Entwined Fates of the Two Daughters

Third Person's POV

Entering their humble home, Alina was nothing but happy after hearing the news that her father was already out of prison. Her heart was booming and she could feel how excited she was because of her heart rate.

As she saw Robert inside their residence, her eyes gleamed with tears and she immediately hugged him tightly.

"Dad!" She wailed with tears.

There were no words that could describe how happy Alina was but just a single action from her father and her smile dropped.

Robert pushed her away after hissing. "Stop your drama!" He exclaimed. "Irritating," he, then, murmured which Alina still heard.

It felt like her heart dropped and she was stoned on her feet after experiencing the coldness in her father's voice and stares. She did not expect that even after years, he still hated her for reasons she did not know.

What her father acted rendered her speechless. She wondered if he truly did not love her at all. In her mind, she was already so hurt and overthinking that Robert hated her.

"Just change your clothes already and cook something! I'm already starving," Robert commanded and slumped on the couch.

Since Cecilia was not home and was still out because of her part-time job. No one was there to cook for them. Evelyn also was no longer capable of cooking while James was still at the hospital, doing his job. Alina knew all that so she nodded her head and quickly went to her room even though her knees were still weak.

She wanted to cry so bad because of how her father treated her but Alina still tried to compose herself. When she looked at the mirror, she saw how hurt was reflected in her eyes but she smiled after inhaling sharply, just so she could hide what she was truly feeling.

Still, her tears betrayed her because seeing herself trying to look fine pained her to the core.

For years, she waited for her father to get out of prison, just so they could finally be together, but she did not expect that the day would be like that. Not even a single ounce of love towards her was felt.

With all those thoughts in mind, Aline wiped her traitor of tears and heaved a deep breath.

"Maybe Dad is still trying to adjust," she whispered to herself.

Although she consoled herself that way, she could still not help but hope that someday, Robert would love her as his daughter. She hoped that the day she would be showered by her father's love would come.

Weeks had already passed and the quiz competition was already near. Since it was held yearly, the university would only choose two lucky representatives—representatives who were intelligent enough to show the whole competition that their university was one of a kind.

"Before anything else, I would like to announce the upcoming quiz bee contest. The university had already chosen the participants of our school, one would be Ms. Vida Miller," the professor announced Vida's name and that made everyone in the class clap to celebrate her getting chosen.

Vida already expected that she would be called. That made her smile slightly but deep inside, she felt like it was already a victory. It was also a way to get her parent's attention.

Every year, she would always get chosen by the university so she really did expect her name to be called. Deep inside, even without showing everybody, she loved to be at the top. She loved the attention, she loved the peak where she was standing.

That day, she would impress her parents, and it was also a way to at least have her parents give her some time.

She was already thinking of how she was going to tell them about it when the professor spoke once again.

"The next one is Ms. Alina Wilson, congratulations to the two of you!"

Her mouth parted a bit and she could not believe what she just heard. Her eyebrows furrowed and she was really surprised that the poor girl's name was called! She did not expect it all.

Realizing that the university also trusted that girl's intelligence, flamed up her heart against Alina. She knew that Alina would be one of her rivals.

"Good luck to the two of you. Do your best, okay? The whole West Grove is behind your back. Having the top two will drive our university to greater heights, you will be defending our very own West Grove!" The professor once again spoke which made everyone really excited.

Their university had been in first place for consecutive years and both Vida and Alina had to carry its weight. They had no time to slack off because that would mean they would be the first as well for years to break off the record—only if they failed.

With a proud smile, Vida spoke in the middle.

"Don't worry, Ma'am, we will surely get first place like the previous years," she assured the professor who nodded her head.

Everyone had pride because it was Vida who would be competing once again, they were sure that she would not let their university down.

On Vida's side, everyone was greeting her with the pressure that she would carry the reputation of the school with her. However, on Alina's side, the students of their class also went to talk to her.

"Hey, congratulations," one of her classmates said, which made Alina smile.

The same thing was heard by the other students as well.

"Thank you, really. I will do my best," she promised while smiling.

It was not near impossible that no one would try to talk to her after some time. It was because, despite her background, Alina was a great person. She was kind to everyone and she did not hurt anyone back.

After a moment that was when Vida walked in her direction. It was the time that Vida asked her to be a partner. That action was as if indicating that they would have a truce for the sake of the competition.

After that class, she went out of the room to spend her lunchtime at the cafeteria. Nothing could spoil Alina's mood that day that she was even humming while entering the place.

While looking around and hoping that she would find a good spot, someone walked near her.

"Hey," Lucas called her attention. Alina gazed on his side and her eyes remained at him for a while.

"I heard you are chosen to represent the school," the young man mumbled, his eyes indicating something which she did not get at first.

Seeing that, Lucas held his nape shyly.

"Can we have lunch together? Just to celebrate it," he told her with a thin smile. She could also see how his eyes reddened.

Hiding her smile, Alina nodded slowly. "Sure."

Her consent made Lucas's smile grow wider.

"Really, then can I treat you to lunch? Just a way to congratulate you, it's fine, right? Please."

Deep inside Alina did not want to agree because she thought that he would only spend his money on nonsense but seeing the hope glimmering in her eyes, she nodded her head once again. That simple action made him happy.

With all those in her mind, the moment the school ended, she was walking out of the gate with a smile that could not be erased.

She could not deny her happiness at all. First, she was chosen in a competition, and second, she celebrated it with a kind friend. That day was really good for her.

Outside the school, she saw the image of her uncle James waiting for her.

James stood there and waited for Alina to come out. His eyes already saw her coming near and just when he thought it was all that, he saw a glimpse of Emily—a woman linked in the messy past.

Just a sight of the woman made him still to where he was standing. Emily hugged another student from the university. That was when she realized who the student was.

Even though Emily did not see him at all, James could not calm himself at all. His sweats were cold and she could feel how his body weakened. Seeing them reminded him of what he did in the past. Something that had been haunting him even in his nightmares.

When the woman was already out of his sight together with the student she fetched, James eyed Alina who had been calling him but he was so out of it.

"Are you fine, Uncle? You're pale!"

"Who... who was that?" he asked instead of answering her.

Confused, Alina's eyebrows creased but she still answered.

"You mean the student that was fetched by her mother? It was Vida Miller, a student from my class."

What Alina said made him almost collapse to where he was standing but Alina was able to catch his arm just in time.

He held the shirt near his heart tightly as he clenched his jaw. James felt how his heart almost dropped after hearing that. It was racing deep inside his ribcage and he was feeling something he could not explain at all.

At that very moment, in front of the university, all that he did in the past came rushing to his mind. From the point that he agreed to Roberts's plans, to the point where he exchanged the babies thinking that it was to appease his brother's vengeful heart.