Chapter 7

When Lila woke up again, she was back in her bedroom. Julian was sitting beside her bed, getting ready to feed her some medicine.

The moment he saw her awake, he frowned. "Lila, you need to stop targeting Sienna. She may have taken your place for all those years, but none of that was her fault. You're home now, and I already agreed to marry you. What else could you possibly be unhappy about?"

Looking at the tenderness in his eyes whenever he spoke about Sienna, Lila finally couldn't hold back anymore. "Why did you really agree to marry me? Don't tell me it was because of the engagement between the Clarkes and the Everetts. I know you have the power to stand up to your family."

Julian was silent for a long moment before answering. "My family has been the most powerful family for generations. Every generation has only one son. My mother made it clear that any woman who marries into our family is expected to have children. Sienna has been cherished since she was little. I can't bear to let her go through the pain of childbirth."

The reason was so absurd that Lila laughed until tears filled her eyes.

She looked at him but couldn't speak for a long time.

"Wow, Julian, you really do love her. How noble of you."

Julian's expression remained cold. "The person I love is Sienna. But since I've promised to marry you, I'll make sure you're taken care of. Even so, my heart will always belong to Sienna."

Lila looked at him calmly. "Julian, what if one day you discover you've loved the wrong person? What if the one you really love is me?"

For a brief moment, he froze. It was as if he hadn't heard her clearly. Just as he was about to ask what she meant, Miles suddenly walked into the room.

Julian stood up when he saw him. "Miles, you grew up with Lila. Try talking some sense into her."

Miles sat down beside Lila's bed. As he reached for the medicine, the scar on his arm became visible.

It was a scar from years ago. Back then, Lila had picked up a doll Sienna no longer wanted. When Sienna found out, she snatched it back and humiliated Lila in front of everyone, saying that a nanny's daughter like Lila shouldn't touch her things.

Miles had been heartbroken. He worked construction jobs for several days, coming home covered in cuts and bruises. With the money he earned, he bought Lila the exact same doll.

Back then, he had looked at her sincerely and said she deserved the very best.

Lila looked at the man before her. He had completely changed.

"Miles, you used to tell me that one day you'd become successful. You said you'd become even more powerful than the Clarkes, so Sienna would never dare bully me again. But now that you've made it, you're bullying me alongside her."

Miles froze. After a long silence, he finally spoke, "I did hate Sienna before. But she donated a kidney to save my life."

Lila smiled bitterly. "It was my kidney..."

But he never heard her. At that moment, he heard Sienna crying somewhere nearby. Without another glance at Lila, he hurried away.

Time passed quickly. On Lila's and Sienna's birthday, the Clarkes threw a grand birthday party.

Officially, it was a celebration for both sisters. But the dresses, the gifts, and even the decorations had all been chosen according to Sienna's tastes.

She was the princess everyone adored. Lila was nothing more than a forgotten extra standing beside her.

The most ridiculous part was that, even now, the Clarkes had never told the public the truth about Lila's and Sienna's identities.

Everyone still believed Lila was only the nanny's daughter. They thought the Clarkes had adopted her out of kindness after the nanny passed away.

The family didn't want Sienna to face public criticism. So they let Lila carry all the blame instead.