365 Days of Rejected Proposal: CEO's Rebellious Pet-Chapter 170: So She Was Only a Stand-In

Zinnia Lawrence watched Crystal Sutton’s mouth open and close, her mind somewhat sluggish.

Many scenes flashed before her eyes. Yes, in this world, there’s no such thing as kindness without a reason.

She still remembered being carried into the Forrest Family by a young boy on a snowy night, how Jenson Forrest comforted her personally that night, took her to clean off the dirt, and tended to her wounds.

He gently soothed her and even gave her a sweet orange candy.

She thought that she was lucky enough to be favored by him, that she caught his attention.

But she forgot that Jenson Forrest wasn’t someone who overflowed with sympathy.

His personality was aloof and cold, difficult to approach.

He was also a germaphobe. Why else would he lower himself to take care of her, dirty and covered in blood, without a reason?

It turned out that reason was so cruel to her!

Zinnia Lawrence closed her eyes slightly, hiding the bitterness and pain beneath them.

She didn’t want Crystal Sutton to see her laughing at her any longer.

"Are you done talking?" Zinnia Lawrence opened her eyes, her expression barely back to calm.

Crystal Sutton’s lips curled up high, "Of course I haven’t said enough. Such a funny thing, I could laugh about it for a year. How could I have enough? Zinnia Lawrence, how does it feel to be a substitute?"

Crystal Sutton’s face was full of mockery and malice. Zinnia Lawrence also coldly pulled at the corners of her lips and said,

"If we’re talking about the taste of being a substitute, do you really need to ask me? Aren’t you the best example yourself?

You’ve been back at the Sutton Family for so many years, and haven’t you always been trying hard to replace me?"

Crystal Sutton’s expression froze, then her features twisted as if she’d been stabbed in the lung.

"What nonsense are you talking about? I’m the real heiress! The biological one, do I need to replace a fake heiress like you?"

"But you’ve always lived in my shadow. Otherwise, why else would you cling to me like a leech that won’t let go?"

Zinnia Lawrence sharply retorted.

Crystal Sutton’s face turned pale, then red, her hands tightly gripping the tablecloth, her expression filled with jealousy and hatred.

Indeed.

She had always wanted to surpass Zinnia Lawrence ever since returning to the Sutton Family.

She was the real heiress; she should naturally be better than Zinnia Lawrence!

However, things didn’t go as she wished. For so many years, Crystal Sutton had always lived in Zinnia Lawrence’s shadow.

When she learned instruments, she couldn’t match Zinnia Lawrence’s talent for mastering multiple instruments.

When she learned to dance, she was even more uncoordinated.

At school, no matter how hard she tried, her grades were just okay, while Zinnia Lawrence excelled, skipped grades, and was admitted to university at fifteen.

It was hard for her to establish herself as the Sutton Family’s daughter in the high society circle, while Zinnia Lawrence became the Young Mistress of the Forrest Family overnight.

"Hah, in every matter, you have to overshadow me, making everyone say an actual heiress like me can’t compare to a fake like you, so what?

You’re about to be abandoned by Jenson Forrest and kicked out of the Forrest Family, aren’t you? When that time comes, let’s see if you can still put on that aloof demeanor!"

Crystal Sutton stared at Zinnia Lawrence, laughing coldly.

Zinnia Lawrence didn’t want to argue with her any longer, so she asked,

"What’s the relationship between that woman and the Sterling Family?"

Zinnia Lawrence recalled how Jenson Forrest seemed to be hiding something when he mentioned Raquel Sterling’s death.

Remembering how Old Madam Forrest said Jenson had a heart knot with the Sterling Family, her heart started to split like a spider’s web.

Crystal Sutton laughed mockingly, propped her chin up with her hands, ready to enjoy Zinnia Lawrence’s crumbling expression, and said,

"Jenson’s Stellar and the Sterlings’ Starlight both have the word ’Star’ in them. Do you think that’s a coincidence?"

Zinnia Lawrence’s hand at her side clenched suddenly.

Stellar was founded by Jenson, separated from the Forrest Group, and he naturally named it himself.

Stellar, Zinnia always thought it was a homophone for ’Starlight’, symbolizing that the group would shine like stars.

