Chapter 3

By the time I got home, everyone was asleep.

I was just about to head down to the basement when Emily's voice echoed from the stairs. "Charlotte, do you really get off on working as a maid? Or did you bail just to dodge my birthday party?"

She smirked, rubbing it in. "Not like anyone cares it's your birthday too, right?"

I was exhausted from a long day and didn't feel like dealing with her. Just as I was about to walk away, Emily suddenly rushed over to the dining table and shoved a slice of cake at me.

"Charlotte, I know it probably stings that Mom and Dad are only celebrating my birthday, but I saved this piece just for you. Will you try it?"

I pushed her hand away. "I can't eat that."

Emily just went with the motion, twisted her wrist, and the whole slice of cake splattered right onto her dress.

In the very next second, her eyes instantly went red, and the tears started flowing, just like that.

"Charlotte, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you," Emily sobbed.

Her voice was so loud that it woke up everyone in the house.

Within seconds, doors started flying open all over the house.

My older brother, David, stormed down the stairs and shoved me out of the way.

"Who said you could bully Emily? Just because you're the real Brooks heiress doesn't mean you can do whatever you want. Listen up, I've only got one sister, and that's Emily," David said, glaring at me.

My mom shot me an irritated look. "Charlotte, haven't you made enough of a scene? Emily went out of her way to save you a piece of cake, and you just wasted it like that?"

I looked at them calmly. "I told her I can't eat it. I'm allergic to mango."

"Come on, it's just an allergy. One bite won't kill you," David said angrily. "Is making Emily upset the only thing you care about?"

I just stood there, watching them get so worked up, and suddenly, I didn't even feel like explaining myself anymore.

We were from two totally different worlds. There was just no way to get through to them.

I turned and walked straight to the basement, tuning out Emily's teary, fake concern as she called out behind me, "David, don't blame Charlotte. It was my fault, really. I didn't mean to."

My mom's voice went all gentle as she tried to soothe Emily. "Don't cry, honey. She doesn't deserve a cake this special anyway. Next year, I'll order you an even bigger one."

All I could see from the basement window was a sliver of the yard.

The night breeze stirred the weeds, making a faint rustling noise.

I sat on the edge of my bed, bent down, and pulled out an old backpack from underneath.

Inside were the crumpled bills I'd managed to save over the past six months, plus a faded photo.

It was my sixth birthday. Grandma had her arms around me, smiling, and in front of us sat a tiny plain sponge cake with no decorations.

But I was grinning from ear to ear.

Grandma was the only person in the world who ever remembered my birthday.

She was gone now, though. Before she passed, she pressed some cash into my hand and told me to leave home, go to the city, and try my luck out there.

Ever since then, I haven't had a real home.

The houses I worked in were just places to stay for a while.

When the Brooks took me in, I really thought I'd finally found my real family. I even visited my grandma's grave, hoping she could finally rest in peace.

"Grandma, I'm a little disappointed," I whispered, running my thumb over her photo.