Chapter 2My Twin Sister Can't Have Children, So She Schemed to Frame Me as a Surrogate. Now They're Calling Me a Homewrecker?

On my 23rd birthday, Emily was uncharacteristically enthusiastic about celebrating with me. Based on what I knew of her, I suspected she was up to no good. But after being ignored for so many years, suddenly receiving warmth from my parents and old friends - I found myself craving it. Because of that small desire, I walked right into a trap.

You might not be able to imagine how cruel a woman can be when she sets her mind to it. Emily showed me exactly what that looks like.

On my birthday, I was dressed like a princess in a designer gown. My parents were there, and even some of my old friends showed up.

Because of Lucas and Emily's relationship, I wasn't surprised to see Lucas there as well.

I sang "Happy Birthday" with everyone, feeling a bit awkward as I made my wish. That day, I secretly told myself that no matter how difficult the past had been, I was ready to make peace with it all. Because I still had my family.

Since it was my party, I inevitably drank too much.

The next time I woke up, it was to Emily's piercing screams.

I looked groggily at Emily, then at my dad and mom. Their expressions were all different - Emily's eyes held disappointment, while my parents looked furious. Feeling scared, I asked them, "Mom, Dad, what's wrong?"

"Don't call me Mom. I'm not your mother," my mom said as she strode over and slapped me across the face. My head was spinning - I still couldn't grasp what was happening.

As I was slowly coming to my senses, I heard a derisive snort beside me. I turned to look - it was Lucas. Suddenly everything clicked, and I lifted the covers. The evidence of our intimacy was unmistakably displayed all over my body.

It was over, I thought to myself.

Lucas was very calm. He got up and got dressed, then looked down at me condescendingly. "Olivia Reed, I always knew you were devious. But I never imagined you'd stoop so low. Emily was kind enough to throw you a birthday party, and this is how you repay her? By getting drunk and crawling into my bed?"

"I don't remember anything," I tried to defend myself. But Lucas's scorn only deepened. "Olivia Reed, do you think we're all idiots? Look around - this is my room, far away from yours. If you didn't do this on purpose, how did you end up here?"

At that, I looked up at Emily, and everything became clear. How ironic that just yesterday I was thinking about making peace with the past.

I said nothing, just quietly got up and got dressed. Because I knew that anything I said would be useless.

When I went out to the living room, it was full of people - everyone who had been at my birthday party. They all knew about my one-night stand with Lucas. Unsurprisingly, their faces were full of contempt and disdain.

They didn't even try to hide their mocking voices as they spoke:

"How shameless, sleeping with your own sister's boyfriend."

"I always knew she was no good, but I didn't realize she was this awful."

"If you ask me, she's just desperate. Aren't there any other men out there? Even rabbits know not to eat close to home."

...

For a moment, I thought about ending it all. But in the end, I still clung to life. Otherwise I wouldn't be here now.

As the memories faded, I recalled how Lucas had acted so nobly that day, saying he would marry me. It was laughable. Emily had said she found him "tainted" now, putting on an act of being hurt yet magnanimous as she told him to take responsibility for me.

If I hadn't caught her secret smirk directed at me, I might have really believed she had my best interests at heart.