Chapter 6

When Liam returned, he exaggerated my “faking my death” story, adding his own nasty twists.

The whole family instantly launched into a tirade against me.

“Just as I thought, an ungrateful wretch, only thinking of herself.”

“How could I have given birth to such a heartless creature?”

“Sister is still angry with me. I’ll go apologize, I’ll make amends.”

The tirade reached its peak amidst Serena’s sobbing.

They comforted Serena, while using even more vicious words to curse me.

Ryan half-embraced Serena, gently patting her back to soothe her.

“Serena, it’s not your fault. Kindness isn’t a reason for Chloe Kingston to bully you. A malicious person like her is destined to be disliked by everyone.”

Serena quietly sobbed in Ryan’s arms.

But then, I remembered some things from the past.

Years ago, after Serena’s mother stole me, she dumped me in a trash can.

I was picked up by human traffickers, who sold me to a couple who had been childless for years.

Less than a year after adopting me, that couple had a set of boy-girl twins.

After that, my once ordinary life turned into a living hell.

At just three years old, I had to start learning to do chores.

I also had to take care of my younger brother and sister.

If anything went wrong, my father’s heavy hand was waiting for me.

Simple things like eating enough and having warm clothes were luxuries for me.

In those bitter days, Ryan was one of the few sources of light in my life.

He would secretly slip me a protein bar on the way to school.

He would tend to my wounds after my father hit me.

We got into college together, and naturally, we became a couple.

I dreamed of spending my whole life with him, but then he got together with Serena.

“I shouldn’t have pitied her back then; she’s just a heartless, ungrateful monster.”

Ryan’s harsh words pulled me back to the present.

So, being with me was out of pity?

When I used to tutor Ryan, he once praised me: “Chloe, you’re truly the most wonderful girl in the world.”

After we both started college, there was an opportunity to study abroad for three months.

The school had me in mind for it.

But Ryan really wanted to go. He hugged me, begging me to give him the opportunity.

When I nodded, he happily spun me around.

“Chloe, don’t worry. All this hard work is so I can give you a better life in the future. I want you to walk down the aisle to me in style.”

Ryan discarded his promises like trash.

Only I clung to them, refusing to let go.

Even when what I held in my hand had rotted away, I clutched it like a lifeline.

But Ryan had long forgotten.