Chapter 9
In the hospital, Margot lay on the bed, looking as pale as a ghost, her lips colorless, eyes shut tight, and brow furrowed like she was in some kind of endless nightmare. Greg and Thea was pacing back and forth, clearly worried, while Evan was busy on his phone, trying to reach Eliza, only to be met with the frustratingly familiar message that her phone was off.
Aiden stood nearby, a dark look crossing his face. He pulled out his phone and barked into it, “I need someone with O negative blood at the hospital now, no matter what it takes!” He hung up, his gaze fixed on Margot, full of anxiety and urgency.
After the blood transfusion, Margot’s face slowly regained some of its color, and Greg, Thea and Evan let out a sigh of relief. Aiden, though, still looked at Margot with concern. “Margot, get some rest. I’ve got to check on a few things,” he said, before hurrying back to the Newell estate.
As soon as he walked in, the eerie silence hit him like a wall. In the living room, he found disownment papers and the family heirloom on the table, and his face turned pale. He picked up the papers, and his hand shook slightly at Eliza’s signature.
Greg, Thea and Evan came in shortly after, equally stunned. Thea was the first to snap out of it, tearing the papers to shreds. “That ungrateful girl, how could she!” she exclaimed.
Greg’s expression darkened. “She’s throwing a tantrum, trying to cut ties with us and break off the engagement with Aiden? She’s just a kid. Let’s see how far she gets on her own. She’ll come crawling back soon enough.”
Evan scoffed, “Yeah, she’s just looking for attention. She’s in for a rude awakening.”
“Forget it. Let’s head back to the hospital for Margot. Eliza picked the worst time to act out. If anything happens to Margot, I won’t forgive her,” Greg said, and with that, they stormed out.
Aiden held onto the family heirloom, a nagging feeling of unease in his gut. Was Eliza really just acting out? Would she really come back?
She would. They hadn’t even had their wedding yet. She loved him too much not to return, he told himself, tucking the necklace into his pocket before heading out.
Back at the hospital, the Newell family and Aiden approached Margot’s room, hearts heavy. Just as they got to the door, Margot’s voice drifted out, soft yet clear, as if she was on a call.
“It really wore me out to pretend to fall off the hill this time. I’ve worked so hard to get rid of Eliza. All these years, it’s been one fainting spell after another, or falling down the stairs. The last time, I even pretended to hit the gas instead of the brake to run her off, and she still wouldn’t leave.
“But finally, it’s over. Eliza’s gone, and no one’s left to compete with me. I don’t have to play the weakling
anymore.”
Her words hit them like a ton of bricks, leaving them frozen in shock. How could Margot do such a thing? They always thought she was innocent and fragile, never suspecting any of this was an act.
Greg, Thea and Evan charged into the room, their faces dark with anger. Margot’s face turned ghostly white when she saw them, her phone slipping from her hand with a clatter.
“Margot, why would you do this?” Thea’s voice shook, disbelief clear in her eyes.
Margot rushed towards them, tears streaming down her face. “Mom, Dad, Evan, I’m sorry. I was so scared of losing your love.
“You only had me as your daughter, your sister, but then you had Eliza. I was terrified she’d take your love away.”
Greg and Thea scolded her harshly. “Eliza was born for your sake, so how could we ever love her more than you? Our care for you hasn’t decreased, it’s increased. Didn’t you see that? Why did you pull these tricks?”
1/2
10:13
Chapter 9
Evan was equally furious, “I thought the car accident was a real accident. Eliza was covered in blood, and I only worried about comforting you. Now you tell me it was on purpose? Margot, you’ve let me down!”
Seeing her parents and brother’s anger, Margot clung to their sleeves, sobbing. “I didn’t mean it, I promise this
is the last time.
“I’ve let you down, but you’ve always loved me the most, please forgive me?
“Mom, Dad, every time you couldn’t sleep or had a headache, I made aromatic remedies just for you. Aiden, during the earthquake, I risked my life to get you out of the rubble!”
Evan’s eyes showed a flicker of indecision, and Greg and Thea’s expression softened.
Margot turned to Aiden, her face full of grievance, “Aiden, you love me, right? You fell for me at first sight when I danced in the garden. Eliza was only born to be my blood donor. I know I was wrong to make her give blood so many times, but I couldn’t stand her taking your love away.”
Aiden’s brow furrowed, his heart in turmoil. He had always believed Margot to be kind and beautiful, never suspecting her to be so calculating.
At that moment, the housekeeper, who had been standing silently, suddenly stepped forward and fell to her knees, tears streaming down her face. “I can’t hold it in any longer. I have to tell the truth.”
