Claiming Her Heart Is a War

A sudden slap hit Theodora Belbin's face. The sting was sharp and burning. Her cheek throbbed with pain, and when she lifted her head, she met Chez Belbin's furious, hate-filled gaze. He was her older brother, but now, his eyes blazed with disgust as he spat, "You've stolen Tania's love for years, and now you have the nerve to hurt her? You're nothing but a worthless b***h!" After throwing those words at her, he turned immediately to check on Tania, his expression softening completely. The contrast was almost jarring. Tania, standing in a simple white dress, had red eyes from crying. "Chez, it's not Theodora's fault," she said, her voice breaking with emotion. "She was just trying to help with your medicine. I wanted to learn, but I messed up. She didn't mean to hurt me. It was all my fault. Please don't be mad at her." Her head hung low, and she blinked rapidly, trying not to let the tears fall, but the way her lashes fluttered made her seem even more fragile, more pitiful. Theodora watched the scene with a numbness in her chest. A year ago, everything had changed in an instant. A shocking revelation had come to light—Theodora wasn't a real Belbin. The Belbin family quickly found Tania, their true daughter, and renamed her. For Theodora, who had spent seventeen years as part of this family, the discovery was like being struck by lightning. Though they allowed her to stay, her life was never the same. Her room—her belongings, everything—was now Tania's. Tania's place in the family was undeniable. Theodora had always been the top student, but Tania struggled with her studies. Theodora scored high on her exams. Instead of praise, she was met with criticism. "Why do you need to show off? Are you trying to humiliate Tania?" So she stopped trying. She never let herself shine anymore. She had watched, helpless, as the family who once adored her grew distant, their attention shifting entirely to Tania. Even her childhood sweetheart, the man she was supposed to marry, now belonged to Tania. Theodora knew she hadn't chosen to take Tania's place—she had been swapped at birth, an innocent mistake. But she had spent years in Tania's place, so she quietly endured everything. But Tania, she soon realized, had no intention of being kind. She had schemes of her own, making the Belbin family's disdain for Theodora grow with every passing day. This time, Theodora had only been trying to help Chez with his stomach problem by making a healing dish. But when Tania walked in, wanting to claim the credit for herself, she shoved Theodora aside, and in the struggle, the pot tipped over, scalding Tania. Theodora could only watch as Tania screamed. Chez, hearing the commotion, rushed in and slapped Theodora without a second thought. Now, seeing Tania cry, Chez's face twisted with an even greater sorrow. "Tania, you've done nothing wrong," he murmured, his voice soft and full of concern. "It's her. She's the one who's always taken what was rightfully yours." He turned to Theodora, his face full of disdain. "What are you waiting for? Apologize to Tania—now!" A sharp pain twisted in Theodora's chest at his words, but her face remained expressionless. "What if I told you it wasn't me?" she said coldly. Chez's voice rose. "Who else could it have been? Tania would never hurt anyone. Unlike you—" He spat the last words like poison. "Tania's hands are for playing the piano! If anything happens to them, I swear I'll make you pay!" Theodora's body stiffened at the mention of the piano. Once, Chez had adored her—he would go to great lengths to get her the rarest jewels and gifts. But when Tania had shown an interest in the same things, they had all been given to her. The same thing happened with the piano. Because Tania loved it, Theodora was no longer allowed to touch it. Once, she had snuck in to play. When Tania had seen it, she had cried, lamenting how she had no talent and could never measure up to Theodora. Chez had destroyed the piano in anger and replaced it with a new one for Tania. He'd even made it clear to Theodora. "If you ever touch it again, I'll break your hands." The memories crashed down on her, but this time, they didn't hurt. In fact, she felt... nothing. She stared at Chez with a cool, almost detached expression. 'I've paid my dues,' she thought. 'I've given them everything for a year. It's over.' Chez's eyes lingered on Theodora as he saw the coldness in her gaze. Something inside him stirred—an unease he couldn't explain. But when he turned to look at Tania, her tear-streaked face only stoked his anger further. "You've been stealing from Tania for years," he shouted, "and we've let you stay out of kindness! But now, you're bullying her?" He seethed. "I won't let anyone who harms her stay under this roof." He waited, expecting Theodora to apologize, to beg, to fall to her knees in desperation. Ever since Tania's return, Theodora's care for family members had been noticeably heightened. It was clear that the threat of being kicked out of the family definitely had an effect on her. But after a long silence, she spoke in a voice as cold as ice, "Fine. I'll leave." Then, she just went back to her room upstairs. Chez froze. She was actually willing to leave? Just like that? 'Is she faking it?' he wondered. 'How could she willingly leave everything behind?' Despite the questions swirling in his mind, something in his chest tightened. He couldn't understand it. Tania, still sobbing, cried out, "Where will Theodora go? She's been here so long, and now you're just going to let her leave? I'll go beg her to stay." "Don't!" Chez snapped, pulling Tania back. His anger flared again. "She's trying to guilt-trip us into keeping her. She doesn't care about this family. Let her go!" 'Her temper is absolutely foul now—gone is the sweet girl she used to be!' Chez thought as he prepared to make sure Theodora knew her place. She had no right to threaten them like this. Moments later, Laura Belbin, the mother, returned. The family was seated at the dinner table, and when Chez mentioned Theodora's departure, Laura's face darkened. "Tim, go bring her down," she said, her voice cold. A moment later, Theodora appeared, carrying a small bag, her expression neutral. Theodora gave them only a brief glance and then turned her eyes away, her face as calm as if nothing had changed. The warm glow of the dining room contrasted sharply with the tension in the air. The dining table was laden with a feast of dishes, every one of them Tania's favorites. Chez continued serving Tania, but when he saw Theodora was serious about leaving, his stomach turned uneasily. "Do you think you can just leave?" he sneered. "Or you think threatening us with leaving will work?" Theodora's voice was steady. "You told me to leave." Laura raised an eyebrow, her displeasure clear. "Chez didn't mean it. But where do you think you'll go? Do you want people to think we're cruel?" The Belbin family cared about their reputation above all else. The only reason they had kept Theodora around was for the sake of appearances. "Enough," Laura sighed, rubbing her temples as though the whole situation was a headache. "Apologize to Tania, and this will all be over. Just don't make her unhappy in the future." Tania blinked, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "Mom, it's really not necessary. I don't blame her." Chez, on the other hand, was furious. "What do you mean, 'not necessary'? Theodora, apologize to Tania! Even if you leave, you owe her that much!" He glared at Theodora, his rage building. 'How dare she threaten us?' Theodora's lips curled into a bitter smile. She turned to Tania and asked, "Was it really me who knocked over that pot?" Tania flinched, avoiding her gaze. "I don't blame you," she whispered. "It was my fault." Chez's temper exploded. He lunged at Theodora, grabbing her by the throat. "You miserable b***h! Are you seriously threatening my little sister right in front of me?" But in his hand, he found not her throat—but her phone. The phone began to play a video, and Tania's voice rang out, clear and mocking. "Get out. This dish is mine now. I made it for Chez!" Theodora's voice was frigid. "Don't push me, Tania." Tania's eyes gleamed with malice as she responded, "You think you can scare me, huh? I'm the real Belbin here. Do you know why I let you stay? Because I wanted you to see just how little you matter. I'll just say I made this dish, and no one in the family will suspect a thing because they always side with me!" Tania shoved Theodora, but instead of making contact, she accidentally knocked over the pot. It fell, burning her finger, and she cried out in pain. Chez happened to rush in and slapped Theodora. The recording ended, and the entire room fell into complete silence.