I was often so hungry I'd steal my mom's money—just eight dollars for lunch money. When she caught me, she smashed a chair over my leg, breaking it: "With a worthless life like yours, starving and freezing is what you deserve..." All these years, no matter how hard I tried to please her, she never gave me a single kind look. Curses and brutal beatings were my three meals a day. Today, I finally found out why she didn't love me. She isn't my biological mother at all. I am just the child she swapped with my aunt! I will uncover her secrets piece by piece, and I will never let her get what she wants. 1 I was starving to death, so I stole my mom's phone to transfer some money. That's when I saw the message my uncle sent her: "Chloe is also my biological daughter. Even if you didn't give birth to her, you should treat her better. Don't go too far." I scrolled for a long time before I finally understood the secret they had hidden for years. The sound of water in the bathroom suddenly stopped. My mom was done showering and would be out any second. It was too late. I quickly snapped a few photos of her phone with mine and marked my uncle's message as unread. I rapidly opened my own chat window and sent an eight-dollar red envelope. "Chloe Harper, what are you doing? Huh?!" My mom snatched the phone away and yanked my hair, roaring. I couldn't let her know I discovered her illicit affair with my uncle. So, I had to expose my own secret to her. It just meant I wouldn't have breakfast again. "Mom, I'm hungry. I'm starving." Furious, she pinched and beat me. She grabbed my phone and transferred the eight dollars back. I was long used to physical pain. I hugged her leg, continuing to provoke her. "Can I just keep the money? I just want to be able to eat a piece of bread every morning." As expected, she threw the phone aside and kicked me: "Eat what? Look at yourself, do you deserve to eat?" "Mia was born on the same day as you. She's pretty, has a great figure, and is sweet and smart." "Unlike you! Fat as a pig, looking like an old woman at fifteen. Every time I take you out, I can't even lift my head." Speaking of this, her gaze toward me became even more disgusted. The Mia she was talking about was her biological daughter, whom she had swapped and given to my Aunt Sarah, making her my nominal cousin. Before, I didn't understand. I was always sad that she liked Mia more. I also wanted to be like Mia—pretty, confident, radiant, someone everyone liked. But growing up, I was always hungry. Every time I saw food, I could only stuff it frantically into my mouth. Because I was hungry. Because I didn't know when I would have a full meal again. My appetite grew larger and larger. I ballooned to nearly 150 pounds, and I ruined my stomach. Standing next to Mia, I was mud, and she was a cloud. I became insecure, living like a rat in the gutter. Even so, I still thought my mom didn't love me because I was a jinx who brought bad luck to my family, because I wasn't good enough. Now I understood. She was intentionally raising me to be a failure. She and my uncle had an affair and conspired to covet my Aunt Sarah's fortune, but they couldn't just take it. So they came up with a scheme to swap the babies. She sent her biological daughter to my aunt to be her heir. All these years, they had been living like parasites attached to my aunt. Every day, she had to watch the man she loved play the loving husband with her "good sister-in-law" right in front of her. Plus, my aunt was prettier and more successful than her. Her jealousy twisted her mind, and she sought balance by taking it out on me. The stark difference between me and Mia was like the role reversal between her and my aunt. She must be feeling really good right now, wasn't she? Curled up on the floor, I looked up at her and smiled: "Mom, since you like Mia so much, why not let her be your daughter? Actually, I really wish Aunt Sarah was my real mom too." This sentence drove her crazy. She picked up a dining chair nearby and screamed at me: "You think I want to be your mom? What right does your worthless life have to compare with Mia?" The chair landed on my calf. I saw my leg bend at a grotesque angle. My mom was tired from beating me. Panting, she sat down on the sofa and picked up her phone. She seemed to see the message my uncle sent, then glared at me in dissatisfaction: "Did you play the victim in front of your uncle and aunt again? Did they give you money?" "Bring your phone here for me to check." Afraid she would see the photos on my phone, I dragged my leg, proactively opened the balance screen, and handed it to her. She glanced at it, her gaze sweeping over my crooked leg. "What happened to your leg?" Her brow furrowed again, then she sighed. "Can't you just behave? If you didn't piss me off, would I have hit you?" "I transferred the money you wanted. Tell your uncle and aunt you broke it yourself falling down, understand?" "Now go downstairs first. Don't let anyone know you got hurt at home." Amidst her complaints, my phone received a message. A transfer from her. Eight dollars. 