Love Is Ever-Changing, Yet Sincerely Felt

When I was forced to record a video, Joseph sat there with his legs crossed, looking at me with a smirk.

I faced the camera and spoke. "Rebecca has tirelessly taken care of my husband, and I embarrassed her. I sincerely apologize. It was my fault."

Joseph looked satisfied as he sent the video. It quickly stirred up a storm online.

Related hashtags soared to the top of trending searches.

Soon, people dug up an old story from three years ago about my family's real and fake daughters.

[She already stole someone else's life, and now she's trying to frame them? Truly, she's rotten to the core.]

[My heart aches for the real daughter. Not only did she suffer growing up, but now she has to clean up the mess left by the imposter.]

[What a hypocrite! Luckily, Mr. Harper can see through it. Otherwise, I can't imagine how much more the real daughter would suffer.]

Suddenly, I became the city's biggest laughingstock.

The righteous public called for me to be thrown out of the Knight family.

Rebecca quickly reposted the video and made an announcement.

[I understand Marlene acted impulsively. It's not a big deal. I hope everyone can go easy on her. She has been sheltered all her life and isn't strong enough to bear too much. I don't want her to get hurt.]

Her response ignited another wave of praise, with everyone complimenting her for her kindness and grace.

Joseph seemed pleased with the situation.

He said, "When you make a mistake, you must face the consequences."

I looked at the mockery on his face.

Since childhood, I had liked his eyes. They were always full of tenderness.

Joseph and I had an arranged marriage. We grew up together.

He was always considerate and mature, solving all my problems and protecting me like a knight.

Falling in love with him was inevitable.

After graduating from university, I quickly got engaged to him.

For two years after our wedding, our relationship was harmonious.

He treated me with tender care, preparing breakfast for me and kissing my forehead before heading to work.

He didn't let me do any housework.

He would say, "You were born to live a life of comfort. I promised to take care of you for a lifetime."

Every day when he came home, he brought me a bouquet of roses.

He would say, "A princess needs flowers to adorn her life."

Wherever we went, he would always hold my hand tightly.

With a gentle smile, he would look at me and say, "I must keep an eye on you."

I accepted his kindness without hesitation.

But then, a year ago, my parents told me that I was not their biological daughter.

Soon after, Rebecca was brought back.

I had no choice but to accept the abrupt changes. In a short time, I became a thief who had stolen someone else's life.

Before I could even process it, Rebecca was already linking her arm with mine, smiling brightly.

She said, "You must be Marlene. From now on, we're sisters."

She was lively and full of energy, completely different from me.

Her tanned skin and radiant smile were almost dazzling to me.

Wherever she went, the air seemed more vibrant, and everyone would be drawn to her.

Joseph was included.

He once said, "If everything had been right from the start, the person standing by my side would be her."

At that time, I didn't understand the hidden meaning of his words.

I tried to seek comfort from him, but he was distracted.

He dismissed my worries and started spending more time with Rebecca.

He told me, "Rebecca is doing something meaningful, working on rural revitalization in partnership with my company to help farmers. It's a good cause.

"You, with your delicate hands, wouldn't be able to handle the countryside environment. No need for you to get involved."

I quietly followed them, watching as they walked through the fields together. They chatted on the ridges in the breeze, and the scene was almost sweet.

Even from a distance, I could see the softness in Joseph's eyes when he looked at her.

I could feel that he was drifting further and further away from me.

It hurt so much I thought I would lose my mind, and I fought with him again and again.

He accused me of being unreasonable and jealous. "You've already stolen her rightful life. Why can't you let her be happy? Are you really that malicious?

"If everything had been right, you wouldn't even deserve to stand by my side. You should be grateful."

Joseph was right.

Our marriage was an arrangement between two well-matched families.

He was rational and principled. In his eyes, our marriage had nothing to do with love.

I lost the will to fight and stayed at home, constantly comforting and deceiving myself.

I didn't think he would leave me. We were bound by our childhood love.

But every time, I was only met with more disappointment.

He claimed he didn't want me to be burdened, yet he took Rebecca to various events. In the photos others posted, Joseph smiled at her with such tenderness, and I could see the truth in his eyes.

But there was nothing I could do.

For six agonizing months, I endured this pain.

Then came the accident.

I cried uncontrollably in fear and prayed for Joseph's survival at the door to the emergency room.

Later, when he fell into a coma, I learned how to take care of him little by little.

For six months, Rebecca never once came to visit.

My parents told me she was too busy with work. Unlike me, a sheltered canary, she was a soaring eagle.

I had no time to care, completely focused on Joseph.

During those months, I often reminisced with him about our childhood.

Eventually, my effort paid off.

But the first thing he asked after waking up was, "Where is Rebecca?"

Rebecca arrived soon after.

Joseph embraced and kissed her, declaring his love.

He said, "At the brink of death, it was your voice calling to me in my subconscious, giving me the courage to fight back against death."

Instinctively, I tried to explain, "Joseph, I've been the one taking care of you for the past six months."

But my mother yanked my hand and scolded, "Marlene, don't say anything. Don't interfere with their bond."

It was only then that I realized that I had long been a discarded piece in this game.