When my brother was just a baby, I found out he had been accidentally switched at birth with the son of the wealthiest family in the state. Back then, I made sure they were switched back. Years later, my brother found out the truth. He blamed me for being a meddlesome busybody, screaming that I had ruined his life as a billionaire’s heir. Driven by years of festering resentment, he sneaked into my room while I was sleeping and released a venomous snake, letting me be bitten to death. When I opened my eyes again, I was back to the time before the switch was exposed. This time, I kept my mouth shut. Because someone as purely evil as him didn't deserve a life of wealth and luxury. 01 Ever since my brother, Tyler, was little, my parents assigned me the role of his caretaker, constantly warning me that I had to yield to him in everything. If he cried, it was my fault for not watching him properly. If he tore up my homework, it was my fault for leaving it out. In short, whatever mistakes my brother made were ultimately my fault. If there was good food in the house, Tyler always got first pick. Whatever he couldn't finish went to our parents. Only if there were leftovers did I get a share. If it was all gone, then it was gone. If I dared to complain or cry, all I got was a severe beating. They constantly brainwashed me with the idea that I had to accommodate him, to be good to him. They said that when I grew up and got married, my brother would be my safety net, the one who would back me up if I ever ran into trouble with my husband's family. They preached this day in and day out. But after being killed by him once, how could I ever believe that garbage again? Of course, I knew there was no point in arguing with them. My parents’ hearts were permanently biased. This time around, I didn't tell a single soul about the hospital mix-up. In my past life, I had been naive and revealed the truth. From then on, my mom would constantly bring it up in front of Tyler. When Tyler grew up, he secretly went to look at that wealthy family. He found out they were ridiculously rich, the wealthiest family in the region. His mind completely snapped. He hated me to his core, eventually dropping a venomous snake into my room to kill me. So, this time, I buried the secret. I knew the only way to escape this toxic household was to study hard, get into an out-of-state college, and leave this city for good. That was the only way to break free from their control. Once my mind was made up, I hid all my dissatisfaction and resentment. I never fought with Tyler over anything. Aside from studying, I acted like someone with zero desires. Because I worked so hard, my grades were outstanding. I was constantly praised by my teachers, and since my academic success gave my parents something to brag about, they treated me tolerably well. That was until Tyler turned six, and something massive happened. A family in our neighborhood lost their cat and put up missing posters everywhere. The poster made it very clear: the cat was a highly expensive purebred. If someone had mistakenly taken her, they needed to return her immediately. If the cat wasn't returned within three days, they were calling the police. When my mom came home for dinner, she brought it up as a casual joke. Unexpectedly, Tyler slipped from his chair and fell to the floor. Startled, my mom rushed to help him up. "Tyler, sweetie, are you okay?" Tyler refused to look at her, visibly panicking. My mom froze for a second, her voice trembling in disbelief. "Tyler... did you take that cat?" "I... I... Mom, I didn't mean to! If they call the cops, are the police gonna arrest me?! I don't want to go to jail, I'm scared!" No matter how malicious Tyler was, he was still just a little kid. The threat of the police terrified him. He grabbed my mom's sleeve and begged. "Mom, I'm sorry! I just thought it looked fun to play with! Don't let the police take me!" His words hit the house like a bomb. My mom stared at him, her eyes wide. "You actually took their cat?! Why would you take someone else's cat?! Hurry, where is it? I'll go return it right now!" Tyler kept his head down, mumbling incoherently. My dad, sensing something was very wrong, roared at him. "You little brat, that cat is worth thousands of dollars! Where is it?! Speak!" "Oh, stop yelling at him! He's just a little boy, talk to him nicely," my mom complained, unable to bear seeing my dad scold her precious son. She turned to Tyler with a gentle voice. "Tyler, don't be scared. Tell Mommy, where did you put the cat?" Perhaps sensing that she wasn't mad at him, he finally looked up and spoke slowly. "Mom, I just saw it after school and thought it was pretty. I played with it for a bit, but it was so fragile. It died super fast, so I just buried it!" 02 A dead silence fell over the room. My parents looked at each other, unable to believe that their precious six-year-old had tortured a cat to death. But I wasn't surprised in the slightest. He was a psychopath