At the award ceremony where my father received the Medal of Valor for his flood rescue efforts, our neighbor, Mrs. Miller, let something slip. "You don't see selfless men like Captain Evans these days. He didn't even save his own daughter first. The water hadn't even reached the danger line when he sent the rescue boat to pick up my Bella." I thought Mrs. Miller remembered it wrong. "Mrs. Miller, my dad is famous for being impartial," I said. "I was trapped on the roof for three days. He made me wait for the unified rescue operation. How could he give special treatment? Everyone was rescued in order." Seeing my disbelief, Mrs. Miller got anxious, ignoring the volunteers trying to pull her away. "Bella is just scared of water." "Their house wasn't even flooded yet, and your dad saved her." "You were trapped on the roof with no food or water for three days. Wasn't that more dangerous than Bella?" "And you don't call that selfless?" I slowly turned to look at my parents. My father's face was iron-gray. "Why are you looking at me? Shouldn't I have saved Bella first?" "My daughter must have the spirit of self-sacrifice. Otherwise, she doesn't deserve to be my daughter!" My blood froze. The despair of being trapped on that roof, starving for three days, clawed at my heart. "If you want to avoid suspicion so badly, let's cut ties." "From now on, pretend you never had me as a daughter." Chapter 1 "Annie, what kind of nonsense are you spouting?" "Today is your father's big day. Don't be immature." The applause died down, and all eyes in the banquet hall focused on our table. My father, David Evans, turned red, his body stiff. My mother, Linda, quickly stood up, forcing a smile to smooth things over. "Immature." Growing up, whenever I expressed dissatisfaction, that was the word I heard. I looked at my mother's face, but it felt like looking at a stranger. "I'm immature?" I let out a soft laugh, jarring in the silent hall. "Mom, during that flood, I was sixteen." "I was trapped on the roof for three days and three nights, burning with a high fever." "My leg was sliced open by rebar, turning white from soaking in the dirty water." "I watched Dad's rescue boat come and go three times." "He took Bella Miller and her family. He even took their dog." "I screamed until my voice gave out. Dad only looked back once." "He told me to hold on, that the public had to go first." "Did you ask me then if I was immature? Did you ask if it hurt?" My mother's face went pale. She opened her mouth but said nothing. Mrs. Miller reacted first. Instead of guilt, she rolled her eyes. "Oh, Annie, you're being ungrateful." "Your dad is a hero. He sacrificed his family for the greater good." "Bella was terrified and crying. Your dad was kind enough to save her first." "Besides, aren't you alive and well?" "You're not missing any limbs. Why hold a grudge for so long?" "You're his biological daughter. That's why he trusted you to wait." Because I'm his daughter, I deserve to be sacrificed. Because I didn't die, I shouldn't complain. I looked at Mrs. Miller, then at Bella, who was hiding behind her with innocent eyes. Bella was wearing a designer gown, a gift my father had someone bring from Europe last week to celebrate her getting a government job. And the dress I wore was a twenty-dollar clearance item. "Enough!" My father slammed the table, making the silverware jump. He pointed at me, his finger trembling. "Annie, how long are you going to keep this up?" "Today is the award ceremony. The leaders and the media are watching!" "Do you have to embarrass me?" "How can you be so narrow-minded?" "I'm the rescue captain. If I don't save others first, people will say I'm abusing my power!" "You want to cut ties over this?" "Do you even respect me as your father?" His voice boomed, full of righteous indignation. Whispers started around us. "Yeah, it's not easy being Captain Evans." "The daughter is so immature, making a scene here." "It's hard being a hero. Families just don't understand." Hearing the murmurs, my father straightened his back. I looked at him, the last spark of hope in my heart extinguishing completely. I picked up the wine glass on the table. My father flinched, leaning back. But I poured the wine onto the floor. "Comrade David Evans, this glass." "Is for the sixteen-year-old Annie who died in the flood." "From now on, your Medal of Valor will no longer carry my blood and tears." "And I will never again wrong myself for your reputation." I slammed the glass down on the table with a crisp clack. I turned and walked away. Behind me, my father roared: "If you leave, don't come back!" "I'll pretend I never gave birth to an ungrateful wolf like you!" My mother cried out: "Annie, come back and apologize to your father!" Mrs. Miller shouted: "Spoiled brat! Let's see how long she lasts out there!" I didn't look back. I wiped the tears that fell the moment I turned away. This time, I really don't want you anymore. Chapter 2 I walked out of the hotel doors. The cold wind outside cleared my head. My phone vibrated incessantly in my pocket. I took it out to see a barrage of WeChat messages from my mother. "Annie, you're too willful!" "Your dad is so angry his heart condition is acting up!" "Come back immediately and apologize to Mrs. Miller and Bella, and we'll forget this happened." "Your dad did it for your own good. Why don't you understand?" "You have no money. Where can you go? Stop being stubborn." Looking at those words, I just found it laughable. For my own good? Letting me soak in floodwater until I developed chronic pain? Throwing away my GRE prep materials to make room for Bella? Using my scholarship money to buy her clothes? I turned off my