From the first moment Sarah Sullivan laid eyes on Nora Sullivan, she knew this fake heiress was the epitome of a white lotus, a schemer, and a drama queen all rolled into one.
Always putting on airs.
Perfectly illustrating what it means for life to be a stage.
Even if Nora wasn't tired of acting, Sarah was tired of watching.
Rather than watch her play coy and demure, it would be more entertaining to watch stray dogs fight over food on the street.
To be honest, even though Nora had stolen her true heiress identity, Sarah didn't initially hate Nora, nor did she have any intention of reclaiming the Sullivan Family's eldest daughter title.
Even though the events of those years were shrouded in the fog of conspiracy, seemingly driven by some manipulative mastermind, it shouldn't have anything to do with a baby.
Later, after seeing her biological parents' repulsive faces that even dogs would avoid, Sarah truly hoped more than Lara Kemnis that she wasn't their biological daughter.
With such bizarre parents, Sarah couldn't afford to lose face like this.
So she genuinely hoped Nora could forever be the obedient daughter of the Sullivan Family, and the lot of them could enjoy their harmony together, but just leave her out of it.
Sarah had conveyed this message to Nora quite formally a long time ago.
Unfortunately, Nora didn't believe it.
Always thinking Sarah was speaking in reverse, always thinking Sarah was plotting to take everything she currently had, jealous of her wealth, very much caring about the Sullivan Family heiress status.
She saw Sarah as a thorn in her side, an irritant in her flesh.
Constantly smearing, slandering, and sowing discord, Sarah was too lazy to explain, resulting in the Sullivan Family's impression of Sarah worsening over time.
...
Nora initially didn't understand what "throwing bananas" meant, then after a bit of thought realized Sarah was implying she was a circus monkey, making her both angry and resentful.
This damned girl, though she usually kept to herself, could make people choke on her words when she did speak.
Nora had already suffered quite a bit at her hands.
With no third party as an audience, the benevolent expression on Nora's face vanished, replaced by malice and provocation: "Alright, since you said it this way, I won't play along with you anymore. Sarah, you should have figured out by now that this Sullivan Family belongs to me, and no one can take it! The Sullivans like the gentle, talented Nora Sullivan, not an unruly wild child like you! If you had any shame, you shouldn't have shamelessly insisted on returning to the Sullivan Family from the start! Go back to your mountain valley! Find some dung cleaner to marry, have a nest of kids, and chase rabbits all over the hills, wouldn't that be nice? Why do you always have to make me uncomfortable!"
Nora's expression was twisted, her teeth clenched: "My patience is limited! If you leave now, I can overlook it and let you go. But if you persist and insist on being visible in Huston, when the day comes I control the Sullivan Family, you won't be able to leave even if you want to, understand? I'll torment you to the point you'll wish you were dead! I'll sell you to a black kiln, let thousands of people trample you, do you believe it?"
No one would have guessed that the always seemingly pure, kind, knowledgeable Nora Sullivan would utter such crude, unspeakable words.
"Nora Sullivan, just because you like eating shit doesn't mean everyone will fight you for it. Get out of the way," Sarah said coldly.
Nora was taken aback again, then finally understood that Sarah meant she didn't care about the Sullivan's power or wealth at all.
But of course, she didn't believe it: "Haha, Sarah, I hate your indifferent attitude towards everything the most! Who are you pretending to be an hermit for? If you truly didn't care, why insist on recognizing your kin shamelessly?"
...
The rain from the sky grew heavier.
Pedestrians hurried on the road, scattering like birds and beasts.
Nora held an umbrella in her hand, using her hand to shield most of it over Sarah's head.
Her own body was getting wet.
Anyone seeing this scene would think Nora was genuinely kind to Sarah, and never imagine she was saying the vilest, most unbearable words in the world.
At this moment, a black Bentley drove up and slowly stopped by the roadside.
Seeing the familiar license plate, Nora's eyes shifted.
She leaned in, whispering gently in Sarah's ear: "So Sarah, stop pretending to be aloof! Your identity is mine, your parents are mine, even your man is mine, doesn't that make you furious?"
Just as she finished speaking, her body suddenly fell backward, plunging directly into the water, and the umbrella dropped.
"Ah!" Nora moaned painfully as she lay on the ground.
At the same time, the door of the black Bentley opened, and out rushed William Shaw, genteel and extraordinary.
Ignoring the surface water, he cradled Nora in his arms: "Nora, are you alright?"
Clenching her teeth and swallowing her grievances, Nora shook her head: "William, I'm fine."
Though she said she was fine, tears glimmered in her eyes, making her all the more pitiable.
"How can you be fine after such a hard fall?"
William looked at Sarah with reproachful eyes: "Sarah, don't you think you've gone too far? Hate me all you want, but if you have any issues, bring them to me. Don't bully Nora, she's innocent!"
Hearing this, Nora felt such joy she could almost sing, but she said, "William, you misunderstand my sister, it really was my fault just now..."
William sighed: "Nora, stop making excuses for her, she's bullied you more than once or twice, I can't let you keep enduring this humiliation!"
Listening to such warm-hearted words from her lover, Nora's long-restrained tears finally fell: "But William, because of me, you broke up with my sister in the first place. Her hating me is understandable, in her mind, I'm the one who came between you."
William furrowed his elegant brows: "Nora, why are you saying this again? My breakup with Sarah had nothing to do with you! We weren't a good fit from the beginning! Who says you're the third party? In love, it's not the later one who's the third party, it's the one who's not loved! Sarah is the extra one!"
Seeing Nora's umbrella had fallen, she was now soaked, her little face pale, William couldn't help but feel both pity and love, he opened his coat and wrapped her inside.
Turning to Sarah, he said solemnly: "Sarah, I hope you can be a bit more generous and graceful! Love can't be forced, no matter how much you love me, or how reluctant you are to let go of me, it won't change the fact that Nora is now the woman I truly love! I won't do anything to hurt Nora! So let go, let Nora go, and let yourself go. Stop being so obsessed with me. It's exhausting for both you and me."
William spoke sincerely: "The highest form of love is even if you don't have them yourself, you want them to be well. I am now very certain that Nora is my happiness, my destination! I truly hope you won't let jealousy cloud your conscience, and that you will sincerely wish us well. Persisting will only make me grow increasingly tired of you, won't that hurt you more? Can you withstand my disdainful gaze?"
William's expression was most earnest: "Sarah, I know it's very difficult for you to forget me, you'll never meet another man as brilliant as I am, missing me will surely be your lifelong regret. But there's nothing that can be done about this, there is only one William Shaw in this world, I can't allow every woman who loves me to have me."
Nora raised her pale little face, eyes filled with little stars: "William, you're one of a kind! Nora is so lucky to have you in her life!"
She then looked at Sarah, pitifully saying: "Sister, I'm sorry, I can give you anything but William! He is my life!"
William sighed compassionately: "Sarah, you must understand what it means to let go, in the future I may allow you to secretly think of me, but you can no longer harass me, and definitely cannot bully Nora! Let go of your fantasies, recognize reality, find a decent person to marry. At least an honest person won't mind your sordid past."
Saying this, he tightened his embrace on the woman in his arms.