born with a rotten core. This was just the beginning. After the initial shock wore off, panic set in. It was painfully obvious from my parents' faces that they had absolutely no intention of paying thousands of dollars in compensation. Right then, their eyes landed on me, sitting silently on the sidelines. They exchanged a look and turned my way. "Chloe!" my mom started. "Look, your brother is little and doesn't know any better. He made a tiny mistake. Can't you think of a way to help him out?" I frowned in disbelief. Why would they ask me, a high school sophomore, for a solution? "The only solution is to go to their door, apologize, and pay them for the cat! There is no other way." My mom seemed to be waiting exactly for me to say that. She immediately jumped in. "Chloe! You know we don't have that kind of money. That cat is worth thousands! Where would we get it? How about this... you take the blame for your brother. Your dad and I will take you over there and beg them for mercy. Who knows, maybe they'll just forgive us?" I couldn't believe my ears. I shot up from my chair. "Me take the blame?! Do you two have any sense of right and wrong?! He's six years old and already torturing animals! Instead of disciplining him, you're covering for him. Aren't you afraid he's going to grow up to be a monster? "Whoever committed the crime does the apologizing! We'd be begging them either way, so why does it have to be me?!" Smack! Seeing that I was refusing to take the fall and even daring to lecture them, my dad crossed the room and slapped me hard across the face. "You do what you're told! I feed you, I put a roof over your head, and it sure as hell isn't so you can talk back to me!" He hit me so hard I was knocked to the floor. Blood instantly pooled in the corner of my mouth. Tyler watched from the side, a gleeful smirk on his face. He was young, but he was cunning. He understood perfectly that my parents were shifting the blame onto me. All the panic completely vanished from his face. My mom squatted down, pulled me up, and wiped the blood from my mouth with fake tenderness. "Chloe, don't be mad at your dad. Your brother is a boy, after all. If he really gets a police record, his reputation will be ruined! If he doesn't go, and they call the cops, what if they take him away? "Be a good girl. Just help your brother this one time. Mom will make your favorite dinner tonight!" So, in their eyes, my reputation meant absolutely nothing. My feelings didn't matter at all. In that moment, the urge to escape this house became overwhelming. I didn't say another word. I knew arguing was useless. Any further resistance would just earn me another brutal beating. I needed to think of a different way out. Assuming my silence meant compliance, my mom grabbed my arm and dragged me out the door. 03 The cat owners were a young couple. When they saw us at their door, they were initially confused. After hearing the story, the young woman, Emily, refused to believe it. It wasn't until my parents led her to a secluded corner of the neighborhood and dug up the cat's body that she finally broke down. The little cat was covered in blood and dirt. There wasn't an inch of unharmed fur on its body, and its four legs were bent at grotesque angles. Emily collapsed, sobbing hysterically as she held the cat's body. She completely lost it, pointing a shaking finger right at me. "You look like such a quiet, normal girl. How could you be so evil?! Bella was so sweet, how could you do this?! I don't care, I'm calling the cops! I'm going to make sure you rot in juvenile detention!" Seeing this, my mom panicked and shoved my head down, forcing me to bow. "Chloe, apologize! Tell her you're sorry right now! Tell her that as long as she doesn't call the police, she can do whatever she wants to you!" My mom's grip was painfully tight. Her words sent a chill straight to my bones. If this woman wanted to beat me half to death, my parents would probably hand her the bat. Smack! "You wretched girl! Your mother told you to apologize, are you deaf?! Apologize!" My dad slapped the other side of my face. The cut on my lip tore open again, dripping fresh blood. Seeing me get hit didn't ease Emily's fury. She screamed at my parents. "Enough! Stop putting on a show! Do you think slapping her a few times means I'll forgive this?! Let me make this clear: I am calling the police. Not only is your psycho daughter going to juvie, but you are paying me for my cat!" Hearing about me going to juvie didn't faze my parents at all, but the moment they heard "paying," the color drained from their faces. My mom forced a sickeningly sweet smile. "Miss, please! Look, my daughter is still a minor. Can't you give her a second chance? I know what she did was extreme, but I promise, as long as you forgive her and don't make us pay, you can make her do whatever you want!" "What could she possibly do for me?! Can anything she does bring Bella back?!" Emily wept uncontrollably, cradling the dead cat. My mom, with her twisted logic, suddenly grabbed me by the hair and started viciously beating me. "Then I'll beat her for you! I'll beat her senseless! Will that make you feel better?!" I raised my arms to protect my head. Beside her, my dad grabbed a thick wooden branch from the ground and started striking me. Seeing my dad join in, my mom simply pinned me down so he could have a better angle to swing. While I screamed in agony, curled up defensively on the ground, Tyler stood on the sidelines, completely silent. His eyes were practically glowing with excitement. 