I was born into a wealthy family, yet I lived a life worse than a dog. My mother, Eleanor, believed her child had been swapped with my father’s mistress’s daughter. She tormented me endlessly, while doting on the other girl. My father, Robert, despised Eleanor, calling me a disgusting bastard. He let me be bullied for over a decade, turning a blind eye. The mistress’s daughter, Chloe, flourished under their combined cultivation, becoming a celebrated socialite. And I, battered by my own mother, was married off to Silas, an old bachelor from a rural town, aged fifty. Later, they discovered I was their only biological child. Both were consumed by regret, scrambling up the mountain that very night to find me. The old monk, beads clutched in his hand, looked at them, bewildered. “Who are you? The young woman, before she passed, said she never had parents.” 1 “Control your daughter.” Chloe, chin held high, yanked my hair, then shoved me toward Eleanor. “Her filthy hands touched my new dress! Dad just bought me this limited edition one!” Even though she was the mistress's daughter, she acted like a proper heiress in front of Eleanor, commanding more authority than the lady of the house herself. Eleanor, far from being angry, offered a fawning smile. “Chloe, your new dress must make you so sad. Auntie will wire you money. Go buy the latest, the very best.” With that, she grabbed my collar, forcing me to the ground, and slapped me across the face. “Idiot. You made a mistake, now get over here and apologize!” I looked at my own mother, filled with nothing but raw terror. I held out my reddened palm for her to see. “I… I didn’t mean to. The coffee was just so hot, I couldn’t stand the pain and accidentally touched it.” Before I could finish, Eleanor cut me off. “I don’t care if you meant to or not. Have you forgotten what I told you? You’re an unspeakable thing, destined to be beneath everyone!” She loomed over me, pressing the toe of her shoe into my back. “Go on, crawl over and kowtow to Chloe.” I bit back a cry and complied. Chloe deliberately positioned her diamond necklace near my forehead. In moments, my cheek was streaked with flowing blood. Eleanor watched, her face impassive, showing not a shred of pity. Instead, she invited Chloe inside, personally serving her tea. I was left trembling, cowering on the cold ground. Eleanor was known in our circles as a woman consumed by resentment. She’d used every trick to force Robert to marry her, securing her title as matriarch of the Vance family. But on their wedding day, Robert was already cavorting with his first love, Vivian, never stepping foot in our house again. Eleanor hated the woman kept outside, but she was powerless. All her hopes were poured into her womb. She yearned for me to be born exceptional, hoping I’d make Robert glance her way. But fate was unkind; Vivian and Eleanor became pregnant at the same time. Robert showered all his affection on Vivian. From birth, I knew I was the child no one wanted. Robert would yell at me, call me disgusting, declare me the biggest stain on his life. Eleanor would curse me as a worthless disappointment, incapable of even earning affection. Then one day, I noticed Eleanor changed. She stopped wallowing in self-pity, no longer shedding silent tears. Instead, she found joy in tormenting me. In our sprawling mansion, with so many empty rooms, I was relegated to the dog kennel in the yard, spending my days with mastiffs. My meals were three-day-old leftovers, my water the dirty run-off from watering plants. Even the household staff felt free to kick me. Eleanor’s mind grew increasingly twisted; the more I suffered, the happier she became. Many times, she’d grip my throat, laughing maniacally. “If only you’d die in my hands, how wonderful it would be if you just died.” But then she’d release me. “No, I can’t kill you yet. I haven’t had enough fun, hahahaha.” That time, I truly couldn’t take it anymore. I cried, asking her, “Am I really your biological daughter?” 2 Eleanor didn’t hesitate, biting out her words with certainty. “Of course you’re my biological daughter. I carried you for nine months and gave birth to you with great difficulty.” “Then why do you treat me like this?” My heart burned with raw indignation. Born into wealth, I didn’t ask for luxurious food and clothing like other young masters and ladies. I didn’t ask to attend elite schools or travel the world. I had only one wish: to eat enough, to be warm. Yet the mother who birthed and raised me wouldn’t even grant me that. Chloe emerged from the house, adorned in sparkling jewelry. Eleanor fussed over the driver, repeatedly telling him to ensure Chloe arrived home safely. I stood there, like a dog kicked from pillar to post, watching them with desperate, pleading eyes. “Want to wear pretty clothes like her?” After seeing Chloe