Semua Bab Scorched by Fate: A Daughter’s Rebirth: Bab 1 - Bab 10

No one remembers that before I turned six, I was an extraordinarily beautiful little girl.When I was ten, I washed dishes and did laundry in the winter. The water was freezing, and I caught a cold. That night, I burned with fever, tossing and turning in pain. I cried out for my mom. My parents, woken by the noise, were irritated. They gave me some fever medicine and went back to sleep, thinking it was nothing serious.I burned the whole night. By the time they realized the fever hadn't broken and rushed me to the hospital, it was too late. The doctor told them my brain had been damaged. I might become slower, duller.My parents were devastated. They had learned their lesson. From then on, whenever Fiona so much as coughed, they panicked. They would take her to the hospital in the middle of the night just to be sure. If she fell sick, they took turns watching over her, tending to her every need.But I never had another fever again. I never got to experience that kind of careful,

I stepped past them and walked away.Behind me, Dad's voice erupted like a sudden crack of thunder. "Jolene, you really are shameless! It's better without you around. Just looking at you makes me sick!"For a brief moment, my footsteps faltered. Being spat at by the people closest to me sent a dull ache through my chest. But I didn't turn back. Without hesitation, I put distance between us.I thought staying away would mean peace of mind, but only a few days passed before I had to seek them out again.Grandma had fallen ill. The cold had worn down her body.I had no money, no time, no options. I had to ask them for help.When I arrived at the house I had left nearly a month ago, laughter spilled from inside, warm and full, like the glow of a candle flickering through a half-open door.Through the narrow gap, I saw a room alive with celebration. The decorations were bright and festive. A group of people gathered around Fiona, singing the birthday song. She wore a party hat, her s

"If you don't want to study, drop out. You're already eighteen. Your father and I have no obligation to support you. Earn your own money! Everyone else's daughters can buy houses and cars for their parents and siblings—why can't you?"I slammed into the cold wall behind me. My lips split, the sharp sting spreading in waves. My chest ached too, not the sharp kind of pain, but something heavy, thick, impossible to shake off.I looked up at her. My eyes burned, but no tears fell.I lowered my head and laughed. "I must be unlucky to have parents like you."The laughter faded. A single tear slipped down, unseen by anyone.…What kind of mother thinks in the filthiest way about her own daughter, then humiliates her in front of everyone?Once her child turns eighteen, she refuses to spend a cent more. Instead, she dreams of being showered with money, as if an eighteen-year-old can magically become rich overnight.She waters the soil stingily, then wonders why the tree never grew tall.

I made my way back to the hospital, feeling sicker than before. Something churned inside my head, making me dizzy and nauseous. Still, I forced a smile, carrying a thermos of porridge to my grandma, ready to share a made-up story to cheer her up.But she lay motionless on the hospital bed, surrounded by people. A doctor hurried over and told me she had suffered a sudden attack and needed immediate resuscitation. My parents had already been notified.The thermos in my hands slipped, spilling porridge all over the floor.For a moment, I just stood there. Then, my smile faded. I mumbled an apology, cleaned up the mess, and sat on a bench, unable to bring myself to look at her again.When they arrived, the doctor asked them to sign the consent forms and pay for the surgery. The procedure would take a long time, and the chances of success were not high.I waited in the corner for what felt like forever, my courage draining bit by bit. Then, I heard their voices. They were getting imp

I hadn't expected to catch Fiona wandering through my room that day. I wasn't there, and she didn't have the patience to wait. Instead, she plucked a few strands of her own hair and left.When I first watched that footage, I had no idea what she was doing.Now, with the evidence in hand, I had it delivered to them. Dad watched, his face twisting in shock. Mom snatched the papers."What is this?" she asked.Her expression darkened as she read. Then, without hesitation, she grabbed Fiona by the arm. "Fiona, what is the meaning of this?"Everything spiraled into chaos.Dad looked more shaken than I'd ever seen him. "I've been raising someone else's child for over ten years?"His reaction was too intense. Mom sensed something was off. She turned to him, suspicious. "You knew something, didn't you?"Their argument erupted, voices rising, accusations flying. Then, in the heat of it all, Dad let slip the truth.So that's how it was.Fiona was the daughter of Dad's mistress. Back the