1 I woke in a haze, the world blurry and distant after my kidney transplant. The first thing I saw was Mom and Dad, screaming and crying as the cops hauled them away. It turned out my new kidney had been bought off the black market, for a very high price. The little girl whose kidney they'd taken had just been rescued. Seven days later, I was moved from the sterile isolation ward to a regular room. I had barely settled in when a beautiful, frantic woman burst through the door and lunged at me. "You little monster," she shrieked, her hands grabbing at me. "You stole my daughter's kidney! How could you? Give it back! Do you hear me? Give it back!" The man beside her, however, just stared at me, his eyes locked on my neck. "Seraphina, look," he said, his voice tight. "The birthmark on her neck... it's identical to our Evelyn's." ... "My poor Chloe," the woman, Seraphina, sobbed, her grief raw and terrifying. "She's only seven, and now she's missing a kidney!" "Oh, God, what did I do to deserve this? I've already lost one daughter, isn't that enough?" "It's all because of you, you little beast! If it weren't for you, my daughter would never have been kidnapped, her kidney would never have been cut out of her!" Nurses and an orderly rushed in, trying to pull her away. "Ma'am, please, this child is only seven, too," a nurse pleaded. "Her parents were just arrested. She's been all alone since the surgery. She's been through enough, please, leave her be." "She's been through enough?" Seraphina's voice dripped with venom. "She has my daughter's kidney inside her body! What has she been through? Her kidney failed, so she gets to steal my daughter's? What about my Chloe? Hasn't she been through enough?" Her eyes were bloodshot, her finger pointed right at my nose as she spat her accusations, flecks of saliva hitting my face. It wasn't enough. She wrenched herself free from the staff, and the full force of her palm slammed into my cheek. The world exploded in a flash of white. A torrent of hot blood gushed from my nose, and I froze, paralyzed with shock. I scrambled back on the bed, trembling, with nowhere to hide. Tears, spit, and blood streamed down my face, staining the clean white sheets. I curled into a ball, hugging my head, my world collapsing into sobs. "Mommy, Daddy, save me... I'm so scared, it hurts so much!" I was only seven. I used to be their precious little girl. I was in the hospital for acute kidney failure. I didn't know. I swear, I didn't know that the kidney Mom and Dad said would save me had cost another little girl so much. Seraphina stood over me, her nails digging into my arm as she continued to curse me. Every touch was like an electric shock, making me flinch and shrink further away. Before, whenever someone bullied me, Mom would wrap me in her arms, and Dad would be ready to fight for me. But who was going to protect me now? Finally, the man who had come in with her, Julian, pulled her back. His eyes were still fixed on my neck. "Seraphina, look at it," he insisted. "That birthmark... it's exactly like our Evelyn's..." She shot a glance at me. "Like hell it is! Don't you try to change the subject and make excuses for this little parasite." "I'm telling you," she snarled, turning her fury back to me, "you give Chloe's kidney back! Or I swear, I will make your life a living hell!" She left, and a warm puddle spread beneath me on the bed. I had wet myself. The orderly who had stayed behind silently stripped the soiled sheets, looking down at me with a heavy sigh. "A damned shame," was all she said. She left with the trash and never came back. My hospital account was now overdue. They couldn't afford an orderly for me anymore. The painkillers stopped. My meals became little more than broth and water. I was in pain, I was starving, and I had no idea what to do. The hospital called the police, reporting that I had no guardian and they should take me away. The police said I was a patient, and the hospital was responsible for me. I was a piece of trash, pushed from one place to another, wanted by no one. Three days later, the man, Julian, returned. He held a file in his hands, his expression conflicted as he stared at me for a long time before finally speaking. "Evelyn," he began, his voice strained. "I'm your father, Julian Grey. And Seraphina, the woman you met... she's your mother." "You were taken from us by a trafficker when you were ten months old. We've been searching for you ever since." He paused, taking a deep breath. "And Chloe... she's your sister. That kidney inside you... it was hers. She's the reason you're alive." I was so hungry I barely had the strength to move, but I summoned every bit of courage I had and whispered, "Sir, my name is Elara Miller. My dad is Mark Miller, and my mom is Linda Miller." "I have a mom and dad." "I... I want to see them!" At the mention of my parents, my eyes filled with tears, and my small