Second Chances: A Price to Pay

"Emilia, please don't go! I'm begging you!"

"I'll say this one last time-my name is Jenessa Shaw, not Emilia. The Emilia you're talking about has been gone for a long time."

1

"Emily, your father and I have been waiting for you all these years, suffering so much. But finally, you're home!"

"Back then, it was my fault. I was the one who lost you. But from now on, your mother and I will do everything we can to make it up to you!"

I stood in the doorway, clutching my lung cancer diagnosis, watching the heartwarming reunion unfold before me.

It was only when I learned her name was Emily Shaw that I realized mine had come from hers.

"Emilia, you're back. So? What did the hospital say?"

My mother turned to me with a smile, but the moment she saw me standing there, her expression shifted into awkwardness.

"Nothing serious. Just a cold, it'll go away in a few days."

I carefully hid the diagnosis behind my back, just as I carefully buried my sorrow deep inside.

Now, I finally understood I was nothing more than a replacement.

"So, this is Emilia, huh? Mom, you really know how to pick a name."

Emily glanced at me, her smile carrying a deliberate meaning, as if to remind me that my existence was only ever meant to bring her home.

She was the real daughter of the Shaw family.

I was just a lucky charm, except instead of bringing them wealth, I brought back their long-lost child.

"Emilia, I want to discuss something with you. Could you talk to Gavin about calling off the wedding? After all, the childhood betrothal was originally between him and Emily."

My mother's voice was calm, firm, and unquestionable.

Not even a trace of guilt.

"I refuse."

I clenched the diagnosis tightly behind my back.

Emily could have everything, but not Gavin Carroll.

I had spent years warming his heart, bit by bit. There was no way I was just going to hand him over.

"Dad, didn't you say everything that belongs to Emilia should be mine?"

Seeing my unwavering expression, Emily quickly let go of my hand and clung to my father's arm, pouting sweetly.

"Emilia, I haven't sent out this year's donation to the orphanage yet. You're a smart girl, you know what I'm saying, don't you?"

As my father turned his gaze from Emily to me, the warmth in his eyes gradually faded, replaced by cold authority.

So, he was capable of kindness, just not towards me.

"I understand. I'll talk to him. But whether he agrees or not is his decision."

I gave in.

I couldn't let the orphanage shut down.

There were still dozens of kids like me there.

"Thank you, Emilia!"

Emily beamed at me, the dimples at the corners of her mouth resembling mine-just a little.

2

After leaving the Shaw family, I returned to the apartment I shared with Gavin.

After our official engagement, I had insisted on moving in with him.

At first, he refused, but after my endless pleading and persistence, he finally gave in.

The room was dark; Gavin wasn't home yet.

I brewed a pot of coffee and sat quietly on the sofa, staring blankly at my diagnosis.

Late-stage lung cancer. The doctor said it would be excruciating and that my chances of survival were close to none.

But I was only twenty. My life had just begun, and now it was already coming to an end.

For a brief moment, I even thought about letting Emily have Gavin. Maybe that way, it wouldn't hurt him as much.

But then again, would he really be in pain?

I was strangely eager to witness that day.

By the time Gavin came home, night had already fallen, and the coffee on the table had gone cold.

"Something wrong?"

He glanced at the two cups of coffee, then at my serious expression, before casually heading to the fridge.

"The real Shaw daughter is back. My mom wants me to call off the wedding."

My chest tightened, making it hard to breathe.

Gavin froze for a second before wordlessly placing a carton of milk in front of me.

"Not happening. It'd be humiliating."

The simple words, yet they sent waves crashing through my heart, impossible to settle.

He didn't agree, not because he loved me, but because it would be a disgrace to his family.

"Got it. And, I'm allergic to milk."

Maybe it was because of my illness, but my tone lacked its usual warmth and softness.

He didn't say a word. I got up, put the milk back in the fridge, and walked straight to the bedroom without looking back.

That night, I lay in bed with my back to him, unable to sleep.

