Substitute love

She banged and banged, but no one answered her. It was only after they had finished their dinner that James walked up to the door and looked at her with a cold expression.

"Dad, please open the door. You called me back home saying you had something to discuss with me," Maya spoke through gritted teeth as the cold wind pierced through her skin.

Stephanie soon joined him, along with her mom, Celene.

"What do you think? That you can hit my daughter and get away with it?" James questioned. "I heard how you embarrassed and humiliated her in front of everyone at the mall just because you caught her with your fiancé. You have no right to do that! Mind you, Stephanie and Marcus are together now. Stay out of their business and stop harassing them."

Maya shook her head in protest. "That's not what happened! She's the one who started it."

"Lies!" James retorted. "You are just jealous that she's with Marcus. If you really wanted to keep your relationship, you would have worked hard for it. Now that it is gone, stop trying to make things difficult for other people! Stop harassing Stephanie just because Marcus chose her over you. Your sister has been through a lot. You grew up with lots of privileges that she did not have. Now that it is her turn, allow her to enjoy what she couldn't enjoy before. Stop being so spoiled and jealous! Maybe it is because I spoiled you too much that you have become like this. Once you spend the night outside, you will know how to behave next time."

His words made Maya’s blood run cold. Has it really come to this? No one had even asked for her side of the story. No one asked why she did what she did. If she hadn't slapped Stephanie, she would have been the one struck. But even if she were the one slapped, no one would fight for her the way they fought for Stephanie.

She wanted to cry and beg, but she knew it was pointless. If you have to cry and beg for love, that love was never there in the first place.

She looked at her mom, hoping Celene would say something to stand up for her, but all she saw on her mother's face was disappointment.

"Dad, it's going to rain very soon. Are you really going to leave me out here in the rain just because of this?" Maya questioned, her voice breaking.

"If that is what it takes to put you in your place, then yes." With that, he turned his back and walked away.

Celene looked at Maya with a weary frown. "Why can't you just behave? You know your sister has a precious place in your father's heart, yet you keep causing trouble for her. Did you not think of the outcome when you decided to slap her? Now you are acting all pitiful. Once you spend the night outside, maybe, just maybe, you'll come back to your senses."

Immediately after saying that, she walked away, leaving only Stephanie and Maya at the door.

There was a long silence between them before Stephanie spoke up, a smirk dancing on her lips. "Just look at where you are, outside. And I am inside, right where I belong. And you? You are back to where I started. I told you that everything that was once yours would belong to me. You thought I was joking, right? I'm just getting started. Enjoy your night."

Just before Stephanie turned to leave, Maya spoke up. "You were never cast outside. Ever since you joined this home, you were never treated badly. Even though I biologically belong to my parents, I was pushed aside to accommodate you. So I honestly do not understand what you are chasing or what you are trying to take revenge for. Maybe you just enjoy seeing me this way, but there's really nothing to gain from it."

After Maya finished talking, a cold light flashed in Stephanie's eyes. She sneered. "There's a saying: at some point, the deeds of the parents become so bad that their children have to pay for them."

With that, she turned and left.

What did she mean by that? Maya questioned in her mind. What bad deed of my parents is she talking about?

Just as Maya was pondering Stephanie's words, thunder roared loudly and the wind blew harder, making her shiver violently. She could feel every limb in her body shaking from the cold. It was painful, not only physically, but the fact that her own father had left her out in the rain over a lie made it unbearable. She realized there was no shelter to protect her from the coming storm; she could only stand against the locked front door.

Very soon, the rain began to fall. It started light against her skin, but quickly turned into a heavy downpour. The droplets struck so hard they left stinging marks on her skin. She was completely drenched within seconds, and her phone was ruined by the water.

Nothing on her was dry. The wind and rain battered her petite frame, making her sway on her feet. In the freezing cold, she pictured them sitting at the warm dining table having a beautiful family dinner without her. That mental image hurt far worse than the storm.

