1. The moment I was released from prison, waiting for someone to pick me up, I scrolled through a local trending post with a familiar profile picture. [My biological sister stole my foster sister’s jewelry, so I taught her a little lesson by sending her to jail for three years. She’s being released today. It’s the punishment she deserved, so why do I feel this overwhelming guilt?] The comments section exploded in outrage. [This ‘righteous’ act feels a bit… extreme, doesn't it? For a biological sister? Going to jail can ruin a life forever.] [Clearly, the poster's heart is completely biased, stretched across the ocean.] [Hard to say. Isn't the 'forbidden love with a foster sibling' trope popular now? The foster sister sheds a few tears, and the brother is just heartbroken.] [To the comment above: he hasn't replied to you yet, probably because you hit the nail on the head.] However, less than two seconds later, the poster replied with a smiling emoji: [Is stealing such a small thing? My company is a Fortune 500. Do you really think I can't cover for her?] Soon after, a luxury SUV, a Cullinan, pulled up in front of me. Liam’s eyes were red as he reached out his hand. “Do you finally understand your mistake? Come on, let’s go home.” I simply stepped back, unemotionally, avoiding his hand. I’d found a new brother inside. … My brother, Liam, looked startled that I had avoided him. But his hand didn’t retreat; instead, it swiftly and firmly reached for me again. “Why are you avoiding me, Anya? Did someone bully you inside?” His voice was hoarse, like his throat was stuffed with sponges. I tried to pull my hand away several times without success, so I just said flatly, “No.” He visibly relaxed, tightening his grip on me. “That’s good. I heard online that it’s a terrible place, so it’s good you weren’t bullied…” Watching his relieved expression and his eyes growing redder, I gave a bitter, mocking laugh inside. Brother, weren’t you the one who went to such lengths to put me in there? What good is your concern now? He forced a smile, pulling me towards the car in a placating manner. “Don’t you love a good celebration? I’ve prepared a welcome home feast for you.” “Come on, let’s go home.” I looked back at the prison. Inside, I’d met a new brother, named Julian. He was locked up for a white-collar crime he was falsely accused of, and he wouldn't be out for another month. We’d already made a pact: in a month, I’d pick him up, and we’d start a new life together. Thinking of Dad’s belongings, which were still at the house, I finally got into the car with Liam. On the way, he half-warned, half-admonished me, stroking my buzzcut. “Anya, you can’t steal anymore. This is your lesson.” I clenched my fingers. For three years, I’d sent countless messages to him through the guards. Telling him I hadn’t stolen anything from Anna, that she’d framed me. But he never believed me. So this time, I wasn’t going to explain again. I just nodded obediently, agreeing with him. “Got it.” He smiled, satisfied, and took me home. As soon as he opened the door, there was a boom, and confetti rained down. Anna, whom I hadn’t seen in three years, was holding a party popper, her eyes crinkling with a smile. “Sister, welcome home!” She acted incredibly affectionate, her eyes practically overflowing with longing. Completely unlike the malicious, hateful look she’d given me when she’d falsely accused me of stealing. I ignored her, brushing past her shoulder and walking inside. Her smile froze, and she awkwardly looked to Liam for help. “Why isn’t Anya talking to me? Is she still mad at me?” Liam affectionately ruffled her hair. “Anya just got out, she might still be adjusting. It’s not your fault.” I was already in the bedroom, pulling open the drawer under the bed. Seeing Dad’s old photos and ring still there, I breathed a sigh of relief. Liam stood at the doorway, calling softly to me. “Anya, come out and eat? You’ve lost so much weight, I can see your ribs.” I closed the drawer and followed him out. At dinner, Anna casually asked: 2. “Sister, what was it like inside? I heard it’s really chaotic, is that true?” “Not chaotic. We could read books and newspapers daily, then return to our dorms after dinner.” “Oh, that sounds pretty decent then. Not as tough as I imagined.” As she spoke, a flicker of disappointment crossed Anna’s eyes. Liam peeled a shrimp for me, chuckling softly. “Now that you’re out, let’s not dwell on what happened inside. Just consider it an experience and move past it.” Anna’s expression darkened, and she said no more. A moment later, as if remembering something, she hurried back to her bedroom and returned with a small, elegant box, offering it to me. “Sister, this is a gift I prepared for you. Congratulations on your release!” I didn’t take it, just continued eating my meal. She didn’t seem to mind, smiling as she opened the box. A string of pearl necklaces lay quietly inside, looking incredibly opulent. But one glance, and my pupils constricted, blood draining from my face, a sudden chill engulfing