Chapter 2

That night, I didn't go home. I wasn't allowed to own a house key, and my mom wouldn't let anyone open the door for me.

The next morning, my mom and Nicole were cozily eating breakfast together when I returned. My dad sat beside them, wearing glasses. He was carefully going over Nicole's medical records word by word.

They looked like the perfect picture of a happy family of three.

Standing at the door, I felt like a rat peeking out from the shadows of a sewer. I was witnessing a scene of happiness that would never belong to me.

My mom noticed me and casually tossed me a car key. "Starting today, Nicole will be working at Olsen Corporation. You're responsible for driving her to and from work every day."

Her driver? Why was Nicole their beloved daughter while I was only fit to be her chauffeur?

I didn't make any move to catch the keys. I merely let the expensive keychain fall to the floor in front of me.

"What about Mr. Keller?" I asked about our driver, Chase Keller.

The moment the keys hit the ground, my mom's face darkened as she glared at me coldly.

Just then, Nicole looped her arm around my mom's and leaned her head against her shoulder, nuzzling against it affectionately.

She cooed, "It's okay, Mom. I didn't think it through. I have to get up early to go to the office, so it's normal for Amber to feel resentful. I'll check if there's a suitable position for her in Dad's company next time."

Then, withdrawing her arm, she added one last comment and dragged out the last word to make it sound like she felt conflicted. "But with her educational qualifications…"

The more she spoke, the harsher my mom's gaze became.

Finally, my mom stood up with a livid expression and slapped me hard across the face.

"Are you seriously complaining about being Nicole's driver now?" she reproached.

"Look at yourself! You're a high school dropout who didn't even finish college! If Nicole hadn't taken pity on you and begged me to give you something to do—especially now that Chase has quit—do you really think you'd even have a shot at being a driver?

"Who knows what you were up to last night! And now you dare to defy me? What, did you find yourself a sugar daddy at some bar? How did I end up with such a disgrace of a daughter?"

Her harsh words and groundless accusations stabbed into my heart like knives, each one slicing deeper than the last one. I stood where I was rigidly, having gone completely numb all over.

Maybe Mom had totally forgotten about the reason why I didn't finish college.

When I was a child, I learned quickly that my grades couldn't be better than Nicole's. But in third grade, I heard about my classmate's mom taking her to an amusement park as a reward for doing well on a test.

I wanted my mom to reward me too. No, I didn't even need a reward—I just wanted her to notice me or hug me, and I would've been content.

So, I studied hard and worked tirelessly. Finally, I got full marks for two papers and 98 for another one.

I was overjoyed! Clutching my backpack carefully, I imagined how my parents would react as I walked home. I wished that they would praise me, hug me, and say to me, "You're amazing, Amber."

That night, I was covered in bruises and locked in a dark room for two days.

The reason for that was that Nicole only got full marks for one paper. She couldn't handle scoring lower than me and cried all night. In fact, she'd sobbed so hard that she had convulsions.

My parents, heartbroken by her tears, beat me up and warned me never to outshine her again. After that, I maintained an average grade in class all the way through high school until the SAT.

I knew this was the only chance I had. I got into a top-ranking college in the country. My teacher and school kept my results under wraps, and my classmates helped me handle the admission letter and buy my train ticket.

But by my junior year, Nicole found out about everything I had tried so hard to hide.

She didn't throw a tantrum or make a scene. Instead, she went on a two-day hunger strike.

Two days later, my dad tricked me into coming home by claiming he was sick and in the hospital. He took my phone and locked me in a room. This time, I was confined for a whole month.

By the time I was released, the paperwork for my withdrawal had already been completed—the dust had settled.

The side of my face that had been slapped throbbed painfully. The intense swelling was a testament to the force of the blow. I touched my cheek and saw the undisguised triumph in Nicole's eyes.

"I won't do it," I said in an unbothered tone. "I won't be Nicole's driver. And I won't do anything for her anymore."

I was exhausted and completely drained. I didn't want to keep trying to win my parents' approval by forcing myself to please Nicole boundlessly.

"Then you're no daughter of ours," my dad said coldly, setting down the medical records. "I'll cut off all your credit cards today. Let's see how long you can keep up this defiance without our money."

Then, he instantly replaced his harsh tone with a warm smile as he turned to Nicole. "Let's go, Nikki. I'll take you to the company. Don't let some imbecile ruin your day."

As they left, he fussed over her. "The doctor said you're too skinny. You need to eat more. I've asked my assistant to get your favorite salad for lunch. Oh, there's kale and kiwi juice with no sugar added too. You won't have to worry about gaining weight…"

Even as they got in the car and drove away, my dad didn't spare me a single glance.

Three days after Nicole joined Olsen Corporation, my parents planned an extravagant party in her honor. One by one, luxurious and dazzling pieces of jewelry were laid out before her, but she seemed indifferent.

"Mom, I don't like any of these," she said.

My mom affectionately tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear and doted on her. "That's fine. If you don't like them, we'll pick something else. Do you have anything specific in mind, Nikki?"

My heart sank as an ominous feeling washed over me.

It was as I feared, Nicole's eyes suddenly lit up. "I like the necklace Amber stored away."

"No!" I blurted out without thinking.

The necklace wasn't some expensive luxury piece. It wasn't flashy, and even its largest diamond paled in comparison to the ones on her rings. But it was made from my cat's fur and my hair that were fused together. I had even designed it myself.

It was the last thing I had from my beloved pet that had accompanied me as I grew up.

But my mom never cared about my objections. She ordered curtly, "Annie, go get it."

I rushed forward to stop her, but other maids held me back.

"Mom! You can have anything else, just not that necklace!" I begged desperately. "Mom, I'm begging you! I'll be her driver! Please… Don't take the necklace from me!"

My mom remained unmoved, looking at me as if I were trash. "Everything you have comes from this family. There's no such thing as anything being yours or hers—it's all Nikki's.

"Even your life is Nikki's. If Nikki wants it, you are to give it to her!"

Annie quickly found the necklace and handed it to my mom, along with my diagnosis report.

Mom immediately handed the necklace to Nicole. "From now on, this necklace is yours."

Then, she picked up the report and glanced over it briefly before letting out a disdainful laugh. "You sure know how to put on a show, you worthless girl. You even got someone to fake a medical report for you, huh? What stunt are you pulling this time?

"Remember to die quickly. Dragging it out would just make things messy."

She tore the thin sheet of paper into pieces effortlessly. Then, she scattered the torn fragments in front of me.

But it wasn't fake—the report was real.

My illness was real.