Chapter 3

"Yes, Valentina, you have hands and feet. Why don't you go out and find a job? Even though you're not as smart as Daphne, you should still be able to find some physical work, right?"

"You always compare me to Daphne. Am I really that much dumber than her?"

"Of course. Daphne went to college, but you only graduated from middle school."

I chuckled bitterly. It wasn't that I didn't want to go to school; my parents said they couldn't afford to support two children in school. So, despite being accepted into a prestigious high school, I had to stop at middle school. Now they called me dumb.

Daphne retook the college entrance examination three times after failing it before getting into a college, yet they said she was smart.

"It was you who didn't let me continue my school."

"Yes, but when Daphne was ready for high school, our financial situation improved. You were just unlucky, so accept your fate."

My grandmother said if I continued to stay at home, I would bring trouble to the family, calling me a jinx. She claimed my grandfather wouldn't have died early if it weren't for me.

"You knew you couldn't swim but insisted on going into the river. Your grandfather caught a severe cold saving you and died early because of it. You owe him your life."

At that moment, I realized why my grandmother hated me. I couldn't swim, but I went into the river to pick lotus flowers for Daphne. She threatened to poison the chicks we raised if I didn't get them for her. I was scared; I had raised those chicks myself and was attached to them.

Grandmother was just an unreasonable old fool!

"So you're really blaming Grandpa's death on me?"

I refused to bear this blame. Grandpa caught a severe cold because Daphne secretly poured cold water into his clothes, which made him sick.

"Of course! If your grandfather were still alive, with his bone-setting skills, our lives would be much better."

My mother said we would have moved out of this old house long ago.

My father spoke up again. He didn't want to continue arguing.

"Valentina, you should think about the family instead of making your grandmother angry."

They all blamed me. Despite telling myself to hold on no matter what, tears still streamed down my face. My eyes grew dim.

"I understand now; I'm just a burden to you all since the day I went to prison."

"You've decided to kick me out once I'm out of prison."

"I've become an obstacle to Daphne marrying into a wealthy family, so I must be removed."

My parents didn't have a son, so they pinned all their hopes on Daphne, believing she could marry into wealth. They couldn't let the wealthy family know their younger daughter had a sister who had been in prison.

I quickly wiped away my tears.

"Do you really want to get rid of me?"

"Yes!"

All three of them spoke in unison without any hesitation. They looked at me with eyes signaling me to leave as soon as possible and as far away as possible.

Since that was the case, there was no need for any illusions. I hardened my heart too.

"Fine, I'll leave right away."

"Don't rush; sign the agreement first. We don’t want you to come back later claiming anything from Daphne's inheritance," my father urged incessantly.

I sneered and quickly signed the papers.

"Good! Seems like you're not the litigious type. Now we can rest easy!" My father finally showed a hint of a smile.

My heart sank. They were my family, but they didn't deserve to be called family.

I had ten million dollars in my account; none of it would go to them either.