Two Reborn, One Throne novel Chapter 82

"How did you know?"

Tillie lowered her eyes. The bank card Amber had shoved into her palm felt like it was burning through her skin, searing her heart and catching in her throat.

A tear slipped down her cheek.

She broke down sobbing. "Amber, I thought I hid it so well. I thought you wouldn't find out until after graduation. I thought... I thought..."

Amber pulled her into a tight embrace, rubbing her back. "You did hide it well. But we've been friends since we were kids. Did you really think you could keep it from me forever? No, I'm the one who should be apologizing. I was so oblivious. I ignored you, making it impossible for you to tell me when you clearly wanted to."

"Tillie, I'm so sorry. Can you forgive me for being so blind? I was so obsessed with studying and Lucian that I never paid enough attention to you. Thank God there's still time."

Tillie let out a loud, heart-wrenching wail.

She hadn't known how to tell Amber. The truth was, she had wanted to speak up for a long time, but the opportunity never felt right.

Her father had always told her that no one would help her; she could only rely on herself.

She thought Amber had a great life, but did she really? Grace Walters had practically brainwashed Amber into revolving her entire existence around Lucian. And for what? So she could eventually become his wife.

Tillie's family background wasn't too different from Amber's. The only difference was that Amber's mother had passed away from an illness, whereas Tillie's mother had buckled under the abuse and run away, leaving her with a violent, alcoholic father.

Since childhood, Tillie had envied Amber for having such a loving dad in Arthur. But her father had mocked her, claiming it was all just a facade. If Arthur truly loved Amber, would he let Lucian's mother train her to be a subservient maid?

Her dad insisted Arthur was no nobler than him. They both supposedly understood that daughters were a financial burden—water poured out the door. Once they were of age, they were meant to be married off for a payout to repay the fathers who raised them.

Tillie had argued back, but her father wouldn't listen. When she was fourteen, people had come to their house multiple times to arrange a match. Later, when her dad realized that letting her finish high school would increase her market value, he ordered her to study hard and get into a good school.

During her freshman year, Tillie had foolishly thought her dad had changed his mind. It wasn't until her senior year that she realized it was all a setup.

The family buying her had reasoned that a girl who could make it through high school was smart. If she married in and gave them a son, the kid would definitely be book-smart and bring glory to their family name.

To them, a higher payout was worth the investment.

When Tillie tried to resist again, she was beaten mercilessly. Her father told her she should be grateful he even let her go to high school. In their circles, how many girls actually got to study that long?

Did she think high school was free?

If she had any gratitude, she would accept that her father wasn't forcing her to her death. He was letting her take her final exams. But pass or fail, she was getting married.

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