Chapter 121
The person I was before would have never had the audacity to behave like this.
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“I had almost died,” I stated. “It’s no surprise that I would change. Otherwise, I don’t think I’ll ever have the chance to.”
I had been severely injured after falling off the cliff. Any person would surely change after such a traumatic event. Jeremy considered my words. It seemed he didn’t have anything more to say, so he turned to leave. “Thank you,” I quickly blurted. My gratitude was sincere.
I was thanking him for having a moment of compassion. At the time, I had been on the verge of losing my mind. Hence, I was grateful for the important clue he had given me.
Upon hearing this, Jeremy froze. He glanced back at me. When he saw the sincerity in my eyes, he suddenly lost his composure.
It was as though he was a dam on the verge of breaking, and my words were the final blow that made it burst. “Thank you“? Why are you thanking me? Have I helped you in any way?” he shouted. “Look at yourself! You’re so capable! You practically had the entire legal community helping you to uncover the truth and prove your innocence. And it took less than a day for them to do so!”
Gesturing at himself, he then said, “What could a nobody like me have possibly helped you with? Do I really deserve your gratitude?”
He huffed incredulously. “Or are you just mocking me?”
“I had spent several sleepless nights in an internal struggle” Jeremy was now pacing the space in front of me. “In the end, I couldn’t bear to see you go to prison. I thought I could play the role of the big brother for once by saving you. I was wrestling so hard with my feelings. I was in agony. ”
He sounded pained. “In the end, I suppressed everything and decided to help you. So I gave you the medical record. And guess what?”
Abruptly, he stopped pacing and looked me dead in the eye. “You didn’t even bother to use it. Do you know how much I regret giving it to you? Do you know how sorely I regret giving you a chance to notice something was amiss?”
“Why? Why, Emilia?” he questioned, his voice rising. “Why are you always better than me at everything? Why does everything come so easily to you? Why are you always so lucky in everything you do?”
I didn’t know how to respond. But it didn’t matter. It seemed he wasn’t expecting an answer as he didn’t give me the chance to.
“We’re twins,” Jeremy stated while gesturing between us. “We came from the same womb, so we definitely share the same genes. We even grew up in the same environment.
“We shared everything! So why is it you’re always so good at everything that you do? Why are you so excellent and I’m not!”
He resumed his pacing. “You do well in your studies without needing to study hard. And Grandma loves you so much without you putting in any effort.
“Even our dead aunt loved you unconditionally too! Both of them love you so much! So much so, that they both wanted you to take over their companies!
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“They never even once considered me!” he yelled as he gestured at himself.
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“Grandma wanted to transfer her shares in Quillcrest Pharmaceuticals to you. Our dear aunt had given her company to you. And what did you do next? You went and fell in love with that disowned, good–for–nothing Irvin Sawyer!”
Jeremy paused his pacing for a brief moment and dragged hand down his face.
“You gave up on your studies because of him. You even sold our aunt’s company and invested the profit into his company. And yet, somehow your life wasn’t ruined. Instead, the both of you grew rich together!” he exclaimed in disbelief.
He made direct eye contact with me again before continuing, “ I, on the other hand, had to be conscientious. I had to work hard. I had to stay up late studying every night. And still, I could barely maintain being one of the top students.
“I had to practically bend over backward just to get Grandma to notice me. Do you know how reluctant she was to hand Quillcrest over to me?” He ran a hand through his hair in frustration.
I had no idea he had so many pent–up feelings. I was so stunned that I didn’t know how to react.
Jeremy had stopped pacing, but he didn’t look at me.
Then, you were arrested.” He resumed talking. “You were facing ten years in prison. But it didn’t matter to me how long you were locked up for. Even if it was merely a year , I would’ve finally been superior to you ! I would’ve been able to feel that way for the rest of my life!”
“But it didn’t even get to that stage! Instead, it’s unbelievable how effortlessly you regained your freedom. Man, you truly are sensational!” He chuckled humorlessly.
It seemed he was laughing at how desperately he was struggling. When compared to me, I supposed it would seem a little ridiculous.
“Why? Why is that, Emilia?” he asked rhetorically again. “Do you know how badly I wish to see you struggle? Even if it was just a little bit?”
“So don’t thank me! Never say those words to me again!” he yelled and finally faced me.
Jeremy made it abundantly clear that he didn’t want my gratitude. Yet, I didn’t think he was saying it out of contempt or hatred. For some reason, I had a feeling he felt he didn’t deserve it. That was why he had said what he said.
I was his biological sister. We were twins. Hence, he was the closest possible person to me in the world and vice
versa.
Yet, he couldn’t help being envious of me. And it was to the point where he wanted to destroy me. He even hoped my life would be a little harder every day.
Jeremy seemed to snap out of a trance when he met my eyes.
ม
His impulsiveness had unveiled everything he had hidden behind a proverbial “curtain“. During his rant, he had bared all his private shameful thoughts. He had also revealed the painful feelings he had kept bottled up inside
him.
He staggered as realization hit him. He then hurriedly left.
I teared up as I watched his retreating figure.
It didn’t matter that we were fraternal twins. Starting from a very young age, we had always been able to tacitly
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understand each other. Therefore, our bond was much stro
As such, we also used to be very close.
Before, he would dote on and love me–his beloved sister-
Now, there was only pain and hurt between us.
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