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26

She had compelled Kate to depart from this residence by her own actions. When she grasped the gravity of her actions, it was already too late.

The dwelling now stood vacant, permeated with silence and remorse.

Her mind wandered to the time when Kate first arrived at their home.

The young girl, frightened of being sent away once more, would rise early every day without fail.

While her peers still clung to their beds for comfort, Kate had already learned to be self-reliant.

In her academic pursuits, she never gave them any reason to worry.

Whenever she brought home the top award in her class, it failed to elicit even a single word of commendation.

However, Leona was treated differently—each time she improved her rank, their mother would reward her with a new gift.

Kate was overly sensible, too grown-up for her years. She strived hard to win their approval. But they consistently ignored her efforts.