Lahat ng Kabanata ng Fatal Family Ties: Kabanata 1 - Kabanata 8

My breathing grew shallow and rapid as a wave of suffocation washed over me.The three of them just stood there, watching me with cold indifference. I managed to push myself up and started toward the bedroom to get my allergy medicine.But Katrina stepped right into my path."Chelsea, where do you think you're going? You haven't even finished the mango!"She tried to force the remaining mango into my mouth.I shoved her back hard. She'd always been coddled, while I'd spent years doing heavy farm work back in the countryside. Thus, she didn't stand a chance against me.Katrina stumbled backward, the mango slipping from her hand and hitting the floor. Then, she turned to our parents and said pitifully, "Chelsea hit me."My father, David Coffey, strode over and kicked me to the ground."You ungrateful little brat. How dare you lay a hand on Katrina?"I lay there gasping, my breathing growing more labored by the second. With tremendous effort, I forced the words out."Give me my

Mom fetched a glass of water and splashed it across my face."Don't you dare play dead just because we mentioned sending you back to the countryside."I lay motionless on the floor, my breathing growing even fainter."Don't think for a second this will make me go easy on you. I'm taking you back today, you animal!"Dad grabbed me by the arm and half-dragged me down the stairs, then stuffed me into the trunk of the car.This wasn't the first time I'd been thrown into the trunk.The first time I ended up in the trunk was when they came to the countryside to bring me to the city.At first, Katrina and I were both sitting in the back seat. But somewhere along the way, Katrina got sleepy. She squirmed and shifted, unable to get comfortable.Finally, she asked Mom and Dad with a pout, "Can Chelsea lie down in the trunk? That way I can stretch my legs and sleep better."So, Mom and Dad pulled the car over and made me climb into the trunk. For five whole hours, I curled up into the sm

Looking at Mom and Dad crying before her, Grandma slapped each of them angrily across the face.Then, she said in a voice heavy with pain, "How could you do something so monstrous? Even a wild beast doesn't devour its own young!"Dad dropped to his knees before Grandma. "Mom, Chelsea's death really was an accident. None of us wanted this. But she's already gone—there's no need to drag the rest of us down with her. I still have to take care of you in your old age."Mom chimed in urgently, "Mom, David is your only son. Can you really bear to see your one and only child go to prison?""Grandma, Chelsea was your granddaughter, but so am I! You can't play favorites and only care about her," Katrina sobbed.Under the tearful pleas of all three of them, Grandma's grip on the phone finally loosened. She looked at Dad with weary, defeated eyes and asked, "Then what do you plan to do?""We'll bury her in secret and tell everyone she died of an illness."Grandma turned to Mom and Katrina,

As I grew older, the kids around me always called me tacky and ugly.Over time, I started to feel resentful. So, when Grandma held out another handmade coat, I threw a tantrum and tossed it on the ground."I don't want to wear this anymore. I want to buy clothes from the store."Grandma picked up the coat and said cajolingly, "Store-bought clothes are expensive. Even a simple one costs 200 dollars. The coats I make for you are just as warm."But by then, I had already developed a sense of vanity and comparison. I felt so wronged. Why did Katrina always come back dressed like a princess, while I was stuck wearing these ugly homemade clothes?I cried for a very long time.That very afternoon, Grandma walked with me for an hour to get to the street market. There, she bought me the pink coat I had been dreaming of.It wasn't as pretty as Katrina's. But at that very moment, it was the most beautiful thing in the world.The coat became my favorite, and I wore it longer than anything