Chapter 3

Thinking of this, I felt as if I could still feel the bear-man tearing at my flesh. My legs trembled slightly.

Until someone tapped me on the shoulder, I was finally freed from the terror.

Looking up, I met Lucas's sullen face. "What do you want?"

I held out my hand, "Give me this week's allowance."

Lucas and I were only a year apart, but we were well-known throughout the school.

I was in the top ten of my grade, while Lucas was dead last in his.

Every pair of Lucas's shoes cost over a thousand dollars, and all his clothes under the school uniform were designer brands. Meanwhile, I wore the same pair of shoes all year round and only had four outfits to rotate.

At first, Mom and Dad said they'd give us each fifty dollars a week for living expenses.

But fifty dollars wasn't enough to live on at our school, so I skipped dinner every day, ate just an egg and a glass of milk for breakfast, and two steamed buns with some chili sauce for lunch.

Lucas lived much better than me, ordering stir-fry dishes in the cafeteria every day.

When I saw this and asked Mom about it, she scolded me, "You don't focus on your studies, always comparing yourself to your brother. How could I possibly give him money?"

I asked her, "Then why does Lucas eat stir-fry dishes in the cafeteria every day?"

"His friends must be treating him," Mom sneered. "Your brother has many friends, unlike you who doesn't have a single one."

I felt so wronged at the time. Was it that I didn't want to make friends?

It was that I had no time to make friends. Whether it was holidays or weekends, I always had endless housework to do.

I barely had time to do my homework.

Later I found out that Mom really hadn't given Lucas extra money. She had just pre-loaded five thousand dollars onto his meal card, and would reload it whenever it ran out.

Lucas said, "Mom and Dad didn't give you any."

I asked, "Then what am I supposed to eat?"

Lucas sneered, "How should I know? That's what you get for talking back to Mom!"

I knew it would be like this.

It was the same before. Whenever I did something that made Mom unhappy, she would directly cut off my living expenses.

Sometimes she even threatened not to let me go to school.

I always thought Mom wouldn't be so heartless and always held onto a glimmer of hope for her.

So every time I would compromise and do whatever she told me to do.

But what did I get in return?

She pushed me out of the car without hesitation and didn't even look back as they drove away.

After I died, Mom stared out the car window for a long time.

But she said to Dad, "It's good that she's dead. Now no one will say our Lucas isn't as good as his sister."

That's when I realized my family had no feelings for me.

Whether I ranked first or was obedient, Mom only cared about Lucas.

Seeing Lucas's smug expression, I felt a bit disgusted but still asked him for money, "If they won't give it to me, you give it to me."

Lucas's face changed immediately, "Why should I?"

"If you don't give it to me, I'll tell Mom about you chasing that girl in your class."

Lucas had been pursuing a girl in his class, and everyone knew about it.

But the girl wasn't blind and wasn't interested in a mama's boy like him.

After my experience in my previous life, I realized that Mom wasn't just favoring her son over her daughter - she hated all females. She didn't just dislike me; she disliked all girls who appeared around Lucas.

Once before, when another girl was pursuing Lucas and the family found out about it, Mom went to the school and hit that girl, calling her nasty names to her face.

When Lucas heard this, he immediately became anxious. He grabbed my collar and raised his fist at me, "Aria, who gave you permission to talk to me like that? Say it again and I'll beat you to death!"

I looked at him fearlessly, "You're already threatening to beat me to death, so I might as well tell. Besides, Mom calls me every day to ask about you anyway."

Lucas's expression changed, and he finally let go of me, blurting out a curse.

In the end, he took out fifty dollars from his pocket and threw it on the ground.

I said coldly, "I want a hundred."

Lucas cursed at me under his breath and took out another fifty. He pointed at my face and warned, "Don't you dare say a word more."

Although I had a hundred dollars now, I still didn't dare spend it carelessly.

But life was a bit better than before. At least I dared to order a plate of potato strips for lunch.

I remembered that in my previous life, school continued until the Monday of the following week, and we started the holiday on the 30th.

When Mom and Dad found out about this, they specially took two days off in advance and picked us up from school on the afternoon of the 29th to drive straight to Wyoming.

This week, Mom hadn't called me to ask about her son's situation. I thought that no matter what, she wouldn't take me along.

But on the afternoon of the 29th, the teacher called me over and said my parents were waiting for me at the gate.

I reluctantly and slowly went out of the school gate. This time, Mom was sitting in the front passenger seat, and Lucas was in the back.

"Aria, what are you dawdling for? Get in the car quickly. We'll hit traffic soon," Dad shouted at me.

I opened the car door and got in, "Didn't you say you weren't taking me?"

Dad said, "We're a family. We should do everything together."

But Mom sneered beside him, "You treat her like family, but does she treat you like family?"

I expressed my thoughts again, "I don't want to go."

Mom got annoyed and bared her teeth at me, "Don't push your luck. Go when I tell you to go. Say another word and I'll hit you."

When Mom said she would hit someone, she really would.

I once had three ribs broken by her.

So every time she bared her teeth, my whole heart would tremble.

I didn't dare say anything more. Lucas let out a nasty laugh beside me.

The car quickly left the school, getting further and further away as we looked back. We were about to get on the highway.

I thought and thought, and finally came up with an idea.

"Ouch, ouch!" I clutched my stomach and started yelling, "Ah! My stomach hurts!"