off, Eleanor’s expression instantly twisted, her voice turning cold and ruthless. “Yes,” I whispered. I dreamed of it. She pinched my chin. “Then go beg your father to come home. If he agrees to return, I’ll buy you dresses and treat you to a fancy meal.” I was abandoned at the doorstep of Robert and Vivian’s house. When Robert returned from work, he saw me, disheveled and cowering on the ground, and his eyes filled with contempt. “Autumn? What are you doing here?” Though I’d been alive for over a decade, my encounters with my father were few and far between. Hearing his icy question, I cautiously tugged at his sleeve. “Please, Dad, come home with me, okay?” He cruelly shook me off. “What new scheme are you and your mother cooking up now? I left that woman plenty of money, enough for you two to live comfortably for generations. Why are you here playing pitiful?” I pulled up my sleeve, showing him the bruises and cuts on my arm. “It’s not pretend. If you don’t come home with me, she’ll beat me to death.” I expected him to show some sympathy, seeing the marks of physical abuse on his own flesh and blood. Instead, his contempt twisted into outright fury. “Autumn, you’re as worthless as your mother. She tricked me into marrying her step by step. If I ever feel an ounce of pity for either of you again, I’ll change my name!” He clutched a takeout bag from a five-star restaurant. He stood at the door, composing himself for a moment before daring to step inside. Just a wall separated us, and from within, Chloe’s high-pitched voice chirped, “Daddy!” Vivian, too, emerged, smiling, taking the food from his hands. The three embraced, bathed in the warm glow of the lights, a picture of impossible happiness. I had never experienced a single day like that. Lost and despondent, I returned home. A maid, sneering, informed me, “Hurry up. The mistress has prepared a grand meal for you.” My heart fluttering with a fragile hope, I rushed into the living room. The table was indeed laden with a feast. Chicken, fish, meat, and many dishes I couldn’t name. Eleanor sat nearby, smiling as she watched me. “Autumn, you must be hungry. Come quickly, taste it. This is Aunt Grace’s cooking.” My face full of disbelief, I cautiously asked, “Can I really eat?” Eleanor nodded. “Of course. Come sit down.” I excitedly picked up a piece of fish and put it in my bowl. “Mom, I promise, I’ll be filial to you from now on. Just be a little kind to me, just a little.” “And…” I couldn’t help but offer her a piece of advice. “If Dad makes you unhappy, maybe we could leave him, okay?” Eleanor’s smile didn’t waver. She gently stroked my tangled hair. “Oh, speaking of your father, I asked you to invite him. How did that go?” I answered casually, “I asked him, but Dad wouldn’t come.” The next moment, Eleanor’s face darkened like a storm. The serving dish, a plate of steamed crab, crashed down on my head, stunning me. 3 The plate of steamed crab shattered, and the sharp crab claws sliced, leaving a red gash on my cheek. Eleanor stood under the light, a furious beast. “What good are you to me? You can’t even handle this one simple thing.” She forcefully pried open my mouth, sticking her fingers in and rummaging frantically. “Where’s that piece of fish you just ate? Spit it out.” I gagged, tears streaming down my face. “Mom, I swallowed it. I really did swallow it.” Eleanor seemed to feel profoundly wronged. She slapped me, knocking me to the ground. “You worthless wretch, why are you so greedy? You didn’t accomplish my task, and you still want to eat my food!” I frantically apologized. “I’m sorry, I won’t do it again. I won’t eat anymore.” I understood Eleanor’s temperament. If I didn’t bow down and admit my mistake now, she would only grow more insane. Sure enough, seeing me so submissive, her mood brightened slightly. Suddenly, a thought seemed to strike her. She produced an iron chain from somewhere, binding my hands and feet. That night, I wasn’t even allowed the dog kennel. Eleanor shoved me into the basement. “Autumn.” She grinned menacingly at me. “I suddenly have an idea.” “My grandmother has a relative, he’s over 50 and hasn’t married yet. How about you marry him?” I had never felt such sheer terror. “No, Mom, please. I’ll stay here, I’ll work like a dog, a horse, anything.” “I’m not even eighteen yet. I can’t marry him.” These few pleas only displeased her further. She traced her fingernail along my cheek. “Nonsense. Your face looks exactly like Vivian, that wretch. He’ll surely like you when you marry him.” I actually didn’t look like Vivian at all. If Eleanor would just calm down and look closely, she’d see that from my high nose bridge to the mole at the corner of my eye, I was remarkably similar to her. But she couldn't see it. “You stay here and be a good girl. Tomorrow night, Mom will personally send you off to your