My flattery successfully cheered Estel up. She scoffed and said, "Mom and Dad were right. You were born to serve others. Even when I become rich, all you can think about is working for someone else."
At that moment, Julian's voice came from outside. Estel's eyes lit up instantly. She stood and rushed out, eager to make her presence known.
Before leaving, she didn't forget to warn me, "Stay out of sight, and don't ruin this for me."
Estel and I were twins, and she was worried my presence might distract Julian's attention. But her concern was unnecessary. I was more than happy to keep my distance from her.
Otherwise, I feared that when trouble struck her, I'd end up caught in the crossfire.
Moments later, Estel chuckled softly and added, "Then again, with that face of yours, it wouldn't really matter if you showed up."
Her laugh carried a deeper meaning, and I understood it all too well.
Though we shared similar features, our looks were far from equal. Though we had the same facial structures, hers looked like they had been passed through a beauty filter.
She was simply beautiful, while I was plain.
Estel swayed her hips as she left the room. It wasn't long before I heard her comforting Julian. Her voice was dripping with an exaggerated sweetness that could make anyone cringe.
Having just donated blood, I wasn't feeling well, so I curled up and dozed off for a bit. When I woke up, the room was silent.
I glanced at the time and decided to head home. However, the elevator was taking too long, so I opted for the stairs. Yet as I stepped into the stairwell, I overheard Julian talking to Simon.
"Mr. Stewart, Mrs. Stewart's phone was last located at the hospital, but now it's gone."
I froze in place and quickly held my breath. Thankfully, neither of them noticed me.
Julian's voice was cold as he said, "Investigate quietly. Don't inform the police.
"Nina would never go to a place like that, so something doesn't add up. That Estel woman is acting suspiciously. Start with her.
"Dang it. If I find out who hurt Nina, I'll make their whole family pay."
I shivered upon hearing this. There were rumors that Julian was a notorious thug who had even spent a few years in prison before becoming a CEO.
Terrified, I hurried home. I was met with the sound of Estel laughing with our parents as soon as I walked through the door.
Our mom, Madison Foster, felt sorry for Estel as she believed she had sacrificed too much by spending money and donating blood. She bought her a lot of supplements to replenish her strength.
Estel dismissed it lightly. "You can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs. Covering the medical expenses is the only way to keep in touch with Julian."
Our dad, Bellamy Gage, sighed. "Then paying the hospital bill would've been enough. Why'd you donate your blood? You're already Rh-negative. It's going to take forever for you to recover."
"If I didn't donate blood, how else would that woman die?" Estel smirked slyly.
"I found out Nina is allergic to mangoes. I ate several of them before donating the blood. She's as good as dead."
The three of them quickly began fantasizing about Estel's life after marrying into wealth. I stepped forward at the perfect moment and pointed at Estel in disbelief. "How could you do something like this?"
The moment they saw me, all three fell silent. I grabbed Estel's hand and pretended to pull her toward the door. "There's still time for you to turn yourself in."
Estel shoved me away. "Esmeray, are you crazy? My plan is flawless. That place was in the slums!
"There were no cameras, and the car has already been dealt with. As long as you keep your mouth shut, no one will suspect a thing."
I frowned at her. "Do you really think wealthy people are as stupid as you? Nina is a rich person's wife. Why would she go to the slums for no reason?
"Even without cameras, there were plenty of witnesses. And you even called reporters to the scene. You're utterly foolish!"
Estel froze for a couple of seconds but quickly regained her composure. "Even so, they won't suspect me. Esmeray, why are you so worked up? Could it be that you're jealous of me?"
"I'm afraid you're going to drag our entire family down with you. If you won't turn yourself in, I'll call the police."
The moment I finished speaking, someone yanked my hair. My dad pulled me backward and kicked me hard in the leg, forcing me to kneel on the ground.
Even then, he wasn't satisfied. He also slapped me twice across the face. "Your sister is doing all this for the family, and you're thinking of calling the police? If I'd known you'd turn out this evil, I would've strangled you at birth."
My mom joined in, egging him on. "Hit her! Hit her! A vile girl like this only learns through beatings."
Estel stood with her arms crossed while sneering. "Dad, hit her harder! Don't let her ruin everything for us."
