Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Gemma was adorable on the surface, but whenever the adults looked away, she demanded that I crawl on all fours and bark like a dog.

I swallowed my pride and did it, thinking it was just how wealthy kids played.

One afternoon, I carried a plate of fresh pastries up to Gemma's bedroom.

Through the cracked door, I heard her laughing with her prep school friends.

"Who would ever treat that stray like a sister? I only let her hang around because she makes a great pet dog!"

"If Daddy had bought me a golden retriever, I wouldn't even look at her. She and her gold-digger mom only came here for our money!"

Their mocking laughter pierced my eardrums, making my hands shake uncontrollably.

I ran downstairs in tears, dropping the tray and throwing myself into Mom's arms.

"Mom, Gemma doesn't like me... She makes me bark like a dog. I don't want to play with her anymore!"

The pastries shattered across the marble floor.

Mom shoved me away instantly and delivered a stinging slap across my cheek.

"How can your mind be so filthy? You're making up disgusting lies about your sister just for attention! Go to your room with no dinner and think about what you've done!"

I crashed onto the floor, clutching my burning face in pure shock.

My own mother didn't believe a single word I said.

After that day, I stopped crying to Mom.

Whenever the family went on vacations or luxury shopping trips with Gemma, I stayed behind and studied silently.

When I earned the top score in the district on our final exams, I excitedly ran to show Mom my report card.

Mom ripped the paper into tiny shreds and threw them in my face.

"What's so great about a test score? Can't you see Gemma is crying because she got third place? Get out of my sight, you spiteful leech!"

I looked over and saw Gemma sobbing softly in the armchair, tugging at Mom's sleeve.

"Mom, don't yell at Rory... Rory is so smart. It's my fault for being stupid..."

Mom's face turned even darker.

"Get lost! Don't ever bring your grades to brag in front of me again!"

No matter what I did, I could never win Mom's favor.

All Gemma had to do was shed a single tear, and she received the entire world.

Yet, despite walking on eggshells, I once clung to a sliver of hope.

On Gemma's twelfth birthday, my stepfather felt a momentary pang of pity and handed me a small slice of birthday cake.

Mom even smiled faintly in my direction.

I cherished that mangled piece of cake as if it were treasure, believing our lives were finally getting better.

Soon after, Gemma invited me to play hide-and-seek in her giant bedroom.

She offered to share her plush bed with me, and we eventually drifted to sleep side by side.

I was brutally awakened by Mom yanking me up by my hair.

Before I could open my eyes, a heavy slap cracked against my jaw.

"Where is your sister? What did you do to her!" Mom shrieked.

Stepdad stood beside her, his tall frame radiating pure murderous hatred.

I held my bruised face, staring at the empty bed.

"We... we went to sleep together right here..."

Mom grabbed my collar, her eyes bloodshot with rage.

"You stole your sister's room! The maid said only the two of you were home today!"

Before I could defend myself, the housekeeper screamed from the hallway.

"Mr. Vance! Gemma is locked inside the basement storage room!"

Stepdad rushed out and carried Gemma back upstairs.

Gemma was covered in scratches and bruises, trembling as she pointed at me.

"Rory, I'm sorry... Please don't lock me in the dark and hit me again..."

I stood frozen in horror.

I had done nothing!

Why was she framing me so ruthlessly?

I tried to step forward to explain, but Mom shoved me down the stairs.

"Throw her out into the street!" Mom ordered the staff coldly.

That freezing night, I dragged my sprained ankle down the suburban avenue, weeping from endless injustice.

The intense trauma triggered my first major cardiac episode.

I collapsed onto the freezing pavement before I could even make it to the neighborhood gates.

Miraculously, our neighbor Mrs. Gable found me and rushed me to the clinic.

Mrs. Gable, a successful unmarried businesswoman who had always been kind to me, brought me back home and scolded my parents fiercely.

"Your child has severe congenital heart disease! How could you let her wander in the cold? What kind of parents are you!"

Neither Mom nor Stepdad cared.

Mom looked at me with cold disgust, muttering under her breath about why I hadn't died out on the street instead.

My old bedroom was converted into Gemma's private walk-in closet.

I was banished to live in the damp, windowless storage room in the basement.

They forbade me from appearing in the main living areas, beating me whenever I stepped out of line.

I finally realized that Mom truly wished I had never been born.

The doorbell rang sharply, snapping my spirit back to reality.

Mrs. Gable stood on the porch, holding a small velvet-covered urn with trembling hands.

My ghostly heart squeezed tightly.

Inside that urn were my ashes.

I never imagined that the person who would collect my remains would be our neighbor.

Mom opened the door, putting on a polite smile since our families had major business dealings together.

"Mrs. Gable, what brings you here today?"

Mrs. Gable's eyes were bloodshot, her face pale with grief as she pushed the urn toward Mom.

"The hospital called me because you refused to claim Rory's body... I couldn't believe a mother could be so cruel, so I went and brought her home myself."

Mom's smile vanished, replaced by an ugly scowl.

"What kind of nonsense is this? My daughter is perfectly fine!"

Mrs. Gable, overwhelmed by grief, didn't catch the bizarre phrasing in Mom's response.

"This is Rory. I signed the paperwork and claimed her ashes myself. There's no mistake."

Mom snapped, her voice shaking with panicked fury.

"Shut up! Rory doesn't have heart disease! Stop cursing my family and get the hell off my property!"

Mom violently slapped the urn out of Mrs. Gable's hands.

The ceramic vessel smashed against the concrete porch, sending a thick cloud of pale gray ash billowing into the air.

Mrs. Gable stood frozen in utter shock.