She Outshines Them All (Athena and Matthew)

Chapter 514 [Last night, Luna gave birth to a pair of twins, a boy and a girl, with both mother and children in good health. Luna and attracting widespread attention and Jade shared a photo of their babies' tiny hands-on Twitter, which quickly went virat well wishes.] [As of 8 AM today, Luna, Jaden, and the Donovan family posted,999 digital gifts on Twitter, cach worth 20 dollars, creating a massive online sensation.] Linda lay in bed, staring intensely at the screen where Luna and Jaden appeared together, each holding one of their newborn's tiny hands. Jealousy bubbled up inside her, making her feel like she drowned in bitterness so strong that even honey couldn't sweeten it. She should have logged off Twitter or closed her computer, no longer looking at the couple's happy faces. But she couldn't control her eyes from returning to the screen.

That perfect happiness and immense wealth should have been hers-especially now, with the Donovan family having reached a level of success beyond her reach, a height that she could never touch, no matter what.

She had long since abandoned any illusions about Jaden, yet sometimes, despite having little more than smoney, she couldn't help but fantasize. In her fantasies, she took Luna's place and was adored and spoiled by Jaden.

"Jaden is lucky," Noemi Russell remarked as she walked in, picking up ssnacks from the bedside table and eating them while jealously staring at the computer screen.

"I don't know what kind of luck he stumbled upon, but he managed to marry a celebrity millionaire like Luna, and on top of that, he has a super wealthy sister and brother-in-law. He's built an empire with vast land holdings and fortune in just a few years." "If you had married him back then, you'd be a wealthy socialite now, flying everywhere, owning a massive estate, and having more money than you could spend in a lifetime..." 'Here we go again! Here comes the blfor my lack of foresight and being useless, Linda thought.

Linda couldn't take it anymore and retorted, "Wasn't you who pushedand schemed to havemarry that old man? If you hadn't tornapart from Jaden back then, I wouldn't have ended up like this!" "Hey! Are you speaking logically?" Noemi yelled, "We never forced you; we just gave you a choice. In the end, you were the one who chose the old man, with his villa, cars, and jewelry, over Jaden. What does that have to do with us?" "Exactly!" Linda's brother and his wife walked in, both with expressions full of reproach. "You kept saying how great Jaden was and how he would be successful. We were worried you'd refuse!" "Who would have thought you'd change your mind so quickly after just one tour of the old man's villa? None of us expected you to turn so fast." "Let's be honest; it's just that you value wealth over love. If you had a bit of integrity and didn't give up love for money, Luna wouldn't be where she is now." "All I can say is that you do not deserve such immense wealth. The biggest opportunity was before you, yet you couldn't seize it." Their sharp words and mocking tones were like needles, piercing Linda's ears and sinking deep into her heart. Linda lowered her head, raising her hand to touch her aching right arm, a deep, bitter resentment flashing in her eyes.

Though her arm had healed after the dislocation and fracture from the fall, it had left noticeable aftereffects. In addition to weakness and fatigue, her arm hurt severely every winter or rainy day, and there was no practical solution other than gradual recovery.

It was March, the weather was still chill, and with almost daily rain, her arm ached once more. She had no choice but to stay indoors, applying medication daily, unable to go anywhere. Yet despite her suffering, the Russell family, whom she supported, continued to speak cruelly.

"Alright, Linda is already feeling bad enough, so stop saying things like that," Noemi said. "Linda, I chere today to discuss something with you.

"Your brother is dating a 20-year-old girlfriend and plans to marry her. However, she's asking for an engagement gift worth 100 thousand dollars, a more than 1,000 square feet wedding helise and a BMW worth over 60 thousand dollars. She also wants the house to be in both their names." Linda lowered her head, a soft, melancholy laugh escaping her lips. She knew Noemi wasn't here to check her health but to discuss her brother's situation. In Noemi's eyes, he was more important than anything-even life itself. Linda's sole purpose seemed to be supporting her family in raising him.

Over the years, she spent nearly 2 million dollars on her brother, whether for his relationships, marriage, or buying a house and car.

Two years ago, her brother divorced his wife because she couldn't have children and was getting older. He gave the house and car to his ex-wife and found a new, younger girlfriend.

Now, her mother was asking her to buy a house and a car for her brother's second marriage. She was nothing more than a cash machine in her family's eyes.

However, it wasn't the end of it. Linda's older brother said, "Linda, Luka Russell got into a fight and broke the other person's bones. Their family is demanding a compensation of 40 thousand dollars.