2 I put the phone in my pocket and dragged my leg, hopping outside on one foot. Good, those photos were still there. I wanted to acknowledge my aunt as my family! I wanted even more to see if she and my uncle could still be so smug after I blew the lid off this whole thing. Behind me came the sound of my mom calling my aunt. She was asking my aunt to come help take me to the hospital. I was a bit puzzled. My aunt was smart and capable, managing her business perfectly. How could she not have noticed their betrayal for over a decade? My mom pretended to avoid suspicion, always asking her for help first whenever something happened. And since she was mostly busy, she would send my uncle to help, practically digging her own grave. "Hurry up, they'll be here soon." My mom pushed past me and got into the elevator first. She watched me hop on one leg impatiently, her arms crossed over her chest. I finally made it downstairs. Mia came running towards us from a distance: "Chloe, did you fall? Is it serious?" She was truly beautiful and radiant. Unlike me, with heavy bangs covering half my face and nothing but flab on my body. When I was little, I envied her for having people dote on her, for not having to go hungry, for not being beaten and scolded. Later, I envied everything about her. It turns out, what I had always envied was the life that should have belonged to me. "Chloe, what are you standing there for? Mia is asking about you, didn't you hear? Grown up so big and you have no manners at all!" My mom scolded me for her. She hooked her arm through my mom's and acted coy, the two of them standing a few feet away from me. My uncle arrived, and finally, someone was willing to support me. But he also muttered: "How did you manage to break a bone falling down? You big fat girl, no wonder your mom couldn't carry you. You have to strictly control your diet from now on." My mom echoed his sentiment, completely forgetting that I never even got three normal meals a day. Mia criticized them for calling a girl fat to her face. She diverted their attention, and the family of three happily chatted about other amusing things. After taking me to get my leg treated and dumping me back home, they all left together again. On an empty stomach, I processed the photos I took from my mom's phone. After ensuring their source couldn't be traced, I used a secret email address to send them to my aunt. [Sarah, your best friend and your husband have been cheating on you for over a decade, and even your daughter isn't biologically yours. Did you know?] I waited anxiously for over an hour. I tried to recall the email, but it showed that the recipient had already read it, and the recall failed. I was so excited my palms were sweating. The doorbell suddenly rang. My aunt stood outside with several bags, her expression showing no abnormality. "Chloe, does your leg hurt a lot?" "Your mom went shopping with Mia. When I found out, I dropped my work to come have dinner with you. So, Auntie treats you the best, right?" She put down the bags and came to help me. I probed: "Where's Uncle? Is he with my mom accompanying Mia too?" "Yeah." She was nonchalant. "They knew I was coming to see you, so they ate out after shopping." I stared at her profile: "Auntie, I feel like you are more like my real mom. My mom seems to love Mia more. Don't you feel that way?" My aunt's expression was very natural. Her hand movements didn't even pause for a second. She pressed me down onto the sofa and then laid out the takeout boxes: "No matter how unreliable your mom is, she's still your biological mom. But Auntie watched you grow up, it's no different than a real mom." "What's wrong? Did you and your mom have a fight? Or do you miss your dad?" Mentioning my dad, I fell into deep thought. He died on the day of my and Mia's one-month celebration banquet. It was said that a fire broke out, and he died saving my uncle. That's why my uncle and aunt took extra care of my mom and me. However, my mom blamed his death on me. She blamed me for being a jinx who killed my dad. All these years, she made me go hungry and freeze, cursed and beat me, all starting from this reason. So, every time I saw my uncle dote on Mia or my mom treat me badly, I would think of my dad. I would think that if he were still alive, my mom wouldn't hate me, and my life would be much better... Now I also wondered, did he know that my mom and his own brother betrayed him? Did he know I wasn't his biological daughter? "Chloe, what are you daydreaming about?" My aunt shoved a pair of disposable gloves into my hands. I snapped out of it, looked at her, and couldn't help but wonder if she had read the email at all. Should I just lay my cards on the table? 3 My aunt pushed the takeout boxes closer to me: "Hurry and eat! It's all your favorites: fried chicken, pizza, and soda." Actually, I didn't like these things, and I knew eating too much high-calorie food was bad. But when someone is starving, the smell of any food makes the stomach rumble uncontrollably. She didn't know anything. I swallowed hard, pressed down on my cramping stomach, and tore my gaze away from the fried chicken. Mustering my courage, I expressed my wishes just like Mia usually did: "Auntie, I don't want to eat this. Could you order me something light for dinner?" "You don't want it? Since when did you become a picky eater?" She was stunned. Then she smiled again: "Alright! Look for yourself and see what you want." "But don't you dare learn from Mia and diet to lose weight. Auntie loves seeing you eat heartily. You're a growing girl, your figure doesn't matter." My aunt had always been very good to me, unconditionally fulfilling all my requests and indulging my preferences without limits. But every time I accepted my aunt's kindness, I would be beaten and scolded by my mom right after, calling me ungrateful and saying I thought my uncle and aunt's family was richer than ours, calling me a beggar who embarrassed her. The realization that my aunt was my biological mother made my blood boil again. Once we acknowledged each other, I could openly enjoy her care and concern without having to walk on eggshells around my mom anymore. I took a deep breath: "Auntie..." But she suddenly stood up: "Oh dear, a drop of oil got on me. Let me go clean it up. Order whatever you want." She then pinched the corner of her white blazer and walked toward the bathroom. My words were stuck in my throat. Watching her retreating back, my hands absentmindedly