Back then, he had loathed Laila. He never met her, but he despised anyone who hurt me.
But when had things started to change?
Was it when Laila began hovering around him, acting sweet like a lover? Was it when she clung to him during our dates, or when they started texting each other over the phone for long hours?
My lover had become the knight of the person I resented most.
I thought I could handle the pain, but it still hurt.
Now that I was dying, I could’ve just let them have whatever they wanted.
“It’s my fault for putting you in this mess. I’ll clear your name by telling them that I was the one who plagiarized your work,” I said.
The moment I apologized, they were stunned. They hadn’t expected me to be this obedient.
“You’ve really started to care for your sister,” Mom said, her gaze turning complicated. “I’m glad that you two are finally looking out for each other.”
“Zora, you’ve finally matured,” Dad chimed in. “If you keep this up, your mom and I will surely dote on you!”
Guilt flickered in Simon’s eyes.
“You’re my mate, so I’ll surely take care of you,” he said, trying to comfort me. “Even if you can’t continue your studies at the Werewolf Academy, you can still live comfortably.”
I tried to smile through the pallor.
However, the future Simon spoke of didn’t exist for me anymore. At this point, their love and affection were luxuries I could no longer afford.
Laila turned on the camera and began recording.
“This thesis was written by me at home…” she sobbed. “I never thought my sister would claim it as her own.”
As she spoke, she turned the camera toward me.
Dad, Mom, and Simon all watched closely, as if afraid I might slip.
Forcing a smile, I said, “Laila’s right. I plagiarized her work and told my supervisor it was mine. I’m sorry.”
Everyone exhaled in relief.
Laila quickly uploaded the video to the academy’s forum. Soon, waves of criticism and insults crashed down on me.
Pretending to be noble, she stepped in at the perfect time to defend me. “Guys, stop it. No matter what, she’s my sister. I’ve already forgiven her.”
While no one else was looking, she turned to me with a cold, victorious glare and hissed, “You have no right to compete with me. Mom, Dad, and even Simon are all mine. You don’t deserve to be loved by any of them.”
