Chapter 3

Dad knocked on the table and pointed at the balcony. "Your mom and I talked about it. We'll enclose that corner of the balcony and set up a folding bed for you."

Balcony?

It was freezing in the winter and scorching in the summer, with barely any cover or protection.

Even after I cried and protested, Mom and Dad remained unyielding. Their tone left no room for negotiation, and everything they said boiled down to telling me to be sensible.

"We need to tighten our budget for household expenses now that a new member is joining our family. Maddie, your SAT is almost over, which means you're fully capable of working an adult job.

"After your SAT ends next year, we expect you to forfeit your chance at college and start working to pay back your debt to us."

No! I had to further my studies! Wendy told me that studying was my only way out of this life.

I desperately tried to argue my case, only to receive a furious slap from Mom, hard across the face.

Then, Mom and Dad pulled out the black ledger along with a stack of loan agreements bearing my name and tossed it in front of me.

"Let's get one thing straight, Maddie. You're not my biological child, so our family isn't obliged to support you until adulthood, especially since we've practiced a strict bill split for so many years.

"Don't you know how much money you owe us? You're a severely net-negative project!" Dad yelled.

I clutched my face and looked at Mom, who was immersed in the blissful glow of her pregnancy.

"Mom, have you forgotten? I may not be Dad's biological child, but I'm yours," I thought.

But she kept her head down and gently caressed her pregnant belly, fully absorbed in the happiness of being pregnant with Dad's baby.

She slowly grew uncomfortable under my resentful gaze. Finally, as if to make up her mind, she raised her head and looked at me.

"Don't blame us, Maddie. Raising a child is far too expensive these days. Your brother isn't even born yet, and we already need to save for his baby formula and education.

"You're all grown up now. You should be mature enough to help ease our financial burden. Besides, you do owe us a massive sum of money…"

My eyes turned red-rimmed as I stared at her in utter disbelief.

That was when I finally understood that in this house, I was nothing more than just an indebted outsider.

Without saying another word, I turned around to pack up my belongings.

The unborn baby in Mom's womb, her and Dad's real flesh and blood, wasn't even here yet. But to show just how much they already treasured it, they decided to set up the nursery ahead of time by kicking me out and moving me to the balcony.

I had a fever again the first night sleeping out on the balcony.

It was the June rainy season. The balcony had sealed windows, but the damp wind and rain leaking through turned the place into a humid, freezing icebox. I had to wrap myself in two thick blankets just to fall asleep every day.

In the middle of one night, I woke up parched, so I decided to head over to the living room to pour myself a glass of warm water.

Just as I stepped into the living room, my eyes fell on a box of unfinished cherries sitting on the coffee table. They were enormous, deep purplish-red, and gave off a sweet, enticing fragrance.

The sticky note Dad left was next to it.

"Honey, these are imported cherries, great for your iron levels. It will give you that pregnancy glow. You're pregnant with our baby, and these are packed with vitamins for our little one. They were ten dollars a kilogram, so make sure you don't share them with the outsider."

Obviously, I was the outsider he was referring to.

I stared at the box of cherries and let out a cold laugh deep in my heart.

Just then, a muffled groan drifted out from within the master bedroom. "Water… Bring me water…"

Dad was away on a business trip, and even with the SAT drawing near, Harper had left the house to party with her friends as usual. Since it had gotten too late, she decided to spend the night sleeping over. Neither of them was home that night.

I pushed open the door and saw my pregnant mom lying in bed. Her face was deathly pale, and her forehead was covered in cold sweat.

Being pregnant at such an advanced age took a massive toll on her body. She would have terrible leg cramps in the middle of the night, and she was thirsty and in pain.

The moment she saw that it was me, she slipped back into her commanding, authoritative tone.

"Are you deaf, Maddie? I called for ages, but why didn't you come in here? Can't you see how much pain I'm in?

"Hurry up and massage my legs. They're cramping and hurting so much!"

I stood by the bed in silence and looked at the frail Mom with cold indifference.

"It's 3:00 am, Mom. That's outside regular working hours, and according to labor laws, night shift care requires double pay."

Mom's eyes widened as if I were a stranger. "What on earth are you talking about?"