Pushed Into the Lake

The last thing Kalina saw before she plunged into the icy water was Lucille's face. It wasn't the face of someone who had accidentally bumped into her and caused her to fall, it was the face of someone who had done it on purpose.

Her eyebrows were furrowed and her eyes were livid. It was an expression that was very familiar to Kalina.

Lucille had also looked like that right before she killed her in cold blood.

As her body was engulfed by the frigid water and the girls' screams were drowned out by the noise of the water, a single thought flashed through her mind.

'Am I going to die again?'

Was this her fate? To be killed by her stepsister no matter how hard she tried to change her future? In her first life, and her second? If that was it, then she wanted to see her mother one last time and tell her how much she loved her...

Kalina's eyes flickered shut and it was as if time had stopped. The scene in the lake was serene, the rippling light from the surface flickering over her pale face. Her golden hair was weightless in the water and drifted around her head like an angel's halo.

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"She has moderate hypothermia and inhaled some water, but she should be waking up soon. Since her body is usually strong and healthy, there shouldn't be any side effects and she'll recover fully after getting lots of rest and warmth. It's fortunate she was was rescued quickly, or else..."

Kalina's head pounded and there was a ringing in her ears. She couldn't make out the words that the people around her were saying, and when she managed to open her eyes, she couldn't focus on anything. It was all fuzzy. She laid there helplessly while her head ached.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, her headache eased enough for her to muster some strength. Her vision also cleared a little, and the first person she saw was the Duchess. Using all her energy, she croaked: "Mother..."

The Duchess had been speaking with the doctor when she heard her daughter's voice come from the bed. She hurried over and the tears she had been holding in almost flowed down her cheeks when she saw her daughter's pitiful appearance.

Kalina was as pale as the white pillow she laid on and was too weak to lift a finger. She could only speak a word at a time. "Water," she said with a hoarse voice.

The Duchess shakily poured a glass of hot water and helped Kalina drink it. After several more glasses, her throat didn't hurt anymore and her voice was back to normal.

"Mother, I..." she began.

"Shush, don't speak." The Duchess's eyes reddened. "Let Mother hold you for a moment." She hugged her daughter tightly.

Kalina feebly lifted one of her hands to stroke her mother's back. "Mother, I'm okay now."

"I thought you had left me," the Duchess sobbed. "You were dripping wet and blue-skinned, and you were as cold as ice. I thought I had really lost you."

Kalina remembered the incident and began trembling in fear. She shut her eyes tightly, trying to keep out the image of Lucille that kept appearing in her mind.

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It turns out, Kalina had planned to fall into the water when she approached Lucille and the noble ladies. She had known about their gathering, but wasn't invited. She had instructed Eva to advise Lucille not to invite her.

However, she didn't anticipate being pushed in. She planned to fall in and pretend like Lucille pushed her. She had brought Elliott with her, and he was hiding in the shadows, preparing to rescue her as soon as she fell in.

When Kalina signaled to Elliott, she would jump into a shallow section and he would immediately bring her out. In the worst case, she would get a cold or a fever, but she wouldn't lose consciousness or drown.

Who knew that before she could even do anything, she was pushed into the deepest part of the lake and fainted from the cold. Her guard rushed over after hearing the screams and dove in to save his master, but she had already fainted.

They rushed back to the mansion and got medical attention as soon as possible. If Kalina hadn't brought Elliott with her, she would have drowned by the time anyone could save her.

'I'm guessing she pushed me in because she was jealous. She's acted much earlier than before, but I'm also not the same as before. Since she wants to attack me, I'll gladly fight with her.'

"Hey! You can't go in there! Get away from the door" Someone yelled from outside of Kalina's room. There was a commotion and a girl's shrill voice could clearly be heard.

"Let me in! Sister! Ask Sister! She'll definitely let me in! Get off of me! Sister!"

'She's finally come. I wonder what she'll say?'

Kalina turned to Olivia, who was standing by her bedside and looking at her with a worried expression. "Let her in."

"Lady Kalina!" All the people in the room exclaimed at the same time. How could the victim meet the perpetrator when she was still lying in bed, injured?

"I'm okay. Let her in. I want to see her." Kalina struggled to sit up and let out a few dry coughs. Not wanting her to exert herself, the Duchess finally agreed to let Kalina see Lucille, albeit reluctantly.

"Sister!" Lucille screamed the moment the guards opened the door. Her hair was messy and her clothes were crumpled. Her eyes were red from crying, even though she wasn't injured at all.

As soon as the Duchess learned that Kalina had been pushed by Lucille, she had ruthlessly ordered for the girl to be locked up in her room. The door was bolted, the windows were locked, and a dozen guards stood around her room, glaring at her coldly.

Any thirteen year old girl would be scared.

Lucille ran up to the bed and saw Kalina who was frail and pale. She felt satisfied seeing Kalina in a weak state, but she quickly concealed her wicked expression with a worried one.

"Sister, are you okay?" She held Kalina's hand in her own and squeezed it tightly. A little too tightly.

Kalina winced in pain but didn't withdraw her hand. "I'm fine, thank you for worrying, Lucille."

Olivia saw this and jumped to criticize Lucille. "Don't act concerned! We all know you pushed Lady Kalina into the lake, don't try and say you didn't!"

Lucille was flustered from Olivia's sudden confrontation and she stepped back unconsciously. "I, I didn't push her!" she stuttered. The accusing gazes from everyone in the room fell onto her.

"We all saw you do it!" One of the noble ladies snapped from the side.

"Sister! I didn't push you!" Lucille ignored her and turned to Kalina. She believed that if Kalina forgave her, everyone else would too. After all, Kalina was very well-respected by everyone at the mansion.

"Lucille..." Kalina murmured while looking at her with a muddled gaze.

"Lady Kalina, don't believe her!" Olivia exclaimed, stepping in between Lucille and Kalina so that they couldn't see each other.

"Everyone, calm down," Kalina said, turning to Lucille with a forgiving smile. "Lucille didn't mean to push me in. I'm sure it was an accident. Please don't blame her."

Her words seemed to defend Lucille, but they were actually countering her. Lucille strongly declared she didn't push Kalina in, but Kalina had clearly stated that she had. The two girls' statements contradicted each other, and it was obvious who was lying.

It was undoubtedly Lucille who had pushed Kalina out of jealousy. For her to harm her older sister who was always kind to her, she really was black-hearted.