The Ugly Truth

A cup of fragrant jasmine tea was placed in front of me, but I was still lost in thought.

I kept wondering what I did wrong. Not only did I end up hollowed out, but I also dragged my adoptive parents into this mess.

I was the real heiress of the Sainsbury family. But when I returned at 17, they already had another "daughter" my age, Eden.

Eden Sainsbury—what a lovely name. The Sainsbury family was just like a paradise for her.

Before I got lost, my name was Amy Sainsbury. I was the beloved of my parents.

But after four years of being back, no one seemed to remember to change my name back to Sainsbury. I had kept the name Peter and Lila gave me—Cindy Larson.

Peter and Lila were so good to me. They couldn't have children, so when they found me, they thought it was a gift from heaven. They promised they would always cherish me like their treasure.

But when I donated blood at school, my DNA was submitted online and was found by Craig after 13 years of separation.

Peter and Lila had me go back. They thought I would have better access to educational resources with the Sainsbury family, and at least I wouldn't have to work my way through school anymore.

But now, just four years after coming back, I was dying. I had been diagnosed with late-stage brain cancer.

Peter and Lila probably never imagined this. Their intention was for me to live a life of success. Instead, my life had turned chaotic, and I had even dragged them into this humiliation.

There was no greater suffering in life than this. I felt as if my insides were being ruthlessly squeezed and twisted in someone's hand.

I sat by the window, looking at the soft rain tapping on the glass, as if trying to awaken my frozen thoughts.

The jasmine tea had long gone cold, but I still didn't feel like touching it.

The indescribable sadness inside me was like rain in the air, impossible to shake off.

Just then, the door was gently pushed open. Kevin stepped in cautiously, holding a bowl of steaming soup.

He carefully placed the bowl in front of me before saying softly, "You need to eat something, Cindy. Your body can't handle it if you don't."

I looked up at him, but my eyes were empty.

He was the only person I could talk to now, the only friend who hadn't abandoned me during this time.

Kevin's care brought a little warmth, but the pain in my chest still couldn't be soothed.

"Kev." My voice was hoarse. "Sometimes, I really don't know if all this is worth it. If I hadn't been found back then, maybe everything would've been better."

Kevin frowned slightly, then sighed softly as he sat across from me. "It's not your fault, Cindy. Those people will get what they deserve, and all you need to do is stay strong and live."

"But how much longer can I live?" I laughed bitterly, reaching up to touch my forehead.

"Your doctor wouldn't want you to think like that." Kevin took my hand, as if trying to give me strength by sharing his warmth.

"No matter how little time you have left, I'll be with you. Also, the Sainsbury family should know about your condition."

I understood what Kevin meant. He wanted the Sainsbury family to pay for my treatment.

But their money would only be another set of chains, leaving me nowhere to escape.

The Sainsburys kept performing their perfect, ugly little drama in front of me, and I was just an unnecessary bystander.

Even if I die, I wouldn't beg them for help.

Kevin seemed to sense the shift in my mood and gently patted my hand. "Let's visit your parents' graves again once you're feeling better, okay?"

I nodded softly, replying, "Okay."

The room fell silent again, with only the sound of rain softly filling the air, accompanied by blurry memories and that indelible past.

…

In the middle of the night, I was jolted awake by the vibration of my phone. It was a call from Eden.

I had been planning to block her number for a long time, but every time, I'd hesitate just before doing so.

I was always curious how she could switch between a sweet young lady and a scheming woman so flawlessly.

Like a master of disguise, she never showed a flaw. Her actions only widened the gap between me and the Sainsburys until it became an insurmountable divide.

After a moment of hesitation, I answered the call.

"You're so despicable, Cindy Larson. Why did you get someone to hurt Craig?" Eden was panting, clearly furious.

I was a little confused, but I could guess the reason behind it.

"Do you love him?" I asked suddenly, in the midst of her storm of insults.

There was silence on the other end of the line.

I continued, "If you don't want Craig to see your true colors, come to my adoptive parent's graves and wipe away the graffiti. I don't want any trace left."

With that, I hung up. As expected, she didn't call back.

It was probably the most direct retaliation I'd ever given, and it felt a little satisfying.

The next morning, I went to find Kevin. I noticed a bruise on his brow and the corner of his mouth.

"Where did you go yesterday?" I gently turned his face to get a better look.

"Nowhere. The rain made the roads slippery," he said.

I knew Kevin was lying. He'd probably gone to find Craig and had a confrontation.

I remembered when Craig came to pick me up, Kevin had found out and had chased the car on his bike. He had shouted desperately, and his eyes were bloodshot and filled with hatred.

It was Craig who had taken the girl he loved.

"Let's go visit your parents again," Kevin said.

I didn't call him out on the lie, but we went together to visit Peter and Lila's grave.

The site was clean and tidy, perhaps because we had wiped it down, or maybe due to the heavy rain from the night before, or perhaps Eden had come, filled with guilt, to clean up the mess.

It didn't matter. I didn't want to see Peter and Lila, the parents who loved me, being disrespected at the end of my life.

It was better this way.

"Cindy, are you really the lost daughter of the Sainsbury family?"

Kevin's question caught me off guard. I didn't even know how to answer it.