Chapter 1

On the day my dad walked out on us for another woman, my mom bought a pig.

The pig was named Joy. I was also named Joy.

Whenever she was angry, she would grab a wooden switch, go to the pen, and whip the pig.

"Joy, why aren't you dead yet?"

I would squat nearby, listening to the thud of the wood hitting flesh, unable to tell which Joy she was screaming at.

When she was tired of beating it, she would scoop out the exact same amount of food for the pig and me.

"Good girl, Joy. As long as you eat more and get fat, Mommy will be happy."

To make her happy, I ate uncontrollably until I hit 250 pounds.

But then, my mom only looked at me with disgust.

"Look at you. What company would ever hire you looking like this? Are you planning to just be a couch potato and leach off me forever?"

Later, my mukbang live streams blew up, and I started making ten grand a month. But my mom called just to curse at me.

"You don't care about your reputation, but I care about mine! You’re as fat as a pig, and you’re showing your face to the whole world? Aren't you embarrassed?"

I hid my terminal stomach cancer diagnosis under my pillow.

Mom, I’m using my life to buy your approval. Will that finally be enough?