Chapter 1

1

After Britney Miller shoved me into the hospital because I was getting better grades than her, her parents showed up, demanding I sign a settlement agreement.

The power couple, dripping in designer clothes, said, "Britney is our baby, and this one million dollars is your lucky break."

They were convinced they were doing me a favor.

But then they found out I was the real daughter, and Britney was a fake.

...

I woke up in that hospital bed, my skin a mess of bruises.

My face was swollen shut, and my eyes were glued together with dried blood.

The person who did this to me was right there at the foot of my bed, flipping through my diary with a smirk.

"Chloe, you really are head-over-heels for Jake, huh? All these love notes...guess you got your money's worth."

"Britney."

A stern voice cut her off, and I saw a woman in a power suit stand up from her chair.

She gestured at me with her chin, and a lawyer-looking guy handed me a stack of papers.

"We've looked into it, Chloe, and you're an orphan, right? Times are tough. Sign this release, and the million bucks is all yours."

Britney sneered, "Seriously, you're so lucky. A nobody like you will never see that kind of cash in your whole life. Go on, Chloe, get down on your knees and thank us!"

She had that usual high-and-mighty attitude, like I was a dog at her feet.

Thanks to her, every breath felt like my bones were gonna crack.

While I was out, I vaguely heard the nurses saying, "So sad, so young, beaten up like that... pelvic trauma… she may not be able to have kids..."

I felt like screaming and laughing at the same time, but I could only manage a hoarse whimper.

"Now, I am sure Chloe appreciates that we're all trying to save time, and this is just kids being kids. No need to make a big fuss," the dad said.

The man who'd been silent until now stood up and shoved a pen into my hand.

"Britney is the apple of our eye, and you're getting a million dollars because of this? Lucky you."

I looked up at him, and for a second, his eyebrows furrowed.

I was always jealous of Britney.

She had parents who would protect her, no matter what, whereas I'd been an orphan since day one.

My grandpa raised me, collecting cans and bottles to make ends meet.

The toys I had as a kid were all things he made for me.

The books I had were all things he scavenged.

His tattered burlap sack was full of my childhood treasure.

I worked my tail off in school, dreaming of the day I could get Grandpa a bright, spacious house.

But six months ago, he got sick.

We didn't have money, so he tried to hide it from me, suffering in silence.

I saw him hunched over the stove, his back aching so bad, but he still insisted on going out to work every day.

One rainy night, he made dinner, then lay down on the couch, saying his stomach was bothering him. He wanted to rest.

He never woke up.

Britney's life was all tea parties, flower arranging, and horseback riding, while for us, just surviving was a struggle.

It wasn't fair.

Life felt pointless.