hands twisted the fabric of my hospital gown into knots. A flicker of impatience crossed the man's face, his tone turning harsh. "Those animals paid twenty grand for you! They don't deserve to be parents. They don't even deserve to be called human!" "No, that's not true! My mommy and daddy are good people! They love me! I... I won't let you say that about them!" He shot to his feet, his voice booming in the small room. "Evelyn Grey, I am your father! You have my other daughter's kidney inside you. Do you honestly think I'm happy to acknowledge you?" "I've been talking to you all this time, and you haven't called me 'Dad' once, but you call those child-trafficking monsters 'Mom' and 'Dad'?" "Let me give you some advice," he said, leaning in, his voice a low growl. "You'd better figure out your place in all of this, and fast. Because if you don't, your life is about to get much, much harder." He stormed out, leaving me shivering in the cold silence. I buried my face in my hands and wept. It couldn't be true. How could I not be my parents' daughter? They loved me so much. They would go to jail for me! I didn't want that woman who hated me with every fiber of her being. I already had a mommy and a daddy. I had to see them. I had to hear it from their own mouths that I was their child. 2 Thankfully, the hospital bills were paid. The drip stand by my bed was once again filled with expensive, imported medicines. A week later, a luxury car came and whisked me away to a place they called the Grey Estate. The staff eyed me with open hostility as I stood, weak and trembling, at the grand entrance. "That's the one who stole Miss Chloe's kidney. How dare she show her face here?" "Shameless. First she takes the kidney, now she thinks she can waltz in here and take Miss Chloe's place as the family heiress?" "Look at her, like a little rat. I'm certainly not waiting on someone like that." They didn't bother to lower their voices. But I never wanted to be an heiress. My name is Elara Miller! I have a mom and a dad who love me. The sharp click-clack of high heels echoed from behind me, and Seraphina's furious face filled my vision. She grabbed the front of my gown and started dragging me back out the door. I lost my footing and fell, my body scraping painfully against the marble floor as she pulled me. "I don't care! I will not have this little monster living in my house! She hurt Chloe, she's a predator!" "Seraphina, calm down! She's our daughter! I showed you the DNA report!" Julian's voice was sharp. "She is not! Our Evelyn died a long time ago! I only have one daughter, and her name is Chloe!" "How could this... this trash be Evelyn?" "Get her out! Get out!" My small body was dragged over the threshold, down the stone steps. The pain in my abdomen flared, sharp and searing. The wound felt like it was tearing open. I clutched my stomach, crying out that it hurt. But no one listened. "Seraphina! Let go of Evelyn! Do you think I'd care about her if she didn't have Grey family blood in her veins?" Julian shouted. "Chloe is my daughter too, you know! I'm hurting just as much as you are!" He moved to grab me from her, but in the struggle, his foot came down hard on my stomach. An involuntary scream tore from my throat. I writhed on the ground, clutching myself as waves of agony washed over me. Only then did they seem to notice the trail of blood seeping through my gown, a dark ribbon stretching from the house all the way into the courtyard. "How disgusting! Someone clean up this little beast's blood, now!" "She's stained my favorite courtyard..." The last thing I saw before I passed out was Seraphina's face, twisted in a mask of pure disgust. I woke up in the estate's storage room. A single wooden plank served as a bed. There was no water, no food, and no one. The pain from my surgical wound was intense. I curled up, hugging myself tightly. Mommy, Daddy, I miss you so much. If you knew how much I'm suffering, you'd be heartbroken, wouldn't you? Just wait for me. I'll find a way to see you. I'm your daughter. I'll always be your daughter. The wooden door creaked open, and I was hauled back into the main villa. On the sofa sat Julian and Seraphina, along with a girl about my age and a stern-looking older woman—my grandmother, I presumed. The little girl saw me and ran over, her face bright with excitement as she took my hand. "I haven't had anyone to play with in so long! Mommy, did you find a friend to come play with me?" Before I could pull my hand away, Seraphina snatched the girl up into her arms, her eyes filled with a love so fierce it was almost painful to watch. Her voice was as soft as silk. "Chloe, darling, don't touch her. She's filthy." "Mommy, if you talk like that, you'll make our guest sad. If she's dirty, we can just give her a bath! I have new clothes she can wear, then she won't be dirty anymore!" Seraphina opened her mouth, but then closed it, her