I beat up the fake heiress, and my brothers threw me into a mental asylum. When I came out, I was unusually obedient. If my brothers told me to go east, I wouldn't dare step west. But why was the fake heiress suddenly acting even more obedient than me? Dr. Crane said: "Unless someone else strikes first, you cannot strike back. That is the basic code of conduct for a mental patient." Oh? What a joke. Forcing someone to strike first is the easiest thing in the world. I have plenty of ways. 1 The day my second brother, Liam, came to pick me up from the asylum, I was wearing a doll-collar blouse and overalls. My hands were obediently folded in front of me, eyes lowered, the picture of submission—gone was the arrogance of my past. Liam looked me up and down, finally speaking with satisfaction. "Do you know what you did wrong?" I nodded obediently and recited the lines Dr. Crane taught me. "I'm sorry, Liam. I was jealous of Chloe, so I hired thugs to bully her. I was wrong, and I'll never do it again." The perfect amount of grievance, the perfect amount of remorse. Tears welled in my eyes but didn't fall, held back by shame—I had practiced this pose, copying Chloe, for a long time. Sure enough, Liam bought it. He raised his noble hand and rubbed the top of my head, like he was bestowing a great favor. "Good girl. If you hadn't gone too far this time, Big Brother wouldn't have locked you up in here." "From now on, get along with Chloe." I nuzzled his palm, mimicking Chloe. Liam smiled happily. No one noticed Director Lewis, who was seeing me out, shudder violently beside us. I glanced sideways at him. Cold sweat immediately rolled down his forehead. "Mr. Vance, if there's nothing else... I won't disturb your family reunion." Liam nodded. "You did well. The Vance family's investment will arrive soon." "Th-thank you!" After thanking him, Director Lewis hurried away as fast as he could. "The Director sure is spry for his age..." I said. Thud. Director Lewis tripped and fell. Then, under Liam's surprised gaze, he scrambled up and ran as if a ghost were chasing him. "Liam, can I go home now?" Seeing my docile appearance, Liam nodded. But he didn't forget to warn me, "If you bully Chloe again, I'll lock you back in here myself, even if Big Brother doesn't!" "Mmh." I nodded obediently. 2 Back at the familiar house, I stood at the door, not daring to enter. Chloe said this was her home. Mom and Dad were hers. The brothers were hers. I was the outsider. How could I just walk into someone else's home? It wasn't until Liam said, "Come in," that I put on a look of overwhelming gratitude. "Really? Can I?" Sure enough, Liam's heart softened, his eyes reddening slightly. But remembering my past arrogance, he quickly suppressed the emotion. Not long after, Big Brother—Julian—and Chloe returned. "Julian, I brought Ariel back," Liam said. "Has it been six months already?" Julian asked. Was it fast? I lived in a hell where every day felt like a year, but to them, it passed in a blink. "Yeah, Director Lewis called this morning to remind me. I think we're actually three days late," Liam said. Julian was noncommittal, as if forgetting me in that man-eating place was no big deal. He looked at me with scrutiny. I immediately bowed slightly, looking docile. When Chloe saw me, she looked terrified and hid behind Julian. Julian patted her shoulder reassuringly. "Don't be afraid, I'm here. If she dares to bully you again, I promise she'll never set foot outside that asylum until she dies!" Julian stared at me as if I were his enemy. I silently touched my chest. So, mental patients' hearts can ache too. "I'll be good. I'll listen," I said, my eyes sincere, my posture pitiable. Julian looked at me with disgust and took Chloe to wash up for dinner. 3 Dinner was, unsurprisingly, all of Chloe's favorites. Suppressing her fear, Chloe put a piece of popcorn chicken in my bowl. "Sister, eat." Pepper wrapped in Sichuan peppercorn, wrapped in mango sauce... This piece of chicken hit every single one of my allergies and dislikes perfectly. Julian gently touched her back. "Chloe, I raised you. You're not lower than anyone. You don't need to suck up to her!" Chloe lowered her head and ate, tears in her eyes. I didn't understand. They gave her the best of everything, cooked her favorite meals every day. Why did they think she was the one being wronged? Dr. Crane said: The child who acts gets the candy. I sat there obediently, staring at the chicken and swallowing my saliva. Then I asked the question that made their faces drop. "Can I... eat this?" Julian: ... Liam: ... Chloe: Grinding her teeth. Seeing no objection, I obediently picked up my chopsticks and started eating. I was truly starving. It had been so long since I had normal food. In that moment, I wanted to devour the table. Seeing my ungraceful eating habits, my brothers' faces darkened. "Ariel, didn't you have food inside?" Liam asked. I shook my head. "I did, but there was no meat in the slop..." Bang! Julian threw his chopsticks down. "Ariel Vance, who are you trying to disgust?" "The Vance family funds that asylum. Lewis wouldn't dare abuse you!" "There's a limit to lying!" Wouldn't dare? Julian, have you ever seen a bed of nails? Electric shock therapy? The "fight the dog for food" contest? Julian certainly hadn't. But Chloe, protected under his wing, smiled. If she hadn't lowered her head so fast, her grin would have reached her ears. I stood there helplessly, not daring to speak, looking at the furious Julian with terror in my eyes. Liam frowned and tried to calm Julian. "Ariel just came back today. Can't we just have a nice meal?" Julian swallowed his anger, his disgust for me deepening. Liam shook his head helplessly and handed me chopsticks. "If you're hungry, eat more." I smiled sweetly. "Thank you, Liam." Liam's pupils contracted. Could his sister smile? And so beautifully? Why hadn't he seen it in all these years? It turned out that if he was just a little nice to her, she would smile so sweetly and call him brother... For a second, Liam's heart felt squeezed. Julian's eyes flickered too, but his attitude towards me didn't change. 