Chapter 31 That’s for the Best

That girl wanted a family so badly–why was I so cold back then, pushing her away and throwing such harsh words at her?

“Wade, what’s wrong? You okay?”

Kyla noticed how Wade kept staring at Tilda’s back as she walked away, and her heart just sank. She tugged on Wade’s sleeve gently. Her voice was soft as she pulled him back to reality.

Wade shook his head and brushed Kyla’s hair with his hand, smiling weakly. “It’s nothing…”

“Wade, I know you’re thinking about Tilda. She’s your real sister, your blood. It’s not too late. Go after her. If you talk to her I’m sure she’ll listen to you!”

Kyla’s eyes filled with tears as she said it. She looked down, clutching Wade’s arm tightly.

“There’s no going back, silly girl. Maybe it’s better this way. The Jensons already have you, Kyla–there’s no room for Tilda anymore. Maybe… that’s for the best.”

Wade lowered his eyes and held Kyla’s hand gently, his voice soft. The guilt for Tilda still sat heavily in his chest. He knew without doubt that Tilda was his real sister, lost for 19 years. The DNA test proved it. But even if she came back, Wade was sure he couldn’t love Tilda more than he loved Kyla, because Kyla was the one he grew up with, the little sister he had spoiled forever. And it wasn’t just Wade. The other brothers felt the same. Even Russell and Blair thought the same way. To the Jensons, Tilda was just extra.

She could never compare to Kyla, Wade thought. If she came back, she’d only suffer. So, it’s better to leave things as they are–it’s easier for both the Jensons and Tilda.

“Wade…”

Kyla bit her lip and threw herself into his arms, tears shining in her eyes. “I really hate myself… If I hadn’t been with the Jensons, none of this would have happened. I should be the one to go. I’m the one who doesn’t belong. Because of me, Tilda-”

Wade pressed his hand to her lips, cutting her off. “That’s enough, Kyla. Stop. You’re just too kind, too soft. You always take everything on yourself. It must’ve been hard. And this isn’t on you. It’s us. We just can’t face our own hearts.”

Tilda had no clue what Wade and Kyla were saying, and even if she did, it wouldn’t matter anymore.

Chapter 31 That’s for the Best

She’d felt disappointment, sadness, and pain so much that she was numb. Nothing could hurt worse than Blair’s words at Sky Dining last night. To the Jensons, Kyla was worth everything, while Tilda was worth nothing.

At the college entrance, Tilda saw Una waiting excitedly, with a backpack on her shoulders as she stood on tiptoe.

“Tilda!”

Una spotted her, waved hard, then ran over and hugged her tight.

“Been waiting long, Una?”

“Not at all! Come on, hurry up. The first period is with the year coordinator, so we can’t be late! He’s crazy strict!”

“Alright.”

A tiny smile tugged at Tilda’s lips. At least… I’m not alone. I’ve found what truly matters, what has always been right beside me.

Together, Tilda and Una slipped into the classroom right on time. The moment Tilda walked in, every pair of eyes landed on her. And of course, they’d all seen the headlines the past few days. Almost everyone in class knew now: Tilda was the Jensons‘ real lost daughter. Before, only Una had ever talked to her, and later they became friends. Tilda had always been a loner. She was distant and hard to approach, so nobody really knew her. No one had guessed a girl like her would turn out to be the Jensons‘ real daughter. It was unbelievable.

“Tilda, don’t mind the stares.”

“I know. They’re just curious. I don’t care.”

Truth was, Tilda never cared about people who didn’t matter to her. She pulled Una with her to a corner of the room.

Soon, the year coordinator walked in for class. His name was Shaun Manning. At Orica University, School of Computer Science, he oversaw sophomores and taught the main programming courses. He was 54 and wore a suit, his hair slicked back with streaks of gray, with a pair of glasses on his nose–he looked like a proper professor. At first glance, he didn’t seem scary. Day to day, Shaun was easygoing and kind, but once class started, he was super strict. Plenty of students had failed his classes. He had this obsession with time that was almost extreme. In the School of Computer Science, everyone said, “If you’re late to Professor Manning’s class, expect a warning.” Students half-joked and called him “Professor Grim.”

Shaun set his slides on the podium. “Everyone here? Class rep, take attendance.”

The roll call showed that the whole class was there.