"As you know, the stores are struggling, and I'm losing monthly money. I really can't cup with this amount." Her sister-in-law added, "Erica Russell is already five years old. We want to hire an experienced teacher to teach her piano and buy a good piano. The cost for all of this is so high that we'll need your help." Noemi continued, "Linda, don't think of this money as being given away for nothing. You don't have a husband or children, so your brothers, nephew, and I will help care for you in the future. The more you do for them now, the better they'll treat you when you get older. You won't lose out." Her sister-in-law said, "Yes, Linda, both Luka and Erica know how good you've been to them. When they grow up, they'll take care of you. And once Erica becomes successful, she can help uphold the family's reputation, right?" At this point, her sister-in-law's eyes flickered, and she suggested, "Linda, Since Erica is your niece, why don't you have her live with you?" 'Such a clever calculation!' Linda thought. She smiled, her eyes filled with hatred beneath her long hair. "You are sure I'll never marry again or have children, right?" Noemi said, "You're beautiful and wealthy. How could you not get married? "But your reputation... to be honest, it's not great. It's tough for you to marry a man with good conditions. If you marry someone with less, your situation will be even worse. As they say in those fantasies, it might be better to be 'independently beautiful." Her brother said, "Didn't you take birth control pills often when you were with your ex-husband? It messed up your hormones so badly-how could you even havekids? Even if you could, it would do a shou lot of harm to your body. Yuty; prioritize your health and beauty; don't bother having kids." Her sister-in-law added, "We've spoken to your doctor. You have irregular periods, shealth concerns, and even sdepression. How can you have children with all that? "nosides vou're over thirty now, and if you try to have kids, you'll be considered a high-risk pregnancy, which could lead to complications. What if you-die during childbirth or you eat ompletely deteriorates? Isn't that just asking for trouble?" Beneath the blanket, Linda's hands were tightly clenched together. With parents and siblings like hers, she couldn't help but feel twisted inside. She couldn't help but make the wrong decision, losing someone like Jaden.

When Noemi heard their words, her eyes lit up, and she eagerly aid, "Linda, nowadays, it's common to write a will in advance. Why don't you write one and leave your estate to the family? "After all, you're a beautiful young widow, and plenty of scumbags ar everything to one of them, that would be a disaster." Her brother added, "Just to be safe, writing a wouldn't end up with everything." eyeing you. If one day you're fooled and lose I is better. That way, ifarthing were to happen to you, your stepchildren Linda could no longer hold back. She abruptly lifted her head, grabbed the vase from the bedside table, and hurled it angrily at the trio's feet. With fury, she shouted, "You may have raised me, but after all the millions I've given this family over the years, isn't that enough to repay you, both principal and interest? "You treatlike a cash machine, always finding ways to exploitfor money, never once caring about What good are family members like you to me? my well-being.

"If it hadn't been for you all pushing me, I would have married into the Donovan family long ago. I would have had unimaginable wealth and the best family instead of being exploited by you like this." She couldn't forget Jaden, not just for his excellence but also because the Donovan family was so kind. She longed for a family with Claire, Arthur, and Maria around.

Any woman in the Donovan family would be happy, but she knew she'd never have that chance.

"How can you say that about us?" Her brother shapped, slamming his hand on the bedside table. "Without us, would you have beca wealthy woman? With your looks and abilities, if you hadn't married your ex-husband, you'd never be able to afford a house even if you worked your whole life! "Even if you had married Jaden and we weren't in the way, with your materialistic nature and constant desire to live as a wealthy wife, you wouldn't have lasted in the Donovan family. Within two years, you'd have divorced." These words only fueled Linda's anger, causing her to snap. Like out of her mind, she grabbed everything within reach-a vase, phone, fruit bowl, water cup-and hurled it at Noemi and the others.

As she threw the objects, she cried out in a scream, "I've had enough! I've had enough of your demands! "I'd rather spend my money on gigolo, giving it to beggars, or even using it as toilet paper-I'd leave not a you! I'd rather smash my house and car than leave them to you."

Noemi and the others were stunned by her attitude. As they dodged the things she was throwing, they retreated and yelled, "What's wrong with you? Ever since Jagen got m married you've been acting strange-always freaking out by yourself, yelling at people, or crying alone like a lunatic. Linda never wanted to see these people again. With her hair wild and messy, she cried hysterically and screamed, "The worst thing in my life is having a family like you! I've had enough, and I never want to deal with you bloodsuckers again!" She frantically pressed the call button by her bedside. "Security, get the Russell family out of here! From now on, don't let one of them step foot in my villa! If anyone dares to cnear, throw them out. Even if they try to kill themselves at my doorstep, you don't need to pay any attention to them!" Noemi and the others cursed, "Linda Russell, you crazy woman! How dare you treat us like this? There will be consequences for what you've done!" The security quickly arrived and dragged Noemi and the others away, who continued to curse. Linda buried her face in her hands, crying uncontrollably She thought, From now on, I don't even have a family anymore Besides a bit of money, I have nothing left

After crying for a long time, she suddenly started laughing uncontrollably. "So what if I don't have a family? No family, no problem.

I can always get alfew young men to cheerup. Thas a thousand times better than having a blood-sucking family. "If I get lonely, I can pay someone to have aesthetic surgery to look like Jaden, even have him change his name, and then have a child with him to carry on the legacy. Isn't that perfect? "Well, I'm so stupid. I should've thought of this sooner. This way wouldn't have been tortured by the Russell family for so long." She was locked in her room, crying and laughing, intermitently muttering.

The servants and security in the villa couldn't make out what she was saying, but they couldn't shake the uneasy feeling in their hearts. They sitently thought to themselves that Linda wasn't quite right. Young, beautiful, and wealthy, yet still unhappy after the death of her elderly husband. The world of the rich seemed to be something they would never understand.