After the extreme heat apocalypse hit and temperatures soared to 175 degrees Fahrenheit, everyone scrambled to relocate to the Antarctic shelters. My mother is a prominent research scientist, and my father is a well-known entrepreneur. Tickets to the shelter were worth their weight in gold and nearly impossible to get, yet my family had three. Three days before departure, a reporter interviewed my parents with a look of deep admiration: "I never expected that Professor Vance and CEO Sterling would choose to leave their biological daughter behind and give the last ticket to their adopted daughter." I thought he was joking. "That's not true. My parents told me to pack my bags long ago; they are taking me with them." "Then did they give you the ticket?!" The reporter's single sentence left me stunned. My parents coughed, looking a bit guilty: "Chloe, the first batch of evacuees are all people who have made valuable contributions to society." "Mia joined the laboratory through her hard work, and your achievements are certainly not equal to hers." "You are our biological daughter, so we must avoid any appearance of nepotism." My parents chose to abandon me and take my adopted sister with them. Looking at the three of them, my smile was bitter. Avoid nepotism. Then I'll grant their wish. I snatched the three tickets, tore them up, chewed them into pieces, and swallowed them. Since I can't go to the shelter, then none of them will go either! 1 Everyone fell silent in an instant. Realizing what had happened, my parents quickly reacted. "We were just giving an example, we didn't say we were going to abandon you." The tension broke, and my mother squeezed out a smile. "Yes, don't take it to heart!" I took a sudden step back, staring fixedly at the two of them. "You really gave the ticket to Mia." My tone was certain. The moment my words fell, the two of them immediately went quiet. My father's face darkened, and my mother stepped forward, trying to hold my hand. "This is for your own good." I pushed her away. "For my own good?" "The temperature is getting higher and higher now. Mia joined the lab three days ago, and you immediately gave her the ticket, terrified that I would get into the shelter." "Chloe Sterling, we already told you, we must avoid nepotism! Everyone knows you are our biological daughter; we cannot show favoritism towards you!" I looked at my father in utter shock. Without a moment's hesitation, my father interrupted me with an angry roar. "To set an example for others, you absolutely cannot go with us." Hearing these words, I was in disbelief. "But those three tickets, the third one was meant for family members!" "How am I inferior to her?!" "Same school, same exams, I've always been number one. What's there to avoid?!" Even without this family connection, I am still outstanding. Look at Mia... "Mia was always at the bottom of the class. How long did you maneuver things to get her into Mom's lab? If you wanted to avoid nepotism, it shouldn't have been me!" "You should..." Slap! A forceful slap landed on my face. The one who struck me was my mother. "You're rebelling against heaven!" My father stepped forward and charged at me; my mother raised her hand again. Until a sobbing sound made the two stop. In front of the reporter, Mia, with red eyes, stopped me. "Chloe, don't fight with Mom and Dad!" "You're right, you are the real family; I don't deserve that ticket at all!" My parents both frowned. My father spoke first. "Mia is no worse than you. You only benefited from your parents, having good educational resources and material conditions, but she is different." My mother nodded in agreement, looking at me with strong disapproval. "That's right, no matter how good your grades are, it's useless. You studied architecture and design, which will be of no help to future research and survival!" "Mia's parents passed away early, and she has been sensible and obedient since childhood. By getting her into the research institute, we are not just helping her as an individual." "We are helping the future of the scientific research community." "Don't be so selfish!" Selfish? I laughed. "If I'm selfish, why didn't you let me join the research institute?" "I applied a long time ago." My parents were stunned. Years ago, I suggested joining the research institute where my mother worked. But whether it was my mother's institute or my father's company, both were of one voice, their faces full of disapproval. "If people know about your relationship with us, everyone will think you got in through the back door." "Even if you compete fairly, no one will believe it." The words they said back then are still vivid in my mind. But turning around, Mia, following the major chosen by my mother, had a smooth sailing journey and joined the institute directly. My parents looked at me quietly. Filled with disappointment, I sneered, then raised my hand and smashed the family portrait on the table. "Fine, I'm not going." "Leave