Chapter 3
Robin’s expression instantly turned cold at Kane’s words. He looked down at Elena, his gaze so unfamiliar it was terrifying.
“Elena, I thought you were obedient and sensible. You never fought for anything before, but I guess it was all an act. You should know by now that no one can take your sister’s place in my heart.
“You knew that from the moment you married into this family!”
Elena opened her mouth, but nothing came out. Just then, Constance walked in gracefully.
She wore a flowing sea-blue gown. Her long hair was curled like seaweed, and her makeup looked delicate and ethereal. She currently looked so much like Evangeline.
The guests around them immediately began to whisper.
“Oh my god. She looks exactly like her…”
“Ms. Beck is the spitting image of Ms. Evangeline when she’s dressed like this…”
Robin’s eyes flickered with a moment of daze amid the murmurs. Kane’s eyes grew red. A second later, he could no longer hold back and burst into tears as he threw himself into Constance’s arms.
“Constance, I wish you were my mom! I don’t want Elena to take care of me!”
Constance gently hugged him back, stroking his hair with tender care. Robin stared at her for a long time, as if lost in a trance.
When he finally came to, he rushed forward and pulled her into his arms without hesitation. His every expression, every glance, was filled with affection.
Elena lay weakly by the edge of the pool, her heart turning utterly cold. She had spent six years in the Marsh family, caring for them in every possible way. Yet Kane had never relied on her like that, and Robin had never looked at her that way.
She had never left even the faintest mark on the hearts of this father and son. Constance, on the other hand, had effortlessly gained everything Elena had dreamed of and more just because she had a face that resembled her sister’s.
She clutched the suit jacket wrapped around her, letting out a bitter, self-deprecating laugh. It would all be over soon, at least.
After the banquet, rain poured down through the night as they drove home together. Elena had changed into a fresh set of clothes and sat silently in the front passenger seat, gazing out the window.
Constance spoke gently to Kane in the backseat, her tone soft and doting. Robin responded now and then, and his voice was low, indulgent in a way Elena had never heard before.
They looked so much like a real family. She lowered her eyes and absentmindedly rubbed the wedding ring on her finger. It had been six years, yet this ring had never truly meant anything.
Suddenly, the sharp screech of brakes tore through the rain. Then, there was a loud bang.
The deafening crash sent the world spinning. The airbag slammed into Elena’s face with brutal force. The sharp taste of blood filled her mouth instantly.
She lifted her head with difficulty. She saw Robin cradling Constance as he rushed into the rain through the shattered car window, with Kane trailing right behind them. Not a single person looked back at her.
Rainwater, mixed with blood, slipped into her eyes. Her vision blurred as she opened her mouth, but no sound came out. So it was true—one could truly see one’s life flash before one’s eyes when they were on the brink of death.
She saw that snowy night six years ago, when Robin had stood in the Larson family’s living room. His eyes were colder than the snow outside.
“Our families already agreed. You will take care of Kane and handle my physical needs for six years. You’re not to interfere in my personal life outside of that. If you get pregnant, the child must be aborted.”
She saw herself locked in the basement for the first time by Kane, and Robin standing at the top of the stairs, saying indifferently, “He’s the boy Evangeline gave her life to give birth to. Just bear with it.”
…
“She’s still breathing! Get the stretcher!”
That was when someone dragged her out of the wrecked car through the haze. The hospital corridor lights were harsh, cold, and blinding.
“They’re both Rh-negative. The blood bank only has enough for one!” a doctor shouted urgently.
“Give it to Constance first,” Robin replied without hesitation. “She absolutely must survive.”
“What about Ms. Larson?”
“She might as well die anyway!” Kane’s voice cracked with tears.
“Mom’s scared of the dark, so let her die and keep Mom company!”
Elena tried to laugh but ended up choking on her own blood. How ridiculous. It seemed like her life wasn’t even worth that of a substitute to them.