phone. I took a taxi home only to grab my documents and essentials. I didn't want to stay in that house a second longer. Pushing open the door, the house was quiet. They were still at the hotel cleaning up the mess. I walked into my room, a converted storage closet facing north. My original bedroom, the secondary master, was lent to Bella five years ago when she complained her house was too noisy. "Lent" meant forever. And I was squeezed into this tiny, cluttered room. I pulled out a suitcase and packed. A few old clothes, my ID, bank card, laptop. At the bottom of the drawer was an old photo frame. A picture of me and my dad when I was ten. In the photo, he held me high above his head, smiling brilliantly. Back then, he wasn't a captain yet. He didn't care so much about "reputation." Looking at the photo, my heart stung. Smack. I placed the frame face down on the desk. I didn't take it. Just as I zipped up the suitcase, the front door burst open. My father rushed in, followed by my anxious mother and the Millers. "You dare come back?!" My father pointed at me, chest heaving. "Put that down!" "I bought everything in this house. You're not taking anything!" I looked at him coldly. "This contains my ID, my diploma." "And the laptop I bought with my own wages. Which one did you buy?" "I gave you your life!" He rushed forward to grab my suitcase. "Dad!" I raised my voice sharply, staring him down. "If you dare touch my things." "I will post online about how you withheld relief supplies to give to the Millers back then." My father's hand froze in mid-air. His pupils contracted, panic flashing across his face. "You... what nonsense are you talking about!" "I have proof." I waved my phone, bluffing. "The warehouse manager back then was my classmate's father." My father withdrew his hand, his face turning green. "Fine. Fine, Annie. You've grown up. Learned to threaten me." "Get out! Get as far away as possible!" "Even if you're begging on the streets, don't come to my door!" My mother wiped her tears on the side. "Annie, what are you doing? Does it have to be like this?" Mrs. Miller said sarcastically: "Linda, this is what happens when you raise an ingrate." "Look at my Bella, so filial. She just said she wanted to buy supplements for Captain Evans." Bella held my father's arm, speaking sweetly: "Uncle David, don't be angry. It's not worth hurting your health." "Annie is just confused right now." Watching their display of paternal affection, I felt nauseous. "You don't have to chase me. I'm leaving." I grabbed my suitcase and walked out without looking back. Passing by Bella, I stopped. "Bella, in all these years, have you ever dreamed of your father, Mr. Miller?" Bella's face changed, her eyes shifting. "Annie, what are you talking about..." "Nothing. I hope you two are locked together forever." I strode out of the house. Behind me, the door slammed shut. I stood under the streetlight downstairs, looking up at that window. The lights were warm, and laughter drifted out. I took a deep breath and blocked all of them. Chapter 3 The first week after leaving home was surprisingly peaceful. I rented a small studio apartment near my office. Twenty square meters, but it was freedom. No more listening to Mrs. Miller's noise, seeing Bella's fake smiles, or dealing with my parents' double standards. I poured all my energy into my work. I'm an architectural designer, and we were rushing a big project. Before, I always turned down overtime to help Bella edit her civil service essays or cook for the family, so my performance was mediocre. Now, I was the last one to leave the office. My boss looked at me differently, full of appreciation. However, the tree wants peace, but the wind won't stop. On Friday afternoon, the receptionist ran over, looking at me weirdly. "Annie, someone's downstairs looking for you. Says she's your... mom." I went down and saw my mother holding a thermos, standing in the corner of the lobby. She looked haggard, her hair messy, eyes dodging mine. Seeing me, her eyes lit up, and she walked over quickly. "Annie, Mom made you chicken soup. Your favorite, with cordyceps." She held out the thermos, a fawning smile on her face. I didn't take it, just looked at her coldly. "Mom, say what you need to say." Her hand froze in the air, then awkwardly withdrew. "Child, why are you so distant? Mom just missed you and came to see you." "Really?" I checked my watch. "I have a meeting in ten minutes. If you don't say it, I'm going up." Seeing I was about to leave, she panicked and grabbed my sleeve. "No, no! Annie, actually... there is something I want to ask you." "Speak." She rubbed her hands together, eyes shifting. "Well... Bella got into the civil service, right?" "But her unit is too far from home. Commuting takes two hours." "She heard you rented a place near your company, so she thought... could she squeeze in with you?" "You're lonely living alone anyway. It's nice to have company." "And Bella said she'll pay for utilities." I laughed in anger. "Mom, is your brain broken?" "I just cut ties with the family, and you want me to take in Bella?" "Do you think I'm cheap, or do you think I'm stupid?" My mother's tears came instantly. "Annie, why are you so harsh? Bella is practically your sister, you watched her grow up!" "Besides, your dad is still angry about what happened." "If you help Bella, your dad will be happy, and maybe he'll let you come home." "Your dad is a hero; he cares about face. Helping Bella gives him face." Face again. Hero again. I shook off her hand. "Mom, go back and tell Dad, and Bella." "Even if I raised a dog in my apartment, I wouldn't let Bella live there." "And stop kidnapping me with that 'hero's