A Love That Fades

Selena's gaze was filled with mockery.

Now that she was thoroughly disappointed, she no longer had any expectations for Ian. She calmly uttered two words.

"Got it."

Ryan, however, looked at her in disbelief. "Ian took such good care of you all these years, and that's all you have to say? Selena, ever since Mom passed away, you've been acting so strange.

"Vanessa nearly lost her life because of you, and you haven't even shown any concern for her. I get it now. You blame Vanessa for stealing our family's love from you, and deep down, you're hoping she dies, aren't you?

"She's already suffered so much, yet you're still jealous of her? When did you become so evil?"

Hearing this, Selena suddenly found it laughable.

If Vanessa had truly intended to take her own life by overdosing, then why was the dosage so precisely controlled? Why was it just enough for her to be found by the Carter family in time?

For years, Vanessa had been using such despicable tactics to slowly steal the affection of everyone in the family. By now, it was second nature to her.

Besides, no matter how much Selena explained, it would be pointless. Just like now, she hadn't even said a word, yet she had already been branded as the villain.

Even staying silent was a crime.

As Ryan was about to leave, his voice turned cold, as if he had completely given up on her.

"Do you know how much I wished that the person who donated blood for me that day was you, and not Vanessa? You're my real sister, but when I was in danger, you hid away. I hate you."

With a loud slam of the door, Ryan walked away without ever looking back.

Six months ago, Ryan had been hit by an out-of-control car. He had lost a massive amount of blood and had been in critical condition.

The hospital's blood supply had been running low, and they had still needed forty seven ounces of blood.

Originally, Zachary and Selena had planned to donate together.

But after just seven ounces, Zachary had started shouting that he couldn't take it anymore and had the doctor remove the needle.

Selena, on the other hand, had already been losing consciousness after twenty seven ounces.

But thinking of her younger brother lying on that hospital bed, she had clenched her jaw and forced herself to hold on, letting the doctors take a total of forty one ounces from her.

When she had woken up, she had found herself in an unfamiliar ward. There hadn't been a single person by her side.

It turned out that Zachary, wanting his son to get along with the newly arrived Vanessa, had lied and told Ryan that it was Vanessa who had saved his life by donating blood.

After being discharged, Selena had forced herself to go find Ryan and explain everything. But all she had gotten in return was a slap across the face.

With tears streaming down his face, he had screamed at her, demanding to know why she wasn't there when he needed her the most.

Why did Vanessa have to give him so much blood, nearly losing her own life in the process?

Fighting back the bitter chill in her heart, Selena had told him to check the hospital records. He would know the truth then.

But to this day, he had never done so.

Instead, he wholeheartedly believed that a fifth of his blood came from Vanessa. In his mind, his own sister was nothing but a cold-blooded traitor who had abandoned him.

No matter what she did or said, it was always seen as malicious.

It didn't matter anymore. Selena was done explaining. She was done with all of it.

Selena sat on the couch in the empty house.

There wasn't a trace of warmth left in this place.

Outside, the wind howled against the windows. She closed her eyes and covered her ears.

But she still couldn't escape the suffocating pressure that pressed down on her. It felt so strong, as if it could crush her at any moment.

Since no one in this family cared about her or needed her anymore, she might as well disappear forever.