9 As the plane climbed higher , Kirsten sat by the window , distracted by the view outside . The once - familiar buildings slowly shrank from sight , but there was no rush of nostalgia in her chest . Instead , a deep sense of relief settled over her . She was finally leaving the place that had always been called home . From a young age , Kirsten had considered leaving . It had always been clear to her that her parents favored her older sister . In every aspect of life , from small daily interactions to significant events , she had been treated like an outsider . At times , she even wondered if she was really their biological daughter . Maybe that was why she was always made to feel so different . However , the truth had been even harder to accept . She was indeed their daughter and Alayna's younger sister . That fact , more than anything , had hurt her deeply . If it were true , the only conclusion she could reach was that her parents simply didn't love her . That explained why they were so indifferent and distant towards her . Sometimes , Kirsten found herself wondering if she had only been born to save Alayna's life . If Alayna hadn't needed cord blood to survive , would Kirsten have even come into the world at all ? Kirsten had once believed Duncan would be her salvation . He was the kindest , most gentle person she had encountered in years . Though she had developed feelings for him long before his accident , what truly moved her was not his status or his background , but his sincerity towards her . That was what made her fall in love with him . But now , Duncan was convinced that the person he lived with every day was Alayna . No matter how Kirsten tried to explain or prove herself to him , he refused to believe her . 1 The plane hit some turbulence , causing the fuselage to shake lightly . Kirsten winced , feeling a sharp reminder of the pain from her past car accident . She couldn't help but gasp , even though her injuries had mostly healed by now . Yet , ever since Alayna had pushed her into the water , something in her had changed . She had become overly sensitive to the cold . Even on cloudy , rainless days , she felt an inexplicable chill seep into her bones . 10:12 # AD Binance : Buy Bitcoin & Crypto 1.4 % PGr There's the usual crypto platforms , then there's Binance . See why we're different . Install now > Menu Instinctively , she pulled the blanket tighter around her shoulders , but it didn't help . The cold seemed to pierce right through her . Kirsten was just about to ask the flight attendant for another blanket when the man sitting next to her offered his . Kirsten was momentarily taken aback . " I don't need it . You can keep it , " he said . His voice was soft , calm , and his white shirt gave him an almost serious air . Yet , the mask he wore made it difficult to see his face clearly . All she could make out were his striking eyes . They were intense and captivating . " Thank you . " After a brief moment , Kirsten took the blanket from him and wrapped it around herself . Immediately , she felt warmer , more at ease . In fact , the exhaustion that had been building up from sleepless nights finally began to take its toll , and she felt a wave of drowsiness wash over her . " Ladies and gentlemen , please be advised that our flight will be landing at Sydney International Airport in 30 minutes . The current temperature in Sydney is 22 degrees Celsius , or 71.6 degrees Fahrenheit ... " The clear announcement was repeated a few times . Kirsten slowly woke up . She realized she had slept for almost two hours , feeling a dull ache in her lower back and legs . Thirty minutes later , after collecting her suitcase , Kirsten checked the time on her phone . To her surprise , it was even earlier than expected . Her eyes drifted to her empty message inbox , and a familiar emptiness settled in . She had grown used to it by now . If she were to disappear one day , it was clear no one would come looking for her . Now that she was in a new place , she wanted nothing to do with her past . Whether it was people or things , Kirsten had let it all go . < 10 Menu 10