She Got Bling, I Got Sold

At dusk, Mom, Dad, and Nina rushed home after a call from the police.Dad came straight to me, eyes red like he'd been crying. "Talia, you're finally back. You must've suffered a lot over there, right?"Three months in Nyamara. Before I left, they cried just like this—swore they'd bring me home soon.Half an hour ago, I saw them feasting at a luxury hotel.Dad kept going. "If we hadn't sent you there to toughen you up, with your delicate personality, you'd never measure up to your sister."Mom grabbed his sleeve, shot him a look. "Enough. She's back. It'd be the same if she stayed home."Dad nodded, then shoved a bag into my hands. "You must be starving. Hurry and eat."I opened it. A sour stench hit me.Chunks of bread, yellow-green with mold.The only clean spot had a muddy footprint stamped into it.***Third-Person POVTime rewinds—Gregory and Helen at the hotel when the police call hits.They'd told the waiter to pack the leftovers for Talia.Nina stared at the scrap

When I woke up, something warm touched my hand.I forced my eyes open. Outside the balcony bars, Rusty was licking my hand where it hung down.He kept licking, like he knew I was burning up.I reached over and touched his head. My voice came out rough. "Rusty... did you come to take me home?"He barked.Grandpa didn't leave much.Just me. And Rusty.He was a mutt from back home. My only friend.I didn't know how he found me here, but I knew why he came. To take me home.Footsteps came. I rushed him off.Dad stormed in, face twisted. He yanked me up. "You're awake? Then get up. You've got the nerve to steal, don't play dead!"He stood there, hands on his hips, and told me to go work. I had to earn double the class money back.My throat burned. "I didn't take it. Nina did."He froze for a second, then dragged me to the door. "You still lying? Talia Tayler, you know how disappointed I am?"I grabbed the doorframe and held on. He slapped me hard.My ears rang. I heard Nina's

Dad went pale. "You knew all along?"I looked at him and raised my eyebrow a little. I even smiled. "Dad, what are you scared of? You think when you were eating fancy food in a private room, and I was digging through trash, I'd think it's unfair?"A cold tear slid down my face. "No, Dad. When I thought our family had no money, I never thought the world was unfair."Even when I worked in Nyamara to help pay it back, I threw away all my pride. I did the worst jobs. Carrying waste. Cleaning toilets. Even kneeling on the floor so people could rest their feet on me. If they gave me one extra dollar, I would've gotten on my knees and barked like a dog all day."I've never eaten food like that. I can't even tell the difference between a big fancy meal and rotten scraps."Dad, I'm used to no one loving me. So if you were just a little nicer to me, I would've been really happy."Mom couldn't take it anymore. She dropped next to my bed and cried. "Talia, what do you want to eat? I'll go ge

Before the trial, Gregory and Helen asked to see Talia.Dr. Rowan, the forensic examiner, stood there, scalpel in hand, voice cold as he broke it down piece by piece.He pointed at her ruined right leg. "Blunt force. Hit over and over until the flesh split and bone showed."Then the left. "Worse. Looks like she cut it off herself. With a stone."His voice caught. "She was a strong kid. What she went through... it's tragic."Then he went back to clinical, listing everything.Raw shoulders from hauling cement. Burns from Nina's bullying. Wounds from Nyamara.Gregory and Helen broke. Screaming, they collapsed.Helen went limp, then shrieked at Gregory, "What happened? You said you talked to them—that they wouldn't really hurt her. Why did my child end up like this? How much pain was she in?"Gregory's eyes went red. "I told them clearly. They promised they wouldn't actually abuse her."Dr. Rowan frowned. "You didn't know?"He raised a brow. They looked wrecked, like grief had s