all the good opportunities for Mia." The frame shattered. I stepped on the photo, turned, and wanted to leave. "Wait!" Mia moved. Holding up the things in her hands, she rushed forward and shoved them into my hands. "Chloe, don't be angry, don't go!" "The tickets are all here, I'm giving them all to you, I don't want them!!" Seeing clearly what she gave me, my parents trembled all over, their tone anxious. "Mia, what silly things are you saying!" "We worked so hard for so long to get you into the lab; you must go with us." "But what about Chloe?!" My parents exchanged a glance, their eyes flickering. "She still has other opportunities. With our status, she can wait for the second batch!" Mia insisted on giving me the tickets. Looking down, I saw three tickets. Mom and Dad actually gave all the tickets to her for safekeeping. Seeing that I had actually taken them, my parents' expressions changed immediately. "Let go!" "Give the things back to Mia. Look at the gap between you and her." "You will never be this kind in your life. Being so selfish, you are simply a disgrace to me and your father!" A disgrace? I smiled bitterly. "Don't worry, I'm not going." Changing my tone, my face became expressionless. "None of us are going." Snatching the three tickets, I tore them up, chewed them into pieces, and swallowed them. Having done all this, I immediately rushed out the door. 2 "Chloe Sterling, you're crazy!!" Screams came from behind; my mother completely lost her calm composure. Smash! A glass hit me hard on the back. My face twisted in pain for a moment, but I didn't stop walking. My father's face was dark. He stopped Mia, who wanted to chase after me, and roared. "No one is allowed to chase her!" "Once she leaves, she is not allowed to come back! Stop all her credit cards right now!" "Let's see how she survives outside without us!" My mouth tasted bitter, and my eyes burned. The news was heavily reporting the apocalyptic high temperatures. After outdoor temperatures soared to 175 degrees Fahrenheit, it caused massive environmental disasters. Metal structures expanded and deformed due to the heat. Along the way, bridges collapsed, road surfaces softened, and various electronic devices overheated and failed. It was the hottest time of the day; no one was walking on the ground outside. Not even a single car could be seen. Hiding under a building, I saw overwhelming news reports flooding the screens. #Sterling Heiress Tears Up Shelter Tickets!# The internet was full of curses. The scene of me tearing up the tickets was edited and posted online. Although it was too hot to go out now, the internet hadn't been greatly affected yet. This was still just the early stage of the apocalypse. According to previous calculations... While I was zoning out, the video's views skyrocketed. "Tearing up the shelter tickets and not even leaving them for her parents, she really is selfish!" "Her parents were right. The first batch of refugees are all big shots who contribute to society. She just had a good birth." "No wonder her own parents didn't want to take her. This kind of selfish person really deserves to die!" "Thinking that being born with a silver spoon means she has nothing to worry about, she thought wrong!" "In my opinion, that adopted daughter acts more like their biological child than the Sterling heiress. She's so sensible." The online sentiment was one-sided. Everyone applauded my parents' actions, and favorability towards Mia also soared. The occasional one or two questioning voices were quickly suppressed. I smiled bitterly. Actually, over the years, I hadn't achieved nothing. Long before the extreme heat apocalypse, scholars had calculated the consequences of extreme climate change. After being rejected by my parents from joining the research institute and the company, I chose another major for further studies. But my parents didn't care about my studies at all. My excellent grades couldn't even compare to Mia's bottom-of-the-class report card. They focused all their attention on the child who needed "attention" more. From beginning to end, in their eyes, I was just invisible. I stumbled along the street, lowering my head in the air distorted by the high temperature. I don't know how much time passed, but my phone suddenly vibrated. It was Mia. I didn't want to respond, but her single sentence made me freeze in place. "The tickets you tore up were fake." As I stood frozen, my father updated his Facebook with a group photo. Mia stood between my parents, luggage at their feet, with the Sterling family mansion in the background. The caption read: [Last group photo before departure.] They were leaving. My eyes widened, and my body couldn't stop trembling. Just as I was speechless, a message suddenly popped up in the chat with my mother. "Chloe Sterling, your father and I found someone to get you a ticket." "Within three hours, you will leave with us." My heart pounded. I couldn't believe it. I read these two sentences