04 The young couple had never seen anything like this. Emily opened her mouth to stop them, but looking down at her cold, broken cat, she clamped her mouth shut. Because Tyler had buried the cat in an isolated corner of the subdivision, there weren't usually many people around. But the commotion was so loud that a crowd quickly gathered. An older woman, seeing me getting brutally beaten, stepped right in. "What are you doing?! Are you trying to kill the kid?! I'm telling you, child abuse is a felony! Stop it right now!" My mom, seeing the crowd intervene and noticing that Emily still hadn't said a word of forgiveness, didn't let go of me. She just paused her swings to explain. "Lady, mind your own business! This kid tortured a cat. Look at what she did to their poor pet! If I don't beat some sense into her today, she'll never learn!" My mom's words instantly drew the crowd's eyes to the cat. That was when they noticed the bloody, mangled corpse in Emily's arms. Some of the younger kids in the crowd started crying in fear. The adults stopped trying to intervene. Some self-righteous bystanders even started agreeing with my parents. "That is purely evil. She needs to be taught a lesson. Keep hitting her!" "You really can't judge a book by its cover. Such a quiet-looking girl, who knew she was a sociopath? Terrifying!" "She deserves it. If you don't discipline her now, who knows what she'll do to a person next!" ... I lay on the dirt, protecting my head, groaning and thrashing. Eventually, I was too weak to even move, lying there gasping for air like a slab of dead meat. 05 After what felt like an eternity, my parents finally started to get scared. They didn't actually want to murder me in front of dozens of witnesses. My mom let go of me, crawled over to Emily, and begged through crocodile tears. "Miss, please! Please just forgive my daughter! We are so poor, we really can't afford to pay you thousands of dollars!" Blood had soaked through my shirt. Seeing how severely I had been beaten, Emily finally relented. "Just... take her home and get her psychological help. To do something like this as a minor... it's terrifying." My mom knew immediately that they were off the hook. She exchanged a thrilled look with my dad, grabbed Tyler's hand, and turned to leave. They didn't even cast a single glance at me bleeding on the ground. Right at that moment, I slowly pushed myself up. Facing the crowd that was just starting to disperse, I cried out: "I didn't torture the cat... I didn't do anything! He did it!" With my face covered in dirt and blood, I pointed a trembling finger at Tyler, who froze and turned around. "My brother tortured the cat... My parents favor sons over daughters. They forced me to take the blame for him so they wouldn't have to pay! They beat me half to death to put on a show... I won't be framed! I can't take this anymore, call the police!" "You lying little bitch, shut your mouth!" My dad raised the branch and lunged at me. But halfway there, a burly man stepped in and grabbed his wrist. "What the hell do you think you're doing?! Is what this girl saying true?! If you're lying to us, I'm calling the cops right now!" "Yeah! Did you really beat your own daughter half to death to cover for your son?! Speak up!" "Wait, it was your son who killed my Bella?! If you lied to me, I'll sue you for everything you own!" The crowd and Emily exploded in outrage. My dad froze, terrified by the angry mob. My mom, always the slickest liar, immediately tried to do damage control. "Don't listen to her nonsense! She's just scared because we disciplined her, so she's making up lies! Chloe, get up! We are going home right now!" She reached out to grab me, shooting me a lethal glare warning me to shut up. But I had endured that brutal beating specifically to break away from them. There was no way I was backing down now! "I'm not lying! There are security cameras at the neighborhood entrance. Check them, and you'll see who was walking around with the cat!" 06 Someone in the crowd had already dialed 911, and the police arrived shortly after. They didn't listen to a word of my parents' excuses and took all of us to the precinct for an investigation. As soon as the truth came out, my parents panicked. My mom immediately changed her tune, claiming Tyler was too young and had a weak constitution, which was why they wanted me to take the blame. She blamed Emily for being "too