Chapter 3

I didn't want to kneel, but my father's bodyguards forced me down.

Every time the bamboo switch fell, my back burned.

"I sent you to a simple, honest place to wash the stink of money off you, and look at what you've become. Absolutely disgraceful!

"Where's your sister? Tell her to come back now!"

The front door suddenly opened.

For one dazed second, the timing was so perfect I almost wondered if Claire had truly come back.

But the person who ran in was Jenna.

The moment she entered, she threw herself into my mother's arms.

"Aunt Diane..."

My parents' voices softened on instinct.

My father, who had just been ready to tear me apart, even put the bamboo switch away at once, afraid of scaring his sweet niece.

"Jenna, why did you come back so suddenly?

"You traveled all that way from overseas. Why don't you take better care of yourself?

"If you wanted to come home, you should've told us. Your aunt would have sent the private jet. We have the means. Why squeeze onto a commercial flight with strangers?"

I laughed at myself.

When my sister and I studied in the city, that made us spoiled.

But for Jenna, even a private jet flying back and forth was perfectly reasonable.

Jenna glanced at me.

"I... I heard Clara came home.

"I was afraid you'd get angry and lay a hand on her, so I rushed back overnight because I was worried.

"Uncle Gerald, Aunt Diane, I'm already living under your roof. You've been so kind to me. So what if Clara says a few sharp things to me?

"Please don't be angry anymore."

Playing the victim to get her way had always been her favorite trick.

Her fake meekness was nauseating, but my parents fell for it every time.

My father grabbed the bamboo switch again and pointed it at me.

"Look at Jenna, then look at yourself. When will you ever be as sensible as her? When will you stop making us worry?"

I stood there numbly.

Before we were sent away to that remote school, Claire and I had already realized we could never win against Jenna.

To keep our parents from getting angry, we swallowed every grievance and tried to stay out of her way.

But now, there was no one left in this family I cared about.

Parents like this were better than nothing only in theory.

So I put her little schemes out in the open.

"Did you come home because you're afraid they'll get angry? Or are you afraid my coming back will threaten your place in this family?"

A vicious flash crossed Jenna's eyes, but the next second she clutched my mother's hand and began to sob.

"Aunt Diane, thank you for being willing to send me abroad for school, but maybe I should just go."

My mother, who had been willing to play the gentle one, lost her temper over that one sentence.

She frowned at me.

"Clara Voight, Jenna already offered you an olive branch. Do you have to lace every word with thorns?

"You said your father and I wrongly accused you before. But this time we heard the whole thing ourselves. You were the one picking a fight for no reason. You're petty and can't stand anyone else. What is there left to argue?"

Still furious, she stepped forward and struck me twice across the back.

In this family, my sister and I were always the weaker side.

No matter how hard I fought back, they could handle me with ease.

My mother hit me while Jenna watched.

Now and then, Jenna even came over to twist the knife.

"Aunt Diane, please stop hitting her. The more you do this, the more she'll hate me. Before she was sent away last time, she said that once she came back she'd make sure I couldn't stay in this family anymore.

"Just give in already, Clara. I already did what you wanted and went abroad. Stop making trouble, okay?"

The more she spoke, the angrier my parents became.

"Who gave you the nerve to talk like that? We're still alive, and you already think you're the head of this family?

"Was this your sister's idea?

"Go to your room and think about what you've done. You don't eat until you admit you're wrong!

"I'll make this clear today. If you and your sister stay this unrepentant, neither of you will see a cent. When I'm gone, every last dollar goes to Jenna!"