Chapter 2

Megan lay in my dad’s arms, putting on a show, acting all pitiful and helpless.

I watched them walk away, a cold smile on my face. Clearly, this wasn’t enough. I needed to push things further.

I tossed the wedding dress into the fire, watching it burn down to nothing but ashes.

I had avoided the punishment from last time, but I wasn’t satisfied yet.

For days, Megan sported an ugly bump on her forehead that refused to go away no matter how many creams she used. She looked ridiculous and pathetic, and I couldn’t help but turn away in disgust.

As the wedding day approached, her temper flared. Even though she was pushing forty, she had always been obsessed with looking young, and now she couldn’t stand the thought of being seen as unattractive.

Naturally, she decided to take it out on me.

Halfway through breakfast, the staff took away my plate. Megan sat across from me, pretending to be concerned. “Lexie, you really shouldn’t eat so much. You’re starting to get chubby.”

Brandon jumped in, “Yeah, you’re as fat as a pig. Ugly and worthless!”

I glanced down at my flat stomach, then looked at Brandon’s bulky frame.

Taking a sip of my coffee, I stared right at him. “Are you describing yourself? You’re the one who looks like a fat pig.”

Megan’s eyes widened, clearly not expecting me, the usual pushover, to bite back.

She grabbed her glass of milk, ready to throw it in my face. Brandon lunged at me too, trying to grab my hair.

I managed to dodge, but a few drops of milk still splashed onto my face.

Megan looked triumphant, shouting, “Lexie, I haven’t even started with you for last time! You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you? Let me teach you a lesson on behalf of your cheap, dead mother!”

I glanced towards the doorway, then started crying out, “Dad, I’m your own daughter! Megan isn’t even officially part of the family yet, and she’s already treating me like this. What will people think?”

My dad walked in right then, putting on an act as if he was scolding Megan.

“Megan, stop picking on Lexie. I’ll take you to see a doctor later. Just calm down.”

He spoke to her softly, but his expression showed his irritation.

However, the fact that he was even trying to soothe her was more than he had ever done for my mom.

When my mom was bedridden, desperately calling my dad and begging him to come see her one last time, what was he doing?

He ignored her calls without a second thought and spent his nights with Megan instead.

My mom never heard his voice before she passed away.

My mom who stood by him through everything, died alone on a stormy night.

Her funeral was thrown together in a hurry, and he didn’t even bother to place a single flower on her grave.

Megan leaned against my dad, her eyes taunting me with a smug smile. “Thanks, sweetheart.”

They left soon after, and Brandon spat at me as he walked by.

“Who do you think you are to go up against us? No matter what tricks you try, you’ll never beat us.”

He strutted off and made sure to tell the staff not to give me any food.

……

I watched as the staff deliberately cleared away all the food, and I let out a cold laugh.

These people had been with our family for over a decade. But in my past life, when I was being tormented, they didn’t just stand by and do nothing. They even took out their frustrations on me.

Seeing them tiptoeing around now, I realized nothing had changed.

I kicked the table over. “If you can’t figure out who you’re really working for, you don’t belong in this house.”