me! Anna pushed the necklace closer to me, her face gradually twisting into a grotesque, chilling smile. “What’s wrong, Sister? Didn’t you love this necklace the most? Enough to even steal it?” “Now I’m giving it to you. Aren’t you happy?” That pearl necklace was a gift Liam had given to Anna. It was also the very thing that had sent me to prison for three years. After Dad was killed in action, Mom took the bereavement benefits and ran off, leaving Liam and me to fend for ourselves. He dropped out of high school, took countless wrong turns before finally succeeding in starting his own company. Once he made money, he adopted Anna, who had also lost her father, and brought her home. At first, I disagreed, but Liam persuaded me: “Anna is just as unfortunate as us. At least you have me; she has nothing.” “Anya, be more generous. It’s just one more plate at the table.” But despite his words, Liam treated her even better than he treated me. It was as if he wanted to raise a sister all over again, giving her everything he hadn’t had the chance to give me. Jewelry, accessories, designer bags—whatever Anna wanted, she got. In just two years, he spent millions. That was money he’d earned through sheer effort, so many nights he had to go out for business dinners, throwing up until he was sick but still forcing himself to drink more. I worried about his money and always urged him not to spend too much. As a result, Anna resented me. She hid the jewelry under my pillow, then cried to Liam, claiming I had stolen it. Liam exploded in rage, making me kneel in the rain to admit my mistake. “How could the Reynolds family produce a daughter like you? Dad was a soldier, and I’ve always been upright, never done anything wrong.” “Of all people, why did you have to take after that mother who ran off with all the money?” “Did I ever starve you or deny you clothes? Why would you steal?” I developed a high fever, crying and explaining that I hadn’t stolen anything, but he refused to believe me. The next day, he hired the best lawyer and sued me. He was my own brother, yet in court, he argued vehemently on Anna’s behalf, acting as her witness. Ultimately, I was sentenced to three years, branded a thief. Before I went in, relatives, friends, and even the lawyer advised him not to be so serious. I was a girl, after all, and three years in prison would ruin my life. But Liam was determined, choosing to alienate them rather than give up on sending me in. “Anya won’t be ruined. I work hard to make money for her. Even if she is ruined, I can support her for the rest of her life.” “But she stole, and she has to be taught a lesson!” During those three years, he visited me every month, asking if I understood my mistake. And I never showed my face, only relaying messages through the guards: “I didn’t steal any money.” 3. Every time he left, the guard would sigh and tell me: “Your brother doesn’t believe you.” One disappointment after another, slowly, imperceptibly, turned into despair. I felt as if the whole world had abandoned me. I used to have my brother’s love, but now even that was gone. Seeing that pearl necklace again, I completely broke down, overturning the box. The pearls scattered onto the floor, the string snapped, clattering and rolling away. Anna froze, flustered, and Liam’s face instantly darkened. “Anna kindly gave you a gift, and she doesn’t even blame you anymore. What are you doing?” I sat in the chair, trembling uncontrollably, my face frighteningly pale. He pulled me up. “Do you think just because you’re out, you can throw a fit? Pick up those pearls right now and apologize to Anna!” How could I apologize? I shoved Liam hard, pushed open the door, and ran out. The biting wind outside matched the churning knot of injustice and sorrow in my heart. I didn’t want to come home. If it weren’t for Dad’s belongings, I wouldn’t have returned with him. I never wanted to be wrongly accused again, never wanted to suffer another shred of injustice! Liam quickly chased after me from behind, grabbing my wrist. His brows were tightly furrowed, and he spoke with a tone of reproach. “Where are you running off to? Three years in jail and your temper hasn’t changed?” I couldn’t take it anymore. I shook him off, my eyes red, and retorted: “Whether she gave me that necklace out of kindness or malice, Liam, can’t you see it?” “I’m your biological sister. You’ve already sent me away once with your own hands, what more do you want?” “It was for your own good!” His voice grew cold. “If you dare to steal, you must accept the punishment. Otherwise, how will you ever change this habit?” “Am I supposed to watch you make mistakes without doing anything, just letting you go down the wrong path?” His words felt like a heavy pickaxe, carving a deep chasm in my heart. When had I ever stolen anything, growing up? What reason would I have to steal a necklace from Anna? Why couldn’t he just think, why wouldn’t he believe me! Tears of injustice streamed down my face, the despair and pain of three years washing over me. I gave