Chapter 2

"Dad, Chloe must have hidden some allowance in there to buy that cake. She’s just pretending to be miserable to guilt-trip you guys."

Leo peeked out from behind Eleanor, a smug smirk on his face.

Eleanor frowned. She marched over, snatched the mousse cake from my hands, and threw it right into the trash can.

"Chloe, you are such a disappointment. We locked you in the basement to teach you a lesson about lying. And now you’re making up stories about having parents inside a fridge just to spite us?"

I looked at the ruined cake in the trash can, feeling a pang of sadness.

The parallel-universe mom had handed me that cake just half an hour ago. But she had warned me not to pick fights with this family yet.

So, I turned my face away, pretending I didn't care.

A week ago, my brother, Leo, was playing soccer in the living room and shattered Richard’s favorite antique vase.

Hearing the crash, Leo immediately sat on the floor, crying hysterically. He pointed at me, fresh home from school, claiming I had pushed him and knocked the vase over.

Richard didn't even listen to my explanation. He grabbed me by my collar and shoved me into the damp, dark basement.

"Since you love lying and bullying your brother so much, stay in there and think about what you did! Don't come out until you apologize!"

With the harsh click of the lock, I was completely abandoned in this cold, damp corner.

For the next seven days, the three of them flew off to an island resort to celebrate Leo getting into the prep school.

They left so quickly and callously, never once stopping to think that there wasn't even a drop of water for me in the basement.

On the first night, the hunger pains in my stomach were so sharp that I curled into a ball, breaking out in cold sweats.

It wasn’t until the second night that the old, broken fridge—which had been unplugged for three years—suddenly hummed to life.

A warm, golden light seeped through the door crack, and a plate of piping-hot beef stew and mashed potatoes was gently pushed out by a pair of hands.

Those hands were pale, but incredibly gentle.

A woman's choked-up voice drifted from deep within the fridge.

"Eat up, sweetie. Don't starve."

From that day on, I received delicious food and clean, beautiful clothes from the old fridge every single day.

They claimed to be my real parents from a parallel world, promising they would fully open the portal and take me away tomorrow.

Thinking of this, I looked up, staring directly into my furious biological father's eyes.

"I’m not lying. My other parents in the fridge are picking me up tomorrow."

Richard let out an angry laugh, pointing a finger at my face.

"Still talking back! That piece-of-trash fridge has been unplugged for three years. There's nothing in there but cockroaches!"

"You're just jealous of your brother's new school, so you're acting crazy to get our attention, aren't you?"

Eleanor sighed beside him, her voice filled with exhaustion.

"Chloe, when will you stop throwing these tantrums? We feed you and clothe you. Your brother is younger than you—what's wrong with letting him have his way? Do you have to ruin the family mood by acting insane?"

Looking at my mother's accusing face, my mind drifted to the gentle voice of the fridge-mom, who reminded me to eat well every day through the crack of the door.

I shook my head and replied quietly.

"I'm not acting crazy, and I don't want your attention. You can go back to pampering Leo. You don't have to worry about me."

My calmness completely set Richard off.

He yanked me by my arm and dragged me brutally out of the basement.

"Fine! Let's see if those imaginary fridge-parents of yours can save you once you're out of this basement!"