You Are The Apple of My Eyes
Chapter 419 Shackles

Vicente recalled that cataclysmic event that happened when she was three years old. The memory was as fresh as if it had happened yesterday, haunting her like a nightmare. She didn't even know how she survived the years after that.

"Do you know what my mother told me that day?"

Nina shook her head and sat beside Vicente. Pain radiated off the other woman, and Nina could almost touch the dense aura of misery around her.

She placed her hand on the back of Vicente's cold hand and stared at her profile quietly. Vicente's long eyelashes trembled.

"My brother and I were identical twins. We looked almost the same, and I used to stick to my brother like glue all the time. He had short hair, and so did I. I wore the same clothes that he wore. Except for my mother, nobody could tell us apart.

My brother died from food poisoning on the spot, and there was no time to rescue him. My mother brought me somewhere deserted and told me that the person who died was me, not my brother, and that from that point on, I would be Vicente.

I really don't know why my mother did it. She was crying then. She shook me and told me to remember who that I was Vicente, not Vicki. She said that if we didn't do this, both of us would be driven out of our home. We would have no place to sleep and no food to eat. Worse, we might get killed.

I'm afraid of death. I had just seen my brother die in pain, so I nodded and agreed. My mother didn't let me speak because she was afraid that I might slip up and expose myself. At that time, everyone thought that I had become mute from the trauma. Later, my mother went crazy, so no one cared about us."

Vicente wiped her cold tears away and continued, "At that time, my mother's madness was not too bad. During her lucid moments, she taught me how to speak like a boy. It wasn't until I was thirteen years old and could use a boy's voice with ease that I spoke in front of other people.

That year, my mother and I moved from the shabbiest portion of the castle to a relatively decent attic, but it still wasn't as good as the servants' quarters. At that time, I finally understood my mother's painstaking efforts and realized that I can only protect my mother and myself by standing at the top."

At that moment, Nina realized that it was not only Vicente but also her mother who had imprisoned Vicente in this place.

The latter placed a more severe shackle on her freedom.

If Vicki didn't take the place of her brother, work hard to climb up and finally take over the position of count, they wouldn't be sitting here now and talking about the past. Nina hugged Vicente tightly.

Hugs had the magical ability to give people warmth. Vicente gradually relaxed her stiff body and rested her head on Nina's shoulder. Her tears continued to silently flow.

"Nina, I have never entertained the thought of reclaiming my identity. I never think about meeting someone, falling in love, having children, and living a happy life as Vicki. I'm afraid that when I start thinking of those things, I won't be able to stop dwelling on them and I will become greedy for them. However, all of those things are impossible given my current position, so I dare not yearn for them."

Vicente clung more tightly to Nina. "I really can't think of them."

"I'm sorry." Nina gently patted Vicente on the back.

Vicente shook her head and rubbed against Nina's shoulder. "No, no, no. I don't blame you. I don't blame anyone. It's just that sometimes, we have to accept our fate."

"Accept our fate?" Nina murmured, and her eyes dimmed a little.

She raised her eyes to look out of the window at the bright light, remembering John's words. "Wait for me. I will go and find you."

The sadness in Nina's eyes was dispelled by the light.

After that night, Nina never mentioned it again. She focused on keeping the babies healthy and paid no attention to what was going on outside the castle walls.

Later, Vicente went to Jett. Nina didn't know what she had given him. Vicente seemed to be particularly busy, going out early that morning and coming back late. Vicente didn't want to say anything to upset Nina, and Nina didn't ask too much. The two of them maintained a tacit understanding and lived at their own paces. Time always passed quickly.

Nina's belly grew bigger with each passing day, and she would give birth in two months. The servants kept an eye on her every day, afraid that she would bump into something with each movement. They were more nervous than the expecting mother.

Today was New Year's Day. Another year was starting.

Nina was sitting on the sofa in the arched terrace, basking under the sun, and someone was keeping careful watch over her.

The winter in C Island was moderately cold. The weather remained mild, without heavy snow falling from the sky. The sun still imparted its gentle warmth.

Only the piercing, frigid sea breeze reminded people that it was, in fact, winter.

In Lexingport City, it was quite the opposite.

The city was cloaked under a blanket of silvery snow. The pedestrians who braved the weather were wrapped in thick jackets, exhaling warm puffs of breath and rubbing their hands together as they scurried toward their destinations.

The roads were empty but for workers who were busily shoveling snow.

It was the first heavy snow in Lexingport City for five years, and it fell on New Year's Eve. Only for one night, there was snow everywhere.

The Shi family had a tradition of having a meal together on New Year's Day.

Today, the Shi family members came back one after another. Since early that morning, the servants had been busy preparing for the dinner party.

Sam's legs were unwieldy, so he asked the butler to wheel him out so he could see the snow and direct the servants.

As always, Sam's face was wreathed with smiles.

"Grandpa, we are back." Hand in hand, James and Emma bowed to the elderly man.

"Hello, Emma. It's cold outside. Come in and have a seat," Sam greeted Emma with a smile, ignoring James. "Grandpa, how come you're greeting only her and not me?" James complained loudly, but he felt warm and happy inside.

His grandfather liked Emma very much and even personally helped them choose an auspicious wedding date in the spring.

Smiling at the thought that he would soon be marrying the woman he loved, James laughed and said with a smug smile, "It doesn't matter-you're welcoming Emma, which means you're welcoming me, too. We're a couple, after all. A unit."

Emma lowered her eyes modestly and smiled. "Grandpa, it's cold outside. Let me wheel you in."

"Okay." At Sam's nod, Emma dutifully pushed the wheelchair inside.

Unwilling to fall behind, James stepped forward and offered, "Emma is weak. I'll help her."

"Thank you." Emma smiled up at her betrothed.

James lifted an eyebrow with a leer. "If you really want to thank me, you can do something about it. I don't accept lip service."

"What do you want?" Sam suddenly spoke out, and James nearly blurted out his reply.

Thanks to his quick thinking, he didn't say anything shameless in front of the old man. James asked in confusion, "Grandpa, what do you mean?"

"They must have transfused a lot of your blood to me during the operation, right? Although it was something that was expected of you as a younger member of this family, I still want to thank you. What do you want? As long as I can get it, I will give it to you," Sam offered, his voice heavy with sincerity.

James stopped in his tracks. "Grandpa, are you remembering it wrong? I never got to donate blood for you. You were already out of danger when I came back."

"You didn't give me blood?" Sam turned to look at his grandson.

James shook his head firmly. "No."

Sam squinted his eyes, and only the sound of the wheelchair rolling on the ground could be heard.

If James did not donate, then who did?

Why did they hide it from him?