Chapter 538

To be honest, when those pictures first came to light, Emma was taken aback. The angle and the face all looked eerily like Allison’s.

Nobody suspected Penelope, because Penelope was the darling of the Flanagan family. She was wealthy, not the kind to be caught in such a compromising situation.

Allison was different, though. She was the one without money, the one who might be driven to such choices.

Therefore, even if Penelope and Allison had a remarkable resemblance to each other, nobody assumed the girl in the photo was Penelope.

Allison exhaled slowly. Her eyes were closed. She leaned back on the couch, and paused for several seconds before she spoke, “I grew up at my grandma’s home. We lived in Cloudville until the town was hit by an earthquake and my grandma passed away. I was ten when I was brought to the grand Flanagan estate in Northfield. My mother was the housekeeper and my father was the family chauffeur.

“Life was decent at first, but Penelope and I didn’t get along. She was the Flanagan’s little princess, living the high life while I was just the housekeeper’s daughter who ate leftovers and was called the maid’s brat behind my back.

“I used to wonder why we looked so similar but our lives were so different. I envied Penelope, but I also cherished my own simple life.”

Young Allison was content with her life.

“Later, my father and brother died in a car accident. It was just me and my mom then. She was diagnosed with kidney failure and needed a transplant. I worked hard, trying to save up some money.

Then I met Lucian. Our first meeting wasn’t exactly pleasant. He didn’t even know it was me.” She laughed. There was a hint of self-mockery in her voice. “I always chose my mother’s medical bills over anything else. She was the only family I had. I didn’t want to lose her. But life played cruel jokes on me.”

She looked at Emma. “Grace isn’t my real mother. My biological mother is someone I detested.”

Emma squeezed Allison’s hand, not knowing how to comfort her. Seeing the cold, numb look on Allison’s face, Emma sensed she had grown used to the pain.

“Allison…”

“Do you know, Emma? I’ve lost so much. My dignity, my child. All for the hope that my mother could be healthy. But there were also lies.”

Emma’s eyes widened in shock. Despite her youthful appearance, Allison had already had a child. She must have endured hardships that most people couldn’t imagine. Allison was always gentle and calm.

She was someone Emma admired. She never thought that Allison had such a past.

“It’s all in the past, Allison. Things are different now.” Emma tried to pull Allison out of her painful memories, but all Allison did was smiling indifferently. “I never thought about fighting anyone, or seeking justice. But they never left me alone.”

Emma gripped Allison’s hand tightly, trying to lend her some strength.

“Emma, there’s light ahead. It might not be for me, though.”

“Allison…”

“My light, he’s going to leave me. I try not to rely on him, but I find myself falling deeper. Sometimes, I think I’m useless.”