daughter' standard." "I don't buy it anymore." "Want me to come home? Keep dreaming!" My mother froze, seemingly not expecting me to be so resolute. Just then, a commotion erupted at the entrance. My father, wearing his rescue team uniform, marched in with Mrs. Miller and Bella behind him. Mrs. Miller was holding a silk banner. Eight gold characters were embroidered on it: "Selfless Dedication, Exemplary Parenting." My colleagues poked their heads out to watch the drama. My father walked up to me and shoved the banner into my arms. "Annie, Dad was wrong before. My attitude was bad." "Today, Dad brought a banner to your company to praise you." "You are part of a rescue family. You need to have awareness." "I already promised Mrs. Miller about Bella staying with you." "Just consider it paying a debt for Dad." "After all... I owe their family a debt of gratitude." His voice was loud, ensuring everyone could hear. If I refused, I was unfilial, smearing my hero father's name, lacking awareness. Bella chimed in pitifully: "Annie, I can sleep on the sofa. I won't disturb you." "I really need this job." Colleagues started whispering. "That's Annie's dad? The flood hero?" "Wow, so touching. Making his daughter suffer a bit to repay a debt, what's wrong with that?" "Annie is too cold-blooded. That's her dad." Hearing the chatter, a smug look appeared on my father's face. I took the banner and looked at it. Then, in front of everyone, I threw it into the trash can. The crowd gasped. My father's smile froze, then turned to rage. "Annie! What are you doing! That's an honor!" I clapped my hands and looked at him coldly. "Honor? Dad, since you insist on making a scene, let's talk about it." "You say you owe their family. Is it gratitude, or is it guilt?" Chapter 4 The temperature in the lobby dropped to freezing. The word "guilt" exploded in the crowd. My father's face turned white instantly, a flash of panic in his eyes. Mrs. Miller screamed: "You little brat, what nonsense! Your dad is noble!" "Guilt? I think you're the one with problems!" I ignored her screaming and stared into my father's eyes, stepping closer. "Dad, since you want to repay the debt, let me help everyone remember." "Five years ago. That flood." "Mrs. Miller's husband, Bella's dad... how did he die?" My father's body shuddered violently. He instinctively took a step back. "You... why bring that up?" "Everyone knows he died saving people." I sneered. "Really? That's the official report." "But why were you the only one with him?" "Why were you wearing his life vest?" "Why did he, a strong swimmer, drown in shallow water?" These questions had been buried in my heart for five years. Trapped on the roof, I saw it clearly. At the peak of the flood, my father and Mr. Miller went out together. When they returned, only my father was there, wearing Mr. Miller's life vest, looking panicked. After that, he treated the Miller family ridiculously well. Prioritizing their rescue, funding Bella's education, even giving up my room. He called it: Caring for a martyr's family. But that care reeked of desperate fawning. "Shut up! Shut your mouth!" My father lunged at me like a madman, raising his hand to slap me. "Security!" I shouted. The company security guards had been watching and immediately rushed over to restrain him. "Mr. Evans, calm down! This is a place of business!" My father struggled in the grip of two guards, face red, neck bulging. "I'm her father! It's my right to discipline my daughter!" "She slandered a hero! I'll tear her mouth off!" Seeing this, Mrs. Miller threw herself on the floor, wailing. "No justice! Daughter hitting father! Bullying a widow and orphan!" "Everyone look! This is Annie Evans!" "Not only unfilial, but spreading rumors!" Bella cried beside her, filming me with her phone. "Annie, how could you say that about Uncle David?" "He values you more than his own life!" One good cop, one bad cop. One making a scene, one controlling the narrative. Watching this farce, I only felt sadness. This was my father. To cover a lie, he would destroy his own daughter. "Film it." I smiled brilliantly at Bella's camera. "Remember to use a filter." "And make sure to get your mom's tantrums in the frame." "Also, I have an announcement." I turned to face the onlookers, my voice clear and firm. "Starting today, I, Annie Evans, am formally suing David Evans." "To uncover the truth of Mr. Miller's death five years ago." "I will request a renewed autopsy and search for witnesses." "David Evans, if your Medal of Valor is stained with blood." "I will personally rip it off you." My father stopped struggling. He looked at me, fear in his eyes for the first time. Not anger, but the despair of a secret about to be exposed. "Crazy... you're truly crazy..." He mumbled. My mother was stunned, collapsing on the floor, grabbing my pants leg. "Annie, stop... please stop..." "That's your dad... you'll ruin him..." I looked down at my mother, emotions churning. So, she always knew. She knew the ghost in my father's heart, yet chose to help him hide it, helping him sacrifice me. In this family, I was the outsider. "Mom, he ruined me first." I gently kicked her hand away. "Since he wants to be a hero so badly, I'll help him go down in history." Just then, the HR manager walked over, looking grim. "Annie, the boss wants to see you in his office." I glanced at the Miller family still making noise and took a deep breath. "Okay." I knew this battle had just begun. I faced not only a family break but also public opinion, and possibly losing my job. But I didn't care. Because I had nothing left to lose. Except the truth buried in the mud.
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