She thought of reaching out to Lucien, but her phone was dead. Has it really come down to this? she laughed bitterly to herself.

It had all started years ago when young Stephanie was first brought into the Ewell family house. Everyone had been so welcoming, and Maya had been thrilled to finally have a sister.

"Hi, I'm Maya! We are going to be sisters. Come upstairs, let me show you my room!" young Maya had said enthusiastically, dragging little Stephanie up the stairs.

She had showed Stephanie all her toys and asked if she would like to play with them.

Stephanie’s eyes had flickered with something cold as she sneered, "So because you have all this, you decide to show off, huh? Don’t worry. Everything that is yours will be mine."

With that, she had shoved Maya to the ground and instantly burst into loud tears.

Maya’s parents had rushed up to the room. Seeing Stephanie crying while Maya was sprawled on the floor, they immediately demanded to know what had happened.

Stephanie pointed at Maya, shaking and trembling. "Mom, Dad, she tried to hit me! I’m so scared. I thought my sister would like me, but I guess she doesn’t want me anywhere near her. All I wanted was to play with her toys because I don't have any of my own, but she tried to hit me and push me out!"

Her parents looked at Maya with deep frowns.

"Maya, why on earth would you do that?" her mother scolded. "Don’t you see that your sister has been through a lot and just joined the family? Can’t you be more accommodating and welcoming?"

"Mom, I didn’t do any of that!" Maya protested, her voice filled with frustration. "I’m the one on the floor right now! She pushed me! I tried to share my toys with her, but she suddenly turned on me and shoved me down. I never did what she's saying!"

Before Maya could finish, Stephanie began to wail even louder.

Her father immediately rushed to Stephanie's side and pulled her into a warm embrace, lightly patting her back. "Don’t worry, sweetheart. I’ll get you your own toys, okay?"

After Stephanie finally calmed down, her father looked at Maya with a cold glare. "Your sister just joined the family, and this is how you welcome her? This is how you treat her? I knew it, I spoiled you too much."

He turned toward a servant. "Take all the toys from Maya's room and put them in Stephanie’s room. From now on, your toys belong to Stephanie. Since Maya doesn’t know how to behave, she will learn this way."

Maya had stared in disbelief as the servant carried away every single one of her toys, leaving her with nothing. From that day on, whenever Stephanie's toys grew old or unwanted, they were handed down to Maya.

That was how her life had been ever since.

Standing outside in the freezing rain brought Maya crashing back to reality. Seeing that no one was going to open the door or show her mercy, she turned away from the house to find shelter elsewhere.

She roamed the empty, dark streets, completely soaked. Her body was burning up with a fever, yet she couldn't stop shivering. She clutched her arms tightly around herself as her steps grew heavier by the minute.

By the time she finally reached a hotel, she was utterly exhausted. She pushed the glass doors open and stumbled toward the front desk.

"Excuse me, can I get a room?" Maya asked through chattering teeth.

The receptionist looked at her with an awkward, pitying smile. "I'm so sorry, madam. All our rooms are fully booked for tonight."

Maya's heart sank. "Please..." she whispered, barely able to keep her balance. "I just need somewhere to stay."

The receptionist's expression softened, but she shook her head apologetically. "I'm really sorry, but there's nothing I can do."

Maya lowered her head, a self-mocking smile touching her lips. Of course. Even the hotel has no place for me.

She turned around and forced her weak legs back outside. But the moment she stepped through the sliding doors, her vision blurred violently. Her body swayed, and as she tried to steady herself, her legs gave out completely.

Before she hit the pavement, everything went black. She collapsed onto the cold ground, the rain showing no mercy as it continued to pour over her unconscious body.

Suddenly, a sleek black car screeched to a halt nearby, and a figure rushed toward her.

"Maya? Shit! Don't worry, I'm here now."

The voice sounded distant, almost impossible to make out, but the familiar, comforting scent of sandalwood wrapped around her fading senses as strong arms lifted her off the ground and carried her out of the storm.