Chapter 3

3 We arrived at a hotel.

I found out it was Summer's celebration for getting accepted into the Black Swan Dance Company.

Jake pointed me to a room to change, then rushed off to give Summer her gift.

I stared at the line of poofy dresses.

I nervously clenched the hem of the dress in my hands.

Since we were kids, Mom and Dad had pushed us into the dance world. I followed their plans, did everything right.

Summer, on the other hand, always found ways to get out of things, hiding behind me.

She always said she didn't want to dance, didn't want her life planned out for her.

I figured that if I worked hard enough, if she wanted to slack off, me and Jake would always have her back.

But I was wrong.

I shook my head and walked out.

Summer was standing in the middle of the ballroom, basking in everyone's praise, wearing a million-dollar custom-made dress and a diamond tiara.

Seeing me, she grabbed Mom and Dad and walked over.

"Daisy, why didn't you change? Are you upset that I got into Black Swan? If so, Mom and Dad, I can give my spot to her."

"It's just that she's dressed like this at a party, the media will say our family has no manners."

Everyone's attention swiveled to me, their eyes filled with disdain.

"Who's that? Dressed like a beggar. Does she even know where she is? She's ruining our eyes."

"Look closer. She looks like the younger daughter of the Millers. Could it be the Miss Miller that was eating too much, who's fatter than anything before? It's been a year, and she's so thin. Just bones."

"She showed up at her sister's party looking like this. She's doing this to be horrible. I heard she's the reason Summer was kidnapped all those years ago. Some people are just rotten to the core."

Summer and I were twins.

When we were eight, we were kidnapped by traffickers.

After two days of starvation, I waited for the kidnappers to loosen their guards. Then, when they were relaxing one night, I grabbed her hand and pulled her away.

We didn't get far before they found us. I knew if we got caught we were going to die.

My leg was already cut up by branches, leaving a trail of blood, so I told her to run, and I'd distract them.

But she got caught, and I got rescued.

A decade later, after she was found, the first thing she said was that I had abandoned her.

"Daisy said that if I disappeared, she'd have all the family's love to herself."

Mom, Dad, and Jake believed her. No matter how much I explained, it was all seen as lies to cover my sins.

Just like that, I became the family villain, willing to betray her own sister for attention.

Now, seeing the clothes on my body, Mom and Dad started yelling.

"What's wrong with you? Summer prepared so many dresses for you, so why aren't you wearing one? Are you trying to make the Millers look bad?"

"You should be grateful for the family that you have. You are the reason that your sister was kidnapped and suffered for over a decade. Why do you keep showing up to ruin her life! You want to see us fight and argue like before."

I'd heard those accusations a million times, and I didn't dare try to argue.

To punish me for making Summer suffer all those years of hardship, they forced me to have two-thirds of my stomach cut out, claiming I had too big of an appetite.

Because I was allergic to anesthesia, I bit through my lip to get through it.

That's when I learned to shut up and obey.

Jake frowned and strode over.

"You're acting crazy when I picked you up, and now you're here to try to get sympathy from everyone. Put on that face, as if we've abused you. After a year of learning manners, you're back to your old ways. You're disgusting!"

"Go change your clothes. You still want to embarrass the Millers?"

As he yelled, his hand reached out and ripped my clothes.

My wig was ripped off my head.

A chill ran down my head, triggering an instant panic.

I dropped to my knees, banging my head against the floor, begging for forgiveness.

"2145 messed up. Don't be angry. I'll leave right now..."

I rolled on the ground a few times and then I acted like a dog and barked a few times. Then I licked Jake's legs and wagged my tail.