Chapter 3

"Ella! What the hell are you doing?"

The door flew open. Leon rushed in and saw the blood on Lucy's arm. He pointed at me. "You disappeared from the hospital. I've been looking for you for days! Now you come back and try to kill your own sister?"

"I didn't touch her! She cut herself!" I glared at Lucy as she sobbed in his arms.

"She cut herself?" Leon gave a cold laugh. "So you're saying Lucy did this just to frame you? I think jealousy has driven you mad! It's bad enough that you're ugly. Do you have to be this cruel too? Get out of my way, you fat pig!"

Just then, my parents rushed in. They frowned when they saw me. Then they noticed the blood running down Lucy's arm. "Ella! What did you do?"

"How could you do this to your sister? I can't believe we raised someone this cruel. I wish you'd never been born!"

I held up the file, my voice shaking. "Mom, Dad, you knew Lucy was giving me hormones. You even helped her make me eat all that high-calorie food. Didn't you?"

My parents froze and looked away. Then they quickly denied it. "What are you talking about? You couldn't control your eating, and now you're blaming us?"

"Your sister gave you that medicine because she cared about your health. Why are you making such a big deal out of it?"

I couldn't take it anymore. "Mom, Dad, I'm your daughter too! Why do you always choose her over me?"

Lucy had always been their favorite. She was pretty and knew how to act sweet.

No matter what she did wrong, I was always the one who got punished.

I thought they might love me more if I worked hard enough. But even when I came first in my class, they never praised me.

Once, I got so sick with a fever that I went into shock. They were angry because my illness ruined Lucy's trip to the amusement park.

Then Leon came into my life. He stood up to my parents for me. He took me places and did all the things I'd always wanted to do.

Whenever Lucy framed me and my parents yelled at me, I would hide in a corner and cry. Leon would hold me and say, "Ella, I'll protect you from now on. I'll never let anyone hurt you."

He was the only person who seemed to choose me. So I fell in love with him and gave him everything.

I'd even ended up like this because I saved him.

But now, the man who had promised to protect me only cared about Lucy.

Just like my parents, he chose her over me. He betrayed me and shoved me into hell.

I snapped back to reality and looked at the people I'd once loved most. Now, it all seemed like a cruel joke.

"Fine. If you won't admit what you did, I'll go to the police. I'll let them find out the truth."

Mom rushed forward and slapped me. Then she grabbed the file and tore it to pieces.

"Shut up! You crazy liar! Lucy has always been better behaved than you. While you were gone, she was dealing with the press and cleaning up your mess! And this is how you thank her? You ungrateful brat!"

My father gave me a disappointed look and pointed at the door. "There's no room for you in this house. Get out."

Leon carried Lucy past me, disgust written across his face. As he passed, he kicked me hard in the stomach.

"Move, you ugly pig! Out of my way!"

I lost my balance and fell hard. My arm scraped across the floor, leaving a long, bloody cut.

Tears filled my eyes as pain shot through my body.

No one cared. My parents rushed after Leon as he took Lucy to the hospital. Not one of them looked back.

I lay on the floor with the smell of blood in the air.

The pain was unbearable.

But it also killed the last bit of love I still had for them.

The old Ella was gone. I would lose this weight and start over.

When I stumbled out of the villa, Stephen's black Rolls-Royce was waiting outside.

Stephen leaned against the car door. His voice cut through the cold night. "Remember this pain. Turn your hate into strength. Then make them pay a hundred times over. A thousand times over."

I swallowed the metallic taste rising in my throat. "The old Ella is dead. From now on, I'll make them pay!"

After that, I pushed myself harder than ever.

I trained through the pain, even when my muscles cramped so badly I couldn't sleep.

Meanwhile, Leon kept calling and texting me.

"Ella, are you done making a scene? Come back and apologize to Lucy!"

"You walked away from the whole management team over one little fight. Do you have any idea how irresponsible that is?"

"Stop throwing a tantrum. Admit you were wrong, and maybe I'll let you stick around."

I ignored him. All I cared about was losing weight and getting stronger.

Whenever I came close to giving up, Stephen kept me going. He trained beside me in the boxing ring. When I pushed myself until I nearly threw up, he handed me warm water.

Six months passed.

One day, I stood in front of the mirror and smiled at my image.

The overweight woman everyone had mocked was gone. In her place was a strong, confident woman with a lean, fit body.

I had finally gotten my confidence and energy back.

I checked the latest entertainment news. Famous director David Reed was working on a major new movie. Leon and his longtime rival, Romeo Blake, were both up for the lead role.

They had been rivals since the start of their careers. With me as his manager, Leon had always come out on top.

But not this time. I was going to make sure he lost.

I picked up my phone and called Stephen. "I want to be the lead producer on David Reed's new movie."