“Tongtong, you…” Mrs. An turned to An Tongtong with difficulty.
The recording clearly favored An Tongtong. Her malicious, probing tone as she provoked Ye Shaohua into saying those final words left no doubt about who had recorded it.
An Tongtong’s tear-streaked face froze. The sound of her own venomous words echoed in her ears.
It felt like a thunderbolt had struck her. The rest of her words stuck in her throat as she saw the disbelief and disappointment in An Tingjun’s eyes—eyes that had always been so tolerant and loving toward her. A wave of regret and fear washed over her.
“Brother, brother, please believe me!” She reached out to grab An Tingjun’s hand, but he instinctively pulled away.
She looked down at her empty hand, feeling as though something precious was slipping away.
Old Master An watched the drama unfold, his gaze shifting between Ye Shaohua’s icy expression and Mrs. Ye’s venomous glare. He shook his head. “In a few days, we’ll hold a ceremony. Even though eighteen years have passed, I think it’s best to set things right. Shaohua staying with the Ye family would never sit well with me. I wouldn’t rest easy even in death.”
Hearing him mention death, An Liguo frowned. “Dad, don’t say such things. But this matter does need to be settled…”
He glanced at his adopted daughter’s face, his disappointment palpable.
After all, they had raised her for eighteen years. Even a dog would have earned some affection.
But—
He had never imagined she would treat their biological daughter so cruelly behind their backs. The heirloom Mrs. An had given her was meant to reassure her, as she wouldn’t inherit any shares in the An family.
Who could have guessed that their goodwill would be twisted into a weapon to hurt their own daughter?
“But what could I do?” An Tongtong wiped away her tears, knowing that playing the victim would no longer earn her sympathy. She let out a cold laugh. “Was it my fault that we were switched at birth? Growing up, it was mostly the housekeeper who looked after me. How often were you two actually around? Mom, tell me, how many years of my childhood did you spend by my side? Other than attending parent-teacher meetings, did either of you ever take me to school?”
“Now that I’ve been raised as the An family’s young lady, you all keep reminding me that the An family isn’t mine, that I’m not the true An family daughter.”
“Instead of this life of luxury, I would’ve preferred an ordinary life. Did any of you ever give me that? Did I even have a childhood?”
She turned to Uncle Yao and Mrs. An. “My childhood was spent learning chess, playing the piano, and listening to you talk about business. My entire life was dedicated to you, and now you tell me I’m not the An family’s daughter!”
Hearing this, Mr. and Mrs. An’s expressions softened with guilt.
An Tingjun’s gaze also grew more complicated.
This was something they had always felt guilty about.
Children from wealthy families like theirs bore immense pressure from a young age. A carefree childhood was a luxury they could never afford.
An Tongtong continued, forcing back her tears as she turned to Ye Shaohua. “You envy my life in the An family, but do you know you stole my life first? I would’ve gladly traded this wealth for a happy childhood—one where my parents took me to the amusement park, walked me to school, and loved me unconditionally…”
“But you… Ye Shaohua, you stole my first life, and now you’re trying to steal my second!” An Tongtong’s tears finally spilled over.
“Tongtong, we’ll take you away. We won’t let you stay in this soul-crushing place any longer,” Mrs. Ye said immediately. “So this is how the An family has treated you…”
“Dad, don’t you have anything to say?” Ye Shaohua pressed her temples, initially planning to leave.
But hearing An Tongtong and Mrs. Ye’s words, she paused and looked at Ye Guoqing.
Ye Guoqing’s face was cold. He glanced at her but remained silent.
“Fine. So this is how you all feel.” Ye Shaohua nodded, then smiled.
For some reason, that smile made An Tingjun’s heart ache.
“Love? Dad, Mrs. Ye, tell An Tongtong—did you ever love me?” Ye Shaohua stepped closer to Ye Guoqing, leaning in slightly as she asked.
Mrs. Ye glared at Ye Shaohua, her lips curling as if to speak.
But Ye Shaohua didn’t give her the chance. She straightened and turned to An Tongtong. “When I was three, I lived alone. At six, I learned to heat my own meals. By eight, I was cooking for myself.”
“Do you remember this scar?” Ye Shaohua pulled up her sleeve, revealing a burn mark on her wrist. She pointed at it and looked at Ye Guoqing. “I was seven when I accidentally scalded myself while boiling water. It was the neighbor who took me to the hospital.”
Ye Guoqing’s cold expression froze.
“An Tongtong, you say you had no childhood, but at least someone cared for you, loved you. The An family gave you the best resources to mold you into who you are. But do you know what my childhood was like? While your parents attended your parent-teacher meetings, my teachers thought I was an orphan! From the moment I was born, I never celebrated a birthday because I was an unwanted child—a hindrance to their careers. I was despised from the day I came into this world!”
Ye Shaohua took a deep breath, then looked directly at An Tongtong. “Do you know what happened when I got my first period? I thought I was dying and took sleeping pills. I ended up in the emergency room. Did you ever experience that? No, you didn’t.”
“Your life was guided by parents who cared for you, who taught you. But I had to navigate everything alone. I didn’t know what was right or wrong. I stumbled through life, hitting walls and taking wrong turns, before finally finding the right path.”
The pain of her childhood might have gone unspoken, but it had left its scars.
An Tongtong was stunned. She had never experienced anything like this.
Just the thought of having to cook for herself, do her own laundry, or suffer a scalding injury was unbearable to her.
Ye Shaohua looked at her trembling face and spoke slowly, each word deliberate. “You say I stole your life and am trying to steal your second chance. An Tongtong, search your heart. Did I, Ye Shaohua, really steal your life?”
The room fell silent. Mrs. An covered her mouth, tears streaming down her face.
Mr. and Mrs. Ye were completely dumbfounded. They had never considered any of this.
“Shaohua, Dad… Dad is sorry,” Ye Guoqing finally said, his head bowed in shame.
“You owe me nothing,” Ye Shaohua shook her head. “And I owe you nothing. The fact that I’m alive today is entirely because of myself. I don’t resent anyone. My lab keeps me busy, and I don’t have time for this mess. I hope you won’t disturb me in the future. I don’t need the An family or the Ye family. I’ve lived alone before, and I’ll continue to do so.”
When I was a child, I used to ask my parents why other kids had their parents to guide them, but I didn’t. As I grew older, I understood their struggles. But I’ve made it through, stumbling and falling along the way. No matter how hard life gets, you have to love yourself.