Chapter 4

Karen tossed me into the house, which made me stagger on my feet. Before I could even find my bearing, I saw Nancy wagging her phone at my face like she was showing off. Sure enough, there was a transaction record of 2,800 dollars on the screen.

My bloodshot eyes were glued to the screen. That was my pay. I worked for hours and tutored until my throat was parched just to earn that money. It was supposed to be my first payday. That money was supposed to be my ticket to a new life.

"Give it back to me," I rasped hoarsely.

Nancy ignored me and opened up her shopping app. "Let me get them shoes. This bag. Oh, and that dress." She kept clicking on the cart, and her phone kept dinging with each successful payment.

To my fury, she still looked dissatisfied even after she'd spent the last penny. "2,800 dollars isn't enough. I could barely buy anything with it."

My world was starting to spin as I yelled, "Give me back my money!"

Nancy looked at me and stated matter-of-factly, "Your money? Please! The only money you ever got came from me. Now that you're making your own money, it's time for you to pay back your dues."

I screamed in despair and lunged at Nancy in an attempt to get the phone. Unfortunately, my mother shoved me away.

My back slammed into the table's corner, and the agony nearly knocked me out. The pain was so searing that I nearly couldn't stand back up.

"Are you insane? Did you seriously attack Nancy over a measly 2,800 dollars? You're far too obsessed with money!" she shrieked.

Nancy slid her phone into her pocket and took out a dollar. "Oh, I almost forgot." She snickered. "I was going to use some of those discount coupons, but then I remembered you'd only have a dollar next month. Then again, it doesn't matter even if I saved any money, right?

"Here you go, early payday."

She put the dollar in my hand. I grabbed her wrist and snarled. "Give me back my money!"

Robert strode over and slapped me as hard as he could. His face was stormy as he growled, "Did you just give her lip? Do you really think you can break the rules and earn money behind our backs? The cheek of you to pretend to be an overseas college student!"

He charged into my room and dragged out the box I filled with my trophies and achievement papers. Then, he raised the trophies and slammed them against the ground.

"That's what you get for posing!" He grabbed the papers and tore them apart. "I've had it with you buying all these fakes. I could live with it, but I can't live with you lying to someone else! You're an embarrassment to the family!"

Nancy nodded before drawling, "But she isn't a Wood, now is she? She'll ruin us someday. I think we should kick her out. I'll finally have my room back."

Karen frowned in disappointment. "You know the rules, but you broke them anyway. Since you love making money so much, your rent will go up tenfold. You'll also have to pay 100 bucks every time you come in. You know how it is. No money, no boarding."

My sister quickly added, "And you're not using a penny out of the money I saved! I'll never use any coupons for you again!"

I held my pain down and said calmly, "I'm not coming back."

My father didn't like my answer. So, he shot back, "Good, then get out right now! Don't even think of taking anything from us!"

I looked down. My bag was a hand-me-down from Nancy, and my phone was another hand-me-down from my mother. Hell, even the socks I had on my feet were something Nancy had thrown out.

In the end, the only things that were truly mine were my uniform and ID. When Robert kicked me out, I didn't even have any shoes to wear.

…

Right after the door slammed shut, I heard Robert calling the renovation team, saying, "Get over here today and merge the rooms into one! Make the smaller one a walk-in closet!"

Nancy giggled in delight. "Finally! I'm finally your only child!"

My old phone was buzzing nonstop on the table. Karen wanted to take it, but then the phone turned off. So, she left it at that and helped Nancy sort things out.

When Ms. Smith came to get me, I was sitting outside the neighborhood, staring at nothing in particular as I held my ID. My feet were still bare.

She didn't ask me any questions. Instead, she changed the flight to Lorantia to the earliest one that day. I was silent throughout the entire journey.

Soon, we passed the security check and stood before customs. Ms. Smith was already ahead of me, and she was waving at me to join her.

I turned back for one last look at the city I'd grown up in. There was a family here. A family that didn't want me there. Still, that was fine because right in front of me was a future I'd been desperately waiting for.

I looked away, took a deep breath, and walked past customs.