New File
Maya lowered her head, not daring to look at Felicia.
Felicia gripped the strap of her schoolbag tightly. She had only been sixteen at the time. Far too young to understand the complexities of adult life. Yet old enough to know that a mother shouldn't hand her child over to an alcoholic.
Felicia quickly opened her wallet and pulled out a black card. Maya's eyes immediately widened. “Use this to pay off her brother's debt and settle all your son's problems properly.”
“Young Miss?”
“But after that, don't hurt Serena anymore.”
A light drizzle began to fall over the park. Felicia turned toward Serena, who was still standing motionless. “Do you want to go to school?”
Serena slowly nodded.
“Then live with me.”
Maya immediately burst into tears and kissed Felicia's hand again and again. Serena suddenly dropped to her knees on the wet ground. “I promise I'll repay all your kindness, Young Miss,” she said between sobs. “I'll help you for the rest of my life.”
How foolish Felicia had been to trust those two completely.
“Hahaha.” A soft laugh escaped Serena's lips in the rain.
Felicia snapped out of the flashback, breathing hard, blood still spilling from her mouth. “Why, Serena?” she whispered weakly.
Serena tilted her head. “You still don't get it?”
Felicia stared at her in confusion. Serena slowly crouched down again beside her face. The glare of the car's headlights reflected in the woman's eyes. There was no guilt or pity there, only satisfaction.
“Your father went to prison because of me.” Serena smiled faintly. “The Lee family's company fell because of me, too.”
Felicia's breath caught. No. That couldn't be.
“I was also the one who told the loan sharks where you were hiding.”
Felicia's world seemed to collapse for the second time.
“W... why?”
“Because I'm tired of being your shadow.”
Serena's voice was gentle. Far too gentle for someone who had just destroyed another person's life.
“You've had everything since the day you were born. Everyone has always looked at you.” Serena moved closer. “What about me? I'm just the poor maid's daughter who had to pretend to be grateful every time you threw your pity at me.”
The rain pelted Felicia's face mercilessly, and her body began to go numb. Felicia thought of her father, Felix Lee, who had once always stood at the front as her protector. But now her father was already dead in a gruesome prison death after being framed for embezzling the company's funds.
It was all because of Serena. Felicia began to laugh softly, but it instantly turned into a bloody cough. She realized how absurd her life was. She had saved a snake, only to hope that it would protect her.
Serena stood again and straightened her coat. “Goodbye, Felicia.”
She slowly backed away, leaving Felicia alone on the cold street. Felicia's vision began to blur, and the sound of the rain grew more distant. Yet in the final seconds of her life, her hatred felt stronger than the pain.
Her fingers clawed into the asphalt. Serena... if there really is another life... I'll take everything back.
My family name, my company, my father, my life—and I'll make you feel that same hell. Then her consciousness slowly faded, and everything went dark.
“Felicia! Felicia Lee!” A deafening shout was followed by the loud smack of a book hitting her desk.
Felicia jolted awake, instantly breathing hard. The brightly lit classroom made her eyes sting for a moment. The rain was gone, and even the coppery smell of blood had vanished. All that remained was the hum of the classroom's air conditioner and the students' whispers.
The math teacher at the front of the classroom glared at her. “If you want to sleep, then get out!”
Felicia froze, her hands trembling violently. She quickly looked around at the elite high school uniforms, the digital whiteboard, and her classmates, who were still teenagers.
Her eyes fell on the electronic calendar on the classroom wall. September 12. This was her senior year of high school, and Felicia's body went rigid.
This was... before everything fell apart.