Chapter 1

I stared at my baby brother Lucas, who was just learning to speak. I knew that not far away, there were child traffickers waiting for their chance.

Hearing the piercing cry of a child, I felt disoriented.

"You deaf girl! Take your brother out to play!" my mom Karen yelled.

My lips trembled as I pinched myself hard. The pain made me shudder.

Mom impatiently pushed me, her familiar curses filling the air. "I really gave birth to a useless girl. Always pretending to be dead when there's work to do."

Suddenly, I snapped back to reality. Turning my head, I saw my small reflection in the glass window.

I had been given a second chance at life!

Glancing at the calendar on the wall, I instantly realized what day it was.

I carried Lucas out, trying to organize my thoughts.

Loan sharks, debt collection, falling from a building.

I bit my lip and looked at Lucas, who was curiously looking around.

Did I hate him? Of course, I did.

In those few seconds of falling from the high-rise, I had cursed this family with all the malice I could muster.

I was supposed to get married in just a few days, finally escaping this suffocating quagmire.

Instead, I died in an abandoned factory, becoming nothing but rotting flesh for flies and ants.

I took a deep breath. The overwhelming resentment made black thorns grow in my heart, my eyes gradually turning frantic.

I remembered this day very clearly.

It was on this day that we encountered child traffickers.

I went to buy Lucas an ice cream, but he was lured away by someone with a lollipop.

I was terrified, but I was smart enough to ask adults around for help.

In the end, Lucas was saved, but he was traumatized and cried non-stop when we got home.

Lucas was already two and a half years old, but he had been spoiled rotten by our mom.

He would cry and throw tantrums at the slightest dissatisfaction, speaking one word at a time.

"...Hit...Me...Hurt..."

Mom's eyes widened in anger. She grabbed a belt and beat me half to death.

"You little beast, he's your brother! How dare you hit him! Why don't you just die!"

I curled up, crying out, "I didn't! It was bad people, bad people tried to grab him!"

"You little beast, still lying! You're the worst thing in our family. How did I give birth to such an ungrateful creature?"

I cried until my voice was hoarse, crawling to the edge of the bed. "Lucas, Lucas, tell mom I didn't hit you!"

But Lucas seemed amused by the scene and started giggling.

Lucas suddenly laughed as if he had seen something interesting.

The child's innocent laughter overlapped with my dark memories.

My whole body tensed up. The sudden fear almost made me throw him away.

I trembled all over.

I didn't know if it was because of hatred or excitement.

-- The ice cream stand was just around the corner.

Two men wearing old-fashioned hats were crouching not far away.

Once again, I stood at this crossroads of fate.

Sure enough, Lucas spoke up.

"Ice... eat... eat."

I lowered my head. "Does Lucas want ice cream?"

Lucas nodded.

I felt my blood boiling, turning my brain into mush.

I walked towards the ice cream stand.

Lucas was left behind. I couldn't see him, but I could clearly feel his small figure.

Gradually shrinking, blurring, falling into a haze.

I took the ice cream from the vendor, shuddering at its cold touch.

If Lucas disappeared...

I wouldn't have to live like a dog in this family anymore.

I wouldn't have to support a family of bloodsuckers.

I wouldn't be chased by debt collectors to the point of jumping off a building.

I should have had a great life.

I stared at the ice cream, unconsciously gripping it tightly, my eyes as red as blood.

"Hey, hey, girl, you haven't paid yet!" the vendor called out.

The scorching July sun shone on me.

But I felt like I had fallen into an ice pit.

I threw away the ice cream and ran back like a madwoman.