Chapter 2

Mom froze for a moment, then smiled smugly.

"See how easy things are when you're obedient? Derek, she's all yours. Make sure you take good care of her."

Derek rubbed his hands together, grinning so hard drool nearly spilled out.

"Don't worry. I guarantee she'll never forget this trip for the rest of her life."

I sneered inwardly.

Indeed, someone would remember this trip for the rest of their life.

"Aria, make sure you take lots of photos for me to see."

Lydia smiled brightly.

I looked at her and replied softly.

"Don't worry, Lydia. Such a good opportunity—I'll definitely share it with you."

When I got home, Mom tossed me a torn burlap sack.

"There are two packs of crackers in there and a sleeping bag. Use them on the road."

I opened the sleeping bag. A pungent moldy smell made me dizzy, and there were even mysterious stains of unknown color on it.

"Mom, Alaska drops to below zero at night. This sleeping bag has holes—it'll freeze someone to death."

"Freeze to death?"

Mom was stuffing expensive beach dresses into Lydia's suitcase without even looking back as she scolded me.

"Derek brought thick blankets. Can't you squeeze in with him? Why do you have to be so delicate!"

She turned around and stuffed a thick wad of cash into Lydia's hands—at least fifty thousand by my estimate.

"Lydia, when you go to Hawaii with your friends, buy whatever you want. Don't deprive yourself."

"I already bought you imported sunscreen for there."

Lydia hugged Mom's arm and whined.

"Mom, you're so biased. Aria gets to go cleanse her soul in Alaska, and you give me all this money. What if she gets jealous?"

Mom snorted coldly.

"She's going to atone for her karma. What does she need money for? If she were half as sensible as you, I wouldn't have to work so hard making these arrangements."

I stood in the shadows, watching this mother-daughter bonding scene, my nails digging deep into my palms.

At midnight, I was awakened by suppressed voices.

On the balcony, Mom was speaking in a lowered voice on the phone, her tone carrying a humility and ruthlessness I'd never heard before.

"Derek, I've placated her. Pick her up at dawn during the holiday."

I don't know what the person on the other end said, but Mom's voice trembled, then turned firm.

"I know. That incident must stay buried."

"The person is yours to handle however you want. Whether she lives or dies, she's your goods. As long as that secret never comes to light, I don't even want the thirty thousand. Consider it your service fee."

Leaning against the door, my whole body turned cold.

Goods?

Secret?

So this wasn't some road trip at all—it was a dirty transaction.

I didn't make a sound, just bit my lip hard.

I'd always known Mom hated me.

Ever since I was five years old, when Dad died in a car accident on his way to pick me up from school, I became the jinx she cursed.

She took all her resentment out on me. Kneeling punishments and hunger were routine. She cursed me with the most vicious words.

I always thought she just resented me for taking away her happiness.

But I never imagined she actually wanted me dead.

Even a vicious tiger doesn't eat its cubs.

Mom, if that's how it is, don't blame me.