The Bridge Not Taken: Choosing Myself Over You1
I'm the disregarded bastard daughter of the Hayes Clan.
Abandoned in the back annex by the Principal Wife for a long sixteen years!
That fateful day, a group of governesses stormed in, knocking my dear brother unconscious and dragging him away.
I was utterly beside myself, screaming and pleading on my knees before the Principal Wife.
She pinched her nose as if I stank, cruelly stepping on my slender fingers.
"Just play nice and bear an heir for the queen, and I'll ensure your brother is listed as a rightful heir in the main lineage! Otherwise... his survival through this winter is on you!"
The agony was so sharp I could barely catch my breath; all I could do was nod in desperation.
Yes, my mother too never saw the end of that harsh winter.
This deep-seated hatred is all that sustains me...
***
My legitimate sister, the Queen, summoned me to the palace ostensibly as her companion but quickly showed her true colors behind closed doors.
"Get this straight, Jennifer— you're just a surrogate. Step out of line, and you'll wish you hadn't," she threatened with a venomous tone.
Facing her daunting presence, I meekly complied.