gaze softening as it rested on Chloe, adoration spilling from her eyes. So this was the sister I had harmed. She was beautiful, adorable, and as soft and gentle as a little white rabbit. The grandmother on the sofa cleared her throat. "Seraphina," she said, her voice commanding. "Evelyn is Grey blood. She belongs in this family, and she will stay." "Mother!" Seraphina protested. "This is not up for discussion. Am I supposed to let a descendant of the Grey family be raised on the streets like some stray? What would that do to our family's reputation?" Her word was final. "You," she said, her gaze pinning me to the spot. "Come here. Kneel before your parents, call them 'Mother' and 'Father,' and we'll put this matter to rest." "From now on, you are the eldest Miss Grey, and Chloe is the second." When I didn't move, she sighed, her tone softening slightly. "Evelyn, I know you're scared. But your mother and father truly do love you. When you were lost, your mother nearly died from grief." "That's why we adopted Chloe, who was the same age as you. We always told Chloe she had an older sister. We never hid the fact that she was adopted." "Because your parents have always been waiting, hoping that one day, they would find you." "Evelyn, be a good girl. Kneel, say the words, and from now on, Grandma will protect you. No one will ever bully you again." Her words were meant for Seraphina as much as for me. But how could I betray the mom and dad who loved me? "Grandmother," I said, my voice trembling but firm, my teeth chattering from fear. "My name... is Elara Miller. I want to go back to my own home. I want to see my mommy and daddy." The room fell silent. The warmth vanished from my grandmother's face, replaced by a terrifying, icy mask. "You see, Mother? The little beast has no heart!" Seraphina exploded. "I say we cut her open, take the kidney back for Chloe, and throw her out with the trash!" "Evelyn, you are an ungrateful child!" Julian roared. "Your grandmother came here personally to speak up for you, and this is how you repay her? By defying her?" In the chaos, Chloe wriggled out of her mother's arms and ran to me, taking my hand. "Sister, please don't make Grandma and Mommy and Daddy angry. I don't blame you. We're a family." "I've been waiting for you to come home, sister! I can play with you from now on, just the two of us. Wouldn't that be nice?" She threw her arms around me in an excited hug, but her movement jostled my wound. A sharp jolt of pain shot through me, and I instinctively pushed her away. Chloe lost her balance, stumbling backward. Her head hit the hard floor with a sickening thud. For a split second, there was silence. Then, she let out a piercing wail. My blood ran cold. I knew, in that moment, that I had done something terrible. 3 "Chloe!" They swarmed around her like bees to a threatened hive. Seraphina clutched her tightly, whispering comforts, her own eyes red with panic. Julian frantically checked the back of Chloe's head, shouting for the butler to call their private doctor. Even my grandmother rushed over, patting Chloe's back gently. Once they were sure Chloe wasn't seriously hurt, all eyes turned to me. There was nothing but pure, undiluted hatred in their gazes. "You black-hearted little monster," Seraphina hissed, advancing on me. "I knew you wanted to hurt Chloe." "Did you think if you killed her, you could take her place? In your dreams!" Two sharp slaps cracked across my face. "Someone get me a rope!" Julian's voice was low, but vibrating with fury. "Tie this little menace up and lock her in the storage room! Let her think about what she's done!" Even my grandmother turned her back on me, heading upstairs to check on Chloe without another word. "Please, just let me go," I begged, tears streaming down my face. "I just want to go home! I just want to see my mom and dad!" My pain, my fear, my desperation—it meant nothing to them. "Gag her!" Seraphina screamed. "Tie her up and get her out of my sight! Now!" I was bound tightly, the coarse rope digging directly into the tender flesh of my wound. Every breath was a fresh wave of tearing, searing agony. I wanted to scream, but my mouth was stuffed with a filthy rag. Tears and snot covered my face. My nose was blocked. I couldn't breathe. Mommy, Daddy, please, somebody save me! It hurts so much! I don't know how long I was left like that, drifting in and out of a haze of pain. Eventually, someone came to untie me. A doctor treated my wound, and the storage room became my new home. Someone brought me food at regular intervals, and I was allowed to use the outdoor staff bathroom. The estate was vast and beautiful, but I didn't want to be there. The desire to go home, to see my real parents, burned stronger than ever. I explored every corner of the property, searching for an escape route, but the walls were too high, the gates always locked. I was an anomaly on the estate. They