Chapter 1

At my eight-year-old sister Mia's birthday party, she leaned close to my ear and sneered:

"One precious princess is enough for this house. A worthless loser like you isn't even fit to wipe my shoes."

I nodded right away, agreed with every word, and immediately went down to the garage to lie in an old wooden coffin to "reflect on my sins."

Dad was frantic with rage, scrambling to pry the heavy lid open and drag me out.

Mom slapped me hard across the face, screaming that I was deliberately trying to ruin Mia's special day.

I apologized timidly. That night, I knelt outside Mia's bedroom door and banged my forehead against the floor ninety-nine times.

"I was stupid. I made you angry, Mia. I'm repenting properly now."

My entire family looked at me like I was a raving lunatic.

Later, during a trip to the amusement park, Mia deliberately locked me inside the haunted house attraction.

I simply sat quietly in the dark corner, clutching a terrifying, battered prop doll and grinning blankly.

In the end, Mia panicked and had to drag a staff member over to unlock the emergency exit.

"Are you insane?! If you scare yourself to death, Mom and Dad are going to blame me!"

"Don't you even know how to scream for help?!"

She would never know. I used to scream. I used to fight back countless times. But every single time I did, they only locked me away in an even darker place.

This is my eighth life after rebirth. I finally learned how to be a "good girl."

I don't want to fight back anymore.

Inside the haunted house, it was pitch black. A staff member in a gruesome mask suddenly jumped out from the shadows, letting out a bloodcurdling screech.

Mia shrieked in terror and bolted, leaving me sitting quietly in the corner, cradling a chipped, peeling doll.

The doll was missing an eye, its empty socket staring blankly at the ceiling.

I tilted my head, mimicking its expression, and stretched my lips into a hollow, vacant smile.

The actor froze. His hand holding the prop chainsaw hovered in midair, completely at a loss as to whether he should chase me or call for medical help.

After what felt like forever, the heavy exit door was finally pushed open.

Mia stood in the doorway, still pale and trembling.

When she saw me sitting there holding that creepy doll, her face twisted in rage.

"Chloe! You psycho!"

She stormed over, snatched the doll from my arms, and slammed it furiously onto the concrete floor.

"Why didn't you scream? Why didn't you beg for help? Are you trying to die in here just so Mom and Dad will blame me?!"

I slowly pushed myself up from the floor and patted the dust off my jeans.

Stepping in front of Mia, I looked at her with utter calm.

"You told me to stay in here, Mia."

"You said I needed to be alone to reflect on my mistakes. So I stayed here and reflected."

Mia choked on her words, shaking with fury.

Her little clique of friends quickly gathered around, pointing and whispering at me.

"Mia, is your older sister actually messed up in the head?"

"Seriously. A normal person would've cried their eyes out locked in a dark room, but she was smiling!"

"That's so creepy. Just standing near her gives me the chills."

I ignored them. I just kept my eyes fixed on Mia, my gaze crystal clear and completely innocent.

"I'm done reflecting, Mia."

"What do I need to do now to make you happy?"

The chatter around us died instantly.

Everyone looked at me as if I were a monster, instinctively taking a step back.

Mia's face flushed bright red, then went sickly pale.

What she hated most was this absolute, terrifying submission.

It made her look like an unreasonable, vicious bully.

Just then, our parents rushed over.

Mom's forehead was tightly creased, and Dad's face was dark with annoyance.

"Chloe! What kind of scene are you making now?!"

Dad marched over and grabbed my wrist without hesitation, gripping it so hard I could hear my bones groan.

"Ruining Mia's birthday wasn't enough for you? Now you have to ruin her day out with friends too?!"

Mom pulled Mia into a protective hug, cooing softly:

"Don't be scared, sweetie. Mom's right here. Your sister doesn't have any manners, but your father will deal with her later!"

Mia immediately buried her face in Mom's chest, sobbing like a victim.

"Mom, I just wanted her to fit in and play with my friends... How was I supposed to know she'd suddenly go crazy and refuse to leave the haunted house..."

Watching the three of them hold each other like a picture-perfect family, a deep, hollow exhaustion washed over me.

I've been so obedient.

Why are you still not satisfied?

In my previous seven lives, I cried. I screamed. I fought back.

I told Mom and Dad when Mia pushed me into a freezing lake, but they locked me in the basement instead, saying, "Sisters joke around, you need to learn how to take a joke."

I reported Mia to the school counselor for rallying bullies against me, but Mom slapped me across the face in public, calling me "petty, bitter, and jealous of your own flesh and blood."

Every single time I resisted, all I earned was harsher punishment and deeper despair.

So in this eighth life, I learned my lesson.

I shaved off all my thorns. I turned myself into a soulless, fully compliant puppet.

So why do you still look at me with nothing but disgust?