up on explaining once again. Liam looked at my buzzcut, then softened his voice, as if admitting defeat. “Anya, everything I’ve done has been for you. Even though you spent three years in prison, I’ve still paved the way for your future.” “My company will be yours one day. I truly just wanted to give you a small punishment, nothing serious.” “Come home with your brother. Don’t run off like this again.” He took my hand, leading me back toward the house. I followed his steps numbly, not saying another word. When we pushed open the door, Anna’s eyes flashed with surprise to see Liam bringing me back. She hadn’t expected him to still be willing to let me come home, even after all this. But I felt utterly exhausted, retreating into my bedroom and not coming out again. Late that night, Anna crept into my room. I sharply opened my eyes, but she thought I was still sound asleep. She fumbled, lifted my pillow, and slipped something underneath. I said nothing, nor did I take it out. Anna was in such a hurry, repeating her old trick the moment I returned. I wanted to see if Liam would choose to believe me this time. Sure enough, the next morning, she cried to Liam, claiming I had stolen her necklace again. “Sister, if you liked it, you just had to tell me. I even gave you the necklace yesterday, but you didn’t want it.” “Do you just enjoy petty theft?” Liam’s face was dark, his gaze fixed on me, teeth clenched. 4. “You just can’t change, can you?” My heart dropped with a thump, plummeting into a bottomless abyss. Liam’s words were like a sharp sword, severing the last ties of family between us. I gave a self-deprecating smile. “No, I can’t.” “Smack!” As my words fell, Liam suddenly raised his hand and slapped me hard across the face. The fury and disappointment in his eyes threatened to spill over. “How could I have a sister like you!” I was silent for a moment, then, covering my face, I let out a cold laugh. “I don’t know why I have a brother like you.” “You!” He pointed at me, his hand trembling, too furious to speak. Before his second slap could land, I dropped to my knees with a thud and bowed my head. “Thank you for dropping out of school to take care of me. From now on, I have no brother.” With that, I stood up, retrieved Dad’s belongings from under the bed, and turned to leave. His face was grim as he snatched the photos and ring. “These are Dad’s things. You have no right to them!” Then so be it. I nodded, resignedly preparing to leave. Liam’s voice, tight with suppressed anger, called out from behind me. “You’re an ex-con. What can you do without me? Starve?” My steps didn’t falter. “Don’t trouble yourself.” After leaving the house, I sat in the neighborhood park for a whole day. This time, Liam didn’t come after me. He must have been utterly disappointed and disgusted, unwilling to care anymore. I had no money, so I looked for a job that offered room and board. But as soon as they heard I’d been to prison, not a single company would hire me. Left with no choice, I went to a construction site. The foreman scrutinized me from head to toe, then slowly frowned. “A woman? Our work is very tough. Can you handle it?” I forced a pleading smile. “Please, sir, just give me a chance. Don’t let my size fool you; I’m actually very strong.” He was still hesitant, until I started working without further ado, moving quickly and efficiently. He finally nodded, agreeing to let me stay. “Room and board included, a hundred a day.” “But our project is short-term, only a month.” I nodded happily. That was enough. Julian would be out in a month, and I’d have somewhere to go. So I worked at the construction site for about twenty days. When Liam found me again, he was so shocked he barely recognized me. My hair had grown out considerably, becoming a frizzy mess. My clothes were covered in dirt, flaking off with every step. He watched from a distance, his eyes slowly turning red. After a long while, he rushed over and grabbed my wrist. “How did you end up here? Anya, do you know how long I’ve been looking for you?!” “Come on, let’s go home. You can’t do this kind of work!” I shook him off and picked up another stack of bricks from the ground, pretending not to know him. His lips were tightly pressed together. He stopped trying to persuade me, turning to talk to the foreman instead. I don’t know what he said. Soon, the foreman walked up to me, his face grim. “Anya Reynolds, why didn’t you mention you’d been to prison for stealing? We can’t have someone like that on our site. You’re fired!” “And I can’t pay you your wages. You need to leave now!” I was shocked, quickly begging the foreman for another chance. “I was framed for that. I never stole anything and I never will. Please, just let me stay!” “That’s your biological brother, isn’t it? Would he frame you?” The foreman interrupted me with a sneer. “We can’t have dishonest people. Go, go!” Then, impatiently, he shoved me. I lost my balance and stumbled backward, only to be caught steadily by Liam.
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