Chapter 3

3 Remembering all those events, I felt a knot in my throat.

Ethan's touch felt like fire on my skin. My stomach churned, and I felt like I was going to throw up.

I had been forced to eat raw meat, and food they had stepped on, so I wasn't used to these "normal" foods anymore.

"Mia―" Ethan's voice was disgusted as he immediately covered his nose.

Ethan was a huge neat freak, and my state had taken him past the limit.

I forced a smile. "Sorry, Ethan. I made a mess. I'll make sure your car gets cleaned."

Before, I wouldn't call him Ethan, I would affectionately call him "E" or sweet talk him with "E, baby."

Ethan paused, looking at me with a conflicted expression, a hint of worry in his eyes.

He reached out, wanting to touch my forehead. "You okay? What…what happened to you?"

I flinched, as if electrocuted.

I knew I shouldn't flinch, but my body was on autopilot.

I did not want to have anything to do with him.

Grandma hooked up with tubes, lying on the hospital bed, desperately fighting for her life, was a vision I could never erase from my mind.

They had stopped her treatment because I was unable to pay.

He had the ability and resources to help, and to pay for her treatment, and extend her life.

But he coldly refused.

At the time, my grandma was spitting up blood. She stretched her wrinkled hands, caressing my face.

"My sweet granddaughter, are they treating you well?"

Even in her final moments, her words were strained, yet her heart was full of concern for me.

No, they don't, they all hate me.

My parents favored Mia, who had grown up by their side, and thought that I was not as good as her.

And Mia was a viper, always looking for a chance to bite me.

And the man I love, my fiancé, doesn't love me either.

"They're good. They're all really good to me." I choked out the lie.

I didn't want her to worry about me. She had worried for me her entire life.

Hearing that, Grandma's face lit up, she gave a faint smile as her hand fell to her side.

She was gone.

Ethan was filled with anger, and when he saw the tears in my eyes, his face softened.

"You should just stay home with your family. Stop targeting Mia. Don't cause so much trouble. Have you learned your lesson?"

I closed my eyes, not responding to him.

Those words were so ironic.

They always labeled me, always pinned me, I was a spoiled bully, and Mia was the sweetest angel.

Learn my lesson? The death of my grandmother was a part of my lesson, too.

Once the car stopped and I was at my family's house, I walked inside.

My mom was in shock when she saw me. There was a mix of concern and frustration.

"Where have you been? It's fine to throw tantrums, but you have to know your limit. Why would you do this to yourself?"

I felt a wave of sadness, and the tears started to swell. "Mom-"

Before I could say another word, a voice came from upstairs.

Mia coughed weakly. "Mom, is Mia back? I've already forgiven her."

My mom's attention was immediately on Mia. "You caught a cold a few days ago. You have to rest. Here, drink this chicken soup."

She gave the tray to Mia, her eyes filled with worry.

Mia looked at me and smirked. "Do you want some, sis?"

My mom looked at me awkwardly. "If Mia wants some, I will tell the kitchen to make some for you."

I shook my head. During my time on the streets, I ate raw meat and stepped-on bread, and my stomach had stopped tolerating such "normal" food.

Mia wasn't done, she stared at my gloved hand and said. "Why are you wearing gloves? Is it because you're being all fancy with your piano playing and want to protect your hand?"

I could no longer hold my fake smile, those words stabbed me like a knife.

The experiences from the past few days made me tired of bickering, so I turned to walk upstairs.

Mia pretended to feel wronged, asking my mom. "Mom, does my sister not like me? I don't blame her for what happened before."

Mom's face hardened. "Mia, why are you always so stubborn? Why are you always targeting Mia? What did they teach you? You have such a bad attitude!"

"They?" My foster parents had abused me, they wanted to build a path for Mia.

And the only one who was kind to me was Grandma.

She'd collected trash to put me through school, to pay for my piano lessons, without complaint.

She was frail and skinny and even her last thoughts were for me.

My grandma was my trigger, and no one could talk bad about her.

I changed my demeanor, the exhaustion gone, and stared at her. "I told you about how my foster parents abused me, how can they have raised me well?"

"Grandma is the one I love and respect, she is the one who raised me, how can you say that?"

My voice was full of coldness.

My mom flinched, and she finally realized her mistakes.

"I'm sorry, Mia. Mom didn't mean that. Can you forgive Mom?"

"But you pushed Mia in the pool, and she had a high fever. Why can't you just get along with her?"

Her voice was desperate, and tears started to form in her eyes.

But it was not me who pushed Mia.

It was just another act she had put on.

Wasn't I trying to get along with Mia?

She just wouldn't leave me alone.

Mia was always putting on a sweet face, but in high school, she had made others hurt me, she was the queen of manipulating others.

After I was brought to my family, she constantly kept doing it, she was always turning people against me, calling me a hick.

She was always using mean tricks to sabotage me, and this pool incident was nothing new.

Ethan also looked mad, warning me in a low voice. "Enough, Mia."

I ignored them and walked upstairs with a blank expression.