over and over again. At the same time, someone online also noticed the photo Mia posted and immediately shared it in the comment section. "Do you guys really believe the tickets were torn up?" "Wake up, with their family's status, would they just casually take out the tickets?!" "Up to now, us ordinary people haven't even seen what the tickets look like." Just as I regained hope and was walking back, the netizen who shared the picture asserted again. "The tickets are still there." "But the ugly behavior of the Sterling heiress has been completely exposed." ... Covered in sweat, I stood in front of the Sterling mansion, swaying, my eyes fixed on the three people at the door. Looking at my parents, who were ready to go, I spoke slowly. "Dad, Mom, did you really find a fourth ticket?" Stepping ahead to block my parents, Mia revealed a smile. "Of course." "We're leaving together." 3 I didn't believe it. But my parents didn't say a word, their eyes full of disappointment. Just as Mia was about to hand me the completely different shelter ticket, my mother held her back and shook her head at her. Turning to me, she had a strange expression on her face. "Chloe, you wasted a spot. Do you know you were wrong?" I almost choked on my breath and widened my eyes slightly. I was wrong? Where exactly was I wrong? This was supposed to be the family ticket reserved for me. What right did Mia have to take what belonged to me through the back door? In the silent air, I could no longer hold back. "I was wrong." Nodding in admission, I sneered, my gaze slowly sweeping over my parents' faces. "I was wrong to be your daughter." "I should have been a stranger." My parents' faces instantly froze. The muscles on my father's face twitched, and he gritted his teeth. "Stubborn and irredeemable!" Pointing at me and cursing loudly, his chest heaving with anger. "Chloe Sterling, if Mia hadn't pleaded for us to get you another ticket, you wouldn't be qualified to go with us at all!" "Not only do you not thank her, but you turn around and blame us!" "I think you've had it too good!" My mother's eyes were cold, looking at me without a trace of warmth. "Do you know how guilty Mia felt when you tore up the tickets in public?" "You have no right to blame us, nor do you have the right to blame Mia." "You only have yourself to blame." The air was dead silent. Mia's voice rang out. "Dad, Mom, Chloe must have some misunderstanding about us." Stepping forward with a face full of worry, she took my father's arm. "We definitely wouldn't abandon Chloe!" Looking at me, Mia revealed a smile. Waving the ticket in her hand, she seemingly casually explained. "The first batch of spots in the shelter can't be bought even with money." "How could Mom and Dad bring out the real tickets? The ones you tore were fake. Society is in such chaos now, who would dare walk around with real tickets." Her eyes flickering, her face full of pity, her tone carried a hint of malice. "I almost forgot, you've never seen the real tickets, so you didn't know." "But it doesn't matter." I was speechless. My father glanced at me, his voice icy. "Your mother and I have decided. Once we reach the shelter and this crisis passes, we will let Mia enter the Sterling company." "And the marriage alliance with the Vance family, Mia will replace you." "She is more suited to be the daughter of the Sterling family than you." The things I had worked so hard for, Mia could easily get just by shedding a few tears. Am I really their biological daughter? A metallic taste rose in my throat; I almost couldn't speak. Looking up in disbelief, I stared at my parents. My wretched state, falling into their eyes, only left them with disgust for me. Numbly lowering my head, I concealed the disappointment in my eyes. "I understand." Seeing me obedient, the three were finally satisfied. Just as Mia was about to give me the ticket in her hand and leave, my mother suddenly spoke. "Wait." "The ticket is hers, but she must apologize to Mia for what happened before." Pinching the ticket in my hand, I found it ridiculous. Apologize? I have to apologize to Mia. "If you want me to apologize, I don't want this ticket." Throwing the thing directly on the ground, I spoke decisively. "Are you crazy?!" My mother was exasperated. My father suddenly stepped forward, and Mia quickly grabbed me. "Chloe, in my heart you are my biological sister. Don't apologize to me." "Just apologize to Mom and Dad, and it'll be fine!" "They are our closest family!" Breathing heavily, my mother's eyes turned red, and she looked at me together with my father. "Chloe Sterling, do you see the gap between you and Mia?!" "You can't even compare to a tenth of her." Calmly shaking off Mia's hand, I was expressionless. "Since I can't compare, then I won't." "You guys go." Family affection given as charity, I don't need it. Slap! "Forget about her, let's go!" Slapping me hard across the face, my father took Mia to the car, and the three of them