Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed novel Chapter 836

"You're a liar! You've been deceiving everyone from the start!" Kathleen snapped.

Madge met her glare. "It's true—I lost my memory. But lately, things have started coming back."

Not everything was clear yet, but Madge decided to prod Kathleen, see what she could get out of her.

She hadn't expected such a satisfying result.

"You... what are you trying to do?" Kathleen's voice wavered.

"So, everything I just said—you admit to it?" Madge pressed.

Kathleen averted her gaze. "I don't know what you're talking about..."

Just moments ago, she'd been furious, practically ready to lash out. Now she was dodging, unwilling to admit anything.

Madge didn’t get angry. She just smiled and said lightly, "You claimed I was spoiled from the start, while you were the ugly duckling. Our parents loved me more, and Teague liked me too. Do you know why?"

The mention of Teague drew a flicker of humiliation and resentment across Kathleen’s face.

"First of all, when it comes to Mom and Dad, I’m their biological daughter. You were adopted. But even with that, they never treated you poorly. You lived in comfort—whatever I had, they made sure you did too. In fact, you had more than most kids ever dream of."

"But people are never satisfied, are they? No matter how much we have, we always want more."

"What do you know?!" Kathleen shot back. "Maybe they never treated me badly, but they always loved you more!"

It's not the lack that hurts—it's the unfairness.

"Why wouldn't they?" Madge countered calmly. "I’m their daughter by blood, after all."

Kathleen recoiled, words caught in her throat.

Parents may claim to love their children equally, but deep down, it’s human nature to cling to what’s truly their own. No one can be blamed for that.

"So that’s why you went after me?"

"Yes," she spat. "I couldn’t stand watching you get away with everything, always being adored, watching Teague revolve around you like you were the sun. No one deserves a perfect life. Everyone should taste a little misery."

"Let the Rodriguez family’s little princess see what it’s like to be trampled, to sink into the mud, to have no one left to lean on. Isn’t that only fair?"

Madge’s gaze hardened. "So when we ran away that night, and you said you’d lost your backup phone—that was a lie too?"

"Of course it was. I had it the whole time. I just didn’t want to use it."

"You—!"

Even after all these years, Madge still felt a rush of anger at her.

Kathleen just shrugged, a mocking smile on her lips. "You look furious, but what do you really have to be mad about? In the end, you escaped the kidnappers, married, had a daughter, and have lived comfortably ever since. What did you really lose?"