No Longer Your Shadow

When I stepped out of my room, I just happened to witness Erica stumbling into Thomas' arms, wearing nothing but a bathrobe.

It only took one look for me to realize that the bathrobe she was wearing had belonged to Gwendolyn. My heart lurched almost instinctively.

But for some reason, Thomas didn't get mad or fly into a rage. Instead, he wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her.

It was just yesterday that I was made to kneel in the snow for a full three hours, all because I'd accidentally worn Gwendolyn's dress.

But now, not only did he not mind Erica wearing Gwendolyn's bathrobe, he even kissed her.

I couldn't help but find all those rules he kept going on about completely absurd all of a sudden.

After Gwendolyn died, Thomas had cycled through one substitute after another. All the women resembled her.

The latest one was Erica, and she was the most similar to Gwendolyn so far. She even resembled Gwendolyn more than I did, especially in personality.

Because of that, Thomas practically spoiled her rotten. He indulged her every request and never once said no.

Now she was Robin's tutor, which naturally meant she stayed in the villa.

But it was also after she came to the villa that Robin and I started drifting apart, and he even seemed to hate me more with each passing day.

He grew more attached to Erica, insisting that only she read him bedtime stories. By this point, both Thomas and Robin were completely taken with her.

No longer wanting to look at them, I turned and went back to my room to pack my things.

In the five years I'd lived here, Thomas had rarely given me gifts, and we practically shared no fond memories.

The only thing that stood out was the necklace he gave me on my birthday last year.

When he gave it to me, he explained that he had only bought it for Robin, but because it was sold as a family set and he didn't know what to do with the extra one, it went to me.

The other necklaces were worn by him and Robin.

The set was designed to symbolize protection and was said to bring peace and ensure safety. He told me he got it in the hope that Robin would grow up happy and healthy, free from illness or harm, under its protection.

However, I secretly looked it up afterward. It turned out that the necklaces didn't have to be bought as a family set at all. Each piece could be bought separately.

I never understood why he would lie about something like that.

Whenever I saw them wearing the necklaces, I would fall into a daze, foolishly believing that I was part of the family as well.

Looking back now, I realized that it was simply an illusion I had fooled myself into believing.

I took off the necklace and left it on the bedside table.

I hoped Thomas could find a wife who was right for him, and I hoped Robin would be blessed with a mother who genuinely cared for him. After all, I had only ever been an outsider they despised.

As I slipped out the back door with my suitcase, I found myself at a loss. I had no idea where I could go.

From the day I entered the Torres residence, I had completely cut off contact with my family. At that moment, I felt like a lone boat lost in a blizzard, with no harbor in sight.

Just then, footsteps came from the backyard. It was Erica. Seeing the suitcase in my hand, she immediately walked over. "Where are you off to, Winnie?"

"That's none of your business."

I didn't want to get tangled up with her, so I picked up my suitcase to leave, only for her to grab my arm.

"I didn't expect you to be this sensible. It would've been better if you had left sooner and saved yourself all that suffering, though. But… since you're leaving anyway, why don't you do me one last favor?"

I hadn't even processed her words when she let out a scream and plunged into the man-made lake in the backyard.