Chapter 2

I was playing computer games on my laptop when Melinda knocked on my door.

She peeked in and stuck out her tongue at me cheekily, trying to look cute and innocent.

"Are you studying hard again, Lisa? Mom asked me to bring you some apples because she was worried you'd be too tired and hungry from studying."

When she came closer to me, however, she quickly realized that I wasn't studying but rather playing computer games instead.

She couldn't help but panic a little as she yelled at me. "Lisa! Don't you know how much pressure is on us now that we're high-school seniors? The SATs are just around the corner too! How could you still be in the mood for games instead of studying hard?

"Mom's going to be so upset if you don't get good grades on the SATs!"

I stopped playing the game for a moment and turned around to look at her.

"I'm just taking a break from studying because I was tired. I'm just trying to relax a little. Am I not allowed to do that?

"Also, I've always been very quick in my revisions. This game is quite fun and perfect for helping me relax before the exams."

"Sure, of course… Studying is about balancing work and rest, after all. But Lisa, you need to make sure that you stay focused, okay? Don't let these games distract you too much.

"You know that playing too much of these games will affect your thinking, right? Don't stay up too late playing them, Lisa."

Her expression was incredibly unpleasant. Her so-called fruit delivery was just an excuse she'd come up with to keep an eye on my studying progress. After all, she'd just given up ten years of her life for this. Of course, she had to make sure that I was going to ace my SATs no matter what!

"It's time to go back to studying, Lisa. Mom's going to start nagging at you if she finds out."

I ignored her, and she eventually went out on her own. Yet, just a few minutes after she left, Mom came straight into my room.

She sighed and looked at me, speaking in a reproachful tone.

"Linda was just concerned about you. Why did you have to say such harsh and hurtful words to her? You're her older sister!"

I was confused. "Harsh and hurtful words? What? When did I ever say such things to her?"

I recalled our conversation earlier. I had spoken to her for at most three lines.

Mom waved her hand dismissively at me and said, "Nothing. Just forget what I said."

She saw the computer game on my screen and couldn't help nagging at me again. "This is not the time for computer games! Turn it off now!

"If you have the time for computer games, then why couldn't you just have used the time to tutor your sister on her studies? Are her results not that important after all?"

When she saw that I wasn't responding to her, she stormed over to me and slammed my laptop shut.

"You disobedient brat! I'm talking to you! How dare you ignore me?

"I'm telling you, Melissa Bolton. Linda is your younger sister, and we are all family. Since she has problems studying, you must help her no matter what! It's your job as her older sister!"

My job? I had to help her no matter what?

I never thought that it was the case at all.

Melinda had always had a weak body growing up, and so, she was also a regular at clinics and hospitals.

That was why Mom and Dad often focused more of their time on her instead of me. She also got sick very often and very frequently, and Mom and Dad always felt more sorry for her and pitied her more often.

It was precisely because of their mindset that the whole family was thus inclined to cater to Melinda's every whim and fancy. In fact, they often treated her so differently from me that I often wondered if I was even their biological child after all.

Mom kept gaslighting me too.

"Linda has had a weak immune system since young. You should always be more considerate and tolerant of her. You're the older sister, so you must always treat her right and take good care of her. Understand?"

In my past life, Mom had completely brainwashed me and convinced me that it was the absolute truth. Melinda was a sickly, pitiful child, and therefore, I, as her older sister, had to always give up everything for her.

No matter where we went, I was always very defensive and protective of her. If she got bullied at school, I would be the one standing up for her. Even if I was the one who got bullied in return for it, I still thought that it was a relief that I was made the target instead of her.

I had limited pocket money every month, but I would always give half of it to Melinda. Everything I bought was in pairs, one for me and one for her.

I would even give her half of my most favorite snacks and foods that I personally couldn't bear to eat myself.

I thought that all of these would make her see the love I had for her.

However, it turned out that she never thought of me as her older sister after all. In fact, she even wanted to swap her SAT scores with mine!

"Mom! It's not that I don't want to tutor her. She just doesn't want to learn! I've tried everything, but nothing worked."

Mom frowned hard. She patted me on the shoulder and said, "Then it means that you weren't putting in any effort when you were tutoring her. If you were serious about it, she couldn't possibly not learn anything. It's because you didn't work hard enough.

"Now stop playing computer games and go tutor your sister."

I had expected this from the start. Mom had always taken Melinda's side no matter what. She'd never considered anything from my perspective before nor spoken up for me.

In fact, her favoritism toward Melinda had even reached a pathological level.