The Ugly Truth

My consciousness faded as I drifted through a series of shallow dreams, with countless memories swirling in my mind.

When I finally opened my eyes again, it was the next morning.

Sunlight filtered through the curtains, gently spilling onto the bed.

I blinked and looked up at the unfamiliar ceiling. A sense of disorientation washed over me.

"If death is like this, it doesn't seem that hard to accept," I murmured with a bitter smile.

When Tyree arrived, he brought both good and bad news. "The abortion surgery went smoothly, but..."

He hesitated. I shifted slightly, signaling him to continue.

"But the cancer cells have already spread. Now, we can only try to buy some time."

I instinctively nodded, without much emotional reaction.

Leaving it to Tyree was the best outcome I could secure for myself.

During my hospital stay, I often sat in the chair by the window, watching the ebb and flow of people outside. Through that, I felt a sense of peace as though I were disconnected from the world.

Throughout this time, no one from the Sainsbury family came to visit, just as I had expected.

After completing the radiation therapy, I was discharged from the hospital. I felt as light as a feather. In truth, I had lost 24 pounds.

As I was preparing to leave, Tyree reminded me, "The radiation's done. Next, you need to start chemotherapy. Stay positive."

I smiled bitterly and nodded. I knew full well that time, for me, was just a form of empty comfort.

Just as I was adjusting my emotions and getting ready to leave, I received a call from Eden.

"If you're going to leave the Sainsbury family, then do it decisively." Her voice was sharp, impatient, and laced with a hint of deliberate authority.

She asked to meet me at a café to return my belongings.

20 minutes later, I walked into the café. Eden had clearly been waiting for a while, as her impatience was evident.

She sat by the window, tapping away on her phone with a frown. Her face was a picture of frustration.

When I sat across from her, she glanced up and looked at me coldly. "Everything's here." She handed me a bag. Her tone was flat and devoid of emotion.

I took the bag without a word. For some reason, the things that had once belonged to me now felt so unfamiliar.

"Thanks," I said, unsure of what else to say.

Eden scoffed, "Thanks? I should be the one thanking you for giving me the space to survive all these years by leaving the family."

She was skilled at using gentle cruelty; she often switched between angelic and demonic personas.

I sighed softly but didn't argue. The past felt heavy, and a simple "thank you" couldn't undo it.

Eden and I had endured the same hardships. We had been abducted together. She had even told the abductors that I was the true heiress.

Her moods, shifting between good and evil, were always unpredictable. I used to long to imitate her, hoping to win the family's affection.

But now, her barbed words couldn't wound me because I had finally escaped from that family I had been forced to love and fight for.

In some ways, life had finally returned to my hands.

Not wanting to get tangled in further conversation, I stood up to leave. But just as I was about to walk out of the café, I saw Craig enter.

Eden's expression immediately turned to panic, perhaps worried that Craig would see the ugly side of her.

"Craig, w-what are you doing here?"

"Did you clear out Cindy's room?" Craig asked.

"Oh… I-I was worried she didn't have any undergarments with her, so I..."

The deception behind her and the act of playing the good person made me sick, so I turned and walked toward the door.

I never expected Craig to suddenly step forward and block my way as I prepared to leave the café.

Frowning, I stared at him in confusion.

"You're leaving just like this? You're truly heartless. You don't even care about your parents." His voice was hoarse, and a displeased expression spread across his face. "Look at you now. How can you compare to Eden? You're really embarrassing us."

His words were like a hammer, cruelly striking at my heart.

In the four years I had spent with the Sainsbury family, I had always tried to please Craig, even going to great lengths to win his approval.

Yet, he had never tried to understand my inner suffering.

If explanations could help, I wouldn't have needed to leave the family.

I fell silent, no longer trying to explain. Any defense at this point seemed futile.

With the bag of belongings in my hand, I walked directly toward the door.

Craig's lips twitched, as if something had triggered him. "I'm not done yet. Who said you can leave?"

I had constantly tried to please him for four years. Naturally, he wasn't accustomed to me giving him the cold shoulder.

As I opened the glass door, it seemed like Craig finally hit some kind of breaking point.

He reached out to grab me, but instead of catching my arm, he accidentally pulled my long hair.

With a soft snap, my brown, curly hair fell to the ground, revealing the bald scalp beneath.

Everyone in the café froze, and Craig and Eden were both in shock.

"Why did you shave your head?" Craig, unsure of how to handle the unexpected scene, paused before asking. "Are you crazy? Don't you care about your appearance anymore?"

His voice was filled with confusion and anger, and his words echoed loudly in the café. The other customers looked on, stunned by the sudden outburst.

Eden, standing beside him, had a look of triumph in her eyes. Her tone dripped with disdain as she sneered. "What's your game this time, Cindy Larson? Are you trying to make a statement like those who shave their heads for charity?"

I looked at her and Craig calmly, a faint smile tugging at my lips. "Don't you know what it means to start over from scratch?"

I reached out and pointed directly at Craig. "Give me my wig back."