Chapter 8 The Confession
594 Words
Seraphina could hardly believe what she was hearing. "Elara!"
"Be quiet. I'm not finished." Elara smiled pleasantly, as if she were telling a trivial story.
"When we were sent to the orphanage, I was so happy. I had finally escaped our biased parents. I thought life there would improve, but it was just jumping from one pit of filth into another. When I was twelve, the security guard assaulted me." Her teeth clenched as she spoke.
Seraphina felt as though she could not breathe. She forced her mouth open with difficulty. "If that happened, why didn't you tell me back then? I could have helped you."
"Tell you? Help me?" Elara laughed as if she had heard the greatest joke in the world, bending over from the force of it.
"Seraphina, do you know that every bit of my misfortune happened because of you? When that guard was abusing me, he even said that little sisters are never as good as big sisters. He said it was a shame your sister was harder to get."
Seraphina stood frozen in shock. Disbelief, horror, confusion flooded her. She had never known her own sister hated her so deeply, and for so many years.
"I always believed men were worthless," Elara continued. "Until I met Julian. When I met him, I realized the others were not real men at all. Only he is. He's handsome, capable, and ambitious. I knew long ago he would rise to the top. But why was he your boyfriend, Seraphina?" Jealousy burned openly in Elara's eyes.
Seraphina had never felt her so unfamiliar. She stared at her for a long time without finding any words.
Elara curled her lips smugly. "Over the years, countless women have surrounded him, yet none stayed for more than a year except me. Do you know why? Because I told him that seven years ago, I was the one who called the police and saved him from the kidnappers."
Seraphina's eyes widened. Seven years ago, the one who saved Julian had clearly been…
"Yes, it was you. Of course I know that, my dear sister." Elara smiled triumphantly.
"But do you think he would believe you now? Would he believe that you left him because you were gravely injured and did not want to burden him? Would he believe that nothing ever happened between you and Lucas? He won't." Her certainty sounded like a final verdict.
"Do you know how much Julian cares about the fact that you were once with Lucas? I even had surgery for him to restore myself. But on our first night together, he held me and called out your name. He said he wished you had always belonged to him alone."
Elara laughed until tears streamed down her face. Her expression twisted, no trace of her usual delicate innocence remaining.
A nurse knocked and entered with lunch.
Elara watched as the nurse placed a bowl of porridge on the tray. A sly glint flashed in her eyes. "Give it to me," she said.
"Be careful. It's very hot," the nurse warned before leaving.
Elara suddenly lifted her head and gave Seraphina a strange smile. "Sera, since you're dying anyway, why don't you help me one last time before you go?"
She raised her hand and poured the entire bowl of scalding porridge onto Seraphina's thigh.
"Ah!" Seraphina screamed and leapt from the bed, falling to the floor in agony.
Elara laughed breathlessly. "Sera, you look so funny…" Her laughter stopped abruptly.
The ward door opened. Julian's tall figure stood in the doorway.
- Writer
