They Hated Me in My First Life, But Now I Have the Love System

Chapter 2: Her Last Breath

From the dining room, Ebere's voice rang out again, sweet and melodious, masking her cruelty. "But, Mom, she's my sister, and today is her sweet sixteen, too. I know she's always hated me, always trying to hurt me, but I like her," she said with a mock innocence that earned a chorus of approval. "You all continue here. I'll go and give her some cake."

The room erupted into cheers of praise.

"You're too kind, Princess!"

Ebere left the dining room, a faint smirk tugging at her lips as she made her way toward the storage room.

From her place beneath the stairs, Nnenna felt her heart sink. 'Cake? Giving cake to someone severely ill?'

She wanted to lock the door, to keep Ebere out, but her body refused to move. She was too weak. Her muscles wouldn't obey her commands. All she could do was listen to the sound of Ebere's approaching footsteps.

The door creaked open. Ebere didn't bother to knock, of course. She stepped inside, closing it firmly behind her, and turned to face Nnenna with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Sister, I brought you some cake. How are you feeling?"

Nnenna stayed silent, her gaze fixed on the ceiling.

In the past, she might have tried to muster the strength to respond, to maintain a facade of civility. But after everything, Ebere's sabotage, her lies, her cruelty, Nnenna refused to waste her energy.

"Don't be like this, sister," Ebere chided, setting the plate of cake down on a small table and pulling up a wooden chair. "It's my birthday, after all."

with mockery. She tilted her head, studying Nnenna's pallid

last much longer," Ebere continued, her voice dropping to

face contorted, the mask of sweetness giving way to

"I never liked you. When Father brought you home that year, I could

Pity. You, the so called favored daughter of his

daggers, stabbing into Nnenna's

never let you. Never. You would be dead before it happened, because I will never

twisted into a cruel smile. "You

dress as if to cleanse herself of Nnenna's presence. "Don't worry, I'll make sure to tell them why. I'll make sure no

"Happy Sweet Sixteen, sister."

bed, the icing smearing across the rough surface. Then, without sparing Nnenna another glance, she turned

her movements precise. Ebere reached up, scattering her perfectly styled hair into

jagged rips along the edges, and added shallow scratches to her face with her fingernails, enough

her handiwork, she let out a

Something is wrong

eyes as she sprinted toward the

exception this time. He lifted her into his arms, allowing her to bury her face in his shoulder as she sobbed. Others rushed to the

"She suddenly sprang up and... and hurt me! I-I had to push her away and

He hated noise, and the chaos

into the tiny storage room, gasping at the sight before them. Servants flooded the cramped space, pulling