Chapter 22 – Gwen Again?
I was halfway through brushing my hair when the doorbell rang.
At first, I ignored it. The maid would answer.
But a few seconds later, I heard loud voices, followed by footsteps and then-
“Cara,” the maid called, nervous. “There’s a woman here. Says she’s your mother from fellowship or something.”
My heart froze.
No. Not here. Not now.
I faked a smile, “Oh yes, we each have an experienced woman who is our guidance at the hospital.”
The maid nodded and left, I wondered what she was doing here and why she hadn’t called. I dropped the brush and stormed out of my room. When I reached the living room, she was already seated on the cream leather sofa like she owned the place.
I clenched my jaw. “What are you doing here?”
She looked up slowly, her dark red lipstick flawless, hair tied back in a neat bun like always. Her black dress looked expensive, but not in a tasteful way. More like someone trying too hard.
“We said no visits. Not here. Not in public!” I hissed, checking the hallway to make sure Jack wasn’t around.
“I had no choice,” she said, calmly crossing her legs. “The nun was arrested.”
I blinked, confused. “What?”
“The one I paid to hide the files. From St. Marigold’s. She’s been arrested. It’s over, Cara. Our secret is out.”
My stomach turned. I moved closer, lowering my voice.
“What secret are you even talking about? I don’t understand.”
She gave me a pitying look. “Of course you don’t. You were just a child.”
Then, slowly, she leaned forward and said the words that changed everything.
“I’m the one who set the fire twenty years ago.”
My legs nearly gave out. “What did you say?”
She spoke like she was telling me what groceries she bought.
“I set the fire. I took you and Rachel out of school that day and left you near the back gate.
I knew the chaos would give me time.”
My breath was shallow. “Why would you…?”
“Because Rachel was the D’Angelos‘ real daughter,” she said, eyes cold. “And I wanted you to have the life she didn’t deserve.”
Chapter 22 Gwen Anain?
1314 Wed, 16 Jul
I staggered back, shaking my head. “That’s insane.”
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“No. That’s a sacrifice,” she said proudly. “I placed Rachel at the orphanage and made sure she was kept hidden. I paid the nuns to falsify her documents and change her name. Then I brought you to the D’Angelos. Made them believe you were the only one who survived. And it worked, didn’t it? You got the life. The name. The money.”
I couldn’t breathe. My hands were trembling. “I’m not their daughter. They adopted me already, why go far as getting rid of their real daughter?”
“Because you have to get everything yourself! Don’t you see that if she was around you wouldn’t have all the privileges you have now,” she said.
I stared at her shocked as she continued, “You’ve always been mine, Cara. Everything I did was for you to live like royalty. But now… now I’m afraid that girl – Rachel – is coming back.”
I stared at her like she was a ghost. “How do you know?”
“Because I’ve been watching,” she replied. “And today… someone released her records.”
I gripped the edge of the chair. “Who is she?”
My mother didn’t speak. She reached into her purse and pulled out a photo, sliding it across the coffee table.
I picked it up with shaking fingers.
It was Gwen.
Rage exploded inside me.
Her face, those fake innocent eyes, that smug little smile–I wanted to tear the photo in half
I threw the picture down, my chest heaving. “She never dies.”
“She’s the real daughter of D’Angelos. But if she comes back she will take everything back. She will ruin you and the life I’ve given you,” my mother said.
My mother stood and brushed imaginary dust from her skirt. “I trust you’ll handle it.”
Then she walked out like nothing had happened.
Like she hadn’t just destroyed my entire world.
I sank onto the couch, the weight of everything crashing down on me. My throat burned. My head spun.
I could recall vividly when I was five years old, my mother had taken me to the play.
She had told me to put on my best performance and I will be rewarded by living with wealthy people.
That night after the fire I cried a lot at the orphanage clinging to my adopted parents refusing to let them go until they adopted me out of pity because they had just lost their daughter.
It wasn’t until high school when my real mother came to visit me again that I realized she had abandoned me that night on purpose.
Chanter 22 –
Given Again?
13:14 Wed, 16 Jul 0
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She said no one must ever know she’s alive and I must keep living as the only heiress of D’Angelos. She had promised that Rachel would never come back.
But now Rachel is back and she’s fucking Gwen!
My fingers curled into fists.
“I’m sick and tired of you, measly bitch, I will destroy you this time for good!”
13:14 Wed, 16 Jul UG
