Chapter 3

"Anyway, you can earn money," Klara had said. "If you're short on cash, just take on a few more part-time jobs."

"Starting my sophomore year, I won't have that much free time," I had explained. "My coursework is heavier, and I have to spend most of my time in the research lab."

She had brushed it off. "Then figure something out on your own. As parents, we have done everything we can for you."

After that, they truly never gave me another cent. It was as if my survival, my future, and my entire existence had zero relation to them.

...

Pulling myself out of the memory, I continued, "I bought this phone with my own money. I didn't spend a dime of yours."

In this digital age, having a smooth-operating phone to process and receive data in real time was critical for my major.

I slept barely four hours a day, juggling part-time jobs and my academic workload. I saved for six months before finally bringing myself to buy this older iPhone model.

My gaze shifted to Evie's phone. "Is yours an iPhone 17 Pro Max?"

Evie flinched, hiding the phone behind her back. "Don't you dare try to accuse me of squandering money! Mom and Dad bought one for Calvin, too!"

A surge of bitter irony washed over me. Over all these years, it wasn't that I hadn't felt resentful. It was just that before, I had silently swallowed every ounce of heartbreak.

But today, I was determined to lay it all bare.

"Mom, you had plenty of money to buy top phone models for Calvin and Evie, but you had no money to fund my college education?" I demanded sharply.

"Mine is the 1TB version!" Evie mumbled under her breath. "It cost over 2,000 dollars."

Klara's face flushed red, but then she turned livid. "Are you blaming me? The girl next door works part-time jobs in college to help pay her family's bills! What about you?"

"Calvin has graduated and has been working for a year now while living and eating at home for free," I countered. "Has he contributed a cent to the household?"

"Fine! You have the same wretched attitude as Martha!" Klara erupted in humiliated fury. "Unreliable and ungrateful! We won't count on you for anything!"

There she came, bringing Martha again.

I touched my face. Because I inherited Martha's looks, everything I did, whether right or wrong, was treated as an inherent sin in this house.

Seeing Klara losing the argument, Evie rushed to back her up. "Whenever Mom corrects me, I always listen. Vivian, you have such a nasty temper. How could you talk back to Mom like that?"

On cue, Buster barked at me from her arms.

As I looked at them standing shoulder-to-shoulder in front of me, it struck me that even though we were supposed to be family, I looked like their shared enemy.

I swallowed the rest of my words.

There was no point in arguing with them, not since I was leaving this house and never coming back.

...

The next morning, perhaps feeling that she had gone too far the day before, Klara fried an egg and placed it in my tray.

"Today is your birthday."

In previous years, I never got to celebrate my birthday on my birthdate. It was always pushed back half a month so I could share Evie's birthday celebration, blowing out candles on her cake.

However, because the label on the cake box always read Number 4, Evie had every right not to share a bite with me.

Every time, I had to wait until she was finished eating and playing. Only then could I blow out the candles and make a wish over a plate of leftover crumbs.

Today, Klara's egg was meant as a gesture of peace. In her mind, because she was acknowledging my birthday and showing me kindness, the ugly fight yesterday should be wiped clean.

Instead, I picked up the egg with my fork and set it aside on the table.

"I don't want it. The pasta is enough to fill me up."

Klara slammed her fist onto the table, dumping the egg straight into Buster's tray. The dog wagged his tail and gobbled it down.

"Even a dog knows better how to appreciate kindness than you do," Klara scoffed.

She slammed the front door shut and left for work.

Just then, my phone vibrated.

Opening the screen, I saw a text message from an unfamiliar number.

[Happy birthday, Vivian! I ordered a cake for you. Hope you like it.]