Chapter 1

Nobody liked me since I was born.

When I was three, my mom ditched me and moved overseas.

When I was five, my brother made me drink chili water.

I smiled and told him it was delicious.

My brother, Lionel, would just ditch me at the kindergarten gate.

My other two brothers, Chase and Hubert, would gang up with the other kids to stop me from using the bathroom.

They'd stand there and watch while all the kids made fun of me.

Then, when the neighbor's kid got sick and I did too, Dad didn't even hesitate; he scooped her up and rushed her to the hospital.

He just told me to get lost and die somewhere else.

But later, when Dad looked at me, he couldn't stop crying.

"Sweetheart, can you call me 'Dad' one more time?" he asked.

I clutched the hem of my shirt, opened my mouth, but just stared blankly, unable to say a word.

*****

The sky was getting darker.

Raindrops kept coming down, hitting my face so hard I couldn't even open my eyes.

Water was pouring into my hat, seeping into my clothes and skin. I could feel the wind everywhere, and I was shivering from the cold.

Adults passing by thought I was lost and told me to get out of the rain.

I told them I promised my brother I'd wait right here.

Good kids get candy.

By the time the sun came up, Hubert still hadn't come for me.

Finally, Stewart Meskill, the butler, found me.

He seemed to have let out a sigh.

"Angela, your father's been looking for you," he said.

"Where's Hubert?" I asked.

"Hubert went home last night. You should come with me now, or your father will get upset," Stewart said.

I was way more afraid of making Dad angry than I was of Hubert.

I followed Stewart into the car.

Before I even stepped inside, I could hear the boys messing around.

"That idiot is probably still waiting for me outside the mall. How could someone that dumb even be our sister?" Lionel said, fiddling with a toy truck.

"You know how she is. She believes everything we say, way too obedient. And no matter what, she just won't leave us alone," Lionel added.

Hubert complained, "Why does she have to be my sister? Ruth next door is way cuter. I'd rather have her as my sister."

Chase muttered, clearly annoyed, "If it wasn't for her, Mom wouldn't have left us."

I stood at the doorway, drenched from head to toe. The wind hit me, and I felt even colder.

When they saw me, my brothers' eyes darted away.

Dad came down the stairs. The first thing he did was demand answers. "What happened?"

I was too scared to say it was because of my brothers.

"I got lost after I went out yesterday," I said.

Dad's face turned sour. "Didn't I tell you not to wander off and to stay close to your brothers?"

I gripped my shirt and mumbled, "But I didn't go to the wrong place."

Hubert chimed in, acting all innocent, "I told her to wait right there yesterday, but the driver didn't see her there, right?"

Dad took Hubert's side, his voice rising with anger. "You still won't admit it?"

He pulled out that wooden ruler he always used for punishment. "Give me your hand," he said.

I remembered the last time I disobeyed him, he shut me in my room all day.

He was always so busy. So busy, he even forgot I was still locked up in there.

I was so hungry I was seeing stars before I finally passed out.

Only after that did I get to eat some steaming hot, fragrant food.

I didn't want to go through that again.

I obediently held out my hand.

The ruler smacked down hard on my palm.

"Don't wander off again. Will you remember that next time?" Dad asked.

My hand shook, and tears from the pain dripped onto my palm.

"Yes, I remember," I said.

"Louder!" Dad barked, bringing the ruler down hard on my hand again.

I instinctively pulled my hand back, tears streaming down my face as I sobbed, "Y-yes, I remember."

Dad left around noon for some business.

Emily Barnes, the housekeeper, helped me change into dry clothes.

There was only one piece of bread left on the table.

Hubert pulled a face at me and teased.

"Crybaby," he taunted.

"Gonna snitch again? Like Dad would ever take your side," he snickered.

I wolfed down the bread.

Lionel brought over a glass of water.

I was really thirsty, and Lionel had that gentle look again. I didn't even think twice. I tipped the glass back and gulped it all down.