Chapter 2

The moment Leo walked in, he took up all of Mom and Dad's attention.

Mom hurried over with a bowl of soup. When she brushed past me, she shot me a sharp, warning look; she was warning me not to make a scene in front of Leo.

The hardened expression on Dad's face was replaced by a smile the moment he saw Leo. He scooped Leo into his arms. "I haven't seen you all morning, son. I missed you so much!"

I stood frozen in place, watching the happy family of three. It felt as though an invisible hand had seized my heart and squeezed it mercilessly, leaving me in so much pain that I could barely breathe.

Even though I had worked a summer job away from home for two months and made a special trip back just for the special occasion, all Dad could think about was Leo, whom he got to see every single day.

On a day that was supposed to be a joyous occasion for family reunions, I came to the sharp realization once again that I had lost my home long ago.

I turned my head away, grabbed my bag, and headed straight for the door, desperate to escape this suffocating place. With a sharp crash, a plate was accidentally knocked to the floor by my movement, shattering into pieces.

Mom's and Dad's smiles instantly froze. I had barely taken a step when Dad yanked me back. I stumbled and fell onto the broken pieces, shards of ceramic plunging deep into my palm.

Dad looked down at me with utter disgust. "Daphne, after everything I've done to raise you, you have the nerve to smash plates and give me an attitude? Looks like all those years of education were a complete waste on you!"

He shoved his finger in my face, spewing spit as he chewed me out.

I parted my lips to explain, but Mom's hand crackled across my cheek. "It's supposed to be a festive holiday, yet you just had to upset your father, you ingrate! Plus, you refused to marry the man we picked for you. Will you only be happy if you drive your father and me to our graves?"

Tears streamed down my face as I shook my head repeatedly.

For years, I had held out hope, countless times, that Mom and Dad might love me.

I had given up the bedroom I'd lived in for eight years so Leo could have it, sleeping on the balcony that was freezing in the winter and sweltering in the summer for a decade, foolishly believing that my sacrifice would make them care about me.

Unfortunately, everyone in the family just took it for granted.

Later, when a fire accidentally broke out in the house, Mom and Dad carried Leo out and left me completely behind, as if I didn't even exist. I almost died when I was 17.

Now that I had managed to survive, they wanted me to sacrifice the rest of my life for Leo's future.

But I was also their child. Sadly, no one gave a damn how I felt; they treated me as though I were invisible.

I curled up on the floor in despair, sobbing until my whole body ached from the inside out. By the time my tears ran dry, Mom and Dad had tied my hands behind my back and locked me out on the balcony.

Countless nights in the past, I had lain on the little bed on the balcony, listening as Mom used her gentlest voice to tell stories, lulling Leo to sleep. I, on the other hand, could only keep my tears at bay as the cold draft blew in through the window.

This time, I refused to let Mom and Dad control my fate, though. I fumbled beneath my pillow and found the box of matches I had hidden there.

I was about to set the bedding on fire and force Mom and Dad to let me out when I heard a click, and the balcony door was pushed open by Leo.

"Mom and Dad are asleep, Daphne. I'm going to untie you and let you go."

My movements stilled, looking into Leo's sincere eyes in disbelief.

"Daphne, you've already given me one of your kidneys. I can't be selfish and ask you to sacrifice the rest of your life, too, just so your wedding gift can buy me a house."

Leo's words brought a trace of warmth back to my heart, which had gone cold. Before I left, I hugged him with gratitude.

The second my fingertips touched the doorknob and I was about to escape, I froze dead in my tracks.