Library
Search
Home / Romance / The Ugly Truth / Chapter 5

Share

Chapter 5

Author: Wake Up
A cup of fragrant jasmine tea was placed in front of me, but I was still lost in thought.

I kept wondering what I did wrong. Not only did I end up hollowed out, but I also dragged my adoptive parents into this mess.

I was the real heiress of the Sainsbury family. But when I returned at 17, they already had another "daughter" my age, Eden.

Eden Sainsbury—what a lovely name. The Sainsbury family was just like a paradise for her.

Before I got lost, my name was Amy Sainsbury. I was the beloved of my parents.

But after four years of being back, no one seemed to remember to change my name back to Sainsbury. I had kept the name Peter and Lila gave me—Cindy Larson.

Peter and Lila were so good to me. They couldn't have children, so when they found me, they thought it was a gift from heaven. They promised they would always cherish me like their treasure.

But when I donated blood at school, my DNA was submitted online and was found by Craig after 13 years of separation.

Peter and Lila had me go back. They thought I would have better access to educational resources with the Sainsbury family, and at least I wouldn't have to work my way through school anymore.

But now, just four years after coming back, I was dying. I had been diagnosed with late-stage brain cancer.

Peter and Lila probably never imagined this. Their intention was for me to live a life of success. Instead, my life had turned chaotic, and I had even dragged them into this humiliation.

There was no greater suffering in life than this. I felt as if my insides were being ruthlessly squeezed and twisted in someone's hand.

I sat by the window, looking at the soft rain tapping on the glass, as if trying to awaken my frozen thoughts.

The jasmine tea had long gone cold, but I still didn't feel like touching it.

The indescribable sadness inside me was like rain in the air, impossible to shake off.

Just then, the door was gently pushed open. Kevin stepped in cautiously, holding a bowl of steaming soup.

He carefully placed the bowl in front of me before saying softly, "You need to eat something, Cindy. Your body can't handle it if you don't."

I looked up at him, but my eyes were empty.

He was the only person I could talk to now, the only friend who hadn't abandoned me during this time.

Kevin's care brought a little warmth, but the pain in my chest still couldn't be soothed.

"Kev." My voice was hoarse. "Sometimes, I really don't know if all this is worth it. If I hadn't been found back then, maybe everything would've been better."

Kevin frowned slightly, then sighed softly as he sat across from me. "It's not your fault, Cindy. Those people will get what they deserve, and all you need to do is stay strong and live."

"But how much longer can I live?" I laughed bitterly, reaching up to touch my forehead.

"Your doctor wouldn't want you to think like that." Kevin took my hand, as if trying to give me strength by sharing his warmth.

"No matter how little time you have left, I'll be with you. Also, the Sainsbury family should know about your condition."

I understood what Kevin meant. He wanted the Sainsbury family to pay for my treatment.

But their money would only be another set of chains, leaving me nowhere to escape.

The Sainsburys kept performing their perfect, ugly little drama in front of me, and I was just an unnecessary bystander.

Even if I die, I wouldn't beg them for help.

Kevin seemed to sense the shift in my mood and gently patted my hand. "Let's visit your parents' graves again once you're feeling better, okay?"

I nodded softly, replying, "Okay."

The room fell silent again, with only the sound of rain softly filling the air, accompanied by blurry memories and that indelible past.

…

In the middle of the night, I was jolted awake by the vibration of my phone. It was a call from Eden.

I had been planning to block her number for a long time, but every time, I'd hesitate just before doing so.

I was always curious how she could switch between a sweet young lady and a scheming woman so flawlessly.

Like a master of disguise, she never showed a flaw. Her actions only widened the gap between me and the Sainsburys until it became an insurmountable divide.

After a moment of hesitation, I answered the call.

"You're so despicable, Cindy Larson. Why did you get someone to hurt Craig?" Eden was panting, clearly furious.

I was a little confused, but I could guess the reason behind it.

"Do you love him?" I asked suddenly, in the midst of her storm of insults.

There was silence on the other end of the line.

I continued, "If you don't want Craig to see your true colors, come to my adoptive parent's graves and wipe away the graffiti. I don't want any trace left."

With that, I hung up. As expected, she didn't call back.

It was probably the most direct retaliation I'd ever given, and it felt a little satisfying.

The next morning, I went to find Kevin. I noticed a bruise on his brow and the corner of his mouth.

"Where did you go yesterday?" I gently turned his face to get a better look.

"Nowhere. The rain made the roads slippery," he said.

I knew Kevin was lying. He'd probably gone to find Craig and had a confrontation.

I remembered when Craig came to pick me up, Kevin had found out and had chased the car on his bike. He had shouted desperately, and his eyes were bloodshot and filled with hatred.

It was Craig who had taken the girl he loved.

"Let's go visit your parents again," Kevin said.

I didn't call him out on the lie, but we went together to visit Peter and Lila's grave.

The site was clean and tidy, perhaps because we had wiped it down, or maybe due to the heavy rain from the night before, or perhaps Eden had come, filled with guilt, to clean up the mess.

It didn't matter. I didn't want to see Peter and Lila, the parents who loved me, being disrespected at the end of my life.

It was better this way.

"Cindy, are you really the lost daughter of the Sainsbury family?"