ruthless" and forcing them to beat me so severely to earn her forgiveness. Emily was so furious at my mom's twisted logic that she broke down in tears again. Her boyfriend, Matt, comforted her and angrily addressed the police. "Officers, the way they brutally assaulted their daughter tonight clearly shows this isn't the first time. If you don't intervene, this girl is going to be beaten to death by her own parents!" Matt was smart; he pushed the issue of child abuse to the forefront. The officer looked at me, advised me to get medical attention, and promised to give my parents a stern warning. "They definitely won't dare lay a hand on you again after this!" I frantically shook my head. I knew exactly what I was doing. My injuries looked horrific, but they were mostly superficial flesh wounds. More importantly, I knew I couldn't waste this opportunity. There would never be a better one. "I exposed their secret! If I go back with them, they will definitely beat me again! "Officer, I'm seventeen. I want to file for legal emancipation. I want to move out and separate from them legally so they have no right to touch me ever again!" Because my birthday was late in the year, I was a few months shy of turning eighteen. If I could get emancipated or placed under state protection, any future assault by them would be treated as a full adult felony. "Emancipation?! Over my dead body! You are my blood, and you'll die under my roof!" My dad, hot-tempered and brainless as ever, completely lost it in the precinct. I deliberately shrank back, my face pale, tears streaming down my cheeks, looking utterly traumatized. "You're threatening me right in front of the police?! Your son tortures animals at six years old, did he learn that from you?! "By law, you committed child abuse. I have every right to request removal from your custody!" The officer looked at me sympathetically. "You're only a few months away from eighteen, and you're still in high school. If you leave them, how are you going to support yourself?" I looked over at Emily and Matt, pleading with my eyes. "I have straight As. Once I finish my college entrance exams, I can get a part-time job. "Could you... could you please lend me some money just to survive the next few months? I can sign a legally binding IOU!" Emily's heart ached seeing me beaten and framed, but living expenses for a high schooler weren't cheap. She was young herself and didn't have much money, so she hesitated. My parents, confident that no stranger would be stupid enough to hand over money, sneered at me in disgust. I refused to lose this lifeline. I dropped to my knees in front of them and begged. "Please, I will sign a promissory note! The second I turn eighteen, I'll get a job and pay you back with interest! Please help me, if I go back there, they will actually kill me!" I clutched Emily's sleeve, sobbing hysterically. The blood from my hands stained her jacket. Emily couldn't bear it anymore. She exchanged a look with Matt, and finally, she nodded. 07 The moment I got the answer I needed, the adrenaline that had been holding me together crashed, and I passed out. I spent a week in the hospital. When I woke up, I applied for emergency student housing at my high school. My parents tried to drag me home, but the school administration, having heard that my parents put me in the hospital, barred them from campus to protect my studies. A few months later, I officially turned eighteen. I marched to the police station, filed the paperwork, and had an officer escort me home to retrieve my vital documents. My parents were furious, but legally, there was nothing they could do. The moment I held my own birth certificate and social security card in my hands, I let out a long breath. From that moment on, I was an independent adult. They could never control me again. Time flew by, and the SATs were just around the corner. Right before exam week, my guidance counselor called me into her office with urgent news. "Chloe, your mom called. Your dad drank too much and suffered a massive stroke. It doesn't look like he's going to make it, and your mom is begging you to come see him one last time. I'm just passing along the message, Chloe. It's up to you to decide." I thanked her and nodded. My dad having a stroke was something that never happened in my past life. I didn't know if this was the butterfly effect of me moving out, or if there was some darker conspiracy at play. A stroke right before my college entrance exams? The timing was way too suspicious. I couldn't afford a single misstep right now. But if I didn't go, and he actually died, the social stigma of refusing to see my dying father would haunt me forever. After thinking it over, I decided to go. When I arrived at the house, it felt like they had been waiting for me. I knocked twice, and the door swung open. Seeing me, my mom's eyes instantly went red, and tears streamed down her face. She wiped them away, choking out, "Chloe, you finally came home! Your dad... he's not