The Forgotten Twin Chapter 07
“I won’t.”
Without the slightest hesitation, I said those two words.
“What did you say? Say that again.”
“I said, I won’t.”
Mom looked at me with red-rimmed eyes, “Y… You really want to force your sister to her death?”
“Madeline, do you have no heart? Clara was just about to jump off the building, and you’re still saying no. Are you trying to drive her to suicide?”
Thomas walked over and gently rested a hand on my shoulder, “Madeline, stop this.”
“Just now, you said you weren’t going to Royal Fang because you were upset. I know you think we’ve always favored Clara. I understand that you’re hurt. But you’re the kindest person I know. Just repeat the year with Clara. Please?”
His hand slid down my shoulder, trying to take mine.
I slapped it away, “I said, I won’t.”
Someone in the crowd suddenly muttered, “Is the Alpha and Luna out of their minds?”
“Madeline is an SSS-ranked Golden Wolf, yet she showed up to the banquet wearing a waitress’s uniform?”
—
“The younger daughter is only Rank D, but she’s dressed in an outfit worth millions?”
“And they’re actually forcing the older daughter to repeat a year just to keep her company?”
“I can’t believe people like this call themselves parents.”
Mom suddenly spun around to face the crowd, “What do you know?”
She raised her voice, “My younger daughter is sick! She has Sibling Rivalry Disorder! The pack doctor said that as long as her sister outshines her, she’ll want to kill herself!”
“We don’t have a choice! You’d understand if you had a child with this kind of illness!”
William immediately stepped in to defend her, “That’s right! Clara has suffered from this illness for years. It wasn’t easy for her emotions to finally stabilize.”
“What’s wrong with Madeline giving in to her for once? The whole family has been doing it. Why is she the only one who refuses?”
Thomas spoke up as well, “Madeline is so smart. Repeating a year really isn’t a big deal for her.”
I looked at them, then I laughed.
“So she’s sick… and that means I have to give in. She cuts herself with razor blades… so I have to give up my ranking examination. She threatens to jump off a building… so I have to repeat a year.”
I slowly took a step forward, “Mom. Answer me one question. Am I really your daughter?”
—
Mom turned her face away. Her shoulders trembled slightly.
“Madeline… I don’t have any other choice. You’re the older sister. Can’t you just let Clara have this?”
She never looked at me. Not once.
Tears rolled down my face. I raised a hand to wipe them away.
More followed.
“Give in? Why should I?”
“Every time she said she wanted to die, it happened when someone was watching.”
“Every time she cut her arms, it was just as one of you walked into the room.”
“Every time her ‘illness’ flared up, she got exactly what she wanted.”
Mom’s face turned deathly pale. William’s fists clenched and loosened. Thomas slowly turned to look at Clara.
“Don’t you think this illness sounds ridiculous? Out of all the twins in the world… why is she the only one with it?”
I took out my phone and tapped on an audio recording. A familiar voice played through the speakers.
“When the time comes, just make up some illness. As long as it makes the whole family take my side. Madeline can never be better than me.”
“Once it’s done, I’ll give you one million dollars.”