Chapter 3

Everyone stared at me. Their gazes were filled with disappointment, but mostly with rage.

Willow had loved causing trouble since she was little. She’d broken dishes in the kitchen, snapped Mom’s lipstick, killed the fish in the tank, stolen the neighbor’s packages… whatever she did wrong, when the truth came to light, she’d always lie and make me take the blame. I was never good with words, so I became the bad kid in Mom and Dad’s eyes, the born evil in my brothers’ words. Being beaten was a daily occurrence for me.

In the years Willow was gone, I’d finally had a moment of peace. But now, I was terrified. I glared at her, retorting, “Willow, I never said anything like that! I tried to stop you back then, but I couldn’t. *You* were the one who said you were cutting ties with us.”

“Alice, of course, wouldn’t admit it.” Willow was a weeping mess. She cut me off, feigning weakness and understanding. “It’s all in the past now. Those nightmarish years are over. I don’t blame Alice. I just beg you, Sister, for the sake of being my blood sister, please don’t try to hurt me again, okay?”

I frantically explained, “I didn’t! I really didn’t!”

Willow nodded. “Right, right, you didn’t. Such a big deal, let’s just say I framed you. After all, murderers never admit their crimes, do they?”

Mom hugged Willow tightly, her whole body trembling with anger. Dad clenched his fists, his eyes blazing with fury. He stepped forward, grabbed my collar, and cursed at me. “You ungrateful daughter! I always knew you were competitive, always wanting to win against your sister, but I never imagined you could be so evil!”

Liam and Noah just stood by. Like countless times before when Dad had disciplined me, they watched coldly, letting Dad beat me without saying a word. A storm of blows rained down on me. I convulsed with pain, crying until my voice was hoarse, repeatedly explaining, “I didn’t! It wasn’t me!” But my words were too weak, and no one believed them. They even thought I was lying, calling me unrepentant, just like countless times in my childhood when faced with Willow’s undeniable accusations that I refused to admit.

Mom, like a hen protecting her chick, screamed at me with pure hatred. “You’re a born evil! Might as well kill you! How dare you abduct and sell your own sister? I won’t find peace until I break every bone in your body!”

When I was covered in injuries, Dad finally grew tired of hitting me. He pressed his hard leather shoe onto my ankle and cursed, “You’re worse than an animal! Willow just shared her gifts with you, calling you her only sister, she’s so kind, yet you try to destroy her like this.”

Liam frowned, looking at me. “Alice, you’re utterly heartless. Why wasn’t it *you* who got abducted by traffickers?” Noah’s eyes were also filled with disappointment. “Alice, when you do something wrong, there’s a price to pay.”

Everyone, without knowing right from wrong, shielded Willow. Their regret and anger, as if finally finding an outlet, turned into violence unleashed upon me. I coughed up blood. Even breathing hurt. I could only open my mouth, feebly and weakly arguing, “I didn’t… I really didn’t…”

Willow cried even harder. She had become the family’s favorite. In a few words, she had completely ruined my reputation. Just as I closed my eyes in despair, I suddenly heard Willow’s voice.

“Crushing it, hahahaha! Alice, that loser, is still as stupid as ever. A few simple tricks and I’ve got her utterly defeated.”

“Hahahaha, what a bunch of idiots! Hurry up and drive Alice to her death, then I’ll be the sole favorite. Next, it’s the two brothers’ turn. Watching you turn on each other is going to be so satisfying, serves you right!”

“Everyone can just die, not a single good person among you. After you’re all gone, I’ll inherit everything.”

I looked up in terror. Willow was quietly cowering in Mom’s arms, timid as a frightened kitten. Her mouth hadn’t moved at all.

What was going on? Why could I hear her voice? Just as I wondered if I was hallucinating, I noticed everyone’s gazes had shifted from me to Willow. Their eyes were still filled with raging fury. But this time, it wasn’t directed at me.