Chapter 2

The controller wasn't the only thing in the bags for Matt. There were a couple of blind boxes next to it too, the ones that Matt had been asking for for more than two weeks.

On my last birthday, I'd begged Dad to buy me a gaming keyboard that I'd had my eye on for a long time. I said that I would be able to use it for gaming and studying.

But Dad refused and said that a regular 20-dollar keyboard was just as good. He refused to buy me the gaming keyboard, saying it was too expensive and just not worth it.

The shopping bag next to Matt's presents contained a whole box of yogurt drinks that were endorsed by Carrie's favorite pop star. There was also a slice of the viral cake from a trendy cafe that she'd bugged Mom for the longest time, and a box of fresh cherries that she said she wanted.

The entire table was filled with items for Matt and Carrie, but none of them were for me.

It had always been like this.

If Matt got into trouble, Mom would never tell him off. Instead, she would yell at me and make Matt watch, warning him that he would be next if he got into trouble again.

If Carrie rebelled, Dad would never raise her voice at her. Instead, he sent me off to the countryside for "reformation", claiming that it was because I was up to no good, and warned Carrie that she would be next if she didn't behave.

I was always the one taking the blame for everyone else's mistakes in this blended family. My only role was to serve as a warning to Matt and Carrie for their mistakes, and that was all.

My mind wandered off as I stared at the things on the table. Just then, the door lock jiggled, and Matt and Carrie rushed into the house with an extremely determined and defiant look on their faces.

The moment they stepped into the house, they yelled at Mom and Dad, "So what if you found out that we're planning to skip school? We'll never apologize for anything! And we're not changing any of our plans! We will still go whether you like it or not!"

Mom got up and took their school bags from them. Her tone was indulgent as she said, "Alright, alright. I can't do anything to change your mind, can I?"

Dad came out of the kitchen just then and gave them a side glance. He then said coldly, "You can go if you want to, but on one condition. You have to come back in time for your SAT. If you dare to miss the SAT, I will not hesitate to break your legs. Do you understand?"

Matt and Carrie were stunned. They clearly didn't think that Mom and Dad would agree to their demands and give in that easily.

Matt instinctively looked around the living room and suddenly frowned. He asked, "Where's Archie? I don't see him anywhere."

I felt my heart leap into my throat. Would they find out that I was dead?

Mom and Dad said nothing. Mom continued putting away the things on the table, and Dad remained standing in the kitchen, drying his hands.

Carrie's face dropped, and so did Matt's.

"Did you guys punish Archie again?"

Mom scoffed coldly and said matter-of-factly, "He did something wrong, so he deserved his punishment. Who told him to even dare think of going camping instead of studying for his finals? Shouldn't I be punishing him for slacking off?"

Matt and Carrie kept their mouths shut at once. They knew that Mom and Dad weren't punishing me because I'd done anything wrong. They were only punishing me for show.

It was supposed to serve as a warning to Matt and Carrie, telling them that they would be next if they dared to pull the same stunt again.

Since young, Mom and Dad would always find a way to scold me and punish me every time Matt or Carrie misbehaved or did something wrong. Matt and Carrie didn't have to be punished. They just had to stand next to me and watch me be punished.

I still remembered everything clearly.

Once, Matt stole 500 dollars from Mom for his in-game purchases. Mom slapped me three times in front of him. He was just standing in the corner back then—the latest in-game purchase shining brightly on his phone screen—completely frozen.

Another time, Carrie skipped school to attend her idol's concert. Dad punished me by forcing me to kneel outside the door for three whole hours. Carrie got such a fright when she got back that she didn't dare to go out for the next week.

However, Matt and Carrie soon reverted to their old ways and continued doing as they pleased.

They were already used to me always taking the punishment on their behalf anyway. They were used to Mom and Dad favoring them and showering them with unconditional love while I was stuck with all their punishments.

The air was tense. Dad then took Carrie's hand and said, "Make sure you take care of yourself when you attend the concert tomorrow. Stay with your friends and don't wander off alone. And come straight home once it's over. Got it?

He added, "Let me know if you don't have enough money to spend. I'll give you more if you need it."

Carrie immediately wrapped her hand around his arm, beaming gratefully at him. "Got it, Dad. You're the best!"

Mom also handed a new outfit to Matt and said seriously, "Wear this to your date tomorrow. But you're only allowed to meet her, understand? Don't even think about doing anything foolish.

"You can wait until after you've taken your SAT and enrolled in college to start anything serious. If you dare to go overboard, then you can forget about ever playing your mobile games again. Got it?"

Matt took the new outfit from Mom, his eyes lighting up with excitement. But as Mom continued nagging at him, he waved a hand at her impatiently and said, "Fine, I get it. Stop nagging. I'm already an adult, Mom. I know where to stop."

The four of them then happily made their way to the table. It was already set with all the dishes that Matt and Carrie loved.