Chapter 5 The Conspiracy Unveiled

"Dad, just drop it. Maybe George and I aren't meant to be. I don't blame Emma," Anna's voice, all teary, filled the hospital room.

Anna was curled up in George's arms, looking all innocent and fragile. She shot Emma a hurt look, "Emma, if you liked George, you could've just told me. I wouldn't fight you over him. But why'd you have to pull such dirty tricks to get him?"

"Anna, it wasn't me..."

"Anna, you're still defending this chick? If it wasn't for her scheming, you'd be George's wife right now! You wouldn't be so heartbroken that you tried to off yourself. And yet, you're still sticking up for her. You're too damn nice!" Jerry snapped, fuming on Anna's behalf.

As Jerry ranted, he swung a chair in the hospital room. Emma flinched, instinctively shielding her belly with her hands.

"Get out! Or do you wanna get beaten to death here?" George's icy voice cut through the tension.

Jerry froze, and Emma narrowly dodged a nasty hit.

Emma was hurting all over, Olivia's sharp words ringing in her head. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw George holding Anna tenderly, making her heart ache even more.

She bolted from the hospital and headed to the ER for some treatment, hoping to clear her head.

After getting treated, the physical pain eased up, but the emotional pain just got worse.

She walked out of the ER and headed to the restroom, where she overheard a hushed conversation outside. Even though the voices were low, they made her stop in her tracks.

"If I hadn't gone into the wrong room that night, I'd be the one hooking up with George! How did it end up being Emma, that bumpkin! Just thinking about George being with Emma makes me sick!" Anna's voice outside was dripping with anger and resentment.

Emma thought, 'Bumpkin? Are they talking about me?'

Emma's face went pale, her body stiffened, and even breathing became tough.

"It pisses me off! I planned everything so perfectly, spiking George's drink and calling the media the next morning to catch us in bed together. That way, Charles would let me marry George. I can't believe I got the room number wrong and ended up having a one-night stand with some rando, while Emma, that bitch, got lucky!"

So this was the truth. This was the real Anna, who had been pleading for her just moments ago.

Emma's heart was pounding like crazy, finding the whole thing both ridiculous and tragic. This woman was George's sweet and kind-hearted darling.

The elegant and gracious lady everyone admired.

And the sister she had always looked up to.

"Don't worry, George only loves you," Olivia sneered. "If it weren't for her bone marrow being a match for yours, we would've never adopted her. She's just a bumpkin. How dare she compete with you for George?"

So the Jones family took her in not out of kindness, but because Anna needed her bone marrow.

The past five years of sisterhood were just a big, fat lie.

When she wasn't around, they didn't even see her as a person, just a caged animal.

How ironic!

"I'll make George divorce her!" Anna's voice was full of anger and regret.

"Anna, chill," Olivia's voice softened. "We've got plenty of time. Sooner or later, she'll lose everything. Did you see how George treated Emma just now? He can't stand her. It's only because of Charles that George was forced to marry Emma. Once he gets the chance, George will definitely divorce her and marry you."

"It's so frustrating! I faked that suicide attempt to make George so mad he'd divorce Emma right away. But before I could even push him, George had to leave for some emergency meeting," Anna complained irritably.

Emma's heart felt like it was stabbed with ice, listening in disbelief. So Anna's suicide attempt was fake, just a stunt to make George divorce her sooner.

Emma's hands clenched unconsciously, filled with shock and anger. She suddenly realized she was just a pawn in Anna's game. The emotions she relied on had now become utterly hollow.

Whether it was family or love, it was all part of someone else's scheme.

And she had always been the sacrificial lamb.

"By the way, Anna," Olivia's voice came again, "later, call George and tell him that after he left, Emma came to the hospital to show off. Make sure George feels sorry for you, so you can win his heart and marry him."

Emma suddenly felt nauseous, the ugly truth making her feel sick to her stomach.

Emma found it laughable. How could a smartman like George fall for a woman like Anna? Since the Jones family didn't care her, she wouldn't care about so-called family ties either. With no more reservations, she walked out of the restroom, stood in front of Anna, and delivered a harsh warning, "As long as I'm alive, Anna, you'll never take the place of being George's wife!"