Chapter 2

I grew up privileged and had rarely faced any real hardship, so I was strong-willed and never tolerated being pushed around.

Years ago, our parents died in a car accident.

Feeling that our home was too empty with just the two of us, Elise brought her godbrother, Archie, to live with us.

In front of her, he sweetly declared that I would always be his brother. But then he falsely accused me of bullying him.

Elise scolded me for being immature and said she had spoiled me too much.

I refused to tolerate that kind of treatment. I punched Archie and told him, "This is what actually hitting someone looks like."

With his eye swollen, he demanded justice from Elise.

She demanded that I apologize. When I refused, she raised her hand as if she wanted to slap me.

I looked at her in disappointment.

"Elise, think carefully. If you hit me, you won't be my sister anymore."

She was furious, but she never actually slapped me.

Instead, she helped Archie up and gently comforted him. "I'm sorry, Archie. I spoiled Leon too much. I'll teach him a lesson. Don't be upset…"

At the time, I scoffed.

What kind of lesson could she possibly teach me? At worst, she could punish me by grounding me. And if I got the chance, I'd get even.

But I was wrong.

A few days later, Elise suddenly announced that our family had gone bankrupt.

She was sentenced to six years in prison for financial crimes.

I panicked and emptied all my savings, but it wasn't nearly enough.

She went to prison, and our home was seized.

For the next five years, I was constantly targeted by her supposed enemies. Unable to find work, I survived by scavenging and living worse than a sewer rat.

Blood-red paint was repeatedly splashed across my walls, leaving stains that refused to come off. There were terrifying knocks at my door in the dead of night.

But every time I opened it, no one was there.

There was only a hallway littered with limbless dolls, threatening flyers, and ominous notes.

I thought about leaving Seaverton more than once.

But Elise was still in prison, waiting for me.

So I stayed, breaking down and picking myself back up again and again.

When I finally reached my breaking point, I couldn't help but feel guilty about leaving Elise behind. Archie had already run away, and now I was abandoning her too.

If Elise were ever released, who would she have left? How would she survive on her own?

But then she saved me.

Why?

I thought, "Elise, you shouldn't have saved me. You should have stood by and watched without lifting a finger. That would have been better than letting me discover that these five blood-soaked years of living a lie were nothing more than a punishment from you."

I went to the prison.

I had never visited Elise there before. I was afraid she would see how miserable I had become and feel sorry for me.

But now I realized something.

Maybe she had been living comfortably all along.

Maybe I was the only one who had ever been suffering.

Sure enough, when the guard heard why I was there, he looked confused.

"Sorry, kid, but we don't have an inmate named Elise Sterling. Are you sure you have the right name?"

The sunlight was painfully bright, making my eyes sting.

I lowered my gaze.

"Maybe I got it wrong. If she isn't here, I'll go home and check."