Chapter 2
They looked at me like I was the plague itself.
Samuel walked over to Angela, slung his arm around her waist, and shot me a look full of impatience.
"Brinley, you only lost a kidney, not your hands and feet," he sneered. "Do you really have to act like some beggar, scheming for our house? How did I never notice before that you're such a lazy freeloader?"
Me? A freeloader?
Scheming for their house? Please. This place was rightfully mine.
"Samuel, how could you marry her? She's my sister!" I shouted. "When we were together, Angela was just in sixth grade! How could you do that to her?"
I jabbed a finger at Samuel's face, feeling like I was about to explode.
We'd been together for eight years, and Samuel was always the ideal boyfriend in everyone's eyes.
How could he marry someone else, especially my own sister?
Why? WAS my life ruined just because I gave Angela a kidney?
Samuel stormed over and swatted my hand away.
Instead of looking the least bit guilty, he just stood there, acting all self-righteous.
"My wife is young and gorgeous. Why would I marry a used-up hag like you?" he sneered. "Back then, you were stuck in bed with nobody to take care of you, looking as pale as a ghost.
"I took care of you for half a month. That was me going above and beyond. Let's just call it quits and move on. So quit pestering my wife."
I was shaking with rage at Samuel's words, but Angela just smiled and wrapped her arm around him.
"If it weren't for taking care of you back then, my husband and I wouldn't have gotten together so quickly," she said.
So that was it. They started messing around in the hospital.
"You're shameless!" I shouted.
I stormed up to Samuel and slapped him hard across the face, shouting at him.
"When you started your business, I gave you money, brought in investors, and connected you with everyone you needed!" I screamed. "Is this how you treat me? Samuel, you wouldn't have anything if it weren't for me!"
I wrecked my stomach drinking at those endless business dinners just to help you close deals.
I stayed up working with you every night until dawn.
And in the end, you just tossed me aside like I was nothing.
Out of nowhere, Angela kicked me to the ground, pinned me down, and started raining blows on me.
"Brinley, don't act like you're some saint!" she spat. "Even if I'd been his girlfriend back then, I could've handled everything, maybe even better than you.
"We gave you 30 thousand dollars, and you're still not satisfied? Seriously, look at yourself. Who do you think you are?"
Angela finally got tired of hitting me, stood up, dusted off her hands, and kicked me a few more times with a look of pure disgust.
"Get out!" she snapped.
I clumsily dragged myself up from the floor, my whole body throbbing with pain.
Tears kept pouring down, but nothing hurt more than the double betrayal from Samuel and Angela.
I just couldn't believe the two people I loved most would turn on me like this.
It was fine. Just five more days. Then I would turn back time and start over.
This time, I wouldn't make the same mistakes again.
"Get out!" Angela was still screaming at me.
Angela kept shrieking like a lunatic. I shot her a fierce glare and stormed out the door.
At the door, I ran into Samuel's mom, Rebecca Mitchell.
Five years ago, when she was hospitalized for a tumor, I was the one who found the top surgeon for her.
I even covered all her medical bills afterward.
Back then, she hugged me tight and said she wanted to take me in as her goddaughter.
She promised she'd treat me like her own daughter for the rest of her life.
I really did see her as my own mom, pouring my heart and soul into our relationship.
For a second, I felt lost seeing Rebecca.
She marched right up and slapped me hard across the face.
"You worthless, shameless bitch! How dare you show your face here?" Rebecca screeched.
She kept hurling insults at me, not letting up for a second.
The slap sent me crashing into the stone pillar, and I felt blood trickle hot down my forehead. The pain was sharp and dizzying.
"You shameless bitch, all you ever wanted was to steal my son away!" Rebecca shrieked. "You're just a barren wretch! Ever since you set foot in this house, you've been nothing but a curse!"
She shoved her finger right in my face, hurling insults at me without mercy.
This was nothing like the gentle woman I remembered, the one who used to smile and ask me what I wanted for dinner.
"Rebecca, when you were sick, I was the one who stayed up all night taking care of you. How could you turn on me like this?" I cried out.
I pressed my hand to my head, eyes red with tears, staring at her in accusation.
The whole world had gone insane.
How could everyone turn into strangers after just five years?
Rebecca sneered, her voice dripping with contempt. "Who do you think you are? Nobody forced you to do any of that. You did it all by yourself.
"You were bending over backwards to please my son before you even married him. What kind of woman are you?
"And anyway, didn't my daughter-in-law already give you 30 thousand dollars? Now you're back for more? Careful, or I'll report you for fraud!"
Blinded by rage, I lunged forward and wrapped my hands around Rebecca's neck, not caring if we both went down together. At that moment, I honestly wanted us both dead.