Chapter 5

I sat in my room, cleaning up my wounds in front of the mirror.

Memories from the past eighteen years started to flood my mind.

Sometimes, I saw myself as a little kid, sitting at the village entrance day after day, waiting for my mom to come pick me up.

Then there was the time after my grandma passed away, when I realized there was no place for me in this family anymore.

I remembered the time Isabel set me up, saying I broke her birthday present, and then Tristian slapped me hard.

I also remembered the time my parents looked at me with disgust, saying they wished they'd never brought me back. I crouched on the floor, crying my eyes out.

In the end, I was sitting alone at the steakhouse, waiting for my family to show up for my birthday.

But no matter how long I waited, they never came.

The door suddenly swung open.

I didn't even have to turn around to know it was Isabel.

This was her favorite trick.

After I got chewed out by the whole family because of her, she'd show up pretending to comfort me.

But in reality, she wanted to show off in front of me.

Isabel giggled, "Feeling down, Chloe? Now that you know you're adopted too, doesn't it make you want to die?

"Both of us are adopted, so what makes you think you're better than me? Yet you keep trying to outdo me every day.

"But you still can't beat me. Honestly, you are such a joke.

"Mom, Dad, and Tristian always loved me the most."

Isabel cracked up, covering her mouth as she laughed, unable to hide how pleased she was with herself.

She'd said stuff like this to me a million times before.

Every single time, it pissed me off.

I slapped her for it.

I even poured milk all over her once.

But this time, I couldn't be bothered anymore.

I wiped the wound on my forehead and said calmly, "If it makes you so happy, you can have them."

Maybe it was because I looked so indifferent.

Isabel's smugness faded a little.

Isabel glared at me, her eyes full of malice.

She snapped, "Stop pretending you're above it all, acting like you're so generous.

"Face it, you're a pathetic loser who can't even compete with me. Let me make it clear for you.

"I fought tooth and nail for everything I have now. None of it was handed over by you. I'm going to make sure you see how things really are."

With that, she messed up her own hair.

Then she threw herself to the floor and screamed, "Please, don't hit me, Chloe.

"I swear, I'm never going to the amusement park again!"