His strong arms wrapped around my waist, and his chin rested gently in the crook of my neck.

I knew this was his way of apologizing for not knowing about my allergy.

I turned around with some effort, kissed the tip of his nose, and closed my eyes with a faint smile.

I was always easy to comfort. But only when it came to him.

3

After telling my father about Gavin's refusal to call off the wedding, he threatened to stop donating to the orphanage.

I clenched my fists, the urge to punch him surging through me.

But I had no leverage. All I could do was plead with him, my voice shaking, my hands clenched so tightly that my nails dug into my palms. But he didn't even look at me.

"Dad, don't be so hard on Emilia. Those kids are truly pitiful, after all."

Emily, having enjoyed the show long enough, clung to my father's arm, though her eyes never left my face.

"Fine. I'll consider it a good deed for my precious daughter."

My father patted Emily's head, as if he truly couldn't see me right there.

I staggered to my feet, murmured a thank-you to Emily, and left the Shaw residence.

This time, I wasn't just walking away, I was severing ties. There was no place for me there anymore.

I returned to our apartment. The sun was unusually bright today. I opened the window and absentmindedly tended to the two succulents Gavin had given me.

I still remembered how I once casually mentioned wanting to keep a plant by the window, something to keep me company when he wasn't around.

The very next day, he came home from work, carefully carrying two pots of succulents.

I had been over the moon. It was the first gift he ever gave me. I was so happy I made three separate posts about it on social media.

That evening, I cooked a full table of Gavin's favorite dishes.

As I watched the clock ticking away, a thought crept into my mind-my time was ticking away too.

I didn't have many minutes left.

Just as that thought settled, the door opened.

Standing outside were Gavin and Emily.

Emily clung tightly to Gavin's arm. They looked... well-matched.

"Emilia, you don't mind me being with Gavin, do you?"

"In what way?"

"Oh, you know, we spent the afternoon at the amusement park, then had a lovely dinner together."

She made sure I could see the StellaLou plush in her hands, her pride practically written all over her face.

I had begged Gavin countless times to go to an amusement park with me. He always dismissed it as childish.

And yet, here he was, spending an entire afternoon there with Emily.

Was it because she was the real Shaw daughter?

But Gavin wasn't someone who cared about status... was he?

I desperately wanted to know the answer.

"I don't mind. Since you've already eaten, I'll just put these dishes away."

As I bent down, a wave of dizziness crashed over me, nausea twisting my stomach.

I barely made it to the bathroom before I started vomiting, my body wracked with dry heaves.

Tears streamed down my face uncontrollably.

"Gavin, you remember I love succulents! Can I have these two?"

"Of course. If you like them, take them. I'll pick out a few more for you at the flower market tomorrow."

I tried to stand up, tried to stop Emily from taking my plants. But the dizziness was too much-I couldn't move.

Gavin, why weren't you checking on me?

Why were you letting her take my things?

The Shaw family didn't want me. And now... neither did you?

The wooden door creaked. I could barely make out the sound of them leaving, taking my succulents with them.

4

Gavin didn't come home until late at night.

I sat on the sofa with the lights off, gazing at the dazzling cityscape through the floor-to-ceiling window. The neon lights were dazzling in the bustling streets.

But I was destined to remain in the shadows, watching the vibrant world from a distance, never truly belonging.

"Still up?"

"Yeah. Waiting for you."

Gavin switched on the lights, and that was when I noticed it-a faint lipstick stain on his cheek.

I took a deep breath, and a sharp pain shot through my lungs. But compared to the ache in my heart, it was nothing.

"Do you like Emily?"

I had imagined this moment countless times, thinking I'd be angry, devastated, maybe even hysterical. But to my surprise, I felt nothing.

Just an eerie calm, like my heart had already stopped beating.

Gavin didn't answer. And that silence hurt more than anything.

"Then why won't you call off our wedding? That way, you can be with the woman you love."

"We're just friends. She finally came back, so I was just showing her around. Don't overthink it."

