Chapter 38: Every Single Word She Said Was True
Wade went silent.
What Tilda had said was true. Every single thought he’d been hiding—Tilda had just thrown it out loud.
“You want the real reason I’ve been hiding my talents? Fine. I’ll tell you, Wade. So listen up.
“It’s because I think you’re pathetic. Truly pathetic.
“That dream you’ve been chasing with everything you’ve got? I could crush it easily, just by leaning on my own talent.
“To me, your so-called genius title is nothing but a joke.
“If I had ever shown what I could really do, I was scared you’d hate me even more. I was scared I’d lose even the tiny illusion of having you as a brother.
“Of course, none of that matters anymore.”
A moment ago, Tilda thought hiding her talent had been the dumbest thing she had ever done. But seeing Wade’s face now, she realized it wasn’t dumb at all. At least now, it opened her eyes and showed her the filthy truth about the Jensons.
“Tilda! How dare you…”
Wade’s eyes went wide, burning with shock. No one had ever dared talk to him like this all his life. Everyone praised his high IQ and called him a genius. He had worked like crazy in his favorite field; he had studied nonstop, sacrificed, and never wasted a single second. Every famous professor who ever taught him had praised him, saying one day he would rise above them all. That was his pride, his proof, and his glory. It was the honor he had earned for the Jensons. And now Tilda had stomped on it—hard, brutal, grinding it into dust.
Wade shook with anger, his whole body trembling.
“What’s wrong? Angry? Isn’t this what you wanted to hear? I only told you the truth.
“I used to think hiding myself was stupid, but now… I see it had meaning. The people least worthy of calling themselves ‘family’ are the Jensons.
“The fact that the Jensons’ blood runs in me makes me sick to my stomach.”
The family Tilda had once dreamed of was simple—a group of people who held each other up, no matter how poor. A group that gave each other warmth, a group that didn’t care about riches or reputation, just plain happiness. She yearned for those ordinary families she’d seen on the street, laughing together, living in quiet joy. A family you could lean on. To her, family was a group of people who would give you a safe place to rest if you were tired, broken, or hurting.
But the Jensons? Because Tilda had tried to please them, fearing her light might hurt them, she’d hidden herself. And in return, they despised her and stepped on her dignity while refusing to even hear her out. They threw her into the fire and left her to burn. If the only way Wade could value her as a sister was if she showed off some great talent, she found that utterly disgusting. The thought of it was so vile that it made her want to throw up. She had already thought the Jensons were sickening, but now she realized that they were worse, much worse than she had ever imagined.
“Tilda! Insult me all you want, but don’t you dare insult the Jensons!
“How can you say we’re not worthy of being family? Our greatest treasure is the bond we share!”
Wade’s voice exploded, each word sharp, his anger blazing.
“Yes, the Jensons are noble, one of the most powerful families in Slosa, too high for me to ever fit in.
“But I see the truth now—if I were just an ordinary girl with no talent and nothing special, only desperate for love, you wouldn’t have cared at all.
“You wouldn’t have given your sister—missing for 19 years—one shred of kindness. Not even a drop!
“You probably would’ve preferred if I had just died quietly somewhere, starved of love, so Kyla could shine without competition! The kind of family you all brag about with your mouths? I don’t need it. I don’t want it.”
“Thank you, Wade. Thank you for ripping off my blindfold, for showing me what the Jensons really are. Thank you for forcing me to see just how pathetic I was for wasting myself, bowing low, and begging for scraps from people like you. I was a joke, the biggest joke in the world. The Jensons aren’t worthy of my effort, my pain, and my life. Whatever tiny bit of hope I once had for the Jensons, for family, it’s all gone. From this moment on, there is no “Tilda, the heiress of the Jensons.” There is only Tilda.
The words hit Wade like lightning splitting the sky, leaving him frozen in place.
Tilda turned her back and started walking away.
“Don’t, Tilda…”
“Don’t follow me, you trash!”
With her back to him, she didn’t bother to hide her disgust. And Wade could only stand there, powerless as he watched her leave. Her words echoed in his ears, like ice water dumped over his head, freezing him to the bone. He couldn’t even produce a comeback because every single word she said was true.