They Chose the Impostor Over Me - Chapter 7: Chapter 7

"Just now, I heard her screaming from the private room. I was afraid something terrible was happening, so I had someone break down the door. I never expected—"
"Spit it out!" My brother's eyes burned with fury.
"I never expected to see Miss Renesmee leap out the window! When the thugs realized what was happening, they all dove into the river and fled! We barely managed to grab the last one before he could jump!"
My mother and father shot to their feet in horror.
"Send someone after her—now! She can't swim!"
The manager stammered that a waiter had already jumped in to save her.
"Where's that criminal?" I'm interrogating him immediately. What the hell did he do to my sister to make her jump?" Reagan stormed out, his expression dark as thunder.
Renata couldn't stay still any longer. She rushed forward and clung to her brother.
"Reagan, those men were hired by Renesmee to punish me! Since they work for her, they'd never actually hurt her! Otherwise, Dad wouldn't have left her alone with them!"
My father nodded, though unease still flickered in his eyes.
"But still… if they were her people, why would they panic and jump into the river?"
"Maybe… this is another one of Renesmee's tricks," Renata whispered, her voice trembling. "First, she faked her injuries—now she's pretending to jump? Mom, Dad, she's trying to manipulate you into throwing me out!"
She bit her lip, tears welling up as she turned toward the door.
"If that's what it takes to make her happy, I'll leave now. Then she won't have to put everyone through this!"
Reagan seized her wrist. "Don't be ridiculous! Her schemes have nothing to do with you. You're the Muller family's daughter, raised with love and care. You're not going anywhere."
She exhaled shakily and collapsed into his arms, sobbing. My parents hurried to comfort her—but the manager stood nearby, wringing his hands.
"But when we burst in… Miss Renesmee's dress was ripped to shreds! And there was blood on the floor!"
Reagan's face went pale. He shoved Renata aside and charged downstairs.
When he reached the private room, his breath caught in his throat.
The place was destroyed.
Overturned furniture. Scattered glass.
And my torn dress, discarded on the floor.
By the window frame—where I'd jumped—two bloody handprints stood out starkly against the wood.
My blood. From clawing at the door in desperation.
The stains on the floor? My old wounds, reopened when they tore into me.
Reagan's hands shook. His eyes burned.
My mother, close behind him, clutched my father's arm and wept.
"How could this happen? You never should've locked her in here with those monsters!"
"Our daughter was forced to jump—bleeding like this—"
My father frowned, guilt creeping into his voice.
"But Renata swore Renesmee hired them herself! Who would've thought they'd turn on their own employer?"
Behind them, Renata shrank back, her face ghostly white.
She hadn't expected me to fight back like this.
"Mom, Dad, don't fall for it again! That blood could be fake—this whole thing could be staged! If she can't swim, why would she jump?"
Reagan turned on her, his voice icy. "She's not that kind of person."
His next words cut like a blade.
"Nobody risks their life for a lie. Get a doctor. We'll see if the blood is real."