They Wanted Her, I Gave Her Everything, Now He’s Begging for Me Back Chapter 03

They Wanted Her, I Gave Her Everything, Now He’s Begging for Me Back Chapter 03

I got home and didn’t waste a second. I fired off an email to my advisor—reconnecting, restarting.

From outside my room, laughter erupted through the house.

Gideon was back.

When I was little, I was clingy, growing up in his arms. Then he left—took over the overseas branch.

He got so busy he couldn’t spare a minute to text me back.

Months ago, I asked if he’d come to my graduation.

The message sank into silence. No reply. Not a word.

I wasn’t stupid enough to think he’d flown back to surprise me.

And I was right.

Through the crack in my door, I watched him ruffle Reese’s hair. That look on his face—gut-deep longing.

“I’m late. Missed taking photos with my little sister. Unforgivable.”

Reese looped her arm through his, pouting.

“Then you’re punished. No work. Three months with me before you go back.”

Gideon agreed without a pause.

That ease. That closeness.

I never got it. Not the grown-up me.

I used to think Gideon just changed as he got older. Grew distant.

Then I overheard Eleanor on the phone with him one day, chatting casually.

She asked him why he’d adored me so much when I was young, yet now hid from me across the ocean.

Gideon went quiet for a long time.

Then his voice came through, hoarse.

“When we were kids, Sage looked a lot like Reese.”

That single sentence shattered me.

His sigh drifted through the receiver.

“I don’t want to treat them differently. But every time I see Sage—alive, vibrant,I’m reminded of Reese lying in that cold hospital room.”

“It’s not fair.”

I cried so hard that night.

Because I didn’t understand. The unfairness wasn’t my doing. So why was I the one paying for it?

I refused to accept it.

So I fought back, giving Reese hell at every turn.

Until that paternity test landed in front of me.

I didn’t believe it at first. Ran another one in secret. It confirmed I was Edward and Eleanor’s biological daughter.

But I still surrendered. Completely. Stopped fighting.

Let Reese take my clothes. Watched her shred them in front of me.

Let her ruin my birthday parties. Let her take Holden, the boy I’d loved for years.

Because the moment they decided to sever our blood ties for her sake, the outcome was already written.

I’d never win.

I snapped back to the present. Reese’s laughter floated through the door.

“Fine, I’ll generously give you a chance to take photos with me. Let’s go. Family portrait.”

“Holden. You too.”

Nobody ever said no to her.

Then—a gasp.

“Gideon! The necklace you sent me—it’s gone! I wanted to wear it for the photo!”

“I swear I left it in the graduation gown. It was Sage. Why would she take my necklace?”

She was crying now, pounding on my door.

“Sage, please. Just give it back. It was the first gift Gideon gave me after I woke up.”

“If you hate that I stole everyone’s love, I’ll stop talking to Mom, Dad, Gideon, and Holden forever. Just give it back. Please.”

Inside my room, I was packing. My hand brushed the real DNA test—the one proving I was their blood.

Reese’s wailing hit me. I froze.

I moved toward the door to explain.

Gideon smashed through it first.

“Sage. Hand over the necklace.”

I didn’t take her necklace.

But no one believed me.

Eleanor’s glare burned.

“All this time, you’ve been so docile. So well-behaved. We thought you’d finally matured. And it was all an act?”

“You were just lowering our guard so you could steal the thing Reese treasures most?”

I clenched my fists, nails biting into my palms.

My voice came out scraped raw.

“I didn’t take her necklace.”

Reese collapsed backward, a portrait of utter exhaustion.

Holden caught her. His fury swung toward me like a blade.

“Sage, enough. What is wrong with you? We asked you to let her have a few things, and you’re so jealous you’d rather destroy her?”

The words piled up in my throat, shredding everything on the way up. I couldn’t speak.

Reese lunged for my packed suitcase, tearing through it. Clothes scattered.

The DNA test slipped out, landing on the floor unnoticed.

Then her hand reached for my acceptance letter.

Ice shot down my spine.

“Stop! Don’t!”

That university was strict. The acceptance letter was irreplaceable—no copies, no reprints.

Too late.

She ripped it apart.

My mind went white. Empty. Static.

Reese leaned in close, her whisper pressed against my ear.

“Your classmate was right. You did apply to a grad program abroad.”

“You want to run? No chance. I’ll make sure you live in my shadow forever.”

“There was never a missing necklace, by the way. Just a little excuse to destroy your ticket out. Oops.”

Something inside me snapped clean in half.

I shoved her. Hard. My hands trembled as I dropped to my knees, trying to piece the shredded letter back together.

Over and over. Trying to make them whole.

Reese hit the floor, sobbing.

Gideon seized my arm, fury in his grip, a lecture ready on his lips.

Then he looked down.

His foot had landed on something.

Five bold words stared back at him.

Biological Match Confirmed.

Gideon’s pupils shrank to pinpoints.