Rescued Me Novel – Chapter 11
I had been here before. Standing in the middle of my family, taking the blame, wearing the title of the bad twin.”
I had spent my whole life being the villain in Julienne’s story. But that ended today. I lifted my chin, my cheek still stinging from my mother’s slap. I refused to look away, refused to cower like the girl they had turned me into.}}
“Enough.” My voice was calm but sharp, cutting through the tense air. “This ends now.“>
My mother, Elizabeth, narrowed her eyes. “What are you talking about?”
I exhaled slowly, locking eyes with her. “The truth.”
Julienne stiffened beside her. “Mom, don’t listen to her. She’s just-“}
“Shut up, Julienne,” I snapped. “You’ve controlled the narrative our entire lives. It’s my turn to speak.”
Julienne scoffed, shaking her head. “She’s lying! Mom, don’t believe her-”
“I’m not lying.” My voice rose, firm and unwavering. I turned to my mother, meeting her cold, judgmental gaze. “You’ve blamed me for everything, haven’t you? From the moment we were kids. From the moment Ethan-” My voice caught for a second, but I pushed through. “From the moment he died.”
My mother’s face hardened. “Because it was your fault-”
Was it?” I took a step forward, my heart pounding. “Or did you just believe the first story you heard? Did you ever ask what actually happened?”
Silence.
Julienne flinched, her nails digging into her palms.}
I took a slow, deliberate breath. “It was her, Mom.” I pointed at Julienne, watching as her face twisted in anger. “She was the one watching Ethan that day. She was the one responsible.”
“Lies!” Julienne spat. “She’s making this up!“}
I clenched my fists. “I left for three minutes to get towels. When I came back, Ethan was already in the water.” My voice trembled, but I forced myself to keep going. “Julienne was supposed to be watching him. But instead of taking responsibility, she blamed me. And you believed her. Because it was easier, wasn’t it?“}
My mother’s expression wavered for the first time.
“I kept telling you it wasn’t me,” I continued, my chest tightening. “But you refused to believe me. You never believed me.”
Julienne took a shaky step back. “That’s not true—“}
“It is!” I shouted, my voice breaking. “And it wasn’t just Ethan, was it? Every mistake, every failure, every horrible thing that ever happened–you pinned it all on me. And Julienne? She got to be the perfect daughter.“}
Julienne’s breathing turned shallow. “Mom, you’re not actually listening to her, are you?”
My mother remained frozen, her eyes locked onto mine, uncertainty creeping into her gaze.
And then-
Cole stepped forward.
“If you won’t believe Evelyne’s words,” he said smoothly, “then maybe you’ll believe proof.”
I turned to him in confusion, but he only gave me a small nod before pulling out his phone.
A few taps, and then-
The television screen in the room lit up.”
Videos. Photos. Evidence.
Julienne’s affair with Dominic.
The secret DNA test proving John wasn’t Cole’s son.
The intimate moments Julienne had thought no one would see, now displayed for everyone to witness.” Gasps filled the room.
My mother’s face paled, her fingers trembling as she took a step back. “No… That’s not possible.”
Julienne spun toward Cole, her eyes wild. “You set me up!”
Cole smiled, but there was no warmth in it. “No, Julienne. You set yourself up.”
My mother turned to her, horror written all over her features. “Julienne… tell me this isn’t true.”
Julienne’s lip quivered. “Mom, I–“>
The Man Who Rescued Me Let My Daughter Die
“Tell me!” My mother’s voice cracked.
Julienne opened her mouth. Closed it.
And then
She crumbled.
Tears spilled down her face as she whispered, “I didn’t mean for Ethan to die.”
The room fell into suffocating silence. I felt like the air had been sucked out of my lungs.”
Julienne’s body trembled as she gripped the edge of the couch for support. “I–I wasn’t paying attention,” she admitted in
a choked voice. “I looked away for a second, and when I turned back… he was in the water.”
A sob escaped her lips. “I was scared. I didn’t know what to do. And when everyone came running, I just–I just said your name.”
The words cut through me like knives.
All these years. All these years of guilt. Of carrying the blame.”
And she had just said my name.
“You let me take the blame,” I whispered.§
Julienne wiped at her face, her expression twisted with regret. “I had to. I couldn’t–Mom would have-”
“Would have what?” I snapped. “Loved you less?”
Julienne flinched.
I let out a breathless, bitter laugh. “You stole my entire life because you couldn’t handle one mistake.”
Our mother stood there, unmoving, her face pale. She looked between us, lost, confused–as if she no longer knew which of us was real.
And then–her breathing hitched.”
She clutched her chest.
Her body swayed.
“Mom?” Julienne’s voice was sharp with panic.
Our mother gasped, her fingers trembling as she reached for something–anything–to steady herself. But there was nothing.”
She stumbled back, her knees giving out-
And then she collapsed.
Julienne screamed. “Mom!“}
I stood frozen, my heart pounding as my mother lay on the floor, her breath ragged, her body convulsing.”
A heart attack.
Panic surged through me.”
No.
Not like this.
“Evelyne-” Cole’s voice was urgent.”
I snapped out of my daze, lunging forward.”
But as I reached for her, her eyes met mine->
And for the first time in my life, my mother looked at me not with hatred.
But with regret.
And then–her eyes fluttered shut.
And everything went silent.”
hapter