Chapter 2
"Are you all trying to push me to the edge? Why haven't you kicked her out yet?" Simone clutched at her hair, her voice sharp and desperate. "She's lying to you! Does she even look sick?"
Honestly, I looked perfectly fine, especially next to her.
My parents bought into Simone's story right away. They soothed her, but I could tell they were starting to get annoyed with me.
They glanced at me for a split second, then quickly looked away.
They helped Simone up, one on each side, treating her like she was a rare jewel.
"We'll do whatever you want, Simone. How about I get you the latest Chanel bag later, okay?" my dad said.
"Okay!" Simone replied brightly.
She gave me a barely-there glance, her eyes faintly smug.
Just as they were about to disappear around the corner, I couldn't hold it in anymore. "Mom, Dad, I'm not lying. I really am sick.
"The doctor said if I don't get surgery soon, I'm going to die..."
"That's enough, Octavia!" Dad cut me off, his brows furrowed. "I know you want attention, but you shouldn't joke about something like being sick."
"Simone's been through so much with her depression. Look at you, you're full of energy, your cheeks are rosy. What kind of illness are you even talking about?"
Mom sighed in agreement. "It's not that we don't believe you, but if it's a life-threatening illness, 250 thousand dollars wouldn't even cover it. And if it's just a minor illness, you wouldn't need that much money."
She shook her head, her gaze heavy with disappointment as she looked at me. "Octavia, you shouldn't lie about this."
I stood there, powerless, watching them vanish around the corner, their laughter echoing farther and farther away, leaving me with nothing but my own tears to wipe away.
It was never supposed to cost 250 thousand dollars...
When I first returned to the Sterling family, I was diagnosed with stomach cancer. Allyson said 100 thousand dollars would be enough for conservative treatment.
But Simone would always have a meltdown. Any time I tried to talk to my parents alone, she'd start crying, screaming, or even hurting herself.
After all these days, I barely had a chance to really talk to my parents.
The longer my illness dragged on, the worse it got.
Even after throwing 250 thousand dollars at it, there was still no guarantee I would survive.
My gaze drifted blankly around the room, lost and helpless.
The Sterling mansion was dripping with luxury. Simone's purse alone cost more than 250 thousand dollars.
I was the real Sterling heiress, their actual daughter. And I'm sick, too.
Yet I couldn't even get the money together for my own surgery.
The unfairness burned inside me, making my stomach ache even worse.
I curled up into a ball, biting down hard on my lip.
Maybe coming back was a mistake.
Simone's episodes got even worse.
The nanny said I was the reason she spiraled.
My parents didn't want anything to do with me anymore. They wouldn't even let me eat with them, just brought meals straight to Simone's room.
But I didn't have time to explain. I gathered up the few things my parents had ever given me and sold them off, one by one, just to get some cash.
When I counted it up, I only had 30 thousand dollars.
To make things worse, Simone found out about it.
She burst into my room and slapped me hard across the face, her eyes blazing with fury.
"Who the hell do you think you are, selling off the Sterling family's things? Everything here is mine! What gives you the right to sell any of it?" she yelled.
She grabbed my shoulders and shook me violently, my stomach twisting in agony, the pain getting worse with every shake.
But when my parents rushed in, they only had eyes for Simone, comforting her and, once again, swearing they wouldn't give me a single penny ever again.
I stretched out my hand toward them, my voice shaking. "Mom, Dad, my stomach hurts so much."
When I looked up, I saw a flash of pain in Mom's eyes, and she almost stepped toward me before she could stop herself.
But Simone suddenly clenched her fists and started hitting herself in the head. "She's a bad person. She sold all the things you gave her! I don't like her. Kick her out! Hurry up."
This time, she was more unhinged than ever before.
She even slammed her head against the wall, and when Dad stopped her, she whipped out a small knife and dragged it across her own wrist.
She gave a twisted smile. "If even you don't love me, then I might as well just die."
Blood spurted out, spraying onto my face.
It was wet and sticky.
My parents' eyes went wide, their hands trembling as they rushed Simone to the hospital as fast as they could.
I passed out from the pain and spent the whole night sprawled on the cold floor, completely alone.
When morning came, my parents called. "Simone can't be left alone right now. Octavia, come to the hospital and look after her."
I refused.
There was a long silence on the other end.
After a moment, I heard someone sigh, and then Mom's voice came through, soft and begging. "She's got nobody else in this world, Octavia. It's just us now. Please try to be understanding. When Simone gets better, we'll make it up to you, I swear. Please?"