Chapter 470

Evelyn Whitmore stood paralyzed for a heartbeat, then steeled herself. This opportunity couldn't slip through her fingers.

With sudden determination, Evelyn rushed after Olivia Sinclair, her uneven steps betraying her limp. But dignity didn't matter now - Olivia was her only hope.

"Miss Sinclair!" Evelyn's voice broke as she called out.

Olivia turned just in time to see Evelyn collapse to her knees. Shocked, Olivia hurried to help her up. "What's this about? Just speak plainly." Tears streaked Evelyn's face as years of carefully constructed walls crumbled.

"You're right about me." Evelyn wiped her cheeks. "I lost my fire long ago. But I refuse to surrender. I didn't plagiarize! How dare they force me to bear the blame? Why must I suffer for crimes I didn't commit?"

As Evelyn's words hung between them, Olivia felt puzzle pieces snapping into place. Now she understood the tragic truth - Evelyn and Margaret Sinclair were half-sisters, bound by blood and betrayal.

Margaret's mother had been the lawful wife, while Evelyn's mother became the unwitting mistress, deceived by Frederick Whitmore's lies. When they met, he'd concealed his marriage. By the time Evelyn's mother discovered the truth, she already carried his child.

Frederick promised divorces and futures, but Evelyn's mother refused to break a family apart. She tried to leave.

But Frederick threatened suicide, public shaming - he'd brand her a homewrecker, destroying her reputation and career. Terrified and trapped, she stayed, clinging to false promises. A year passed. Evelyn was born. The divorce never came.

Finally recognizing the manipulation, Evelyn's mother fled with her daughter.

Years later, cruel fate reunited the half-sisters at Westfield University. Frederick spotted Evelyn on campus, recognizing his abandoned child instantly.

The fragile peace shattered. Evelyn's already frail mother couldn't withstand the resurfaced trauma.

Determined to end the threats, Evelyn's mother confronted the Whitmores directly. She arrived at their mansion ready to expose the truth to everyone - including Margaret's mother.

Then tragedy struck. Overwhelmed by the revelations, Margaret's mother leaped from the balcony. Both daughters witnessed the horrific moment.

No one could have predicted this outcome. From that day, Margaret harbored bottomless hatred for Evelyn. When Evelyn's mother later passed away, the Whitmores rejected Evelyn completely.

Only Beatrice Whitmore stood firm. Defying family wishes, the matriarch declared Evelyn her granddaughter and took her in.

Evelyn expected to be hidden away in some remote cottage - the family's way of ensuring she wouldn't interfere with Margaret's life. But what she found was Beatrice's own humble home, where the elderly woman had lived alone in quiet hardship.