But the moment I saw the ring, I recognized it instantly.
This was the one Alyssa had worn before.
A relic from the British Queen, worth over a billion.
It symbolized everlasting love.
The love was real.
But the ring on my finger was fake.
And the person Gabriel truly loved was never me.
I swallowed the pain rising in my chest and looked at Gabriel with teary eyes.
"Ever since I came to the Myers family, my parents deemed me unworthy, forbidding me from meeting outsiders. They told the world I was just an adopted daughter while letting Alyssa take my place and live the glamorous life of a wealthy heiress."
"And now, you think I’m unworthy too. You want Alyssa to replace me at my own wedding with you."
"Am I really so shameful? The one who did wrong isn’t me—it’s Alyssa!"
She was the one who stole my identity. She was the one who caused the accident and ran away. She was the one who schemed and framed me over and over again.
Why was it that she got to be loved by everyone, living in luxury without lifting a finger while I must bear all the consequences, hiding in this dark attic just to survive?
Fury surged in my veins.
I ripped the ring off my finger and threw it with all my strength.
"I refuse, Gabriel!" I shouted.
The diamond ring drew a perfect arc through the air—and landed squarely on Alyssa’s face as she stood by, eager to watch the spectacle.
She covered her cheek, her eyes brimming with tears. "Sis, do you really hate me that much? Will you only be happy if I die? Fine, I’ll just die then."
"Goodbye, Gabby. I hope you and my sister live happily ever after."
With that, she turned and ran off, sobbing.
Gabriel shoved me aside without a second thought.
My injured leg buckled, and I collapsed hard onto the floor.
Fresh blood seeped from my wounds, staining the cold ground. But Gabriel didn’t spare me a single glance.
He was too busy chasing after Alyssa, his face filled with worry.
"Ellie, don’t think that just because you served a few years in prison, you can boss Alyssa around!"
"If you hadn’t suddenly come back, she wouldn’t have been so distressed, wouldn’t have gotten drunk. This is all your fault—it has nothing to do with her!"
"You only spent a few years behind bars, but Alyssa has suffered the torment in her heart all these years. She’s the real victim. Why can’t you just let her go? You’ve really let me down!"
His words sliced through me like an axe, splitting my heart in two.
I sat there, frozen.
Not until I watched Gabriel carry Alyssa away did the tears finally fall.
So this was what he meant by "favoring" me.
For a long time, I just sat there in silence.
Then, slowly, I wiped away my tears and began packing up my few belongings.
If I was destined to be alone in this life, then I might as well cut ties with those who never truly loved me.
From now on, we would walk separate paths—and never meet again.
—
The day of my meeting with Professor Michael finally arrived.
Carrying my worn-out backpack, I was about to leave when my phone rang.
"Ellie, I found an eyewitness from that year. He’s willing to testify for you."
"Not only that, I’ve uncovered something else—something that concerns both the Myers and Turner families. It’s up to you how you want to handle it."
I stared at the documents he sent over, my breath hitching.
If this information went public, the Myers and Turner families would never know peace again.
I hesitated.
And in that moment of hesitation, Alyssa suddenly appeared before me.
Before I could say a word, she shoved me hard—sending me crashing into the pool behind me.
The icy water swallowed me whole, stabbing into my body like a thousand blades.
Shivering violently, I fought my way to the edge—only for the Myers family’s bodyguards to shove me back in.
