Feng Yilan's arms were crossed over her chest, and her lips wore a mocking smile as she addressed Feng Suyin.
"Are you still waiting for Brother Jun to come see you, Yin-jie? Don't bother. He's not coming. Even if he does, he's already mine."
Feng Suyin couldn't speak. All she could do was glare at her sister through blurry eyes.
She had a feeling. The lab explosion was no accident. Feng Yilan was involved—why else would she be here, reveling in her misery? Feng Suyin knew Feng Yilan despised her in the past. She had never thought her sister would sabotage her work and her life. The sting of betrayal mixed with the pain of her burns.
"He did want me to pass on his goodbye," Feng Yilan continued, her voice smug. "He wanted to thank you for getting rid of Ji Yuzhe once and for all. If it weren't for you, Ji Hanjun wouldn't have been able to secure his inheritance. You only made it out of the explosion alive because Ji Yuzhe ruined our plans again. Just like he did with the fire twelve years ago."
Feng Suyin gave her a confused look.
Feng Yilan laughed.
"You still don't know? How Ji Yuzhe saved you from the fire twelve years ago? You've mistaken Brother Jun for your savior instead. I don't know what Ji Yuzhe saw in you, but he must have cared deeply to risk his life for yours."
Feng Suyin's heart turned cold.
Memories came back to her—the heat, the smoke, strong arms carrying her to safety. How could she have been so oblivious?
"Do you know how pathetic you looked when we were shopping for your wedding dress? You had no idea Brother Jun and I were fooling around in the dressing room next door."
Feng Yilan lifted her hand, showing off the diamond ring on her finger.
"The one he wanted to marry is me, not you, Yin-jie."
The reality of Ji Hanjun's betrayal pressed down on her chest. Her heart sank.
She had loved him. Trusted him. Believed their connection was real. It had all been a cruel game to further his own ambitions. She was used to being a pawn. A willing one at that.
She knew Ji Hanjun despised Ji Yuzhe, yet she hadn't seen how she was involved. She and Ji Yuzhe had never been close. They were often at odds, their ideologies clashing. Ji Yuzhe easily pulled people toward him, while Feng Suyin preferred the quiet of her lab. It was always a point of contention between them.
Despite their differences, she never wanted harm to come to him.
She understood his flaws and past traumas, even if he sometimes used them as an excuse for reckless behavior. He carried himself with ease, yet there was always a clear barrier between him and others. They rarely crossed paths. Feng Suyin had a certain respect for him all the same. He could be arrogant. He also had a real desire to make a difference in the world. Something Ji Hanjun could never understand—or see—in his half-brother.
The brothers had always competed for their father's approval. Now that Ji Yuzhe was out of the picture, Ji Hanjun had finally secured his inheritance. No threat left to his status as sole heir of the Ji family.
Feng Suyin's gut churned. A sick, twisting thing, the betrayal working through her. The man she thought she loved had lied to her, manipulated her, and now stood before her with a wicked look on his face.
She couldn't believe it.
No. She refused to believe it. It had to be a mistake. Feng Yilan must be lying, trying to break her spirit with false accusations.
The gleam in Feng Yilan's eyes said otherwise. Her sister laughed behind her manicured hand, relishing the pain and confusion on Feng Suyin's face.
"You can deny it all you want, Yin-jie. But we both know the truth. Ji Hanjun is here now, and he's mine. You were just another pawn in our game."
Anger hit her hard. How could she have been so blind? So foolish to fall for Ji Hanjun's lies?
Still, a small part of her refused to accept Feng Yilan's words as the truth.
"You don't need to worry about your research, Yin-jie," Feng Yilan continued, her voice dripping with insincerity. "Dad and I will make sure it continues. After all, our family's legacy must live on. But you, Yin-jie—you will be left with nothing."
Tears spilled from Feng Suyin's eyes.
They had used her. Taken everything from her. And now they were discarding her like trash.
As if sensing her thoughts, Feng Yilan injected a yellowish liquid into Feng Suyin's veins.
Her heart slammed. She knew what was in the needle. Too late to do anything about it. The room tilted as the drug moved through her blood.
Through blurry vision, Feng Suyin saw Ji Hanjun enter the room. A triumphant look on his face. He looked every bit the man she had once fallen for. Now his true colors were revealed in all their darkness.
"You see, my dear Feng Suyin," Ji Hanjun sneered, "you were never more than a pawn in our game. And now that you've outlived your usefulness, it's time for you to disappear."
Everything began to go.
Deep in her, something ignited. A spark of hatred.
No. She refused to let herself go down like this.
Why? Why had she been so blind? Why did her life have to end like this? Did she mean nothing to them?
As she lay there, one thought consumed her.
Regret.
She regretted staying with the Feng family. Regretted deluding herself into thinking that Ji Hanjun loved her. In the end, not only did she lose her life, but she also failed to see the person who cared for her.
As she took her last breaths, Feng Suyin relived all of her regrets.
The biggest one was choosing to love someone who was incapable of loving anyone but himself.
Her fingers went still against the sheets.
Darkness.
Feng Yilan's voice came one last time.
"Sleep well, Yin-jie. As your younger sister, I will surely enjoy the fruits of your hard work."