The Eldest Daughter's Revenge

Chapter4

Sophia’s entire body trembled with fear as despair gripped her tightly. Desperation filled her voice as she suddenly pleaded, “Eric... Eric needs me. I can help him in his business. Rose, please, let me live. I promise I won’t tell anyone anything. I just want to live... please...” Her tearful eyes searched for a trace of mercy in her sister’s cold demeanor.

Rose tilted her head and laughed cruelly, lifting Sophia’s chin with her fingers. “Eric, you say? Hmm, let me think…” she drawled mockingly. Then her expression darkened, and her tone turned sinister. “At first, I thought keeping you alive might be useful for him. But then I discovered something... something very interesting. Do you want to know what it is?”

Sophia lowered her head in silence, dread gnawing at her insides. A sharp blow to her head snapped her attention back. Ivy, another accomplice, sneered, “Hey, shouldn’t you be excited? It’s about you, after all.”

Rose smiled wickedly, her gaze boring into Sophia. “Tell me, dear sister, have you ever wondered why our parents always kept you hidden? Why you were never acknowledged as a true member of the Lane family? Despite everything you’ve done for us, why were you never loved?” Her words were laced with malice, each one cutting deeper than the last.

Sophia clenched her fists tightly. The thought had haunted her before, but now she was desperate for answers. Her eyes, filled with anguish, turned to Rose, hoping for clarity.

Rose’s smile widened as she leaned closer. “For someone so clever, you really should’ve figured it out by now. Or perhaps your only talent lies in seducing men with that pretty face of yours?” She let out a mocking laugh. “But since you’re so clueless, let me enlighten you. You’re not a member of the Lane family. You’re not my sister. You’re nothing but an orphan my father picked up from the streets—a mere servant to our family!”

The words hit Sophia like a sledgehammer. An orphan... not part of the Lane family... Everything suddenly made sense—the neglect, the indifference, the lack of love. Tears welled in her eyes as she struggled to process the truth.

Rose sighed dramatically, feigning pity. “That’s what I thought too, Sophia. That you were a nobody, just an orphan. But I was wrong.” Her voice turned sharp, almost gleeful. “You do have parents, Sophia. In fact, you come from one of the most prestigious families, and they’re searching for you.”

Sophia’s breath caught. My real parents... They’re looking for me? A glimmer of hope sparked in her chest. “Rose, who are they? Please tell me! I’m begging you!” she cried, her voice breaking.

Ivy scoffed. “Begging like this, Sophia? Aren’t you ashamed, knowing you come from such a powerful family?”

Rose smirked coldly. “Knowing who your parents are has only made things more complicated. I can’t let you live now, Sophia. You’ll have to die today. Don’t worry about Eric; your family will take care of us.”

Despair engulfed Sophia as she looked at the people she once trusted. But she couldn’t give up—not yet. She turned her tearful gaze to Ethan, the man she once loved deeply. “Ethan, please... I’m begging you. Tell Rose to spare me. I promise I won’t tell anyone anything. Please...”

Ethan’s eyes were cold and filled with disgust. “Sophia, looking at your face makes me sick. You’re nothing but an eyesore. If Rose wants you dead, then so be it.” A cruel smile spread across his lips. “You’ve always done what I asked, haven’t you? Then do it one last time—be a good girl and die.”

Rose laughed and wrapped her arms around Ethan, kissing him on the lips. “I love you so much,” she purred.

He smiled down at her, stroking her forehead lovingly. “Let’s finish this quickly. I can’t wait anymore.”

Blushing, Rose turned to Sophia, her expression a twisted mix of joy and malice. “Well, Sophia, Brother Ethan has spoken. It’s time to say goodbye.” She gestured to Ivy, who began pouring kerosene across the room and onto Sophia.

“No! Please, Rose, don’t do this! I’m begging you!” Sophia cried, struggling against the ropes binding her.

Rose smirked, holding Ethan’s arm as they stepped back. “Why should I tell you anything? You’re about to die. What’s the point in knowing? Goodbye, Sophia. Have a happy death.”

Their laughter echoed cruelly as Rose flicked open a lighter and tossed it into the room. Flames erupted instantly, casting an eerie glow as they closed the door, sealing Sophia’s fate.

The fire crackled around her as she struggled desperately, tears streaming down her face. But even in the face of death, a fierce determination burned in her heart. I will survive. I must.

The room quickly became an inferno as the fire spread relentlessly, consuming everything in its path. Flames danced across the walls, and the thick smoke filled the air, making it hard to breathe. Sophia struggled desperately against the ropes binding her, her heart pounding with fear and determination. She shouted for help, her voice hoarse and strained, hoping against hope that someone might hear her cries.

“No... I can’t let it end like this,” she thought, her mind racing. “I have to escape. My parents are out there somewhere, waiting for me.”

Fueled by sheer willpower, she fought harder against the ropes, the coarse fibers biting into her skin. The heat from the fire was unbearable, and beads of sweat trickled down her face, mingling with tears of frustration. After what felt like an eternity, she noticed a slight slack in the ropes. Summoning every ounce of strength, she tugged and twisted until, finally, her hands were free.

The room was now engulfed in flames, the smoke thick and suffocating. Sophia coughed violently as she bent down to untie the ropes around her legs. Her fingers trembled, both from fear and the heat searing the air around her. At last, the restraints fell away, and she stumbled to her feet, her legs shaky but determined.

The door wasn’t far, but the journey felt endless. Her vision blurred from the smoke and her weakening state, yet she pressed on, driven by a flicker of hope. As she neared the door, her heart surged with a glimmer of relief. Freedom was within her grasp.

But just as her hand reached out, the world around her faded to black. Darkness consumed her, and she collapsed, the roar of the flames the last thing she heard.