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When my sister, Sukey Finley, gave me the chance to leave with my mother, I knew that she
had been reborn as well.
However, my mother was a bit hesitant.
She glanced at me and, while trying to persuade my sister, said, “Chapman is about your age, so you two may have more in common. Besides, he’s studying at Piero Junior High School. Don’t you always want to go there?”
As in my previous life, my mother only wanted to take away my sister, who was of the right age, to please Chapman Linkletter, her stepson.
The Linkletter family was influential and wealthy in the city. My mother’s second marriage was a step up the social ladder. After she married into the Linkletter family, she tried her best to curry favor with everyone. She was extremely cautious, fearing that she would lose this hard–won prosperity and fortune.
Paul Linkletter, my mother’s husband, was a typical male chauvinist, and Chapman didn’t like my mother, either.
So, compared with me, who was stubborn and rebellious, my sister was a better candidate
to live with the Linkletters in my mother’s heart.
In my previous life, just as my mother had expected, my sister excelled at ingratiating herself with Chapman.
However, the more obsequious she was, the more Chapman disliked her.
Consequently, she was isolated and bullied at school.
Paul had to work day in and day out, paying no attention to the family affairs. My mother,
who had gone to great lengths to please everyone in the Linkletter family, was also ignored.
I once saw my sister being surrounded and beaten by some girls in an alley. After I rushed
over to help her, I advised her to leave the Linkletter family.
But at that time, she pushed me away fiercely and said, “I know what you’re up to. You want
me to go back home so that you can take my place and live the good life in the Linkletter family. Don’t even think about it! Even if I’m being bullied in the Linkletter family, it’s still better than living
like a lowlife!”
I had no choice but to leave her alone and respect her choice.
Later, when my sister turned eighteen, the Linkletter family arranged for her to marry a rich
young man from a well–matched family.
Seeing her shine brightly in front of the camera, I thought that this might be the life of the
upper class that she had always desired.
A few years later, I went to college and caught the fancy of the heir from the most
prestigious family in the city. At my wedding to him, I saw my sister and her husband.
But she looked at me with fierce jealousy in her eyes.
In the corridor, she blocked my way and questioned me why I could live the life of the upper class without having to endure so much humiliation.
1012 Sat, 8 Mar
class without having to endure so much humiliation.
91%
I looked at her. Even though she was wearing a long–sleeved dress in the sweltering heat of summer, the scars and sores on her body couldn’t be hidden. I wanted to comfort her by telling her that my life wasn’t as smooth as it seemed.
But before I could explain, she pushed me down the stairs.
Before I lost consciousness, I heard her shouting in a high–pitched voice, “Go to hell! I’m suffering so much. Why should you be able to marry up and be happy!”
Was I happy?
She had no idea at all.
When I lived with my uncle and his family, my life was worse than that of an animal.
I couldn’t get enough to eat or wear. Even when I had a high fever of 40 degrees Celsius, I still had to get up at five in the morning and cook for the whole family. On New Year’s Eve in the cold
winter, I was locked outside while the others chatted and laughed inside. I even had to be on guard against the peeping and secretly taking photos by my cousin…
Later, realizing that they could make a profit from my photos, my uncle and his wife exploited
me even more severely. Even my wedding was a kind of disguised transaction.
*So, my dear sister, are you sure you want to give this good fortune to me in this life?” I
wondered secretly.
I pretended to be at a loss and looked up. In my mother’s hesitant gaze, I stepped forward
and timidly tugged at the corner of her clothes, asking, “Mom, if my sister isn’t going, will both she and I stay with Uncle Frank?”
Ruth Quint, my uncle’s wife, instantly turned sullen. She blurted out, “We can’t have that. It
was agreed that only one child would stay with us. How can you change your mind now?”
My uncle, Frank Quint, also looked embarrassed and glanced at my mother, saying, “Naomi, it’s not that we don’t want to help. You know our situation.”
As he spoke, he pointed around his house and showed it to my mother, saying, “We’re only living a three–bedroom apartment. The room prepared for Chelsea was even converted from
Fabian’s study. There’s no space for one more person.”
“Exactly, Fabian is busy preparing for the SAT. He needs a study room.” Ruth seized the opportunity to add.
I clenched my fists as I listened to them.
Although that room was mine in my previous life, my cousin, Fabian Quint’s computer desk was never moved away. They just set up a camp bed for me in the room.
As a result, whether I was studying or resting in that room, Fabian always occupied the desk and played games.
One night, I was even woken up by the sound of pornographic videos from his computer. When I opened my eyes, I saw him putting his hand into his pants while looking at me…
D
I screamed and threw things at him, which alarmed Frank and Ruth.
However, Ruth scolded me for being shameless and seducing Fabian. She even slapped me
riddle of the night
919
As a result, whether I was studying or resting in that room, Fabian always occupied the desk and played games.
One night, I was even woken up by the sound of pornographic videos from his computer. When I opened my eyes, I saw him putting his hand into his pants while looking at me…
I screamed and threw things at him, which alarmed Frank and Ruth.
However, Ruth scolded me for being shameless and seducing Fabian. She even slapped me across the face and dragged me out of the house by my hair in the middle of the night…
Seeing that my mother still wanted to say something, Ruth stood up all of a sudden, put her hands on her hips, and said firmly, “I don’t care. We’re not running a charity house. Taking care of a teenager like Fabian is already more than I can handle. You can’t just shirk your responsibility and dump everything on us! You’re their mother. You have to take one of them with you at least!”
When my mother heard this, her face turned pale a little.
She looked at my sister, and I, too, looked at her.
But my sister had already stepped back several feet and said firmly to my mother, “Mom, I really want to stay with Uncle Frank. Although he’s not as wealthy as the Linkletters, he won’t mistreat me.”
Frank readily promised, “Of course. You’re my niece, Sukey. How could I mistreat her?”
He said it without the slightest sign of embarrassment.
He did keep his promise at first in my previous life.
Frank coveted the pension left by my father back then. Plus, my mother promised him that she would give up the right to inherit the Quint family’s property if Frank adopted me.
At first, he did seem kind to me.
He even defended me when he found out that Ruth was being harsh on me.
But later, when he noticed that my mother had never come to see me even once, he
became bold and completely acquiesced in all of Ruth’s actions…
Hearing what my sister said, my mother didn’t insist anymore. But when she took my hand and walked outside, she still looked at my sister reluctantly, “Sukey. I promise to come back to see you often…”
My body trembled slightly.
My mother didn’t say that to me in my previous life.
At that time, she just pulled my sister and left without looking back. I, who was only eight
years old, was suddenly left there. Watching them leave, I was at a loss and flustered. So I almost immediately chased after them.
But in the end, I could only watch helplessly as they got into the car and drove further and further away. No matter how hard I chased, I couldn’t catch up…
An indescribable bitterness welled up in my heart.
I couldn’t help but look back at my sister.
There was an uncontrollable look of joy and excitement on her face.
It was as if she had already foreseen the dark and miserable future that awaited me…
already foreseen the dark and miserable future that awaited me…