Kevin's question caught me off guard. I didn't even know how to answer it.
Continue to read this book for free
Scan code to download App
Previous Chapter Next Chapter

Latest chapter

  • The Ugly Truth   Chapter 17

    I arrived at my new home looking bashful. It was the first time I had seen such opulence in my life. My palms grew clammy from the nervousness, and I kept my head low.Craig grabbed my hand. His grasp felt warm. He promised, "Don't worry. I'll protect you. You will be my little sister from now on."I was granted a new name—Eden. The Sainsbury family loved me, and I loved them too. I especially liked being around Craig because he gave me a sense of security I had never experienced before.Craig offered me a cartoon plushie as a gift, but I threw it out because I thought it was ugly. The reason it looked ugly to me was that I spotted another young girl in the family's photos holding the exact same plushie.I had only seen that photo once, but it burned into my memories. A sensitive and timid soul, I held onto these memories tightly.The Sainsbury family must have selected me for a good reason. Every time I threw out the plushie, Craig would buy me an identical one, claiming it was

  • The Ugly Truth   Chapter 16

    Unfortunately, a tall young man stood in my way. He was Craig Sainsbury, Cindy's older brother.Craig snapped at me, "Do not stay in touch with Cindy anymore! You're not good enough for her!"I squirmed in shame when Craig scanned me from head to toe with disdain.I insisted, "I want to meet with Cindy. I'll marry her when we're grown up. Get lost!"Still a minor, I hurled a weak punch in Craig's way, which he breezily intercepted. "Cindy Larson is a daughter of the Sainsbury family. A poor guy like you cannot offer her anything. Do not remind her of her old life."I will take good care of my little sister and make her the happiest princess in this world. You and Cindy are different, and your paths will not cross. Just give up."Craig left me a bank card and left. I furiously yelled after him while wiping away my tears, "Keep your word, Craig Sainsbury! Return Cindy to me if you can't keep that promise!"I bellowed until I was spent. Staring at the bank card on the floor, I de

  • The Ugly Truth   Chapter 15

    I started to worry that Mom would never pay me any attention again. When Dad asked if I wanted to go with him to adopt a sister from the orphanage, I agreed without hesitation. I silently vowed never to abandon my new sister; that I'd protect her.My previous plan had failed spectacularly. Without Amy, our family was no longer the same. I wallowed and nearly drowned in regret. Often, I'd wake up in the middle of the night from nightmares, but I refused to reveal anything when my parents asked about it, as I was afraid I'd lose everything.I prayed hard that Amy would come home. I had surrendered to fate. I promised to be her bodyguard, protecting her at all times.My anxiety did not stop until a year later, on the 24th of April—the one-year mark of Amy's disappearance—a lovely young girl entered my life. She took Amy's place.After she joined our family, Mom's mood improved significantly. We named her Eden and decided that her birthday would fall on the 24th of April. Every year,

  • The Ugly Truth   Chapter 14

    "Come here." I closed my eyes and gave Kevin a kiss on his moist lips.Perhaps, this was the beginning of my farewell. …I believed it was time to get my affairs in order. Kevin was perhaps the only person I trusted.So, I instructed Kevin to sell off the house of my adoptive parents after I passed away and to bury me next to their graves.The profits from selling the house would be donated to cancer patients. On top of that, I planned to donate my corneas. I wanted to see the world in another way.Since I had no offspring or family, after some deliberation, I decided there was no need to bid farewell to anyone.…The weather was sunny on the day I passed away, which was rare for early spring weather. Unfortunately, I did not make it past the one-year mark, as the cancer spread fast.After falling into a coma for three days, I stirred awake, looking exceptionally spirited. "Kevin, I want to meet with Craig."Stunned, Kevin nonetheless agreed to it. In my moments of termina

  • The Ugly Truth   Chapter 13

    "It's been 16 years. I'm the one and only daughter of the Sainsbury family, and I will not give up my place to you, even if you drive me mad," Eden said to me.I sank into a prolonged silence. Then, I shook my head. Eden did not lose her sanity. It was all an act to protect her standing in the Sainsbury family.Too bad I couldn't care less for the love and attention she fought so hard to gain.Turning around, I was ready to leave when I bumped into my birth parents. They seemed to have aged a lot, hunching as they approached me.They were here to visit Eden. Panic set in upon the realization. I quickly put on the sunglasses because I did not want them to see me in my current state.Similarly, Eden scrambled to mess up her hair and act crazy. I couldn't help but marvel at her determination to win back her parents' love. For that, she was willing to be warded in a mental asylum and lived a miserable life.Her obsession made her more terrifying than a mad woman.With my head hung l

  • The Ugly Truth   Chapter 12

    Craig walked into the room and stood by the hospital bed. He said apologetically, "I'm sorry. I didn't know Eden would come over to disturb you."I looked up, briefly meeting my tired gaze with his. I then chuckled bitterly.Even without Eden telling me, I knew that Craig had been lurking around the corners of the hospital. I had seen him countless times through the clear glass. He was so familiar, yet so distant.For the first time in my life, he had become my protector. But his regrets came too late, and there was no point to it now.I sighed before turning away, no longer looking at Craig.Once Kevin came back, he reached out to pat Craig on his shoulders, asking him to leave. Craig did not resist. He walked out after telling me to get some rest.Was a blood relation really that important? Craig only stood up for me once, yet I no longer hated him as much—in fact, I was even starting to feel sorry for him."It's my fault for not keeping an eye over you," Kevin said as he gent

More Chapters

You may also like

Explore and read good novels for free
Free access to a vast number of good novels on GoodNovel app. Download the books you like and read anywhere & anytime.
Read books for free on the app
SCAN CODE TO READ ON APP
DMCA.com Protection Status