Chapter 3

3: 3

03

When I woke the next morning I felt rested and clear, my color brighter than it had been in years.

Sophie, on the other hand, didn't drag herself downstairs until ten.

She had heavy black shadows under her eyes, her face pale and drawn, the whites of her eyes shot through with red.

She grabbed our mother's arm, still shaken, and started sobbing out her story.

"Mom, I don't know what happened, I had nightmares all night long, my head's killing me right now. There isn't something wrong with this house, is there?"

She even threw a frightened glance over her shoulder as she said it.

A sharp contrast to how lively she'd looked the day before.

But our parents only gave her a flat look.

"You're the one who insisted on switching rooms with your sister. It's fine, a few days and you'll get used to it."

She pouted, wounded, patting her chest, ready to say more.

Then she caught the impatience in our mother's eyes and shut her mouth.

After breakfast I took the completed recommendation form out of my bag and handed it to my father.

Sophie snatched it before it reached him.

"A recommendation application to a top university?"

Her eyes lit up, and she turned to our father, full of hope.

"Dad, I want to go too."

He kept his eyes on his phone, expression blank.

"Wait until next year. There's only one spot this year."

Sophie grabbed his wrist at once, tears coming on cue.

"Dad, you know how it is. I grew up in the countryside my whole life, the schools there were terrible. On my own I couldn't get into a top university, I couldn't even get into a decent one."

"My sister's a good student. This spot is just a nice bonus for her, but for me it's the one chance I'll ever get to change my life."

"Dad, help me, please?"

Every word rang with sincerity.

As if what she was grabbing were some priceless treasure.

But I only smiled, coldly amused.

All my life, everything the Sullivans publicly claimed to have fought to win for me had been nothing but a carefully wrapped trap.

At seven, the jade pendant my mother swore would change my luck was in fact a way to shift the whole family's misfortune and illness onto me.

At thirteen, the science competition they coaxed me into entering was so I could stand on that podium and take the blame for my brother's plagiarism.

At fourteen, they gave me the biggest sunroom in the house, and it was really to lock me into the most cursed spot on the property.

And now this university spot was nothing but a target set up to catch a bullet meant for the school.

Before my father could refuse, I spoke first.

"Since my sister wants it this badly, she can have the spot."

My father's head snapped toward me.

"Ebony, I worked so hard to get this spot for you—"

I smiled, sweet and obliging.

"You raised me, Mom and Dad. That's enough for me."

"My sister just came home. As the older one, of course I should look out for her."

For a moment Sophie was beside herself with joy.

She didn't even bother reading the room, just thanked me over and over.

"Thank you, Sis, I promise I won't waste this spot."

My father said nothing, his face dark.

I knew he'd agree.

Because whether it was me, the fake daughter, or Sophie, the real one, either of us was expendable to him.

Every one of the Sullivans was selfish and cold-blooded.

At the end my father warned Sophie again and again: "I have only one requirement. Once you have your enrollment, keep it low-key."

Sophie brushed him off.

"Got it, Dad."

But the moment she was enrolled she forgot every word.

Not only did she trumpet all over social media that she'd gotten into a top university, she even got into an argument with someone on the street and, in front of everyone, bragged about her superior family, her rare gifts.

That she'd gotten a guaranteed spot at a top school without ever taking the SATs.

She had no idea that every word out of her mouth was lighting the fuse under herself and the whole Sullivan family.

My father's recommendation spot had only ever existed as a target, something to redirect public attention once the school got caught misappropriating education funds.

But before the school could be exposed at all, the storm she stirred up on her own forced the state education authorities to launch a full investigation.

In the end they found not only that the recommendation didn't qualify and Sophie's enrollment had to be permanently revoked, but that the school had misused public funds. It was barred from admissions for three years, and the dean and every official involved were removed from their posts.

Even Hubert was caught in the fallout, formally reprimanded by his workplace and demoted.

When Sophie came home crying and begged our parents for help, Hubert knocked her to the floor with one slap.

"You little curse, what did I tell you? Went in one ear and out the other, did it?"

Even Gail, always so soft and gentle, glared at her, cold.

"Useless waste. I should've left you to rot in that backwater."

Our brother said nothing, but a cold, murderous light broke loose in his eyes.

I watched the whole family's mask finally crack apart,

and for the first time, I smiled from the heart.