Chapter 3 Irresponsible

I was her biological daughter. Me. Yet, she couldn't even bring herself to give me a fake smile when it was my birthday. Heck, she fed the birthday cake my grandmother bought me to the dogs just so I wouldn't even get a bite.

Selina thought I deserved nothing good in life because I was also Chris's daughter. To her, someone like me didn't deserve birthdays, which meant no cakes. I wasn't even allowed to make mistakes because I didn't deserve a second chance.

If I dared to mess up even a little, she would use every opportunity she could to beat me up with a steel bat until I was bruised all over, until my bones were fractured.

I was only ten years old.

Yet, I suffered seven of those years enduring her brutal beatings.

…

When Zoe woke up and saw the results of Selina's work overnight, she was pleasantly surprised. She jumped into Selina's arms and begged her to make a wish and blow the candle together.

Selina said yes with a genuine smile on her lips. After the wish was made, she said she'd give Zoe a special gift.

My eyes went wide as I watched her give Zoe the pendant I risked my life protecting. I was confused as to why she had it. After all, a man I didn't know had snatched it away the day before I died.

My questions were promptly answered when Zoe's eyes shone as she took the pendant and kissed Selina. "Thank you, Mom. You're the best. It really is Zestina's pendant! You got it for me right after I said it looked nice!"

Selina ruffled Zoe's hair, regarding her new daughter with a doting smile on her face. "Of course. I'm your mother."

That was the moment I realized that the man who snatched my pendant from me when I was on my way back from school had been hired by Selina. That same man had beaten me until it hurt.

I couldn't help but be reminded of the day Zoe came to my house. She took a liking to my pendant right away and tried to take it without my permission. I dodged out of the way without thinking, so her hands wrapped around nothing and she fell down.

Selina picked her up, utterly heartbroken. She held Zoe in her arms and spent a lot of time soothing her. She didn't care for my explanation as she was quick to swing her metal bat at my knees and force me to apologize to Zoe.

I cried, telling her I could give Zoe anything but the pendant. After all, that pendant was proof that my parents used to be in love. It was the only sliver of warmth that kept me tethered to life.

Selina sneered at me, "Everything you have belongs to Zoe from now on. She's my daughter, while you are her maidservant. Displease her again, and I'll teach you a lesson you'll never forget!"

Selina shielded Zoe, not noticing the victorious gleam in the girl's eyes. However, I saw it. I felt embarrassed and humiliated by the mockery in her gaze. Yet, I still nodded just to please Selina.

I did what Selina told me to and became Zoe's maidservant. Alas, I received none of her love.

Now, I knew that Selina was the one who caused my death. As I watched Zoe happily wear the pendant that was supposed to be mine, I cried until I thought I had run out of tears.

For the first time ever, I couldn't help demanding just why Selina ever gave birth to me if she didn't love me. I wanted to know why she brought me to this world if all she wanted me to do was suffer.

Sadly, she couldn't hear me. Then again, she probably wouldn't care to answer even if she did.

Suddenly, I wanted to know what kind of expression Selina would make if she found out I was already dead while she was happily celebrating her adopted daughter's birthday.

I wondered if she would be heartbroken, if she would feel guilty, or if she would still be cold and indifferent.

My curiosity remained unanswered for the next two days as Selina always went straight home to spend time with Zoe after work. She never hesitated to swipe her card to buy the dresses I thought I didn't deserve to even look at for Zoe.

She wouldn't come to my parent-teacher meeting no matter how much I begged, yet she was punctual for Zoe's.

When Zoe said she wanted to have a ride on a Ferris wheel, Selina even managed to get over her fear of heights just to accompany her.