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Chapter 2
At the age of six, my parents divorced, and they fought endlessly over custody of me.
The sad truth was, neither of them wanted
- me.
In the end, my mother lost.
She was forced to take me with her, only to remarry the year after the divorce.
In the new family she had created, I became the one who felt most like an outsider.
And from that moment on, I knew–I had to leave.
I threw myself into my studies, and from middle school onward, I made money by
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helping others with their homework.
In high school, I went as far as to start my own tutoring business.
Yet, even so, I still lived in poverty.
I saved every penny, desperately trying to build a life far away from there.
Finally, I was accepted into the farthest university from home, and I left for my own new life.
Love was never something I placed at the forefront of my life.
That was, until I met Eden.
His family was everything mine was not- warm, loving, and complete.
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Maybe that’s why Eden was so gentle and caring.
During my first year of university, I fainted from low blood sugar after working non–stop at a convenience store.
It was Eden who rushed me to the hospital.
From that day on, we grew closer and closer.
Then, on Christmas, he confessed his feelings for me.
It’s hard to refuse warmth.
Especially when you’ve lived in the cold your whole life.
Eden and I dated for four years.
After graduating from college, I decided to
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start my own company.
Even though Eden treated me so well, my childhood had taught me one crucial lesson.
The only person who would never abandon me was myself.
It was also that year that Eden proposed to
- me.
I loved him, so I had to tell him the truth.
I told him I loved my work, and that even marriage couldn’t tie me down to being a stay–at–home wife.
He said it was fine, that he would take care of the family.
I told him I didn’t want children, that I didn’t want motherhood to disrupt my life.
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He said it was fine, we could adopt one.
Even Eden’s parents supported my decision.
So, after my business started to pick up, we got married.
At that time, I truly believed I was the happiest person in the world. I thought all the suffering had finally left me behind.
But little did I know, life was just waiting to deliver another blow. I had my secretary schedule a doctor’s appointment and canceled all my afternoon meetings.
Eden wanted me dead, but I refused to give him the satisfaction. The only person who can decide my life or death in this world is
- me.
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When the test results came in, they were just as I had expected. Sitting in the corridor, the doctor’s words echoed in my ears. He said my cholesterol was high, which could lead to cardiovascular problems.
But during my last check–up, my cholesterol levels had been normal. Even the doctor hinted that this significant spike was likely due to some external factor.
I have a history of migraines, so I take medication before bed every night. Eden knew that.
But now, I couldn’t be sure if the pills I was taking were really what I was supposed to be swallowing.
“Vivi, what are you doing in the hospital?”
I looked up to find Eden’s parents standing
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in front of me, their faces filled with surprise. Eden’s mother, especially, had an expression of concern that was hard to miss.
“Are you not feeling well? Where’s Eddie? Why isn’t he with you?”
I stared at the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes, and it felt like a heavy stone had settled in my chest. I had never experienced maternal love growing up. In a way, Eden’s mother had filled the void in my heart. She remembered all my favorite foods, took care of me all night when I was unwell, and always stood by my side during arguments. with Eden.
If I could, I would have wished she were my mother. But now, a ridiculous thought began to take root in my mind. Had they known about Eden and Daisy all along? Had they been complicit in Eden’s plans?
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I gripped the test results tightly in my hand and forced a casual smile, just as I always did.
“It’s nothing. Just a routine check–up.”
“By the way, Mom and Dad, there’s something I want to discuss with you!”
“Recently, one of my clients recommended a piano teacher–someone who graduated abroad and is very professional. I was thinking of switching Aaro’s teacher.”
I carefully watched their reactions, and as soon as they heard my words, their eyes flickered with a brief moment of surprise and panic.
At that moment, my heart sank to the bottom. It turned out that even they were
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accomplices in the web of lies meant to trap
- me.
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