We had been abducted together. She had even told the abductors that I was the true heiress.

Her moods, shifting between good and evil, were always unpredictable. I used to long to imitate her, hoping to win the family's affection.

But now, her barbed words couldn't wound me because I had finally escaped from that family I had been forced to love and fight for.

In some ways, life had finally returned to my hands.

Not wanting to get tangled in further conversation, I stood up to leave. But just as I was about to walk out of the café, I saw Craig enter.

Eden's expression immediately turned to panic, perhaps worried that Craig would see the ugly side of her.

"Craig, w-what are you doing here?"

"Did you clear out Cindy's room?" Craig asked.

"Oh… I-I was worried she didn't have any undergarments with her, so I..."

The deception behind her and the act of playing the good person made me sick, so I turned and walked toward the door.

I never expected Craig to suddenly step forward and block my way as I prepared to leave the café.

Frowning, I stared at him in confusion.

"You're leaving just like this? You're truly heartless. You don't even care about your parents." His voice was hoarse, and a displeased expression spread across his face. "Look at you now. How can you compare to Eden? You're really embarrassing us."

His words were like a hammer, cruelly striking at my heart.

In the four years I had spent with the Sainsbury family, I had always tried to please Craig, even going to great lengths to win his approval.

Yet, he had never tried to understand my inner suffering.

If explanations could help, I wouldn't have needed to leave the family.

I fell silent, no longer trying to explain. Any defense at this point seemed futile.

With the bag of belongings in my hand, I walked directly toward the door.

Craig's lips twitched, as if something had triggered him. "I'm not done yet. Who said you can leave?"

I had constantly tried to please him for four years. Naturally, he wasn't accustomed to me giving him the cold shoulder.

As I opened the glass door, it seemed like Craig finally hit some kind of breaking point.

He reached out to grab me, but instead of catching my arm, he accidentally pulled my long hair.

With a soft snap, my brown, curly hair fell to the ground, revealing the bald scalp beneath.

Everyone in the café froze, and Craig and Eden were both in shock.

"Why did you shave your head?" Craig, unsure of how to handle the unexpected scene, paused before asking. "Are you crazy? Don't you care about your appearance anymore?"

His voice was filled with confusion and anger, and his words echoed loudly in the café. The other customers looked on, stunned by the sudden outburst.

Eden, standing beside him, had a look of triumph in her eyes. Her tone dripped with disdain as she sneered. "What's your game this time, Cindy Larson? Are you trying to make a statement like those who shave their heads for charity?"

I looked at her and Craig calmly, a faint smile tugging at my lips. "Don't you know what it means to start over from scratch?"

I reached out and pointed directly at Craig. "Give me my wig back."