When the murderer attacked on the street, my boyfriend pushed me forward.

As I lay bleeding from a stab wound in my abdomen, he held his first love, watching me from afar.

Not only did I lose the child I was carrying, but I was left with lasting health issues.

Yet, he stood by my hospital bed, saying that it was my honor to shield them from harm and that this was my retribution.

All because I was just the imposter who had stolen the identity of his true love.

***

I lay on the hospital bed, my eyes vacant.

My hands gently touched my flat abdomen, wrapped in layers of bandages.

The knife wound throbbed with a dull pain.

When the murderer attacked on the street, Jone Yukio didn't hesitate to push me forward.

The knife plunged straight into my abdomen.

The assailant, in a fit of rage, stabbed me several more times. I was powerless to resist, blood pouring all over me.

In my despair, I looked for Jone, only to find him and Eden Smith standing at the street corner, coldly watching me.

I recalled their words when they visited me in the hospital.

"Don't blame me. The situation was urgent, and I had no choice but to push you out."

Jone's indifferent expression suggested that I hadn't taken a knife for him but had merely tripped and fallen.

I bit my lower lip so hard it nearly bled.

"So you had the ability to protect Eden but had no choice but to push me out, right?"

I stared at the man who once promised to be with me forever.

I was the one who had been with him for three years, yet he was willing to harm me for someone else.

"What are you complaining about? You should be honored to have shielded Eden from harm. This is what you owe her!"

In response to my stunned gaze, Jone continued.

"If you hadn't stolen her position as the Green family's eldest daughter, would she have had to suffer outside for so many years?"

I almost couldn't find my voice.

"What are you saying? How could she be the Green family's daughter? Then who am I—"

Before I could finish, he interrupted me with a sneer.

"Your greedy birth mother swapped you and Eden, which is why you lived as the Green family's eldest daughter for so many years."

"Now, it's time to give it back to her."

As I watched him walk out of the room, I hurried to get up and grab him for answers.

But the movement tugged at the wound on my waist, causing me to fall off the bed in pain.

I didn't know if it was because the wound hurt too much, but tears streamed from my eyes.

I had suffered a disaster out of nowhere, yet he only stood up for Eden.

If I had died at the hands of the murderer today, would he still think it was what I deserved?

The doctor said my wound was too deep, and the baby couldn't be saved.

I would need to stay in the hospital for at least another two months to recover.

I lowered my gaze, understanding clearly.

It was already a stroke of luck to have survived. How could I expect to keep the child?

Tears fell onto the blanket as my heart twisted in pain.

Mom couldn't protect you.

Just like Jone said, I was the fake daughter who stole someone else's identity. How could I deserve happiness?

I tried calling my parents, but no one answered.

Before Jone left, he told me that Eden had already been brought home.

Of course, no one cared whether I lived or died now.

So many years of familial ties were severed by a change in identity.

I was no longer myself.

I was like a clown in a cage, toyed with by them.

Eden had long told Jone about her identity.

Jone had only been with me to make my loss more painful now.

After a few days of recuperation in the hospital, the true daughter Eden came to see me.

"Isn't this the former Green family's eldest daughter? How did you end up like this?"

She stood before my hospital bed, dressed in the latest designer suit, her makeup immaculate.

Without even looking in the mirror, I knew what I must look like now.

I had disheveled hair and a swollen face.

"You're the real eldest daughter now. Go back home and enjoy your life. Why waste time here?"

I kept my head down, ignoring her, and continued peeling an apple.

This wasn't the first time I had met Eden.

She was the "sister" Jone had introduced to me, the kind girl who had helped him before.

She used to call me "sister" sweetly in front of me.

"Of course, I'm going to enjoy it. I've lost so many years, but I'm also here to see your misery. Otherwise, how could I feel satisfied?"

Eden's beautiful face twisted slightly, but in the next moment, she smiled again.

"And I'm already pregnant, carrying Jone's child. When I officially return home in a few days, we're getting engaged."

I snapped my head up, staring at her abdomen.

Because of this incident, my uterus was severely damaged, making it difficult for me to conceive again.

When I told Jone about it, he merely looked at me with contempt.

"You, an imposter, don't deserve to have my child. You gave in so easily when I coaxed you into bed, and now you expect me to take responsibility, don't you?"

My fingertip was cut by the fruit knife, a piercing pain shooting through my nerves.

I never imagined Jone would use this against me.

I had always prided myself on being reserved, always firmly rejecting Jone's advances.

But during a date, he got me to drink strong liquor, coaxing me while I was drunk.

He said we had already met each other's parents, that he loved me so much and would never let me down.

So I foolishly gave in.

I never expected that just that one time, I would find out I was pregnant.

I had planned to settle the marriage early before showing, but I never expected people's hearts change easily.

Now, I only regret not standing firm.

Eden's smug eyes looked at me, "Imposter, go back to where you belong."

When my body was barely healed, I packed up and returned to the Green family's old house.

In more than a month, no one from the family had called me.

I thought of the father who used to lift me up with a smile and pressed my lips together.

At least, I wanted to say a proper goodbye.

When I entered the living room, my parents seemed visibly uneasy at the sight of me.

"Eileen, you're back." My mother, who had been holding Eden's hand, awkwardly let go when she saw me.

Eden looked displeased at being released, then shot me a venomous look.

What was she unhappy about? She was now the true heiress of a wealthy family.

And I was just an imposter about to move out.

"Mom, Dad, can I talk to you?"

My mother hesitated, wanting to go to the study with me, but Eden held her back.

"I'm a part of this family now, so let's just talk here."

I glanced at her, and she flinched but defiantly glared back.

My parents listened to her and sat down again.

Of course, I was an outsider. What right did I have to talk to them?

Without hesitation, I turned and went upstairs.

In the month of no contact with the family, I had come to understand their choice.

One daughter who suffered hardship outside, another who was swapped to steal her destiny.

I had no standing to blame them.

But my nose tingled, and I couldn't hold back my tears.

It felt like my entire life had been an illusion, nothing real.

As I packed my things, Eden followed behind me.

"Eileen Green, how dare you come back? All these things should be mine. How can you take them?"

Her resentful voice came from behind me.

My hands paused as I packed my things.

"Then leave it all to you."

I continued to pack my things with my eyes downcast, taking fewer things with me.

I left behind all the jewelry and valuables, taking only some clothes and personal items.

When I went to get the cat carrier to take Lucky, Eden grabbed me.

Her eyes were full of provocation. "You need to leave this behind."

I frowned, tightening my grip.

"You have the money to buy as many cats as you want. Do you even need to take mine?"

But she pulled harder, causing me to stumble.

"This cat was a gift from Jone to you, but I gave it to him. It was mine, to begin with. How can you take it?"

Mentioning Jone made my heart ache.

When Jone brought that skinny little cat to me, I couldn't help but soften.

"Eileen, you know we can't keep pets at home. Look at how pitiful it is. Can you take it in?"

But he knew I was allergic to cat hair.

"Eileen, let Eden have it."

I turned to see my mother had entered my room.