She Outshines Them All (Athena and Matthew)

Chapter 493

Claire had already been crying, her face wet with tears. If it weren't for her husband and kids holding her up, she would've collapsed to the floor.

"Why... why did you do this to me?" she choked out, her voice barely audible, eyes blurry from tears. "We're sisters. What did I ever do to you? Why would you do this to me?"

Catherine, too, was crying uncontrollably, clutching Claire's arm. "I'm so sorry... I know I've messed up. I never meant to hurt you or the Donovan family. I've had such a hard life, and been through so much. When I saw how happy you were, I... I got jealous. But you've always been so good to me. I never wanted to hurt you. It was all just... accidents."

"Accidents?" Claire gripped her arm, shaking her, her frail body trembling. "Do you know what these 'accidents' have cost me? I've lost... I've lost my daughter!"

Her heart-wrenching cry tore at the air. "I waited so long for my daughter, and because of your 'accidents, I lost them... one after another. Do you even know the pain of that? No, you don't. Because you didn't love your daughter, so you can't understand how much I love mine..."

The thought of one of her daughters never coming back was too much for Claire to bear. Every time it crossed her mind, her heart shattered all over again. She couldn't even speak through her sobs.

The Donovan family, surrounding her, was more broken than angry.

"No... I love my daughter!" Catherine sobbed, her tear-filled eyes blurry as she looked at Maria. "I just... I was young didn't know what I wanted. I chased after things I thought everyone else wanted, without thinking about what truly mattered. It wasn't until now that I realized... what I want most is to be with my family.

and

"But you took my family from me!" Claire shook her roughly, fury rising in her voice. "How can you say you want to be with us? How can you have the nerve to call yourself one of us?"

The anger in Claire's voice seemed to drain what little strength she had left. After all the crying, she began to cough violently, her face turning red as she struggled for breath.

Jaden made a firm decision. "Brandon, Arthur, take Mom back to her room to rest and get her some water."

If Brandon hadn't calmed down after getting married, he would have stormed in, ready to confront Catherine right then and there.

But after all this time, Brandon was nearing his breaking point. If he didn't get her out of there soon, things would spiral out of control.

Brandon shot Catherine a glare filled with anger, gritting his teeth. With Arthur's help, he guided his mother out of the

room.

Wesley took one last look at Catherine, shaking his head and sighing before following his wife, Claire, out the door.

The room was growing emptier by the second.

Jaden looked at Catherine as if she were a stranger-one that was not welcome. His gaze held no anger, no accusations, only a chilling indifference. "Catherine, you're right. It's pointless to keep going over things from the past. What's done is done, and we have to move

on.

"But your actions have destroyed any remaining connection between you and the Donovan family. Time doesn't turn back, and the dead don't come back to life. It's over. Leave. Don't ever come near us again."

"

He turned to Maria. "Maria, take Catherine out."

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"No..." Catherine instinctively reached for Jaden's arm, but the coldness in his eyes made her withdraw. Instead, she clung to Maria, her voice breaking as she cried, "Maria, please tell them, never meant to hurt anyone... I know I was wrong, but I'll change. I'll make it right. Please, don't let them... don't let anyone think I'm evil."

Maria closed her eyes briefly and then steadied her. "Mom, I'll take you to the hotel.

"Maria..." Catherine's voice cracked. "Do you think I'm that bad of a person? Do you not believe me either?"

Maria had always been insecure, timid, and fragile when facing her mother, but when it came to the Donovan family, she never wavered. Her response now mirrored the others in the family. "Mom, let's talk outside. We can't do this here, it'll disturb everyone." "Maria, can't I stay just one more night?" Catherine's voice was desperate. She had a sinking feeling-if she left through that door now, she might never be allowed back inside.

Maria paused for a moment, then answered firmly, "No. If the family sees you, it'll bring up too many painful memories. You've hurt this family enough. It's time to let go."

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Catherine opened her mouth to say more, but Jaden's cold voice cut her off. "Catherine, I'll still call you that for now. But if you don't leave, I'll have security escort you out. And after that, I won't call you Catherine anymore."

Catherine knew him well. Jaden might seem calm, but he was unyielding. Once he made a decision, there was no going back.

Not daring to say more, Catherine wiped her tears and slowly walked away with Maria's support. After a few steps, she turned to glance at Athena, still leaning against the window.

Athena's eyes met hers, calm and impenetrable, deeper than the darkness outside. There was no escape.

Catherine gave a bitter, hollow smile. She never imagined she'd lose to a girl in her early twenties...

At the front door of the Donovan family estate, Maria opened the car door for her. "The security will take you to the hotel." Catherine, her eyes swollen from crying, looked up at Maria. "Maria... do you hate me?"

Maria hesitated for a moment, then shook her head. "I don't hate you. I was just scared. Terrified. Scared you'd take me away. Scared you'd drag me back to memories I never wanted to relive." She forced a faint smile. "But not anymore. Now, I'm not afraid. I'm part of the Donovan family. I can't be weak. The past is over, and there's nothing left to fear now."

While she spoke, the Donovan family's security arrived and climbed into the driver's seat, waiting for Catherine to get in the

car.

Catherine, tears still clouding her vision, gathered the last of her strength, gripping Maria's hand tightly. "Maria... I'm so sorry. But I do know I was wrong. Please, give me a chance to make it up to you, to the Donovan family. I'm rich now, Maria. So much money. And when I die, it'll all be yours..."

"Mom, we don't need your money," Maria interrupted with her voice firm. "And even if we did, it's something you'll never be able to make up for in this lifetime."

Those words were a death sentence to Catherine. She felt as though all her energy drained away in an instant. Her hand slipped from Maria's arm, her eyes filled with tears and confusion. She felt completely lost, like she was drifting aimlessly in a sea of darkness, with no way out.

Maria looked at her mother, a hint of hesitation in her gaze. "Mom, you've spent your whole life fighting for everything- sacrificing me, sacrificing our relationship-just to secure wealth and a respected place in society. Now you have everything you want. You can't keep wanting more. Stop with that expression and just enjoy the life you've earned."

Catherine's voice trembled as she spoke through her tears. "There's no one to share any of this with. I might end up dying alone in this emptiness... What's the point of it all?"

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Maria sighed softly, Tertone steady but firm. "One day, when I'm better-when I'm someone you can be proud of and never have to worry about disappointing again-maybe we'll sit together in a café, just like friends. We'll drink coffee and talk about food, jewelry, and clothes..."

A spark of hope flickered in Catherine's eyes. "Maria..."

"But not now." Maria shook her head, her expression hardening Not now. It's time for you to go. Don't come back."Catherine's brief glimmer of hope faded instantly. She seemed to age at that moment, her posture slumping as she trembled, struggling to get into the car. Her hands shook so badly that she missed the seat and ended up sitting on the car's threshold instead.

Maria was the one who steadied her, helping her into the seat. She also shut the car door and stood there, watching as her mother drove away.

Whether it was fate or just coincidence, the radio in the car suddenly played an old song from the past century: [What is there to ask for in life, lost in confusion, never seeing the truth, I never realized that what I lost was everything I had... What I lost, was everything I had...]

Catherine raised a hand to her face, letting the tears flow freely, her sobs muffled by her fingers.