Jennifer drew a shaky breath, staring at Teresa as if she couldn’t believe Teresa was really here.

Teresa hurried over and said in a trembling voice, with urgency, “Jennifer, please come down! It’s too dangerous up there. Let’s talk, okay?”

“Don’t come any closer!” Jennifer shouted through her tears. “Teresa, stop worrying about me. I’m not worth it. I don’t deserve you caring about me…”

Teresa took a deep breath and said, “Even if we’re not related by blood anymore, in my heart, you’re still Hannah. Mom feels the same way. As long as you want, you’ll always be Hannah to us.”

Jennifer shook her head desperately, with tears streaming down her face. “I’m not Hannah. I never really was. You’re right, the real Hannah died the day she fell off that cliff as a kid. I was just too much of a coward, too weak."

“I couldn’t go back to that suffocating family, so I hid away for all these years, leaving you all alone. I lived as Jennifer all this time, never once thinking about how you felt. I abandoned you, betrayed the bond we had as sisters.

“And then I even tried to control you and always forced my will on you, making you so miserable. I kept ignoring your pain, always thought I was right, and always took things out on you.

“I’m not a good sister. I don’t deserve to be your sister anymore. I’m sorry, Teresa. I really am…”

In that moment, it finally hit Jennifer just how many terrible mistakes she’d made over the years. She’d hurt the people she cared about most. She’d let down her own family.

Jennifer’s eyes brimmed with genuine remorse. She said, “Teresa, please, help me tell… tell…” Her voice trembled, choked with emotion. She could barely get the words out.

Then she said, “Tell Mom I’m sorry. She truly cared about me, but I misunderstood her so much. I always showed her my coldest and most impatient side.”

“I’m not going to say sorry for you!” Teresa shouted. “If you really feel sorry, then come down and tell her yourself. I won’t do it for you. You have to face her and say it yourself.”

Jennifer looked down, wavering. Teresa started to move closer. But Jennifer snapped out of it and yelled, “Don’t come any closer. If you take another step, I’ll jump!”

Teresa stopped where she was and quickly said, “Okay, I won’t come any closer! But how about you come over here to me? Please, don’t think you’re worthless. There are still so many people in this world who love you—me, Mom, and Ms. Nelson.

“And just think, if you really left us, how heartbroken would Ms. Nelson be? She took you in, and you’re her pride and joy, her favorite student. She cares about you so much.”

Hearing Genevieve’s name, Jennifer took a deep breath and shook her head. She said, “I’ve let Ms. Nelson down, too. I’ve made such a mess of my life, and I’ve really disappointed her. I guess I’ll make it up to her in the afterlife.”

“And what about Donald? Are you really willing to leave him all alone in this world?” Teresa pressed.

Jennifer suddenly choked up. Her emotions overwhelmed her. “He won’t be alone. Donald has already fallen for someone else…” Jennifer said.

“That’s not true,” Teresa cried out. “I called him—he told me everything! What you saw at the hospital was all a misunderstanding. Donald only loves you, Jennifer. He’s been searching for you all day, just like me—running around like crazy, terrified you’d do something reckless.

“He’s on his way here right now. If you jump now, you’ll never see Donald again. He’ll be heartbroken for the rest of his life. Do you really want to leave him in that kind of pain?”

Jennifer hesitated again.

Teresa said, word by word, “Just keep living. Everything is gonna be fine.”