All Chapters of The Other Daughter: Chapter 1 - Chapter 9

Thirteen years separate Suri and me. By the time she was born, I had already started boarding school, coming home only once a month.After I left for Northbridge University in Grayhaven, and later, when I stayed on to work in Halcyon City, I returned even less often. Sometimes I only came back a few days every six months, or even once a year.Whenever I did come back, I could feel the way Suri looked at me with cold eyes, and the vague hostility she never bothered to hide.I hadn’t paid much attention at the time. I assumed she was just shy and that she didn’t really know this older sister, who was hardly ever around.Until today.Suri lifted a brimming glass of ice water and dumped it straight over my head, soaking me from scalp to skin, cold enough to seep into my bones.That was when I finally realized that Suri wasn’t merely unfamiliar with me. She seemed not to know I was her sister at all."Hey! Didn’t you hear what I said? Get out of my house right now! Our family has alr

Everything from before now felt like knives stabbing into my heart one after another.Compared to the pain on my face, my heart was bleeding far more.I searched desperately for proof that Mom loved me. At least she used to call me to bed at night. She would put food on my plate at the dinner table. And…My throat closed. In 26 years of my life, after combing through my memories again and again, those were the only two pieces of evidence I could find that Mom loved me.Across from me, Mom was gently patting Suri’s back, her expression soft and affectionate, her voice warm—an expression I had never once seen directed at me.My tears finally broke free. For the first time in 26 years, I admitted in my heart that my mother might not love me at all.She continued lecturing, her voice sharp with irritation, "Elowen Voss, you’re getting more childish as you age. How old is your sister? As the older one, shouldn’t you give in to her? Look how badly you scared Suri!"I couldn’t take it

I wanted to see how well that loving mother and daughter would manage once their financial backbone—me—was gone.Mira fell silent for two seconds on the phone, then asked in disbelief, "You’re really not going to deal with your mom and sister anymore?" There was excitement and relief in her voice.I let out a long breath and nodded. "That’s right. I’m done."The moment I said it, it felt like a massive shackle had fallen off my body. I felt lighter, so much lighter. Even the heavy gloom that had weighed on me since returning home suddenly lifted, replaced by a strange sense of clarity.Mira whooped from the other end of the line. "Yesss! Elowen, you finally figured it out! Your mom doesn’t love you at all. What kind of mother treats her own child like that?"She’s been using you as a blood bag for her and that little brat Suri, draining you dry to support their happy life!"You’re the only idiot who toiled like an ox for them all these years. If you didn’t wake up now, I’d stop b

Everything in my life was finally looking up. At the end of August, I closed a major deal, and the entire team received bonuses.According to my boss, the company might select someone to go abroad for training this time. Anyone interested could start preparing.However, my mind wasn’t on that at all, because September 1st, the start of the school year, was approaching.Every night, Mira called me with updates, like clockwork.On registration day, Mom took a meticulously dressed-up Suri to school, but they had no idea which class she belonged to.Only after asking around did they learn that everyone else had already joined their class group chats and could go straight to their assigned classrooms.A teacher at the entrance gently reminded them, "This is Crestmont Academy. Based on your child’s grades, she may not meet our admission standards. Are you sure you’re at the right school?"Mom couldn’t tolerate the insult. She immediately threw a tantrum right at the school gates."Yo

Suri clutched her stinging cheek, unable to believe Mom had actually hit her. "You old hag! This is what you did to me! Don’t expect me to take care of you in the future!"She bolted out the door. In the past, Mom would have chased after her immediately and coaxed her back.Now, though, for some reason, just seeing Suri annoyed her. Maybe it was better if she stayed gone.Mom tried to get a refund from the prep program. Money was already scarce, and she wasn’t about to waste it on an ungrateful child.Unfortunately, the institution was a scam. Once the money went in, it never came back out. When Mom threw one of her usual tantrums, several burly men beat her and tossed her outside. She never dared go back again.Only then did she finally realize that I had guaranteed her previously comfortable life.She began frantically calling and messaging me, even asking where I worked so she could come find me.However, Mira blocked every attempt. I had worked in Halcyon City for five years