Chapter 2

I was six years old, and I'd be starting first grade.

But at the orphanage, I'd never set foot in a classroom. I didn't even know how to write my own name.

I was way behind on the basics, so Mom hired a tutor to help me cram all the preschool stuff I'd missed before starting school.

I didn't dare slack off for a second. I studied my heart out, trying to soak up every bit of knowledge I could.

I was grateful for everything I had now.

On the first day of elementary school, I put on my brand-new uniform. My beautiful, elegant mom walked me to school that morning.

All the other kids gave me envious looks, crowding around, curious to get a look at me.

In that moment, I felt like I was the happiest kid in the world.

I thought my life was finally going to be smooth sailing, nothing but happiness from now on.

After school that day, I held my award tight, practically bouncing with excitement. I couldn't wait to share my happiness with Mom.

I wasn't the best student in my class, but I was definitely the one who'd made the fastest progress.

All my teachers kept praising how quickly I was catching up, and I was over the moon.

I skipped all the way to the balcony.

But when I got there, I saw Mom standing alone, looking sad and lost, holding a glass of red wine.

The setting sun cast a long shadow behind her, making her look especially lonely.

When she saw me at the door, she paused for a moment, then set down her wine glass and hurried over, wrapping me in a tight embrace as if she wanted to melt me into herself.

"Maddie, I missed you so much," she whispered.

Right then, the scent of red wine and perfume mingled around her, making her seem so unfamiliar to me.

Her voice was soft and gentle, a tone I'd never heard from her before.

Her voice had always been gentle, but this time, there was a mix of emotions in it I hadn't heard from her before.

Her usual gentleness always felt a little distant, but now it was filled with real warmth.

She glanced at the award in my hand, and her face suddenly lit up with excitement.

"Wow, honey, you're incredible..." she said.

Her eyes looked hazy, and her words sort of faded away.

My heart sank, and a wave of disappointment washed over me.

I knew I was just a stand-in for Madelyn, her daughter, someone she clung to whenever she missed Madelyn.

Even so, I still tried my best to play my part.

Who was I to complain? Having a home was already more than I could ever ask for.

And it wasn't just any family. The Kingsleys were loaded. Everything I ate, wore, and used was the best of the best.

I went to the fanciest private school around, getting the kind of education most kids could only dream of.

Everyone, the cook, the cleaning lady, the gardener, treated me like I really belonged.

I had to work even harder, so I could prove I deserved all this and maybe, just maybe, find where I fit in, even if I was just someone filling in for Madelyn.

I never had to worry about being hungry or cold. Every meal was hearty and nutritious.

My once skinny arms and legs, and my small face, gradually filled out, becoming round and plump.

By third grade, I'd become a chubster.

When Michael got home from school and saw me, he couldn't resist pinching my chubby cheeks, grinning as he called me "chubster."

Dad said flatly to me, "You're eating too much. Maybe you should control it."

But Mom didn't say anything. Her eyes stayed soft, and she gently patted my back.

Starting the very next day, the housekeeper got super strict about what I ate. All the snacks disappeared, and every meal was portioned out with military precision.

Fried foods vanished from my menu, and everything I ate had to be weighed on a digital scale.

At first, I could deal with it. I kept telling myself Mom was doing it for my own good.

I watched a ton of science videos online, and they all said being overweight could cause all kinds of problems, like diabetes, high blood pressure, fatty liver, and even trouble breathing.

Those videos really freaked me out, so I followed the diet rules to the letter.

But every night, I'd fall asleep with my stomach rumbling from hunger.

I kept dreaming about my days at the orphanage, back when I was skinny, timid, and scared of everything.

Food was always hard to come by. Whenever someone donated snacks and gave everyone one, the older kids would snatch mine away.

Being hungry was just how things were. If I couldn't stand it, I'd gulp down water to trick my stomach.

Now, I was so hungry I could barely stand it, so I snuck into the kitchen just to drink some water.

There was a box of cookies sitting on the table, practically calling my name. I couldn't help myself. I grabbed one, shoved it in my mouth, and chugged some water, hoping nobody saw me.

Just as I was about to head back to my room, I ran right into Michael.

His sharp eyes locked onto me. "Addie, are you hungry?"

I couldn't meet his eyes, my gaze kept shifting, and I stammered over my words. "I... I was just thirsty. I came to get some water."

With that, I bolted upstairs, like I was running for my life.

Once I got back to my room, I leaned against the door, my heart pounding so hard it felt like it might burst out of my chest.

After I finally managed to calm myself down, telling myself he didn't see anything, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and saw cookie crumbs still stuck to the corner of my mouth.

For a second, it felt like the whole world was crashing down on me.

I wondered if Michael had seen them, realized I'd eaten a cookie. What if he told Mom?

For the next few days, I was on edge, always looking over my shoulder and doing my best to avoid Michael.

I was terrified he'd spill my secret about the cookie, and every day felt like I was walking on thin ice.