going to make it!" Honestly, in that exact second, I thought I had misjudged them. I walked inside, and my mom kept rambling about how much she missed me over the past year and how guilty she felt. I looked at my dad, lying perfectly still in bed, his face pale and eyes tightly shut. My suspicions eased a fraction. A moment later, my mom handed me a glass of water. "Chloe, drink some warm water. Your dad... we just have to leave it in God's hands now." I took the glass. Looking down, I noticed a faint layer of white powder settling at the bottom. We only ever drank filtered bottled water in this house. There shouldn't be any sediment! My heart hammered against my ribs. I knew instantly it was a trap, but I pretended not to notice and took a few small sips. Then, using the excuse of needing the bathroom, I locked myself inside. I turned on the faucet to muffle the sound, shoved my fingers down my throat, and threw everything up. When I came out, I pretended to feel dizzy. I slumped onto the dining table and faked falling into a deep sleep. My mom called my name a few times to test the waters. When I didn't respond, she dropped the act entirely and yelled toward the bedroom. "Richard, get up! The brat passed out!" Immediately, I heard the rustle of blankets being thrown off. My dad was perfectly fine. It was all an act. But what was their goal in tricking me back here? Smack! My dad walked up and slapped me hard across the face. I forced myself to stay completely limp and kept my eyes shut. "You ungrateful little bitch, thought you could spread your wings and fly? Thought you could cut ties with us? If you hate living here so much, I'll ship you off to someone else's house!" "Hey, stop hitting her! Don't damage the goods. If Earl sees bruises tonight, he's gonna lower the price! We need that money for Tyler's college fund!" my mom quickly intervened, seeing my face start to swell. "He wouldn't dare! He's a fifty-year-old creep getting a fresh young bride. If he tries to short me on the twenty grand, the deal is off!" A fifty-year-old creep? Twenty grand?! They orchestrated this massive lie just to drug me and traffic me to some old man! It was as sickeningly predictable as always. 08 They dragged me into my old bedroom, tied me to the bed, and left to call this 'Earl' guy to finalize the pick-up time. The moment the bedroom door clicked shut, my eyes snapped open. I sat up. Because they assumed I was drugged, their knot-tying was incredibly sloppy. It looked complicated, but it was loose. Within minutes, I had untied myself. I pressed my ear against the door. Hearing no movement outside, I quietly slipped out. But just as my hand touched the front doorknob, Tyler suddenly appeared from the hallway and shrieked. "Chloe's awake! Mom! Dad! Chloe woke up!" His voice was deafening. I frantically twisted the doorknob, but Tyler lunged forward and grabbed my waist, anchoring me. My parents never hid anything from him. He knew exactly what they were planning to do to me. Yet here he was, stopping me from escaping. It was pure, unadulterated malice. To him, I wasn't a sister anymore. I was a commodity that was going to buy him video games and a college fund. "You can't leave! You can't go! Mom! Dad!" He was a boy, but he was only seven. With a hard shove, I threw him aside, but the delay was enough. My parents burst out of the living room and cornered me. "You little rat, I underestimated you! How did you wake up so fast? Trying to run?!" My dad lunged, shoving me violently away from the door, his eyes full of mockery. I knew I couldn't overpower them both right now, so I resorted to screaming at them. "Are you even my real parents?! My exams are in two days, and you're trying to traffic me?!" "College is a waste of money! You might not claim us, but we're still your parents! You're eighteen now. Today, you're getting married, and paying us back for raising you!" "Twenty thousand dollars! You're selling me for twenty grand! Dad, let me go, and I'll pay you back fifty thousand!" My dad paused. The sheer dollar amount made him hesitate. He looked at me suspiciously. "You can get fifty thousand?" "Once I go to college and get a corporate job, fifty thousand is nothing! Tyler is only seven, you don't even need the twenty grand right now. Let me go, and I'll sign a legal promissory note!" My dad's eyes lit up with pure greed. My worth to him was entirely monetary. My heart was ice cold, but I was relieved. I had found an opening to save myself. But just as my dad was wavering, Tyler suddenly shouted. "I don't want it later! I want the twenty grand now! I want to buy a new PlayStation! I want the money now!" My mom had always spoiled him rotten. She was naturally cowardly and had no mind of her own, so she echoed her golden boy. "Richard, if she really goes off to college, do you think she'll ever come back? What if she just rips up the IOU? Tyler is right. Cash in hand today is safer!"
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