Chapter 2

The young man's voice from before sounded again. "Summer, you actually triggered Ash again! You're so cruel that you don't even deserve to be called my sister. Hurry up and come out. You need to apologize to Ash!"

He called me his sister, but the way he treated me was anything but affectionate. He looked more like someone confronting an enemy.

Before I could even process what was happening, he grew impatient and stormed into the dark room, grabbing my arm and yanking me toward the door.

I couldn't physically fight a grown man, but the fear of the outside world made me struggle instinctively. "No… Stop!"

I stretched my hands out and gripped the only table in the room, my nails digging into the wood until they nearly broke.

Feeling my fear, the man just snorted. "Are you finally scared now? What took you so long? Someone like you needs to suffer a bit to learn your lesson!"

He kept pulling me toward the door with brute force. My nails finally broke, and the pain shot through every finger, making me cry out.

"Can you shut up? If you keep yelling and it scares Ash, I won't go easy on you!"

This man, who I assumed was my brother, kicked me in an attempt to make me quiet down. Seeing that I kept screaming, he clamped his hand over my mouth.

The closer we got to the door, the more my eyes shook with fear. Somehow, I found the courage to bite down hard on his hand. He yelped and released me.

Without hesitation, I scrambled back into a corner.

He laughed under his breath, annoyed and amused all at once. "Summer, you've really picked up some nerve, haven't you?"

In the darkness, lit only by the faint glow of his phone, he swung his arm and slapped me across the face.

"You're the eldest daughter of the Reid family, yet you've got zero manners. How dare you bite me? Didn't you used to beg us on your knees because you were terrified of going into the dark room? What are you pretending for now? This is just about not wanting to apologize to Ash!"

I didn't answer. I was just stunned.

Were they really my family?

In my understanding, families should support each other and live in harmony. At worst, they might act distant. But what were these people doing? They shoved me into a pitch‑black room, hit me whenever they felt like it, and wouldn't even spare me when I fell to my knees.

What exactly was I to them? Their daughter? Their sister? Or their enemy?

I shivered all over. No matter how I tried, I couldn't find an answer.

Seeing that I didn't respond, my brother grew angrier. "Don't want to come out? Fine. Then stay in here for the rest of your life!"

He kicked the door hard, then told someone to lock it. Before he left, I heard him tell the others not to bring me any food or water.

The room fell quiet again, and everything was dead still.

It seemed the room had been soundproofed. After the door closed, all I could hear was my own ragged breathing. Not a single other noise reached me.

I stayed huddled in the corner. As I was unable to hear anything, I couldn't even tell how much time had passed. But my spasming stomach reminded me that I needed to eat.

I couldn't remember anything clearly, but it felt like I'd already been shut in here for days with no food. That explained the gnawing hunger and the pain in my stomach.

I pressed my fist against my abdomen, trying to dull the pain even a little. But it didn't help. I didn't know how many times this had happened, but my stomach felt torn up. Waves of pain shot through my body, making cold sweat pour down my body.

I lifted my arms and banged on the door, hoping someone outside would rescue me. My movements were practiced like I had done this hundreds of times before. But even when I ran out of strength, the door didn't budge.

This place felt like a prison made just for me.

I didn't know how long it was until my lips cracked from dryness and my body was close to giving out.

Then suddenly, I heard a soft click.

A faint beam from a flashlight cut into the darkness, and a plainly dressed woman slipped inside. When she saw me, her whole face was filled with worry.

"Ms. Summer, is your stomach acting up again? I brought you some medicine and oatmeal. Hurry and eat before Mr. Reid or anyone else finds out."