Chapter 2
My parents just dumped me here like I was yesterday's trash.
I stood there all alone in the middle of the house.
My finger was still stupidly bent.
I just stood there, dazed, for ages.
When the sun finally went down, I called out for Mom and Dad.
But nobody answered me.
They were really gone for good.
They didn't want me anymore.
The fridge was empty. There was not a single thing to eat.
Honestly, it was never stocked for me anyway. It was filled with toddler snacks, formula, and the sweet drinks Sophie liked.
Mom was worried Sophie might get hungry on the plane, so she took the very last carton of milk with her.
She didn't even leave that behind.
They didn't leave me a single cent.
They said they'd leave me some cash for living expenses.
But right before they left, Sophie started fussing because her clothes were uncomfortable.
They scrambled to find her something else to wear and just forgot all about me.
I lay down on the bed, clutching my empty belly.
Maybe the hunger would go away if I fell asleep?
Maybe my finger would stop hurting?
And maybe I wouldn't think about Mom and Dad.
My parents didn't remember me until three days had passed.
And it wasn't even because they thought of me themselves.
It was only after the neighbor caught me rummaging through the trash for something to eat that they called them.
That was when they suddenly realized that there was still a kid left at home.
They got me a nanny.
Then, without saying anything else, they just hung up.
They said they were busy with Sophie after moving overseas, and had a ton of things to take care of.
Told me not to bother calling unless it was something serious.
In their minds, getting a nanny for a kid as average as me was already going above and beyond, like they'd done all they needed to.
But they missed something important.
When my own parents didn't see me as worth the effort, no one else did either.
The nanny they hired was supposed to be top-tier.
She was earning a substantial monthly salary.
But every meal she made was almost impossible to eat.
Sometimes, she used far too much salt.
Other times, the food was barely cooked through.
And even though my finger stayed crooked for so long, she didn't even bother to take me to the hospital.
It was only when my teacher noticed something was wrong and called her that she finally bothered to take me to a tiny clinic.
She dragged me there, clearly annoyed, and only did it because she had to.
By then, it was already too late. The best chance to fix it had passed, and my finger would never be as nimble as it used to be.
I could never play the piano again, the one thing I loved most.
When the nanny forced me to drink laundry detergent again, insisting it was milk, I hid in my room and desperately called Mom and Dad for help.
I curled up in my room, clutching the phone, hoping someone would save me.
The phone just kept ringing and ringing. Nobody picked up.
After what felt like an eternity, someone finally answered, sounding totally uninterested, like they couldn't care less.
I choked back my tears and called out, voice trembling, "Mom?"
But what came through the phone was a storm of rage.
Mom was totally losing it.
She snapped, "Emily Lane, can't you stand to see Sophie do well?"
She continued, "Do you even realize what you've done? Sophie was just in the middle of an interview with some world-famous IQ experts, and your call almost ruined her big chance."
Mom spat, "Your dad's right. With genes like yours, you're just a burden to us."
Tears rolled down my cheeks again.
I wanted to say I never meant to be a bother.
I never meant to ruin Sophie's interview.
It was just that the nanny was out to get me. She really wanted to hurt me.
That was why I had to go against their orders and call them outside the time I was allowed to, even though I knew I'd get in trouble for it.
I just wanted to beg them to let me have a new nanny.
Or I could even live on my own, if that was easier.
I was absolutely terrified of her.
She was just like one of those wicked witches from a fairy tale.
But before I could even get a word out, Mom cut me off, her voice icy and final.
She said, "I never should've given you our number in the first place."
She continued, "As punishment, you're getting added to the blacklist. If you need anything, go to Martha. We'll check in with her once a quarter."
She added, "It's not like someone as ordinary as you ever has anything important to say anyway."
"Please, Mom, don't leave me..."
But Mom just coldly hung up, leaving me sobbing into the silence.
When I tried to call again, I realized I'd already been blocked.
Suddenly, the phone in the living room rang out.
Mom was on the line with Martha.
Martha answered, "Got it, Mrs. Lane."
"She's doing alright. She just likes to make things up and always thinks people are out to get her, but you know how kids are."
She said, "Of course, I'll do as you say. If she steps out of line again, I'll make sure she gets punished for you."
She promised, "Don't worry, Mrs. Lane. I'll make sure she behaves for you..."
I huddled in my room, scared out of my mind, listening in.
Tears streamed down my face again.
Ever since Mom and Dad left, I cried more times than I could bear to remember.
After every time I cried, I'd feel a little better.
I kept telling myself that even though they were halfway across the world, they were still thinking about me.
They hadn't forgotten about me.
They hadn't really abandoned me.
But now, everything had changed.
Mom actually gave that witch complete control over me.
Wasn't she supposed to be the genius?
Could she really not see how messed up this was?
Even someone as clueless as me knew she couldn't just hand a kid over to a stranger.
How could Mom trust someone else with me?
How could she just walk away like that?
Was it because Sophie was a genius now?
Did that mean I didn't matter anymore?