The Forgotten Twin, The One They Beg in Tears Chapter 08

The Forgotten Twin, The One They Beg in Tears Chapter 08

Inside the cramped room was nothing but a couch and a few cardboard boxes.

It was clearly meant for storage.

Marina gasped in disbelief. “This is where you made Freya live?”

“Freya had her own bedroom! What happened to it?”

Mom’s face flushed, and she whispered. “It… I turned it into Elowen’s walk–in closet”

She hurried to explain right after. “It was because Freya stole Elowen’s money, so-”

“Stole money?”

“Why would Freya steal money?” Grandpa asked.

Grandma frowned and stepped into my room.

Beside the old couch lay an urgent care medical form.

Dated ten days ago. Severe peanut allergy.

Emergency treatment plus medication cost nearly two hundred dollars.

Grandma’s hand began to shake.

“Was that also two hundred dollars that Elowen lost?”

No one spoke. The answer was plain.

Just then, Elara suddenly pointed toward the corner.

“There’s writing on the wall!”

The reporters aimed their cameras for a close–up shot of the wall.

Scrawled there: [Countdown to leaving home.]

Beneath it, tally mark after tally mark.

Seven in total.

“What have you done to Freya?” Grandma clutched the medical note and wept.

“When Freya got better, we went back to the farm.”

“If you couldn’t handle all three children, you should’ve told us. We would’ve helped raise them.”

Dad said helplessly. “Mom, you weren’t equipped to handle three kids back then.”

“Back then all our focus was on Freya, so we asked you to look after Elowen.”

“Elowen cried to us every few days, saying you treated her badly.”

Grandma’s sobs choked off mid–breath.

She spun around and stared hard at Elowen.

“Tell me, how did we treat you badly?”

“While your parents were at the hospital with Freya, who cooked your meals every day? Who picked you up after school? Is that what you told your parents?”

Elowen’s face turned deathly pale.

“I… I was little back then…”

“And you knew Freya had a life–threatening peanut allergy! How did she end up having an allergic reaction?”

Kael answered at once. “Grandma, we truly were wronged about the allergy.”

“She faked it! She ate them herself just to guilt–trip Mom and Dad into coming home!”

Grandma jerked her head up.

“Is she crazy? Risking her own life just to bring you home?”

Mom sighed.

“Mom, we don’t keep a single peanut in this house.”

“And even if your father and I were cold–hearted, we would never hurt her like that.”

A suffocating silence settled over the hallway.

Right then, the doorbell rang.

A delivery driver stood on the porch holding a small cardboard box.

“Is Elowen Hawthorne here?”

Elowen frowned. “What do you want with me?”

“Sorry, miss. The peanut powder you ordered two weeks ago was shipped as peanut crumbs

instead.”

“You said it was fine, but the platform sent a replacement anyway.”

“Signature required, please.”