Chapter 6

I opened my eyes to find myself lying in a hospital bed.

My mom sat by my bedside, wiping her tears. The moment she saw me wake up, she grabbed my hand and choked out, "My dear, you've been through so much."

The forced concern in her eyes was so insincere that it actually made me feel embarrassed.

I remained silent, gazing at her calmly.

As expected, she couldn't hold back any longer. Her voice choked with sobs as she said, "Anna... she's still young and impulsive.

"Her mother's been gone for years. You know, I owe her..."

When my mother was young, she had a relationship with Mark, which eventually led to my birth.

Heather, Anna's mother, had been kept in the dark for years. When the truth finally came out, she lost control and crashed her car on purpose, taking her own life.

I looked at my mom coldly. "You keep saying you're sorry to them, but what did I ever do wrong?

"Mom, tell me—what did I do to deserve being bullied by her all these years?"

My mom buried her face in her hands, her sobs growing even louder.

After what felt like an eternity, she finally dropped her hands and turned to me, her face streaked with tears.

I suddenly remembered that just outside the ward, Anna had worn that same tearful, pitiful look as she turned her gaze to Shawn.

I couldn't help but notice how pitiful they both looked.

I couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of it all.

After all these years, the question I'd thought about countless times but never dared to ask finally came out.

I demanded, "Mom, sometimes I can't help but wonder... Could it be that I'm not your real daughter at all, and Anna is?"

I was once beaten within an inch of my life by a gang of thugs Anna sent after me.

As I was being wheeled into the emergency room, I caught sight of my mother still standing vigil outside Anna's ward.

She watched anxiously as the doctors treated Anna's minor abrasions, repeatedly reminding them, "She's allergic to penicillin. You must be extra careful with her medication."

As the doctors rushed me into the ER, my mother stood frozen outside the ward, not even a glance my way.

I wasn't actually expecting an answer to that ridiculous question. I just needed to vent this sudden surge of bitterness.

During all those years of my mom's coldness, it never once crossed my mind that she wasn't really my mother.

But the moment I finished speaking, my mother's expression changed violently. For one terrifying instant, she looked at me with something close to horror.

The forced smile on my face froze solid.

It felt like someone had suddenly slammed a heavy fist right into my chest.

After what felt like an eternity, I managed to force a smile with great effort. "Mom, don't joke with me like this."

My mother swayed violently before crumpling onto the edge of the bed.

Her trembling hands clutched my arm as tears suddenly streamed down her face.

She begged, "For the sake of the twenty-plus years I've raised you, I beg you, let my Joss go, please."

My mind went completely blank. "Joss? Isn't that my name?"

My mother looked at me, then quickly averted her gaze in a panic.

Agonized, she hunched over like a bent branch.

So even the names "Joss" and "Jocelyn Lynn" were never truly mine.

That name rightfully belonged to her real daughter.

I felt numb. After a long silence, I asked in a toneless voice, "So... Who am I?"