Chapter 3

My eyes watered as I smiled mockingly.

"Am I going to forever be the bad guy in your eyes?!

"I'm your biological daughter!"

He took a deep breath.

"Yes, that's exactly why I have to be even more careful. Even if you were innocent, it would be bad for our family's reputation if I started punishing her after you returned to us.

"Go and apologize to Courtney."

My last bit of hope was shattered.

I was trying very hard to prove that I was innocent, yet it all seemed like a huge joke.

My tears streamed down my cheeks. I was suddenly a little angry. Why should I leave after being humiliated like this?

"Sure. Apologize to her, right? I'll go."

They were taking graduation photos on the school field.

Courtney was standing in the middle of the crowd. She wore a custom-made gown. She looked extremely elegant.

I was wearing an old school uniform, and there was a footprint from when my father kicked me.

People started gossiping.

"Why is she here to take photos?"

"I bet she cheated. Otherwise, why didn't she come to the examination?"

"I despise these cowards the most."

Kyle was feeding Courtney her medicine as he looked at her lovingly.

"Why didn't you tell us that you were allergic? I was right beside you, yet you still chose to suffer in silence."

Courtney said softly, "No matter how Lily is, I'll treat her as my family. I have to think about her reputation."

She smiled and held my hand.

"Lily, you're here! Even though you didn't take the college entrance exam, I still want you to experience what it's like to graduate.

"Next year, when you're taking your graduation photo, you'll be the most experienced there."

Someone was laughing.

"Who knows if she'll pee herself out of fear when she retakes the exams?"

Kyle coughed.

"Enough. Don't you want to take photos?"

He held my hand. "Apologize to Courtney. Once you get into Southvale University next year, I'll propose to you."

I did not say a word.

A hint of jealousy flashed in Courtney's eyes. She simply passed her phone to me.

"Everyone, you can look for Lily if you want to take photos. Let's make her feel included."

I quietly took the phone.

"Sure."

I stared at the screen and asked softly, "Courtney, didn't you invite your own mother to your photo-taking session today?"

Everyone was suddenly silent. The initially bustling crowd became dead silent.

A hint of nervousness flashed across Courtney's face.

"What are you talking about?"

I slowly took out a DNA test result. "Why? Don't you recognize your own mother?

"Or have you been a wealthy daughter for far too long that you've forgotten that you're actually the daughter of a human trafficker?

"Oh, I've forgotten that your mother is still in prison. She can't get out."

The crowd immediately exploded. No one still thought about taking graduation photos. Instead, they were gossiping.

"Lily's the biological daughter? Courtney's the fake one?"

Courtney immediately teared up and looked pitiful. "Lily, I know you're jealous of me… but you can't smear my name like that."

Kyle got closer to me and said softly, "Lily, you're the one who forced me to do this.

"Sloan is the police officer who saved you, right? She misses you a lot."

I froze.

On the phone screen, a group of people surrounded Sloan's hospital bed.

I stared at it intently as my body became cold.

Kyle waved his phone in front of me and said dismissively, "Lily, it's just an apology."

Everyone was looking at me.

I clenched my fists as my fingernails dug into my palms.

"...I'm sorry, I was jealous of you. You're the biological daughter of the Anderson family!"

Courtney immediately smiled as she held Kyle's arm.

"Alright, as long as you learn from your mistakes, I won't hold it against you."

Kyle put his phone away and glanced at me. "Alright, don't be angry, I've prepared a surprise for you…"

Everyone no longer paid attention to me as they started chatting among themselves again.

I stood there in a daze.

My phone buzzed.

"Ms. Scott is in critical condition. Please come over soon!"