Unable to bear the thought of parting with her biological daughter, she became the maid of the Larsens for years. One reason was to earn a living and the other was to watch as her real daughter grew up. When the truth came out, she took her own life, drowning herself in the river near the Larsens' estate, leaving behind only a letter. I read that letter. It spanned two pages long and didn’t mention my name even once.
As soon as the truth came to light, the impact was too much for Leta to handle and she fell into a deep depression. In that moment of desperation, my biological father made a hasty decision: he swapped the marriage alliance with the Donovans, shifting it from Leta to me. He believed I was the better choice—healthy, resilient and equipped with a strong psychological constitution that made me well-suited for public appearances. Leta, in contrast, was fragile, better suited for the comforts of home and the role of a dutiful daughter.
Without a second thought, I agreed to the arrangement.