Chapter 4

Behind his glasses, my father's eyes flickered with calculation.

They wanted to hand me an empty promise to stall me, and I agreed anyway.

The next day my sister showed up in heavy makeup and a plunging gown.

"Oh, only a five-figure makeup artist, a diamond-studded gown worth six figures, and the jewelry could ever be good enough for our little girl."

My mother clapped with pride, then swung around and tossed a shirt at me.

"You'll wear this for the stream today. And no makeup."

Looking at the pilled T-shirt in my hands, I nodded.

"Since when is this girl so easy to deal with? She's not scheming something, is she?"

My father suddenly came out of the bedroom and traded a look with my mother.

"Tessa, sit on the left later. The water on the left is for you."

My heart lurched. While I was changing, I pulled up the home security feed.

My mother had put something in the drinking water, and my father set it on the streaming table.

For the show, for the money, they'd used a double dose.

To my own surprise, no bitterness rose up in me this time.

Without a word, I swapped the bottles. My mother, holding my sister up in her high heels, guided her into her seat.

"There, take a sip and clear your throat."

My mother twisted off the cap and fed my sister the spiked water with her own hand.

"Drink yours too. Don't ruin the stream."

I drank down the bottled water, and the stream began.

Someone in the chat furiously fired off ten Carnival gifts, asking for my help.

【My mastiff Bruno, I've had him eight years. He won't eat, and he's bitten several people.】

【Bruno has always been so obedient, like family to me. The vet came and said he needs abdominal surgery right away, but I can't bear to see him suffer.】

【You can hear what animals are thinking, right? Just ask him where it hurts, whether he's willing to go under the knife.】

My father kept signaling, telling me to read from the script they'd written.

I gave a small smile and offered an answer that stunned the whole room.

"I'm sorry. From now on, I can't keep listening to what the fur babies have to say."

"My ability is gone. Today is my last stream."

My parents' faces went white in an instant, and my sister's eyes reddened off to the side.

But Daryl Alexander wouldn't let it go, and pressed on:

【Is it that the money's too low? If you can cure Bruno, I'll pay ten million.】

The drama pulled in a flood of viewers, and the room hit a hundred thousand.

My father frantically prompted me on the teleprompter to change my answer and say yes:

【Are you out of your mind? That's ten million.】

I smiled calmly, drew my gaze back, and said evenly:

【Sir, listen to the vet about the treatment. Don't let this drag on.】

【Everyone, this is my last stream. Goodbye.】

I shut off the broadcast and let out a heavy breath.

I was finally free of this circus, but there was one last step to go.

My father rose from behind the monitor, his eyes full of hatred.

My sister threw herself into my mother's arms, sobbing:

"Mom, look at her. Just to keep me off camera, she gave up her own stream."

My mother snapped out of her shock, came around the equipment, and slapped me hard across the face.

"You're truly vicious. You didn't leave us a single way out."

I covered my cheek and laughed coldly:

"When you drugged my water, did you leave me a way out?"

I picked up the bags I'd already packed, boarded the earliest flight, and left the city I'd lived in for a full twenty years.