Chapter 2

Henry's hand froze mid-air, and his brows furrowed slightly. "You're still upset?"

"I'm not," I replied.

I bent down and picked up the scraps of paper one by one, tucking them into my backpack. "I just figured it was time to welcome the guests."

I pulled out a chair and sat at the reception desk, scanning the guest list.

"If you brought a gift, please come this way," I announced.

The lobby fell silent for a moment.

Mom curled her lip in disdain. "It's a good thing you know your place."

They surrounded Winnie as they made their way into the banquet hall, laughing and chatting.

Henry brought up the rear. He glanced back at me. A flicker of suspicion crossed his eyes, but Winnie's laughter quickly drew his attention away.

I tightened my grip on the pen and crossed the first name in the guest list.

I had already accepted Orivelle Institute of Technology's offer three days ago. That acceptance letter was nothing more than a piece of paper now.

I didn't need to prove anything to them. All I had to do was wait quietly for the semester to start, then leave this family for good.

The celebration banquet went on until 10:00 pm.

By then, the private dining room was littered with empty plates and dirty dishes, while Winnie's cheeks were flushed from all the praise she'd received from our relatives.

I sat on a folding chair by the entrance, with the cold air blowing over me for four straight hours.

By the time I got home, my hands and feet were numb from the cold.

I didn't join them in the living room as they excitedly opened the gifts. I went straight to my room.

It was a tiny partitioned space carved out of the balcony, barely 43 square feet. There was only a single bed and a plastic wardrobe. There wasn't even enough room for a desk.

I pulled out the cardboard boxes from under my bed and quietly began packing my things.

The door swung open.

Henry leaned against the doorframe, a flyer in his hand. "Still mad?"

His tone was resigned, as though he were humouring my supposed tantrum.

I folded two T-shirts, their colors long since faded, and placed them in the box. "No," I replied.

He stepped inside, making the cramped room feel even smaller. He laid the flyer on my bed. "Your mom asked me to tell you something.

"Since you didn't get into university, don't just sit around the house. There's a tutoring center in Caelmont looking for a math tutor. They'll pay you 4,000 dollars a month.

"Caelmont State University is nearby as well. You can go see Winnie on weekends to do her laundry and clean her dorm. I think it'd be good for you to get some real-world experience. Consider it a way to make up for how badly you treated her at the banquet today."

I stared at the cheap flyer for Starny Tutoring Center.

In my previous life, they'd forced me to work there. I spent five years teaching elementary school math in a dark, damp basement.

Meanwhile, Winnie took credit for my research and stood in the spotlight.

"Tomorrow's the weekend." Henry ignored my silence and continued speaking. "I'll drive you two to Caelora Mall in Caelmont to get Winnie some new clothes and supplies for university. You can come along and help carry everything."

He paused, his eyes falling on the left temple of my glasses, which I'd patched together with clear tape. "And get those glasses replaced while we're there. You don't want to show up at the tutoring center looking like that."

I pushed my slipping glasses back up but didn't argue.

The next morning, Henry drove us to Caelora Mall, the most upscale shopping mall in Caelmont.

Winnie happily bounced from one luxury shop to the next. She picked out designer bags and expensive dresses, and Henry paid for everything without giving it a second thought.

Mom and Dad stood nearby, grinning from ear to ear.

I followed behind them, both arms weighed down with shopping bags covered in oversized logos.

When we passed an upscale optical shop on the second floor, I stopped. Through the glass display window, I could see rows of lightweight frames with crystal-clear lenses.

Henry noticed me eyeing the display.

He glanced at his watch and was about to say something when Winnie suddenly came running out of a jewelry shop up ahead. "Henry, what do you think of this necklace?"

She pointed to a dazzling diamond necklace in the display window. The price tag read 10,000 dollars.

Henry smiled.

"Looks great. Get it," Wade chimed in.

"Henry, you've spent way too much today. What does Winnie need all this jewelry for?" Dad winced at the price.

"Winnie's going to university here. She needs to look the part."

Henry handed his black card to the sales associate. Then he turned to me. "Sadie."

He tapped the watch on his wrist.

"We've pretty much hit today's spending limit, and it's getting late. I still need to get your parents some coffee," he said casually, without a hint of guilt.

"Your glasses may be broken, but the frame can still hold together with some tape. Besides, you're just going to be teaching kids at some tutoring center in a basement. No one's going to care what kind of glasses you wear. Make do with them for a few days. We'll get you a new pair next time."

The sales associate finished wrapping the necklace and handed it to him respectfully.

Henry casually hooked the elegant shopping bag onto my arm, already raw from the weight of the other bags. "Come on. Stop dragging your feet."

I stood in the middle of the crowded mall.

I watched Winnie play with the designer sunglasses she'd just bought for more than a thousand dollars. Then, I raised a hand and pushed my broken glasses back into place.

"Okay," I answered softly.

That was the moment whatever hope I had left finally died.