Chapter 54

While Cynthia was hospitalized, her doctor advised against further stress. Selena, fearing she would upset Cynthia, stayed away. Nightly, after Cynthia fell asleep, Selena would sneak into the hospital. Twenty years of shared history couldn't simply be severed. However, she hid her feelings from Shirley.

Shirley, abused by Rachel and her husband, filled Selena with guilt and distress. Though Shirley was narrow-minded and lacked refined manners, it wasn't her fault; Selena hadn't protected her, due to the secret swap at birth. Shirley deserved a safe, happy childhood, blossoming into a talented and beautiful woman like Cynthia, instead of enduring such suffering. The thought pained Selena. She knew reconciliation between Shirley and Cynthia was impossible, mirroring her own past with Rachel—a seemingly cursed repetition of tragedy. Selena hoped for separation, even permanent estrangement.

Therefore, Selena assiduously met Shirley's demands, hoping to appease her desire for revenge against Cynthia, much like her own relief after exacting revenge on Rachel. Releasing her malice had brought her peace. Three years of indulgence would end this time. "To satisfy her one last time," Selena vowed silently.

She took the stage, facing the microphone. Her gaze fell upon Cynthia, standing below, her expression blank—indifferent, numb, devoid of anger or resentment. Selena squeezed her fingers, then announced, "Yes, Lilian has a special connection to our family, and we plan to adopt her as our goddaughter."

The announcement was met with congratulations. Shirley eagerly presented Lilian, who politely greeted Justin and Selena as "Godfather" and "Godmother." Selena responded reluctantly; Justin remained silent, his face grim. The toast ceremony, pre-arranged by Shirley, followed. Afterward, Selena saw that Cynthia had left. Cynthia departed immediately after Selena acknowledged Lilian.

Chapter 34

Lilian's sweet greetings to Justin and Selena felt like a knife to Cynthia's heart, a deep, bleeding wound. Tears welled, but stubbornness held them back. She wouldn't cry for them again.

At the gate, security guards stopped her. "Ms. Cynthia Jones, Ms. Shirley Jones says you can't leave; it's her birthday."

Cynthia retorted coldly, "Get lost."

"You must stay," one guard insisted. Four guards formed a barrier. "Ms. Shirley Jones says you must stay for the entire party. She has a gift for you."

Cynthia, in a dress, couldn't fight four guards. Creating a scene would only please Shirley. She retreated to the lounge. Halfway up the stairs, Lilian called out.

Lilian, newly adopted, rushed to share the news. Standing close, Lilian asked innocently, "Cynthia, I've been adopted into the Jones family. You're not upset, are you?"

Cynthia, seeing Lilian's innocent yet shameless face, felt disgust. "Lilian, stop pretending. I'm disgusted."

Lilian's fleeting emotions—sadness and pleasure—were masked by an innocent façade. "Cynthia, I come from a troubled background. My mother… I suffered abuse, never knowing a good day. Meeting you in high school was the luckiest thing." Tears glistened, seemingly sincere.

"Everyone looked down on me. You pulled me from the mud, shielded me. You're my savior."

Cynthia frowned, puzzled. She recalled Lilian's solitary existence, bullied relentlessly. The school was a cruel hierarchy, Cynthia at the top, Lilian at the bottom. Cynthia first noticed Lilian's absence and visited her slum home with a teacher.

The house was dilapidated, Lilian picking up debris amidst her parents' bitter quarrel. Yarden, Lilian's father, sat lifeless in a wheelchair. Sarah, Lilian's mother, screamed, "Yarden Sheppard, if you die once, I'll save you once. A hundred times, a hundred times! I want you to live and be miserable!"

Cynthia shuddered, remembering the scene vividly. Sarah's rage turned on Lilian, hair-pulling, pinching, and striking her with a spatula. The teacher intervened, but Cynthia rescued Lilian.

Chapter 51 (Partial, as the provided text is incomplete)

[The text cuts off mid-sentence. The full chapter is needed for complete editing.]