Chapter 2

The next morning, I skipped my hospital checkup and headed straight to the insurance agency downtown.

The receptionist froze when she saw a twelve-year-old girl walking through the doors completely on her own. "Can I help you, sweetheart? Are you looking for someone?"

"Hi. I'd like to check my life insurance policy. My name is Freya Mason, and the policyholder is Sandra Warren."

She hesitated for a second, but typed my name into her system anyway. "Okay, let's see... Your policy has a five-million-dollar death benefit, and the primary beneficiaries are listed as your parents, Daniel Mason and Sandra Warren."

"Can I change the beneficiaries?"

"You can, but it requires the policyholder's signature. And that's your mom."

I nodded. "What if the policyholder doesn't agree?"

"Then it can't be changed."

I paused to think. "What if I take out a new policy on myself? Can I list someone else as the beneficiary?"

The woman stared at me, taken aback. "Sweetheart... you're only twelve. Minors can't purchase their own insurance policies. Why are you asking all this?"

I smiled at her. "It's nothing. I just wanted to know if there's a way to keep my parents from getting the money after I die."

The receptionist's face drained of color.

She immediately stepped out from behind the desk and crouched down to look me in the eye. "Is everything okay at home? Did something happen?"

"No. Thanks for your help."

I turned around and walked out into the bright afternoon sun.

It was a beautiful day, but I knew I wouldn't see many more of them. Not because my heart was failing, but because I had made my choice.

Before they could ever touch a single cent of that five million dollars, I was going to drain every penny, or give it all away.

No matter what, I was going to make sure they got absolutely nothing.

When I got home, my eight-year-old brother, Andy, was practicing the piano in the living room.

He didn't even bother looking up as I walked in. "Mom's furious with you. She said you skipped your checkup today."

"Oh."

"She said if you keep disobeying, she’s going to cut back on your medication."

I stopped dead in my tracks. "What do you mean?"

Andy played a smooth chord on the keys, completely unfazed. "Exactly what I said. Isn't your medicine super expensive? Like, twenty thousand dollars a month? Mom said if you won't cooperate with the doctor, she’s not paying for it anymore. I mean, besides..."

He trailed off, suddenly catching himself.

"Besides what?"

"Besides, it's incurable anyway."

Hearing an eight-year-old say those words with the same cold, matter-of-fact tone as our father sent a chill down my spine.

I just stared at him. This was the golden child, the boy who had been spoiled and pampered his entire life. He wasn't inherently evil, just raised to believe that my life had zero value.

Ever since he was born, everyone in this house had reinforced the same message: Your sister is a burden. She's a money pit, damaged goods waiting to break.

"Andy."

"Yeah?"

"You play really well."

Andy finally raised his head, looking at me with a flicker of genuine surprise. "Thanks."

I turned and walked upstairs to my bedroom.

Once inside, I pulled out the hand-me-down iPad Dad had given me. It was the only device I owned, and only because Andy had upgraded and tossed it aside.