With that, Gavin turned and walked toward the bedroom, clearly done with the conversation.

"Just friends?"

I murmured under my breath, not sure if he heard me. Not that it mattered, he didn't even glance back.

At that moment, I finally understood. I was nothing more than a stand-in. In the Shaw family, in Gavin's life-I never truly belonged.

I remembered the night he came home drunk, mumbling "I love you" over and over.

Back then, I thought it was just drunken rambling. That deep down, despite how distant he acted, he actually cared about me.

But later, no matter how much I begged him to say "I love you" again, he never did.

I thought he was just shy, but now I knew those words were never meant for me.

Something inside me broke.

I wanted to get back at him. But what was the point? I was running out of time.

5

The next day, Gavin told me he was going on a business trip.

As always, I packed his luggage and drove him to the airport.

"Emilia, are you coming with Gavin and me?"

Emily immediately linked arms with him. Gavin didn't pull away, he just stood there across from me.

"You two go ahead. Have a good trip."

I handed Gavin his suitcase, but my throat felt tight, like it was clogged with dough, making it hard to breathe.

"Take care of yourself. You don't look too well."

A flicker of concern flashed through Gavin's eyes, but it was gone in an instant.

"Okay."

I smiled. I wondered what he would feel when he came back and found me dead.

I also wanted to see if Emily, so full of life, could really outshine me once I was gone.

I planned to end things in the sea, if I had to die, at least let it be with some dignity.

When I got home, I gathered up all my belongings.

I didn't want Emily waltzing in one day and casually taking my things like she had every right to them.

The thought disgusted me.

I walked into Gavin's study, a place he never let me enter. He even installed a password lock on the door.

Carefully, I punched in Emily's birthday. The door clicked open. I wasn't even surprised.

On the desk sat a framed photo of him and Emily, probably from their college days.

In the drawer, I found his journal.

"Emilia said she wanted to move in with me. God, it's exhausting. I've told her a million times I don't like her, but she just won't let go!"

"She cried and begged me in the rain. With her hair all soaked, she looked so much like Emily. I gave in and said yes."

"The way she smiles, the way she talks... she reminds me of Emily. If only Emily had never left the country."

"She said she wanted to get a plant. I remembered Emily loved succulents, so I got her some. When I gave them to her, she said they were her favorite too."

"Today, she actually brought up calling off the wedding. I don't care about all that 'real daughter' or 'fake daughter' nonsense-I just want her to be my wife"

"I saw Emily today. I didn't expect her to be Mr. Shaw's biological daughter. Turns out, that childhood engagement was supposed to be between me and her. If it weren't for Emilia, maybe we could've been together. But things change. I won't force it."

"I took Emily to the amusement park this afternoon. She's still the same as always, never changed. Emilia looked sick today-she was throwing up in the bathroom for ages. I wanted to check on her, but then Emily saw the succulents and dragged me off to the bar. I wonder how Emilia is doing now."

I kept flipping through the pages, nausea rising in my throat. I hated seeing my own name written there.

"Sorry for getting in the way of you and Emily. I won't anymore. And, don't bother looking for me, I'm already dead."

I scribbled those words on the first page of his journal.

Then, I put everything back where it was and left my medical report on the desk.

Before I died, I wanted to see the orphanage one last time. I grabbed my suitcase and headed there.

The orphanage was where I first fell for Gavin.

Back then, his parents had gone on a business trip, so they left him at the Shaw family's house for a while.

That day, they came to pick me up.

I was being bullied by a group of boys when Gavin stepped in. He pulled me to my feet, took my hand, and said, "From now on, you're my friend. I won't let anyone bully you."

That childhood promise, along with our arranged engagement, made me, an abandoned girl, fall completely in love with him.

But to him, I was always just a friend. After we got engaged, he changed-became distant, cold.

I spent two years trying to warm his heart. And now, I was about to leave him forever.

The kids at the orphanage were as sweet as ever. I spent the afternoon with them, and for a little while, I felt at peace.

But it didn't change anything. I was still going to end this.