Too Late to Love Me

They immediately rushed to her side, and they panicked when they saw the red mark on her palm that looked like a burn.

"Everyone at the party was someone we knew. How could anyone give such a dangerous gift?" A scorpion got out of the box and Xavier crushed it under his foot.

All eyes turned to the open gift box.

"Was this… from Winona?" my mom asked as she frowned.

Winnie immediately looked like she was going to cry. She said, "Please don't blame Winona, Mom. The gift was on my nightstand this morning. I was happy that she wanted to give me a present."

My dad and Xavier looked angry and disappointed.

"I knew it! That's why she delayed coming home. She wanted to hurt Winnie on purpose!" my dad exclaimed.

"How could I have such a vicious sister?" asked Xavier.

"Enough! Shut up and take Winnie to the doctor first!" said my dad. He kicked away the gift box that Winnie had stolen from my room, furious as he slammed the table.

"The bandage is finished. I'll get more from the basement," said Xavier before he started to leave.

Winnie looked around in a panic. She clung to his arm and said, "Don't! The doctor will have bandages. It hurts so much…"

Xavier would have smelled blood if he had taken one more step towards the basement.

However, things turned out differently.

My family rushed out after hearing Winnie's pleas, and I was left drifting in the empty living room.

I wanted to scream. I wanted to explain that I had done nothing.

However, I could not make a sound.

I felt like even if I could speak, they would have never believed me.

So be it.

The butler heard the commotion, and he came out to clean up the mess. He let out a long sigh.

He asked, "Why could you never learn to protect yourself, Miss Winona?"

My soul drifted back to my bedroom. The diary was still on the floor. I kept thinking about my memories.

It was my eighteenth birthday party, and our family held a grand celebration. My father announced how the family business would be divided that day.

My brother was the first to be introduced. He displayed sharp business acumen. He was young, but he spoke with confidence about finances and investments.

My father did not hide his pride in him. It was as if he could see Xavier running the company.

Then, it was Winnie. She was only ten years old, but she had a natural charm. Her every gesture was elegant. She played piano beautifully and could dance. My mother held her and proudly called her the gem of the family.

I stepped onto the stage with hope, determined not to disappoint them.

The room fell silent when it was my turn to be introduced.

I had no striking talent, no brilliance to make people remember me. I was so ordinary that no one could recall what I had just said.

I became the invisible one from that day on, a child unworthy of investment.

Later, I worked myself to the bone and earned the highest academic honors. However, they thought I had cheated my way through. They believed that I won the Global Medical Doctorate Award by bribing the judges.

Xavier and Winnie enjoyed all the favoritism and opportunities.

Instead, I was left with what my life had always been, ordinary and dispensable.