drove off, leaving me behind. "Let's see how you live without us!" The ticket was casually thrown back in front of me, and my mother left harsh words. Watching the look in Mia's eyes as she left, I bent down. After a while, I stood up straight, my eyes cold. "Another fake ticket." I raised my hand and sent a string of numbers. Then I turned off my phone and silently walked back. Mia was wrong about one thing. The shelter didn't require tickets to enter at all. 4 Sticking the ticket into my pocket, I slowly walked outwards. Just as I walked out the door, a massive force struck me. A sharp pain in the back of my head, and my vision went black. "That's her, she has the ticket!" "She's Chloe Sterling!" Before I fainted, I heard a few angry roars. When I woke up again, I was surrounded by a group of people. The leader, a man with a scar on his face, was fiercely staring at me, holding the item pulled from my pocket. "Damn it, only one ticket! There are so many of us!" "If a parasite like you can go to the shelter, why can't we!" Echoing voices rang in my ears, and the others rubbed their hands together as they approached me. "Miss Sterling, do us a favor and get us a few tickets." "They're gone." I refused directly. The next second, I was kicked to the ground. My phone was thrown in front of me, and a heavy foot stepped on my back. "Stop pretending." "Chloe Sterling, that girl named Mia told us everything. You have tickets." "As long as we have you, your parents will give us as many tickets as we want." Hearing Mia's name, my heart skipped a beat. Sensing the malice in their tone, I instinctively tried to fight back. "You still dare to move?!" Snap! A crisp sound. Cold sweat instantly broke out on my forehead as my finger twisted unnaturally. It was broken. Having broken one of my fingers, the group threatened me again to contact my parents. Enduring the pain, I could only tremblingly turn on my phone. Taking a picture of that twisted finger, I sent it to my parents. A few seconds later, there was indeed a reaction from the other side. The moment the video call connected, the other side immediately roared. "Chloe Sterling, what are you doing, a pity play?!" "A new trick?!" I held the phone, stunned. My mother on the other side was furious with disappointment. "You think you can get our attention like this?!" "Chloe Sterling, can you be a bit more mature?" "Don't use fake photos to lie to us." Fake photos? I held up the phone, aiming the video at the group of people around me. "I've been kidnapped. Mia deliberately leaked the news about the ticket I had." "I'm not lying." The other side was silent for a few seconds. Finally, my father sneered, his face showing some mockery. "If Mia wanted to harm you, why would she be so wasteful as to give you a ticket?" "She could have just not given you one." "Without our help, you are nothing." His tone was contemptuous. Hearing these words, I was stunned. "Your help?" "What have you helped me with?" The voice on the other side stopped abruptly. "I've had excellent grades since I was little, but before I became an adult, no one knew I was your child." "In over ten years of schooling, you never attended my parent-teacher conferences. Because Mia and I went to the same school, you went to be her parents." "When I was bullied, you had the driver act as a parent to meet the teacher. You said it was to avoid nepotism, so I didn't go to the Sterling company, nor did I go to Mom's research institute." "Besides this ticket, what have you ever given me?" Even this ticket was just charity I got from being "unreasonable." "Chloe Sterling!!!" My mother screamed on the other end. "Chloe, saying these things breaks Mom and Dad's hearts!" "You are their child, how can you accuse them? Quickly say you're sorry!" "It's because you're like this that Mom and Dad don't like you!" Mia grabbed the phone, each sentence piercing my heart. I was silent for a few seconds. "Since you like them so much, then I give Mom and Dad to you." Just as she was about to continue speaking, I simply hung up the video call. "What are you doing!" The men next to me instantly got anxious. Seeing me hang up, they hurriedly pushed me away and frantically snatched the phone. Clicking on the video again, the phone had no response. Then, a red exclamation mark popped up. "The other side deleted her!" These words added fuel to the fire. This group of desperadoes, terrified of death, went completely crazy. "Damn it, let's show her some color!" Holding clubs, the group quickly approached me. Just as the clubs were about to fall on me, the main door was violently kicked open. Bang! A hole was blown into the chest of the man closest to me. After a few gunshots, the only group left standing walked from the door towards me. "Miss Chloe Sterling." "We are ordered to take you to the Antarctic Ark Shelter." "Welcome." Without my permission, Mia will never enter the shelter.
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