Family Abuse

“Mia, apologise to Ashley, or else don’t blame us for being harsh.” Paul slammed his fist on the dining table and shot a sharp glare.

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“Mia, you truly disgraced us today! Now do what your brother said. Apologise to your sister, and we forgive you.” My mother’s voice fell right after his, sharper and drier as she moved protectively beside her lovely daughter Ashley.

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“Mom!” Ashley cried, hugging my mother as I stood before them like the worst criminal.

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“What are you waiting for?” “Just do it now.”

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Finally, my father's stern voice broke, which had always remained tight-lipped when mistreating me; now, he easily opened his mouth for my sister, glaring at me with a firm warning.

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I knew this look very well, as I had invariably received it before any punishment.

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I looked at my so called-Biased family, who consistently supported one daughter to heaven while degrading the other to being rotten to hell without a single care in her whole life; that daughter is unfortunately me, Mia Smith.

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The Smith family’s only foolish, dumbest product!

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Yeah, this is what they called me: A dumb product. My nickname was given by my own older brother, Paul, who was two years older, a university student, and his favourite work was to protect his angel sister from his bully sister-that’s me. Because, in his delusional world, I am a bully.

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Meanwhile, my parents never stopped my brother from being harsh to me, so I could say they were the ones solely responsible for everything. They never cared about my tears, my begging, and my pain. I am the most invisible person in this house and can easily be targeted by any bully.

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And this all began with one person's presence: Ashley Smith, my Irish twin.

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She was born with poor health. They decided to pour all their love, care, attention and time into her. Their negligence was not the only choice they made. They even proved at every step with age how unworthy I was, while Ashley, even years later, got good health and better physical health than me. Still, they decided not to change.

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My elder brother Paul always looked happy around me and protected me in the early years. Soon, they began to do the same, just like my parents.

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Conversely, whenever I tried to get their attention, they blamed me for being selfish and didn’t care enough about my sister. I was the worst elder sister, and they didn’t even offer me a chance to explain my side.

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I still remember the night when there was a heavy storm in the city, and I suffered from a high fever.

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My body was burning like lava as I strolled to my parents' room just to request that they take me to see a doctor, but they boldly rejected me, saying I was overreacting; I could easily take medicine and fall asleep on my own. My heart was wrecked as I left with tears, without disturbing them again.

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Yet, that same night, my sister merely sneezed; they panicked and rushed to the hospital without wasting a single second.

 

My mom was sobbing harder while my father was soothing my sister, with my brother Paul, who didn’t even bother to see me. They abandoned me like I don’t exist to them. My pain is nothing.

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That night, for the first time, I realised they truly don’t care, and most importantly, I was just an 8-year-old kid. To learn this cruel fact!

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From that day, eventually things became obvious, and I began taking care of everything by myself. No drama, no begging, no anger and no tears. Just acceptance that my family don’t care enough.

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I am just an extra in their lovely family of four.

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I stopped asking to be included in family photos and dinner. I stopped arguing about their behaviour and accepted their anger, negligence, and hate.

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I started living as if it were my fate to be born here and treated like this, while my sister, Ashley, born just after me, received the good fortune and got all their love and care easily.

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Though in my heart, it hurts so heavily, like someone tore my chest and dragged a thousand knives. I always smile and let them have whatever they wished without showing my tears and sadness.

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With only one wish. To be accepted.

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That one day, they would change and treat me like Ashley.

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With that hope, I sacrificed myself silently without asking for anything, from childhood until now. For them, I could always have anything else when Ashley liked something.

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But today, It’s my 18th birthday. They openly blamed me for something I never did, and the main culprit was my sister; they were hugging her like she could not survive without them. Or I would hurt her. I can not accept that any longer.

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It always starts like that.

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​A single tear from her can easily ruin my happiness. It inevitably begins with her crying and getting my apology for ending it. I always let it go to save myself from punishment, sometimes from exhaustion and sometimes I just don’t feel anything.

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She did the same pathetic act today, too, and ruined everything for me.

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My birthday turned into a nightmare again this year. The moment my parents gave a little attention, she made things worse. Sometimes, I felt she just liked to ruin me.

Last year, I asked my mother to prepare my favourite meal as a birthday gift. But the moment I sat at the dinner table, I saw everything prepared as per Ashley's wishes. She threw a tantrum to have her favourite; they agreed, stating I could have my meal next time. I left upset, but no one cared.

The birthday was the only day when my parents gave me some time to check on me, at least wished me and got cake. I always waited eagerly for my day, but as the years passed, it turned into a disaster thanks to my little sister, who couldn’t stand my happiness.

 

Meanwhile, my family trusted her blindly without a mention. No question, no explanation, just the belief that Ashley can never be wrong while I can never be right.

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My heart stings at the remembrance. Paul shouted again right next to me.

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“I said apologise! How long are you going to take?”

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His expression was brutal as he was not glaring at his sister but at an enemy, before turning to me and grabbing my arm, which surely left a mark again.

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My body flinched, but I met my brother’s scowling expression with an unwavering, unapologetic gaze, realising I had had enough of this family threat and reacting sharply for the first time, battling for myself.

“Brother, the person you should be asking to apologise was not me but Ashley. She was the one who stole my gifted jewellery and wore it without permission on my birthday.”

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“What did you just say?” Paul snorted as his grip tightened around my arms.

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“What? Am I wrong?” I ridiculed with a short smirk and yanked his hand strongly.

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“She’s the one who took my item and then began crying when I questioned her. Then why should I apologise to her?” My tone left everyone stunned, and they wavered for a moment under my frosty look.