The Enigma of Your Love

My sister, Grace Hunt, hit someone with her car and killed them.

My mom, Amy, covered it up by using acid to destroy the disfigured body and dumped it at an abandoned steel factory.

What she didn't know was that the body she was destroying belonged to me, the daughter she despised.

When she found out the truth, she completely lost her mind.

After I was hit, my body got caught in the wheels and was dragged for miles before the car finally stopped.

By then, I was unrecognizable and already dead.

Grace finally seemed to realize she had hit someone. She let out a long breath and, trembling, leaned against the car door as she made a call.

A few minutes later, Amy arrived in a hurry. She hugged the terrified Grace tightly. "Don't be scared, sweetie. I'm here. Everything will be fine. You go home, take a shower, and get some rest. I'll take care of the rest.

"Remember, don't tell anyone about this."

After Grace left, Amy finally frowned as she glanced at the mangled body on the ground. She crouched by the roadside and threw up uncontrollably.

She left for a few minutes and returned wearing a surgical mask and gloves, carrying a large container of clear liquid labeled "acid."

My heart sank, and my already weak soul trembled. "Mom, no, please! Look, it's me!"

But no matter how loud I yelled, she couldn't hear me.

Her body passed right through my transparent soul as she crouched next to my corpse.

"You look like such a young girl. I'm sorry, but I can't let my daughter go to prison. Please understand a mother's heart.

"I'll burn plenty of money for you and pray for your peace every day. Please rest in peace."

Suddenly, she froze. Her fingers trembled slightly.

Maybe she thought the body looked familiar, like someone she disliked. Or perhaps the torn, bloody clothes triggered a memory.

She furrowed her brows, a flash of doubt in her eyes. She quickly crouched down and wiped my left shoulder.

There was a red heartshaped birthmark on my left shoulder.

My shoulder was covered in blood and debris, and she didn't see it with just a quick wipe.

If she had been a little more patient and wiped again, she would have seen the birthmark and known it was me lying there.

Unfortunately, moments later, she picked up the bucket and poured the acid over me without hesitation.

I stood beside her, just inches away. With every movement she made, my heart was torn apart.

Watching the white smoke rise, I couldn't hold back my tears anymore. They fell in heavy drops, hitting the ground.

I thought, "Mom, if one day you find out the person who died was me, would you feel even a little sad?'

After taking care of my body, Amy threw the remaining parts into an abandoned steel factory on the outskirts of town.

By then, the sky had already brightened.

She crouched on the ground for a long, long time. Finally, she wiped the sweat from her forehead, then headed to the hospital as if nothing had happened, going about her usual work routine.

"Why do you have such dark circles? Did you stay up last night?" Sophia Collins, the office supervisor, asked.

"No, just a bit of insomnia," Amy replied.

Sophia handed her a cup of coffee, then, as if remembering something, turned to grab a box from the drawer and placed it in front of Amy. "I envy you, having such a thoughtful daughter. Evelyn heard your shoulder pain flare up and asked me to give you this medicinal wine.

"With all the medicine we have here, but still, she cares enough to get this for you."

At the mention of me, a sharp look of disgust and hatred flashed in Amy's eyes.

"She cares about me? She probably wishes I were dead. All she does is compete with Grace and complain that we're unfair.

"She's a murderer. If it weren't for her, Elias wouldn't be dead.

"Even if she's dead, I'll never forgive her. I don't want anything from her."

As she spoke, Amy threw the bottle of medicinal wine out the window.

Seeing her so upset, Sophia sighed and gently patted her on the shoulder. "I know Elias' death hit you hard, but the car accident was an accident. You can't blame Evelyn entirely. It's unfair to her."

Amy couldn't take it anymore, her words laced with fury. "Don't ever mention Evelyn to me again. I don't want to hear it. I'm done for today. There's no surgery, and Grace is sick. I'm going home to be with her."

She slammed the door as she left. Watching her resolute back, I felt a painful tightness in my chest as transparent tears fell, one after another, onto the floor.

"Mom, just like you wanted, I'm dead now.

Will you really never forgive me?"

Bound by a thing called family, my soul drifted back home with my mom, Amy.

It had been a long time since I last came back.

The windows and doors were shut tight in the middle of the day, lights blazing. Grace huddled, trembling, in my brother Matthew's arms.

"Don't be scared, Grace. I'm here. I'll protect you," Matthew said.

"Mom, Grace had a nightmare. Come take a look," Matthew called out.

Amy looked at Grace trembling in Matthew's arms, her face full of concern. She held her close and comforted her softly, "It's okay now, it's all over. No need to be scared."

Grace's eyes were red, and her tears fell like broken pearls, dropping onto Amy's arm.

Even when she cried, she looked so delicate, making everyone ache for her.

