Chapter 7

Rossa looked at her daughter’s face with deep guilt, as if every line on Livia’s face was a reminder of a mistake she could never correct.

“If only I had not been so foolish… if only I had known that I was pregnant with you at that time…” her voice trembled, almost unable to continue. “You might never have existed in this world. I would rather you had never been born.”

Tears streamed down Rossa’s face as she spoke those words, as if every drop carried the regret she had long kept buried.

Livia fell silent.

Her chest felt tight, as if something was pressing heavily inside it.

“Do you… regret giving birth to me?” her voice was soft, almost inaudible.

She had never imagined that her existence could be such a burden to her mother.

Without hesitation, Rossa nodded.

“If you had not been born from the womb of a woman like me… perhaps you would have had a much better mother. A father who truly loved you. Not like me.” Her voice broke with sobs. “I cannot even protect myself… let alone protect my own child.”

Rossa’s crying became uncontrollable.

“The most painful thing for a mother… is seeing her child treated so cruelly… yet being unable to do anything to stop it.”

For Rossa, life had long since lost its meaning.

If Livia had never existed, she might have ended her life long ago.

Because for her, death would have felt like a relief.

The world is indeed beautiful…

but only for those who have happiness.

Not for her.

Tears finally fell from Livia’s eyes.

She had never seen her mother this broken.

Yet the girl slowly shook her head, as if rejecting everything that had just been said.

“But I have never regretted being born.”

Her voice was gentle, yet filled with conviction.

“I am actually very grateful to have been born into this world… to be your daughter, Mom.” Livia looked at her mother with tearful eyes. “I’m grateful… because I can take care of you.”

Rossa’s sobs grew even louder when she heard those words.

Livia smiled faintly, even though tears were still running down her cheeks.

“Mom… I am a chosen person.”

She spoke lightly, but there was strong certainty in her voice.

“Among the countless lives that could be born into this world… I am the strongest.”

Livia gently held her mother’s hand.

“That is why I was able to become your daughter.”

She gave a small smile.

“If I were not strong… perhaps I would not have survived even while I was still in your womb.”

Rossa could no longer say anything.

Her tears kept flowing endlessly as she listened to her daughter’s words.

In front of her, the girl she had always considered a victim of her life…

was actually the strongest one between the two of them.

Yet she knew that Livia was not truly that strong. Livia would not be able to endure Adrian’s endless torment.

“Livia… you don’t have to pretend to be strong in front of me.”

Rossa’s voice sounded hoarse from restrained sobs.

“You are still very young. Your life is still very long. I don’t want you to spend the rest of your life with a cruel man who will only hurt you… and humiliate you.”

Rossa looked at her daughter with eyes full of sorrow.

“I want you to leave. Leave this place… as far away as possible.”

Slowly, she got up from the bed and walked toward the old cabinet in the corner of the room. Her steps were still unsteady, but she forced herself to continue.

Rossa opened the small drawer inside the cabinet and took out a wallet that looked extremely worn. The leather had peeled in several places, clearly showing that it had been used for decades.

She walked back to Livia and handed it to her.

“Livia… I only have a little money.” Her voice was almost a whisper. “But I believe this can help you get out of here. You are very smart. I know you can survive out there.”

Livia looked at the money inside the wallet.

Her hands trembled.

The tears she had been trying to hold back finally fell uncontrollably.

She knew very well where that money came from.

In this large house, Rossa had never been treated like a wife.

Robert had never married her.

That was why Livia had always been labeled as an illegitimate child.

In the eyes of everyone in that house, Rossa was nothing more than a lowly woman who was only fit to be a servant.

She did the heaviest work every day—cleaning the vast house, washing the clothes of the household members, and even doing the rough labor that other servants usually did not have to do.

But unlike the other servants, Rossa never received a salary.

Never.

The only time she ever received money was when the house celebrated a major holiday. When all the servants received a small bonus from the head housekeeper, that was the only time Rossa received a share as well.

And those were the very coins she had saved little by little.

For many years.

Livia held the money with trembling hands.

“Mom… this money…”

Rossa gave a faint smile, even though her eyes were still wet with tears.

“I deliberately never used this money,” she said softly. “Because I knew… that one day it would save your life.”

Livia’s tears fell even more heavily.

She could not imagine how long her mother had endured not using such a small amount of money.

“If I have to leave… then I want to leave together with you, Mom.”

Livia’s voice trembled as she said those words.