4 I finished washing up and was about to go to bed when Chloe came in. "Sister, I brought you some milk." She entered without knocking. I took it obediently. "Thank you." Those two words had never left my mouth before. Because every kindness she offered was a trap. Chloe paused, then laughed. "Sister, you've become so tame." The next second, her hand "slipped," and milk spilled all over me. "Oops, Sister, why didn't you hold it properly?" Her eyes were sly, but I didn't move. She picked up the only gift my brothers had given me the year I returned—a music box—and threw it in the trash. I still didn't move. She looked around the room, her gaze finally landing on the framed photo on my desk. It was the only photo of Mom, Dad, and me. This time, I moved. I grabbed her hand. Chloe finally smiled triumphantly. With her other hand, she grabbed the frame and smashed it on the floor. Fire burned in my eyes. "Oh, angry? Hit me if you dare!" A blatant provocation! As a mental patient, the first thing I learned was obedience. I raised my arm and slapped her hard across the face. Chloe was stunned by the slap. It took her a few seconds to start her performance. "Julian! Liam! Help!" My two brothers rushed in immediately, shielding Chloe behind them and glaring at me. "Ariel, are you crazy?" I folded my hands obediently in front of me. "She told me to hit her." Chloe covered her face, crying hysterically. "I just came to bring milk. I saw Sister throw the gift you gave her in the trash. Not only that, she tried to tear up Mom and Dad's photo! I tried to stop her, and she hit me! Boohoo..." The gift was in the trash. The photo was on the floor. The frame was shattered. The evidence was undeniable. "Ariel, do you still hate us? Hate the family? Being switched at birth wasn't Mom and Dad's fault, wasn't the family's fault..." Liam was utterly disappointed. Hate? Probably. I was lost for ten years. Trained by my "adoptive" parents to beg from a young age. As I got older, I stole with other street kids. Getting caught meant a beating at the very least. I survived like a cockroach at the bottom of society. But the Vance family pampered my replacement like a princess. How could I not hate? Hate that they didn't find me sooner. Hate that they lost me. Hate that after losing me, they adopted a replacement... I also hated that every time Chloe played dirty, they never believed me. They always stood by her. "If I knew this would happen, we should have let you die on the streets!" Julian finally spoke his true feelings. I looked up at him, my expression becoming exceptionally docile again. "Chloe threw the gift in the trash. Chloe smashed the photo..." "You..." If my brothers had beards, they would be blowing upwards in anger. I took out my discharge papers and showed them. "I swear on my personality as a mental patient, I really am not lying!" Mental patient? My brothers' pupils contracted. Liam snatched the papers, his hands trembling. "This... seems real..." I nodded. "Dr. Crane said mental patients need to be docile and obedient to survive in the outside world." Julian glanced at the papers and sneered suddenly. Obviously, he didn't believe me. "Docile? Obedient? Good. Then move out of this room right now. Let Chloe have it!" This room was the princess suite Mom and Dad built for me. Mom designed it, Dad decorated it. It was their welcome gift. Chloe tried to take it countless times, and I always refused. But today... "Okay." I nodded obediently and immediately started packing my meager belongings. Julian, Liam, and even Chloe were stunned. They knew this was my bottom line. I really moved out. Chloe was excited; she could finally live here legitimately. But outwardly, she tugged Julian's sleeve hesitantly. "Julian, can I really stay here?" Julian looked grim. "If she can stay, why can't you?" Turning back, he wasn't done with me. He pointed to the utility room downstairs. "From now on, you sleep there." I nodded obediently again, picked up my duvet, and trotted in. Julian's raised hand froze in mid-air. He watched with a dark face as I made my bed in the cramped space. I felt like his chest was about to explode. I was confused. Isn't this what you wanted? What are you angry about? Seeing me lie down to sleep, he spoke again. "Wait!" I froze obediently. The next second, the nanny brought a basin of cold water and splashed it on my bedding. "Now you can sleep." Julian stared at me, expressionless. He was betting I couldn't endure it, waiting for me to reveal my true nature. Unfortunately, he was going to be disappointed. I lay down in the wet bedding fully clothed, and soon, sweet little snores filled the room. Julian: !!!
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