But it turned out it wasn’t so, rather it was a combination of names.

’Jenson’ is for Jenson Forrest.

’Star’ is for that woman’s name, is it?

"That’s right, her name is Stella Sterling. She’s the younger sister of Raquel Sterling, just a year younger than Raquel."

"Wasn’t Raquel Sterling the only child of the Sterlings?"

Zinnia Lawrence had always thought Raquel Sterling was their only child. All these years, no one had mentioned Raquel Sterling having a sister.

Since she’s Raquel Sterling’s sister, where has Stella Sterling been all these years?

"Of course, Raquel Sterling wasn’t their only child. He had a biological sister named Stella Sterling. Oh, and Stella Sterling and Jenson Forrest were destined to be together. They were born on the same day, same month, same year, in the same hospital.

Back then, the Sterling Family and the Forrest Family were evenly matched. Mrs. Sterling and your mother-in-law Katherine Rhodes were best friends, so they arranged a childhood marriage between Jenson and Raquel."

Zinnia Lawrence’s fingernails gradually dug deeply into her palm.

A childhood engagement.

Being born on the same day, same month, same year—it sounds incredibly romantic and fateful.

"Is it because of Stella Sterling that Jenson hasn’t celebrated his birthday all these years?" Zinnia Lawrence asked dryly.

Jenson never celebrated his birthday. Even his eighteenth coming-of-age ceremony was held a day early.

On his actual birthday, the Forrest residence was always silent.

Because of this, the year she saw Jenson having a candlelight dinner with Crystal Sutton on his birthday, Zinnia truly believed they were together.

Zinnia Lawrence still remembered Jenson’s twentieth birthday when she took it upon herself to make a birthday cake for him.

She happily placed candles on the cake and sneaked into Jenson’s room the moment the midnight clock struck.

She wanted to give him a birthday surprise, but her brother wasn’t happy at all.

He turned cold, as if the cake was poisoned, telling her to take it away immediately, adding,

"Don’t do such meaningless things next time; brother doesn’t like it."

After that, Zinnia carefully prepared a birthday gift every year, secretly delivering it a day before Jenson’s birthday like everyone else.

She used to think Jenson simply disliked noise and didn’t like eating cake.

Now that she thought about it, as the heir of the Forrest Family, even if he disliked these things, there would still be the usual formalities.

Unless there was also a reason for it.

"Of course, it was because of Stella Sterling. They weren’t just engaged childhood sweethearts; they grew up together. From age one to twelve, the little couple celebrated their birthdays together every year."

Crystal Sutton watched Zinnia Lawrence’s face turn ghostly pale, her smile full of satisfaction.

Zinnia Lawrence must be in so much pain now.

She almost couldn’t bear to watch.

"What happened afterwards? Where did Stella Sterling go?"

Zinnia Lawrence bit her lip, continuing to ask.

Clearly, because of Stella Sterling’s absence, Jenson hadn’t celebrated his birthday after turning twelve.

"It’s simple: Stella Sterling was kidnapped and went missing. His childhood sweetheart was gone. How could Young Master Forrest have the heart to celebrate his birthday alone?

Mrs. Sterling longed for her daughter, cried every day until she went blind. After that, neither the Sterling Family nor the Forrest Family allowed anyone to mention Stella Sterling, to spare Mrs. Sterling the pain.

But all these years, Jenson and the Sterlings have never stopped searching for her. It’s said that the person who kidnapped her appeared in a mercenary organization in M Country. Our illustrious Young Master Forrest even became a mercenary himself.

Go back and count how many scars are on Jenson’s body. How many times has your husband risked his life for that woman!

Now that he’s found her, my poor sister, do you think the Forrest Family, or Jenson himself, has any place for you?"

Zinnia Lawrence breathed painfully; no wonder Jenson avoided mentioning those scars, refusing to tell her how he got them.

Yes, Jenson only chased her back because she was pregnant.

Now, the person he’s longed for and waited for has returned. His effort to keep her was probably just out of responsibility.

At this moment, the phone Zinnia Lawrence placed on the table rang.

Zinnia looked over and saw the word "Husband" flashing across the screen.