"I know what I did was wrong, but at that time, I didn't want to let anyone force me to do what they wanted. I was just too afraid... too scared of living such a miserable life—"
Before she could finish, Anna cut her off with a cold snort.
"So instead, you let me live that miserable life you tried to avoid? How great of you! Thanks a lot for sacrificing me like that!"
Mia opened her mouth to say something but shut it when her sister's sharp gaze stabbed at her.
A moment of silence passed between the twins before Anna finally spoke up again with a grim look on her face.
"Mia, I already know what Father has planned, so if you are worried that I will cause a ruckus, rest assured I won't. Just spare me the trouble of talking about it and leave me alone. I'd rather just sit here quietly than converse with a traitor."
"But—" Mia started to say something but got cut off again by her twin.
"Didn't you hear me, Mia? I'm done talking," Anna said in a stern tone before gesturing for her to leave the room.
However, Mia didn't move an inch and stayed sitting on the sofa, causing Anna to become impatient again.
"Just go already! What more do you want from me? Haven't you taken enough from me?" Anna shouted as a tear rolled down her cheek.
Upon seeing her sister's tear, Mia immediately wrapped her arms around her and brought her close to her.
"Anna! I'm sorry, I never wanted to hurt you," she whispered softly while crying silently. "I just made one mistake, and now it's too late... I want to make everything right again, I really do, but if you don't give me a chance, then I can't do anything."
"Stop... Let go of me! Just like you've done before, leave me alone again in this house that is colder than winter. Leave me alone so I can continue suffering under that old man's thumb while you get to enjoy living a good life and have a happy family!"
Anna's words came out sounding harsh and angry, but they held no real venom behind them.
There was no more malice or hatred in her voice, just the pain of a broken heart and a longing for someone to stay by her side forever.
At the same time, it was also a plea for help.
"No, I refuse to leave you alone," Mia said after hearing her twin's words. "I may not be a perfect person, and I may not even deserve your forgiveness, but I'll never stop trying to win back your trust no matter how long it takes because I love you."
"..." Anna remained silent as she stared at Mia with tears running down her face, but her expression showed no sign of changing.
Mia continued, "Do you remember what I always told you before I left? Well, I'll say it again."
She then looked into her sister's eyes and held her in a tight embrace as she spoke in a clear voice. "I love you so much, and nothing in the world will ever change that. We came into this world together as twins, and we're destined to be together forever."
After listening to Mia, Anna finally calmed down, but she still kept silent.
Noticing her silence, Mia took a deep breath and spoke again, "Please let me atone for my mistakes. Let me prove to you that I didn't abandon you. Just give me a chance to make things right."
"...Do you think you deserve such kindness?" Anna asked while wiping her tears with the back of her hand, not showing any sign of moving away from Mia's arms.
"I don't, but I believe that my sister is someone who won't refuse someone who comes to you crying for forgiveness," Mia replied without missing a beat.
"What a terrible person, trying to fool your own sister with cheap words," Anna mumbled under her breath before burying her face into her sister's neck while tightening her arms around Mia.
A small smile tugged on Mia's lips, knowing that her sister was finally letting her guard down.
"Haha, yes indeed. I'm sorry that I'm a terrible person. But even so, I'm still your precious big sister, aren't I?"
"Of course, how could anyone forget such a selfish and manipulative person?" Anna said as she closed her eyes and let the tears roll down her cheeks.
"Aw, so cruel of you to say such things. Are you trying to break my heart?"
"Says the one who left me alone and made me suffer."
Both twins continued to exchange banters with each other for a while longer, trying to rekindle their old relationship that they both missed so dearly.
And this time, they both swore to themselves that they would make sure not to let anything tear them apart ever again.
Meanwhile, as the twins made up and reconciled, Oliver remained silent and didn't try to interrupt them at all.
From the start till now, he only had one thought in his mind. To see his mother get along well with her twin sister, who Oliver knew had a complicated relationship with.
Seeing that the two sisters' relationship had gotten better, Oliver took a deep breath and smiled slightly.
'Finally, they have made up. It looks like I don't have to worry so much anymore.'
Oliver thought as he looked at them with a satisfied expression on his face.
However, when he remembered his grandfather William's attitude, Oliver couldn't help but feel annoyed once again.
'The way Grandfather treats everyone around him is too hateful. Especially since he's ill, shouldn't he be more considerate? Or does he want to leave this world being an asshole until the very last moment? What an awful man!'