All Chapters of When Their Lies Broke: Chapter 1 - Chapter 8

8 Chapters

Chapter 1

After my parents chose to go bankrupt just to pay for my cousin Lola Winters's medical treatment, I was forced to drop out of school and start earning money. Every dollar I sent home went straight to Lola's hospital bills. By twenty, I looked forty from juggling eight part-time jobs.My mom told me, "Your aunt did so much for our family. We have to take care of Lola."My dad said, "You're the older cousin. You need to make way for her. Put her first."I thought if I just kept giving in and being understanding, my parents would finally see how much I was hurting. But then the accident happened.I was working construction when the tunnel collapsed. Trapped under the rubble, barely alive, I called my mom for the ninety-ninth time. All I got was a scolding."You're supposed to be working, not calling around!"In the background, I heard my dad's excited voice."Happy birthday to our little princess Lola!"I opened my cousin's livestream. There she was, dripping in designer brands. A

Chapter 2

Dad smoothed down his expensive designer suit and nodded along. "No pain, no gain. Your aunt and I are doing this for her own good."Hearing that, tears of blood streamed down my face. "But why does it always have to be me? Why not Lola?"No one heard my scream. My mom glanced at the clock on the wall."It's already ten o'clock. Samantha still isn't back. Give her a call and tell her to get home."I watched my mom lead Lola into the house, casually swapping her expensive clothes for the plain, worn-out workwear she usually wore. I watched my dad take off his luxury watch and dial my number.For the first time, I didn't pick up right away. His first reaction was anger."She's still mad we didn't answer her call during Lola's birthday party. So immature."My mom slammed down a bowl of bland cabbage soup, frowning. "I told you not to let her work at that construction site. It's a bad environment. She's going to go downhill. Look—she's already stopped coming home."Mom, so you do k

Chapter 3

All the color drained from my mom's face. She and my dad rushed downstairs together."What happened to Samantha?"My dad's teeth were chattering. "They didn't say. They just told us to get there as soon as possible. Honey... do you think something happened to her?"Before they could even reach the door, Lola came running out of her room barefoot."Aunt Macey, Uncle Roger—are you going to get Samantha? I want to come too."Just like that, my parents' attention shifted entirely back to Lola. One of them found her shoes. The other grabbed her a jacket.It was another half hour before they finally left.In the car, Lola put on a concerned face. "Aunt Macey... did Samantha sneak out of the construction site?"My mom tensed up. "Why would you say that, Lola? Do you know something?"Lola hesitated, looking like she'd said something she shouldn't have. My heart dropped. I knew something was wrong. I tried to cover her mouth—but my hand passed right through her face."Aunt Macey, Uncl

Chapter 4

I remembered every one of those scars.The first was on my forearm.It happened when Lola came over to our house as a child. She dumped boiling water on my arm. I screamed and cried. The scar never faded.My mom blamed me for making a big deal out of it—said I got Lola in trouble with her mom.The second was on my wrist.The summer after high school, I worked multiple jobs, pushed through the pressure, and got into my dream college. I thought my parents would finally be proud of me. I thought maybe they'd finally look my way.Instead, my mom tore up my acceptance letter with her own hands."Samantha, you know we can only afford to send one kid to college. And that has to be Lola."Lola cried and told me she was sorry, but her eyes were full of gloating.I dropped to my knees and pounded on my parents' bedroom door. I begged my dad to let me keep going to school. I said I'd take out loans. I'd borrow money from anyone. I just wanted to learn.But my voice went hoarse, and the

Chapter 5

"Who died? Who are you talking about?"The first person to speak was my aunt Claire.When I was little, my parents were just starting their careers. They didn't have time to take care of me, so they sent me to Aunt Claire's house all the time. She was like a second mother to me. She'd send me money on holidays, buy me gifts, always made sure I was okay.When my parents faked going broke, they lied to her too. They knew if she found out the truth, she'd feel sorry for me and blow the whole thing open. Aunt Claire had always wanted to take me in. After I couldn't go to college, she insisted on paying my tuition herself. But then she got pregnant, and her husband's family forced her to go back home.Now Aunt Claire stood there, completely in shock. She stormed up to my parents and shouted at them."You told me Samantha ran away because she couldn't handle being poor! You said you had no choice but to adopt Lola so you could force her to come back home!"How could Samantha be dead? W

Chapter 6

Even the online viewers were thrown off by this sudden turn of events. The number of people watching shot up, and the comment section did a complete 180.[Holy crap, did I hear that right? Since when was the Wheeler family bankrupt? So the whole family is living comfortably with one daughter, while the other daughter is breaking her back outside, suffering, even forced to work construction—and she gets crushed in a collapse?][Wait, that's not even their biological daughter—that's just some relative's kid. No wonder the real daughter looked so haggard in her photos. They were funneling all their money to the niece. And these people call themselves human?!][This is making me sick. If they were broke, that would be one thing. But the Wheeler family is loaded—richer than most. They had all that money and still made their daughter suffer for no reason. 'It builds character,' they said. Now she's dead, and they cry a few crocodile tears. Do they really think that makes it okay?][Don't

Chapter 7

My aunt Claire froze for a moment. Then she stumbled back two steps, pointed at my mom, and started laughing through her tears."This is your punishment. This is what you deserve. You're sorry now? Where was this regret before? That was your own daughter! You're the one who killed her!"My mom's frown deepened. "Claire, if you keep talking nonsense, I'm calling the doctor."Just then, Lola walked into the room. She rushed in front of my mom, blocking Aunt Claire, putting on a brave face."Aunt Claire, Samantha's death was an accident. It has nothing to do with my mom. She's still sick. Can you please leave her alone?"My aunt's hands clenched into fists. Her eyes blazed with fury."Shut your mouth. What right do you have to call me 'Aunt'? You are not my niece. You're shameless. Samantha died because of you too. Every good thing you have—that house, that life—all of it belonged to my Samantha. You fed on her flesh and blood. And now you stand here saying this? Why couldn't it hav

Chapter 8

A cold wind suddenly blew in through the window, making my soul tremble and shiver.I looked at my mom on the hospital bed—her hand pressed over her heart, tears streaming endlessly down her face. My own tears fell like rain.And then, everything clicked. Every piece of the puzzle finally fit."So I was the one who didn't belong. That's why you and Dad always favored Lola. That's why you always brought her over to our house. She was my twin sister."But what does your debt to her have to do with me? Why did you blame me for it?"My long-dead heart felt like it was tearing apart. My soul shuddered violently. An invisible force pulled at me from somewhere, and a blinding pain exploded in my head. I wrapped my arms around myself and screamed.Through the haze, I heard my parents' voices—desperate, but somehow joyful."Samantha! My baby girl!"When I opened my eyes again, I saw my mother—twenty years younger—sitting on a hospital bed. In her arms was a baby girl. Beside the bed, my

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