Suddenly, Matthew's expression stiffened, and a deep anger filled his eyes. "Did Evelyn scare you again? If she's giving you trouble, I'll go deal with her right now."

"No, it wasn't Evelyn. She's been great, please don't go after her," Grace said softly.

Her voice was soft, her eyes avoiding his, filled with sisterly affection. She sounded innocent.

When she rammed into you, she didn't hold back one bit.

At the mention of me, Matthew's anger grew. "After all the terrible things she's done to you, don't defend her. I know exactly what kind of person she is.

"Do you think she didn't know how much pain Mom and Dad went through looking for you all those years? She's an ingrate who can't stand to see us happy.

"She's the reason Dad got into that car accident. She's nothing but a curse.

"If you hadn't gone missing, Mom wouldn't have had her in the first place. She's not half the person you are."

Matthew's voice wasn't loud, but it pierced through me.

Amy's words hurt even more. "Don't mention her. Just consider her dead."

After saying that, she held Grace even tighter.

This wasn't the first time I'd heard these words.

As the replacement, from the day the real one came back, I had become nothing.

Grace put away her guilty look. Her face was buried in Amy's arms, full of satisfaction.

The first time I saw that smug expression was when I was sixteen.

That year, I represented my school in a citywide speech competition.

My dad was on a business trip out of town.

My teacher gave me three tickets. "Evelyn, I worked hard to get these tickets for you. Your family will be so proud to see your performance."

I handed out the tickets.

But by the time the competition ended, I hadn't seen a single person.

Some classmates openly accused me, "No one even showed up, and you hogged all those tickets. So selfish."

"Just because the teacher likes you doesn't mean your family cares."

I wanted to explain, but no one listened. I hid in a corner and cried for a long time.

On my way home, I saw Grace's post on WhatsApp. "I've got a fever. Mom and Matthew stayed with me all day. I'm so lucky."

The picture was a cozy shot of the three of them in the living room, along with a thermometer reading 99.5°F.

"99.5°F, such a serious fever, huh?"

I was furious.

Amy was even angrier. "I didn't forget. I just didn't want to go. It's just a competition. What's so great about it? Is your sister's health less important than your silly contest? So selfish."

Matthew also scolded me for being petty. "Grace had a fever. Don't be so narrowminded. There'll be other competitions. We'll make it up to you."

I cried, tears streaming down my face.

But Amy shoved me out the door. "Cry, cry, cry. That's all you do. Get outside and cry as much as you want. You're such bad luck."

Teenagers are rebellious, and I was no exception.

After calling my dad, I ran to a bar to drink.

Back then, I thought getting drunk was the only way to forget my troubles.

Halfway through my drink, my dad found me. He had rushed back, pushing aside his business.

He didn't scold me. Instead, his large hands held mine tightly. "Now, who's this crying their eyes out?

"A young girl drinking alone in a bar? That's not good. It's not safe. If you want to drink, I'll drink with you."

He held my hand and we walked along the riverside for a long time. "Don't blame your mom. She's tough on the outside but soft on the inside. She went through a lot to find your sister.

"You've got me, though. Don't worry. I'll always love and spoil you, Evelyn."

But, unfortunately, lifetime promises aren't so easy to keep.

While driving home on the highway, a reckless street racer lost control and crashed straight into our car.

In the moment our car flipped over, he held me in his arms.

I survived, but he died from blood loss.

At the hospital, Amy pressed my dad's picture hard against my chest, her eyes bloodshot as she demanded, "How could you be so selfish? All over something so small, you made your dad come back. Now he's dead. Are you happy?

"Why wasn't it you who died?"

Matthew slammed the table so hard it shook. "Evelyn, from now on, you're no longer my sister. You're disgusting."

I knelt, sobbing, begging for their forgiveness, my tears hitting the ground in large drops.

At that moment, I truly felt I deserved to die. I should've been the one.

I didn't attend my dad's funeral. Amy wouldn't let me.

Matthew blocked me at the door. "Get lost. Don't come here and disgust us."

I felt like a rat tossed into the mud, struggling helplessly.

Back then, standing behind Matthew, Grace looked at me with that same smugness expression.

After Amy got Grace to sleep at night, she stayed in her room until dawn.

Matthew thoughtfully prepared breakfast. "What's wrong with Grace? Do you want me to take her to a therapist?"

"It's fine, she'll be better in a few days. Just spend more time with her during this period."

I stood by the bed, watching the deep bond between mother and daughter, and the closeness of siblings. All I felt was numbness.

I used to be the one they doted on like that.

They always said how much they loved me. Back then, even if I just lost a hair, Amy would check if I was lacking any nutrients.

When I was bullied at school, it was Matthew who stood up for me. During school sports meets, he ran alongside me with a water bottle.

Right after, he'd be the first to give me water and help me walk slowly.