swiped on her phone. When I looked down at the screen again, it had stopped at the app switcher, and one of the pages was unmistakably her email. My aunt replied to the email I sent! [What makes you think I am the prey, and not the hunter?] [Whoever you are, there's no need for any more unnecessary reminders. If there is a next time, I will drag you out into the light, and you will bear the consequences!] I read my aunt's reply on my own phone, my body running completely cold. This was her true face. She had known all along! She definitely understood my hints just now, and probably even realized that I knew about what happened back then. No wonder I always felt it was illogical for her to be deceived for so many years. So, her limitless indulgence of me was just another way of ruining me? Her method of ruining me was completely different from my mom's, but the end result was the same. I couldn't understand why they couldn't fight out in the open. Why didn't she target Mia? Instead, she chose to destroy me! But I understood one thing: no one would ever love me. So it didn't matter who my biological mother was. From now on, I would take charge of my own life. 4 My aunt came out of the bathroom. I selected a clay pot porridge, pretending nothing happened, and handed the phone back to her. While waiting, I shed tears in front of her: "My leg wasn't actually broken from a fall. My mom hit me. I hate her!" "Auntie, before you said you could get me into Mia's high school and pay my tuition. Is that still possible?" "I can write you an IOU. When I make money, I'll pay you back the tuition." If she wanted to see me turn against my mom, I would give her what she wanted. I could use her to escape my mom's control and go to a fully enclosed boarding school. This was the only solution I could think of right now. She pulled me into her arms: "Schooling is no problem, but don't ever talk about paying me back again, or Auntie will be heartbroken." "As for your mom, she's superstitious... Our family was truly unlucky back then. The fire wasn't even that big at first, but the roof beam suddenly collapsed." "Sigh~ Let's not talk about the past. Speaking of which, your mom is also a pitiful person. But I totally understand why you resent her. The way she treats you..." She rambled on, listing all the ways my mom mistreated me, expressing her heartache for me. But my curiosity about the fire that year was piqued. The roof beam almost hit my uncle. My dad was crushed when he pushed him away. My uncle ran out, and then the house collapsed... "Auntie, were you and my mom not inside back then?" My aunt answered without hesitation: "Your mom was inside the house too, she ran out with your uncle. I was outside chatting with relatives, holding you and Mia." I was a bit puzzled. The old house back then was a single-story structure made of mud and thatch. Even setting aside why the roof beam would fall, it was only about eight inches thick, not impossible to lift. Couldn't two adults, my uncle and my mom, lift the beam and pull my dad out before the house collapsed? It sounded like a melodramatic plot from a soap opera. I wanted to ask my aunt more, but the delivery driver arriving with dinner interrupted me. Just as we finished eating, my mom walked in with my uncle and Mia. My aunt immediately darkened her face: "Sister-in-law, you were too heavy-handed with Chloe this time. No matter how big a mistake a child makes, you don't go breaking their leg." She couldn't possibly not have guessed that my mom instructed me to say I fell. And she knew that exposing it wouldn't make my life any easier. But she still said it. Causing my uncle to be dissatisfied and reprimand my mom. My mom's response was matter-of-fact: "Steal a needle as a child, steal gold as an adult." She said it was to teach me a lesson. Mia covered her mouth and gasped: "Chloe, what can you even do with eight dollars? Was it necessary to steal?" The adults followed her lead and criticized me. They all pretended not to know that the eight dollars they looked down upon meant a week's worth of breakfast for me. Once they had their fill of scolding, my aunt finally brought up the idea of sponsoring my transfer. My mom still politely declined. My uncle, however, shot her a secret glare: "Sister-in-law, I think it's a good idea for Chloe to board. It'll save her from making you angry every day." "And don't be embarrassed about the money. Sarah does charity and sponsors impoverished students anyway. One more Chloe is nothing." My mom, probably remembering that text message, didn't refuse again. She just didn't let me eat for several days in a row. When she had nothing better to do, she would pinch and curse me, tossing the same two phrases back and forth: "Learned how to tattle now, huh? If you don't want to continue atoning for your sins, then get the hell out if you have the guts." "Mia goes to an elite prep school. Does your worthless life deserve to go there?" I wasn't going to be as stupid as before. When I was hungry, I would call my uncle and aunt. My mom wouldn't act too out of line in front of them. As for the beatings and curses, I was used to them anyway. It didn't matter. From time to time, I would intentionally add some fuel to my mom's fire: "Mom, Aunt Sarah is so capable and rich. No wonder Uncle is so good to her, washing her feet for her every day." "Mia told me their wedding anniversary is in two weeks. They're going on a trip abroad for a romantic getaway." As a long-standing "other woman," she truly had deep feelings for my scumbag uncle. Every time, she would be so angry her face would contort. But she could only vent her anger on me. It hurt a bit, but my mood was more refreshed than ever before.
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