Chapter 3

I tried my utmost to convince him with absolute sincerity that I'd truly stop competing with Sophie, but his expression only grew darker.

I got up and retreated to my room, pulling out the old pillow and cloth bundle I brought from the orphanage.

"Ellie, what are you doing?" The Carter family followed closely behind me, terrified I might do something drastic.

I smiled sincerely and said, "This room belongs to Sophie. I'm giving it back to her! See? I'm being so obedient..."

When I first came back, Sophie kept flaunting everything the Carters gave her, doing everything she could to prove she was the real daughter, and I was just a lowborn stray with no place here.

I couldn't stand it. I always wanted to fight back, to take what she had.

Even when I clearly saw through Sophie's traps, my stupid pride wouldn't let me back down. I'd jump right in just to prove a point.

She was right. I was just a stupid bitch. Whenever Sophie pulled even the smallest trick, I ended up losing everything.

Not even two months in, and the Carters were already sick of me.

If I snatched a $1500 dress from her, they'd get her a $15000 one to make up for it.

If I took her bedroom, they'd build her a new one—bigger, fancier, and prettier.

Even the nanny Nora took Sophie's side. Behind my back, she'd tell the other help I was trailer trash who couldn't hold a candle to Sophie, that I belonged in a doghouse.

She insulted me like that, and all I did was scold back. Then she ran crying to Jason and the others, saying I hit her and humiliated her, that she'd worked as a nanny here for over a decade and had never been treated this way.

Naturally, they stood by her without question and lectured me.

"Ellie, please put that down. The floor's dirty..." Nora tried to snatch what I was holding. Instinctively, I pushed her away, and she dropped to the floor with a thud.

I panicked. "I didn't mean to. I wasn't trying to hit her. I'll get out right now!"

Clutching my pillow and bundle, I crawled straight into the garden's doghouse.

I rescued this dog and built the doghouse myself, so at least I wasn't trespassing, right?

"This way, I won't dirty up the Carter family's place, and the nanny can't tattle on me anymore!" I curled up in the doghouse, feeling kind of clever.

Margaret frantically tried to pull me out, but I just curled up tighter inside the doghouse.

I said, "Nora was right. I'm just a bastard, a worthless bitch who belongs in the doghouse. Mrs. Carter, see? I'm being so obedient now. From now on, I'll behave myself. I promise I won't cause you any more trouble!"

To show just how obedient I could be, I carefully placed my pillow at one end of the doghouse and curled up obediently, like a "good girl."

Happy, the golden retriever, saw the new guest and happily came over to lie down beside me, wrapping his tail around me.

I curled up tighter, as if trying to make them know—I wasn't stealing the dog's space either.

Margaret was so "moved" by me that she was choked with sobs.

Margaret demanded, "Is this how you've been 'taking care of' Ellie?"

Nora turned deathly pale. "I didn't do it. She's lying! Madam, surely you won't believe some delusional girl over me? I've served the Carter family for years. I practically raised Sophie myself."

Margaret glared at Nora and demanded, "So you've been mistreating, insulting, and framing my own daughter—all for Sophie's sake?"

Sophie had initially intended to plead for Nora—after all, the Carter family had always indulged her every whim. But seeing Margaret's uncharacteristic fury now, she didn't dare utter a word.

"Guards, throw Nora out immediately!" Margaret called security.

"Mom, Nora practically raised Sophie—she's like a second mother to her! If you kick Nora out, how do you expect Sophie to live with that?" Jason snapped.

Of course Jason wouldn't let his precious sister suffer even the slightest wrong.

"All you care about is Sophie! Who's your real sister here?" Margaret's eyes were red as she pointed at Jason and snapped.

But her words ended up hurting Sophie's feelings.

Tears welled up in Sophie's eyes, and she ran back to her room in a sobbing mess.

Margaret's rage faded almost instantly. She looked in Sophie's direction, as if wanting to say something.

But in the end she just glared hard at Jason. "This is all your fault. If you can't get Ellie out of the doghouse today, don't even think about coming inside."

With that, she marched off to comfort Sophie.

Jason looked coldly at me in the doghouse. "Happy now? What a great performance. The first thing you did after coming back is get rid of Nora. Who's next on your list?"

I didn't understand what he was saying. He looked terrifying.

I hugged Happy tightly, burying my face in his golden fur, trying to make myself invisible.

Jason sneered, "If you want to play the victim, I'll play along. Let's see how long you can keep up this act."

Jason snorted contemptuously. He turned and came back with a bowl of dog food.

Jason tossed the food over and sneered, "Here's dinner for you and Happy. Eat it or starve."

He even installed a camera nearby like he was ready to catch me "misbehaving" in real time.

Honestly, he was overthinking it. After going without food or water for days in that dark room, I'd eaten worse things just to survive. Dog food? That was practically gourmet.

I poked my head out and sniffed. It actually smelled pretty good.

Happy sniffed the bowl, then looked at me. He nosed the bowl toward me and sat beside me, tongue out, wagging his tail.

He was inviting me to eat.

I swallowed. "Thanks... I'll help myself then."

Happy gave an encouraging bark. "Woof!"

What a smart, kind dog.

I left half for him. After we finished, we curled up together and fell fast asleep.