Chapter 3

Bradon always had Sophia's back. He was cold to me and never once treated me as his sister.

Now, he'd completely lost it and tried to strangle me. He honestly looked like he wanted me dead.

The suffocating feeling made my head spin. My chest burned from the lack of air. I kept gasping for breath, but ended up biting my tongue, blood flooding my throat.

My mom rushed over and shoved Bradon away, sweat pouring down her face. She said, "Bradon, what are you doing? Lack of oxygen can damage her brain. Sophia still needs her brain to save her life."

My dad sneered, "If we didn't need her brain, I'd get rid of her for good right now. What's wrong with choking her? Let her taste the pain Sophia suffers every time she has a seizure. She's getting off easy."

Bradon's eyes burned with viciousness, but he was forced to loosen his grip. He said through gritted teeth, "Ever since she set foot in our house, there's been nothing but trouble.

"Sophia went out of her way to bring her here, but all she ever did was bully her savior. She totally deserved to get snatched. Honestly, I wish she'd just died out there."

His breath was ragged as he squeezed harder. He demanded, "Mom passed out in the living room. Sophia was bleeding all over, but still managed to call 911.

"And you? You heartless traitor. You just sat there chomping on a chicken leg and didn't even glance our way. You are nothing but a cold-blooded animal."

I finally managed to suck in a breath; my windpipe felt like it was on fire, but before I could even say a word, the choking sensation came rushing back.

Every time I tried to speak, they'd cut me off and instantly brand me the villain.

I was exhausted, completely drained. Maybe being the heartless traitor wasn't so bad after all.

My dad snapped, "Enough. Sophia's the one who matters right now. Why bother talking to her?" He shoved Bradon's hand away and started disinfecting the wound on my head.

My mom gently touched my forehead and said softly, "If you weren't so withdrawn and selfish, we wouldn't have grown to dislike you so much."

Withdrawn and selfish? Was that really me?

I forced a wry smile. In that moment, I thought maybe dying would actually be a relief.

With the brain surgery experiment coming up, I felt strangely calm, not even a hint of fear.

Maybe death was my only escape.

Death was also a path to happiness. No more uncontrollable body, no more people who could only blame me.

I should have thanked them for letting me find release. Whatever experiments, let them do them all on me. The sooner I died, the better.