wedding.” My last shred of hope was replaced by mounting dread. I realized I couldn’t just sit idly by. I had to escape. Eleanor was usually so good at disguising herself; if I called the police, I’d only be sent back to this house. Without an ID, I couldn’t run far; I’d be caught no matter what. The immediate priority was to find Robert. Only he truly understood Eleanor’s nature. If he knew the truth, he surely wouldn’t abandon me. While the maid came in to dress me, I knocked her unconscious. I found the keys, unlocked the chains, and fled, running wildly to Robert’s house. To avoid drawing the attention of Chloe and Vivian, I aimed for the second-floor balcony, planning to sneak in and hide in the study until Robert returned. But the moment I got onto the balcony, I overheard a shocking secret in the hallway. Chloe and Vivian were whispering conspiratorially in the bedroom. “Mom, what are you saying? Dad has been so good to us, why are you trying to harm him?” 4 Vivian shed her pretense, no longer the gentle person I usually saw. She said coldly, “Why? Because he’s not your biological father.” That statement not only stunned Chloe into silence but utterly shook me to my core. “I didn’t tell you this before because you were too young. Now you’re almost an adult; it’s time to plan for our future.” Chloe’s voice was hesitant. “But Dad has doted on us for so many years, I can’t bring myself to do it.” Vivian scoffed. “You’re foolish. No matter how good he is to us, he hasn’t given me a legal status all these years. If something happens to him, what share of the inheritance would we have? It’s better to humor him now, get him to write a will, and then find an opportunity to take care of him.” Chloe argued, “But even if we don’t kill Dad, we’ll still get the inheritance, won’t we?” Vivian lowered her voice. “Are you crazy? Your real father is a low-life. If he ever finds out I’ve cheated on him all these years, do you think we’d have a good life?” At that thought, Chloe also sobered up. “Okay, I’ll do whatever you say, Mom.” I waited outside all night. They discussed tampering with Robert’s car brakes. The next morning, mother and daughter appeared completely normal. Chloe specifically came out to see Robert off to work. She thoughtfully prepared his lunch, telling him, “Dad, drive quickly, or you’ll be late.” Robert smiled widely, a look of gratification on his face. “Chloe’s grown up, making lunch for Dad now.” “My little sweetheart prepared this for me, I’ll definitely eat every last bite.” Just as he was about to start the car, I couldn’t help but leap out from behind the door. “Dad, don’t drive! They tampered with your car!” Robert saw me, and his brows furrowed deeply. “What nonsense are you talking about? How dare you slander Chloe like that? Do you think this will make me look at you more? Too bad. I only acknowledge Chloe as my daughter.” Chloe, seeing me interfere, shoved me to the ground. “Your mom stole my mom’s position, and now you want to steal my dad too?” She clutched Robert’s arm, crying with a heartbroken expression. “Dad, Mom and I have suffered so many years of injustice with you. Do you also think I would harm you?” From birth, she had been served with luxury and comfort. Anyone who dared to anger her, Robert would make them pay a hundredfold. Now, seeing Chloe’s face streaked with tears, Robert’s anger soared. He deliberately slammed the car door shut, brutally severing my hand from where it clung to the door. “Enough! Stop being so unreasonable! Chloe would never harm me. I’m calling your mom right now to discipline you!” “No!” I knelt on the ground, begging him. “I won’t stop you from driving, just don’t tell Mom. She’s going to marry me off. I’ll die, I really will die.” Robert sneered. “Even a tiger doesn't devour its cub. And you’re still lying, even now.” Without another word, he called Eleanor. Eleanor saw me, put on a show of false kindness, constantly apologizing to Robert. But when she faced me, her eyes suddenly blazed with a vicious light. I was utterly despairing. As I was dragged away, I cried out to him, “We’re both your daughters, so why do you never believe me? Not even once.” I knew I would eventually die by Eleanor’s hand. Before I was taken away, I performed one last filial act. I grabbed handfuls of dirt and stones from the roadside and violently hurled them at Robert’s car. Robert cursed me as a lunatic, his face etched with disgust, and told the butler to drive it for repairs. Meanwhile, as soon as I got home, Eleanor tied me up, shoved me into a car, and headed towards the mountains. Not long after, the Vance family’s maid received a call. She rushed to Robert, reporting frantically, “Sir, bad news! Mr. Davies, the butler, was driving your car and got into an accident. He’s gone…”
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