Chapter 5

In my previous life, before the Lin family gave up on her, Scarlett didn't hesitate to bully me, leveraging their influence.

She ordered her little crew to drag me into the bathroom, forced me to drink from the toilet, smeared glue on my chair, and tore up the practice books I’d saved money for ages to buy… She once told me directly, “Sister, why are you living so well while I suffer in the Lin family?

Shouldn’t we, as sisters, share our joys and sorrows?” So, this time, I prepared a generous thank-you gift for her.

That evening, I received a call from Mom. Crying, she said Scarlett and her boyfriend had been kidnapped, and the kidnappers demanded five million dollars, or they'd kill them. She hoped I could lend her some money, promising Dylan would pay me back when he returned.

I didn’t give her money, but I pointed her in the right direction, advising her to seek help from Dylan’s family.

Mom must have been quite surprised when she saw the tiny “Dylan’s family mansion,” built of mud and straw.

Sure enough, around ten o’clock that night, Mom and Dad called me from a dark, remote village, complaining and demanding I send the Lin family’s driver to pick them up.

“Blair, that con artist Dylan isn’t a powerful family heir at all! His house is practically falling apart, the windows and doors are rotting, and it’s colder inside than out! Your sister was completely fooled by him!”

I feigned surprise. “Oh? Really? He was so generous with Scarlett; his family shouldn’t be like that, should it?”

Mom kept complaining into the phone. I put my phone aside and continued grinding on my practice problems.

Mom talked for a long time until Dad impatiently cut her off, grumbling, “Shut up already. Let’s just get Blair to send a car to pick us up first.”

Mom finally reacted, urging me to send the Lin family’s driver.

I put on a crying voice, sounding wronged and helpless. “Mom, Victor and Eleanor are out, probably at some banquet. All the family drivers went with them to pick up guests. They told me to study hard at home and didn’t take me.”

“Mom, Dad, I miss you. Can you pay the Lin family some medical expenses and take me home?” Mom’s attitude immediately did a complete one-eighty. Her voice turned harsh and cold.

“You good-for-nothing! Your father and I worked so hard to raise you for over a decade, and before you could even earn money to honor us, you became someone else’s property. Now you want money from us? Do you think we’re a printing press? I’m telling you, right now, immediately send a driver to pick us up, or when I get back, I’ll skin you alive!”

I sneered. She finally couldn't hide her true colors.

In my previous life, after Scarlett went to the Lin household, Mom and Dad started living like royalty, quitting their jobs and idling around at home. They dumped all the housework on me, and I barely squeezed in time to do my homework.

I scavenged cardboard and empty bottles from their drinks and alcohol, selling them to buy my practice books. A few times, they found out, snatched all the money, accused me of stealing, and tied me to a pillar, whipping me with a belt for ages until they were tired.

Later, Scarlett struggled in the Lin family, unable to give them money or the life they wanted. But I won third prize in the provincial math competition. Neighbors who used to gossip about Mom and Dad now came to congratulate them.

Mom and Dad found new jobs, feigned being loving parents, and started doting on me. Later, I certainly didn't disappoint their expectations, becoming a multi-million dollar executive.

Mom and Dad never showed their true colors to Scarlett. I guessed it was because of Dylan, her "powerful family boyfriend." Now that their dream was shattered, could they still keep up the act?