He once said he would protect me, his little sister, for life.

But when Grace came back, everything changed.

Even my name was changed back from Grace to Evelyn.

"Grace is your sister's name. From now on, you'll be Evelyn.

"Your sister's been through a lot out there. Give her the room with the sunlight. I partitioned off the bathroom; you stay there for now."

At dinner, a spoon struck the back of my hand. "You've had plenty of good things. Leave the crab for your sister."

Matthew even tried to comfort me back then, "Just let it go. You've enjoyed Grace's share of blessings for so many years. You should be grateful."

But I never asked for this. I never wanted to take her place. It was all given to me by them.

The memories slowly faded away, and at some point, my face had become wet with tears.

After breakfast, Amy told Matthew to stay home with Grace while she drove to the hospital.

I drifted into the passenger seat next to her. I couldn't remember how long it had been, but this was my first time alone with her.

Once we got to the hospital, Sophia found her.

"I heard there's been a major case in our city."

Hearing this, Amy's face turned a bit uncomfortable, her eyes showing a hint of guilt. "WWhat is it?"

"I heard there was a home invasion murder in the Rivera area last night."

Amy involuntarily took a deep breath when she heard this.

"That's the police's job to handle, what does it have to do with us?"

"Have you forgotten? Evelyn lives there. It's not safe anymore. You should call her and ask her to come home for a few days."

Hearing Sophia mention me again, Amy's eyes showed impatience. "What could happen to that troublemaker? She's tough."

Sophia had watched me grow up and had always tried to mend the relationship between Amy and me.

Seeing Amy's reaction, Sophia sighed helplessly. "We've known each other for so many years. You remember how strained things were between me and my motherinlaw. There was a time when I wished every day she'd just pass away.

"I always blamed her for keeping me and my first love apart, and I thought she ruined my life. But in reality, she had sharp instincts. My first love ended up a mess. He's drinking, gambling, never making anything of himself. He drove away several wives.

"I finally understood her intentions and wanted to make peace. But what happened? She had a stroke and passed away in her sixties.

"She died without ever hearing me say I was sorry. Every time I dream of her, I wake up with my pillow soaked in tears. If only I'd known then. I was just too stubborn, refusing to apologize."

Seeing that Amy remained silent, Sophia continued, "As doctors, we've seen so many farewells and regrets. I'm telling you this because I don't want you to live with regrets. Don't wait until it's too late to say you're sorry."

As she spoke, this strong woman of the industry had tears welling up in her eyes. She wiped them away and headed off to check on her patients.

Watching Sophia's retreating figure, I couldn't hold back my tears any longer. They streamed down my face uncontrollably.

After Sophia left, Amy pulled out her phone and opened the daily news.

A criminal followed a young woman, robbed, and killed her. The suspect is still at large. Citizens are urged to lock their doors and windows and avoid going out alone.

She stared at it for a moment, then impatiently grabbed her phone and opened my WhatsApp.

Our last conversation ended two days ago.

[Mom, it's raining. Your shoulder will hurt, so take care of yourself.]

And for Mother's Day, I had sent her: [Mom, Happy Mother's Day.]

She hadn't replied to any of them.

After a long silence, she finally sent me a message: [Tomorrow's your father's death anniversary. Get back here and pay your respects.]

She sent the message, but a moment later it showed: [You are no longer friends with this contact.]

She became even angrier, her face darkening. If it weren't for the interns outside, she probably would have smashed her phone.

"Well done, Evelyn! You ungrateful brat. You even blocked me! If you've got the guts, stay out there and never come back!"

That evening, my brother, Matthew, angrily grabbed his phone and called me. "Mom, don't be mad. I'll call her and make her come back to apologize."

The phone rang several times, but each time it was hung up.

I could see the veins bulging on the back of his hand as he gripped the table, ready to explode at any moment.

Finally, the call went through.

"Evelyn, what's your deal? Did you block us all on WhatsApp? Tomorrow's Dad's anniversary! Are you doing this to upset us?

"I'm telling you, stop playing these games. It's pathetic.

"Dad spoiled you the most when he was alive. Get back here immediately."

There was a pause on the other end, then a man's voice, slightly drunk, spoke, "My girlfriend's asleep. She said she's disgusted by your whole family. Don't call again. She doesn't want to see any of you. Got it?

"I'm taking her abroad. Don't contact her again."

After the call was cut off, Matthew angrily kicked over a chair, cursing under his breath.

Amy's face turned darker and darker. "I should never have bothered with her. Let her die out there. She's a heartless wretch."

If I could still feel anything, I would be in unbearable pain right now.

I didn't have a boyfriend, and I wasn't some heartless wretch.

"It's just... I'm already dead. I died while buying my dad's favorite drink.

I'm right here with you."