called me "Eldest Miss," but not a single person treated me with a shred of respect. Only Chloe still clung to me. She loved calling me "Sister" and followed me everywhere. Her kindness terrified me. She was the family's cherished treasure, and I was afraid that one wrong move, one accidental slight, would land me tied up in the darkness again. So I ran, and she chased. To her, it was a game. To me, it was a torment I couldn't escape. One afternoon, she cornered me by the lake. "Sister, I got you!" she giggled, out of breath. "That was fun! Let's play again. You run, and I'll catch you, okay?" "Get away from me!" I finally snapped, my frustration reaching its peak. "Just leave me alone!" I turned and walked away, ignoring the wounded, tearful look on her face. A moment later, I heard a splash. She had slipped and fallen into the lake. After a heartbeat of hesitation, I dove in after her. I managed to pull her out, dragging her onto the bank just as a crowd of staff came running. "Chloe! Sweetheart, how did you fall in? Did someone push you?" Seraphina was there in an instant, wrapping Chloe in her arms, shooting me a look of pure loathing from the corner of her eye. "Sister..." Chloe choked out, coughing up water before she could say more. I stared in horror at Seraphina's face, which was twisting with rage. "It wasn't me!" I cried, desperate. "She fell in by herself! I saved her!" My words were meaningless. "I knew it... I knew it was you," she seethed. "You venomous little snake. Chloe does nothing but sing your praises, and you try to kill her!" Julian arrived, his eyes wide with disbelief. "I told you we should have just taken her to the hospital, taken the kidney, and been done with it! But no, you insisted on keeping her, on finding a donor for a replacement!" "Julian, we've been raising a viper! If she ever hurts my Chloe again, I swear, I will kill myself!" Julian looked at Chloe, who was still coughing weakly, and his eyes turned red. "Evelyn! What is wrong with you?" he roared at me. "You have Chloe's kidney, and I'm protecting you! I brought you home to be the eldest daughter of the Grey family, and you're still this vicious?" "If I had known you were this kind of child, I would have left you to die on the street! If anything had happened to Chloe, I would have torn you to pieces!" I gasped for air, my whole body trembling. The wound in my abdomen had torn open again from the effort of the rescue, and the pain was excruciating. The servants were already approaching with ropes. I couldn't bear it again. I would rather die. "The Eldest Miss Grey? I never wanted to be your precious Eldest Miss!" I screamed, my voice raw with anguish. "I just want to be Elara Miller! I just want my own mommy and daddy!" "You already have Chloe! Why won't you let me go? Who wants to be your daughter?" "You've given me nothing but pain!" "Fine! You want the kidney? Take it! Take my life, too! Is that what you want?" Before anyone could react, I turned and threw myself back into the cold, dark water of the lake. I knew how to swim. But this time, I didn't try. I let myself sink, welcoming the silent, suffocating darkness. When they dragged me out, Julian's face was ashen, and Seraphina was pale as a ghost. "Evelyn," Julian's voice trembled with a rage I hadn't heard before. "You'd rather die than be our daughter? Is that how badly you want to see those animals?" I just nodded, my resolve firm. "Fine," he said, his jaw tight. "I'll arrange a visit." A flicker of hope ignited within me. For the first time since I'd arrived at the Grey Estate, I smiled. "Thank you... sir." The night before the visit, I was too excited to sleep. I woke up early, put on my cleanest clothes, and tried to make myself look presentable. Julian sat beside me in the car. I felt small and nervous, but not afraid. I was about to see my mommy and daddy. With their love, I could face anything. In the stark, gray room of the prison, my parents looked exhausted and worn. But when they saw me, their faces lit up, their muscles trembling with emotion. I ran to them, tears of joy streaming down my face. "Mommy, Daddy, I missed you so much!" CRACK. A stinging slap sent my head reeling. It was Mom. Her face was a terrifying mask of rage. She raised her hand again and struck me with all her might. I stumbled back and fell to the floor, too stunned to even cry. I'm Elara. I didn't betray you. I didn't accept them. I've been waiting for you. I love you. Why? Mom, why are you hitting me? Dad lunged forward, his foot raised to kick me, but a guard quickly intervened. Pinned by the guards, he and Mom still thrashed, reaching for me, their mouths opening in a torrent of curses and screams. I stared, paralyzed, a horrifying memory surfacing—the moment they were arrested. Their screams and cries then weren't for me. They were at me. Just like now.
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