Chapter 3

Mrs. Murray said, "You must have heard that the Hesters are looking for a wife. Listen, you're about to graduate, so don't get fooled. Their heir already has a girlfriend. It's just that his mom is old-fashioned and refuses to accept her.

"She insists on getting a woman from the countryside, claiming they're easier to manage and better for bearing children. Isn't it obvious she just wants someone she can bully? Mark my words, she won't win against her own son anyway."

Her words cleared up all my doubts. Pushing aside my thoughts, I quickly offered a few compliments and hurried home.

Mom probably knew about this as well. But she was so used to getting her way that she assumed the Hesters would be no different. Otherwise, she wouldn't have picked Rachael to marry into that family. She would have picked me.

Because in this house, I was the most expendable person.

Having figured everything out, I forced down the bitterness in my chest, put on a smile, and walked through the front gate.

The moment I stepped inside, a mug came flying straight at my face. It hit me square in the forehead, and blood instantly began to trickle down.

I didn't try to dodge. I just carelessly wiped the blood away and gritted my teeth. "Dad, Mom, what's wrong?"

"You useless brat! We told you to make dinner, and you've been running around all day? Don't think going to college means you're independent now. Listen carefully, you're going to slave away for this family for the rest of your life!"

Mom glared at me with raised eyebrows.

The only reason I had been allowed to go to college in the first place was because the villagers had convinced them.

They told my parents that an education would increase my value and allow me to bring more money home. Only then did Mom and Dad reluctantly drop the idea of marrying me off.

But over the years, they never stopped thinking about how to squeeze every bit of value from me or how to sell me off for a good price at the earliest opportunity.

I couldn't get angry. I couldn't repeat the mistakes of my last life. I repeated this to myself like a mantra as I held up the meat in my hand.

"Dad, Mom, Grandma, since we had good news today, I went out to get a nice cut of meat for us to celebrate!"

At the sight of food, Mom's anger vanished, and she gave a dismissive grunt.

Dad hurried over to pick up the mug and offered a warm smile. "Selena, you've always been such a good daughter."

That smile sent a shiver down my spine. It was always the same—Mom and Dad playing good cop, bad cop. But in reality, Dad was a wolf in sheep's clothing.

In my previous life, he was the one who had dismembered my body without blinking, then threw the pieces into a cement mixer to build the woodshed wall.

The terror of him was etched into my very soul, making my scalp crawl. Yet, I kept my composure and walked into the kitchen to cook.

As I washed the vegetables, tears splashed onto the leaves. Only then did I realize my face was already soaked.

By the time dinner was over, Rachael had completely calmed down. She had quickly accepted her new reality as a bride-to-be. Her mind was filled with illusions of a glamorous future.

Seeing me working with a bloody gash on my head, she walked over with a look of pity.

"Don't be too jealous of me, Selena. After all, I'm the biological daughter here. It's only natural that Mom and Dad look out for me. You really should take better care of your appearance, though. Look at that scar. You'll never find a husband at this rate."

Because of our parents' influence, Rachael had always looked down on me. She believed I had been born inferior and was meant to be stepped on.

Grandma was overjoyed about the marriage arrangement. She impatiently shoved me aside and eagerly pressed a bundle into Rachael's hands. "These are all the treasures I've been saving. Take them with you, Rachael. No one is going to look down on you."

When it came to my education, there was never any money for tuition. But when it came to Rachael getting married, they were terrified she might suffer the slightest slight.

I was used to this kind of treatment, but it still stung.

They didn't even bother to hide their conversation from me, excitedly discussing the wedding arrangements. I had no idea where they got the confidence to be so thrilled over something that wasn't even a done deal yet.