Chapter 3

3

The commotion in the living room continued. Chloe had been crying ever since I pushed her to the ground.

She clung to Mom, her voice choked with sobs. "It's all my fault. I stole Ashley's life. It's only natural she hates me."

Mom immediately looked at her disapprovingly. "You're both my daughters. You're just like my own flesh and blood. Don't ever say that again."

Dad stroked her head, his face full of concern.

She looked up from Mom's shoulder, meeting my gaze.

Her eyes curved into a smile. Where was the sadness now?

I walked over and, under her provocative gaze, flipped the table.

Scalding hot soup splashed everywhere, inevitably landing on them.

Dad frowned. "Ashley, what are you doing? Even if you don't like it, you don't have to be so rude."

Mom pulled Chloe back quickly, ignoring the stain on her arm, and wiped Chloe's dress.

I stood in the mess, staring at Chloe. "You killed my dog and ate him?"

She shrank back into Mom's arms, successfully seeking protection.

"Ashley, I just wanted dog meat dumplings. It just happened to be the only dog in the house, so Dad made it into food."

Her eyes were red-rimmed, her voice trembling but firm. "Dad did it all for me. If you want to blame someone, blame me. Don't be mad at Dad."

Dad raised his hand to stop her, looking sternly at me. "Ashley, I haven't wronged you. I've fulfilled my obligations as a father. What are you so dissatisfied with about this family?"

I kicked over a floor lamp, sending the remaining two chairs flying. Soup splattered everywhere.

"Buddy wasn't just a dog. He wasn't your food."

"Just a dog…"

Screech―the sound of the sofa being dragged across the floor.

In just five minutes, the room was in ruins. Everyone was stunned.

Mom looked at me, her face full of disappointment. "Don't you know your sister has depression? It's rare for her to be happy, and you're making a fuss over a dog?"

Dad stared at me coldly. "You're a psycho. I regret bringing you back. I should have left you to rot."

Chloe, with red-rimmed eyes, pushed the only remaining bowl of meat towards me. "Don't blame Ashley, Mom and Dad. Since she liked the dog so much, I'll give it back to her."

I couldn't help but laugh.

They didn't know Chloe's depression was fake, but my crazy was real.

I scoffed and rolled my wrist.

Chloe started to cry again. "Ashley…"

"Slap―" A sharp slap cut her off.

A bright red handprint appeared on Chloe's face, her crying turning into a shriek.

Mom's face changed instantly, her elegant and gentle expression gone.

Almost simultaneously, she slapped me. "I brought you back to be a part of this family, not to bully your sister! She developed depression because of you, and I still kept you. Why can't you learn to understand her!"

I gave a sarcastic smirk. The pampered princess suddenly finding out she wasn't their real daughter and developing depression because she was afraid of being abandoned? This third-rate drama was only believable to these two idiots.

I swallowed my mood stabilizers while they worried about whether Chloe was taking her vitamin C disguised as antidepressants.

But unfortunately for them, all Chloe needed was for them to believe it.

She stood behind her protective parents, her lips moving silently, forming three words.

"I win."