My mother-in-law shot me a look of disdain, as she cradled her precious grandson and praised him. I could only watch, anger rising within me, as she abused Madeline. Since childhood, I have suffered from the bias of patriarchy even within my own family. In fact, because of that, I had set higher expectations for Madeline. But, under my mother-in-law's influence, I had come to believe that Madeline had been bullying Dennis. I started to pick at her for every little thing. The truth… was beyond what I could bear.I desperately wished I could return to my own body, to avenge Madeline, and then make it right with her.Finally, I made it to my bedroom and had a moment to catch my breath. Only then did the news of Madeline’s attempted suicide hit me again. When I first heard, I had been heartbroken, torn apart by grief. But I had also felt resentment, blaming her for being so thoughtless, for taking her life over something trivial."Be sensible, be sensible…" I had alway
It was something that looked like a USB drive. The leader of the group stepped on Kaycee’s face. "How dare you record us without our consent?" Another boy started pulling at my clothes. "We’re going to fuck your girlfriend right in front of you today. Let’s see if you dare stop us." Kaycee looked at me in despair. "She’s not my girlfriend. Please leave her alone..." The others shoved him toward the edge of the rooftop. Kaycee seemed to have put two and two together and moved closer to the edge on his own. I already knew what had happened that day. Those animals had intended to harm Madeline, and in order to protect her, Kaycee had jumped, sacrificing himself. The boys had never killed anyone before, and when they saw what had happened, they panicked and released Madeline. At that moment, the sound of police sirens broke through the chaos. The group quickly let go of me, and Kaycee froze in place. Seizing the opportunity, I grabbed him tightly and pulled him back
I arranged for Madeline and Dennis to stay in my primary residence and freed up my time to personally raise them. I also installed surveillance cameras in the house. At first, Dennis still used the words his grandmother had taught him to bully Madeline. But I never indulged him. The moment I noticed such behavior, I corrected him firmly and explained why it was wrong. Thankfully, Dennis hadn't been completely corrupted. Deep down, he was still a kind-hearted child. After a few scoldings, he never bullied Madeline again. Instead, he began to protect her, and their relationship grew strong.Once that incident was over, I immediately gave Madeline a long break from school. I decided to take her for a comprehensive physical check-up. Thankfully, the injuries from the beatings were all external, and nothing had damaged her internal organs. The doctor said that the treatment she had received early on had prevented any infection, and I was deeply grateful to Kaycee for his help
My daughter attempted suicide.I was in the middle of a business trip when I got the call. I felt a wave of irritation at the sight of the school’s number flashing on my phone. This was the third time in a month that my daughter, Madeline, had called from school. Every call was the same—either she wanted to leave the campus or transfer to a different school altogether. I had pulled countless strings to secure her a spot at the prestigious private academy, yet she never seemed grateful. Instead, she made my life more difficult with her endless complaints. I dismissed the call three times before I finally picked up.But it wasn’t Madeline on the line. It was the school, informing me that Madeline had attempted to take her life in her dorm room by slitting her wrists. The words didn’t fully register. The phone slipped from my hand, and the world faded from my eyes. Then, everything went dark. When I regained consciousness, something was different. I wasn’t myself anymore.
The more the “other me” spoke, the more she justified her actions. She began recounting all the sacrifices she had made for me, painting the picture of a daughter who, in her eyes, had become an ungrateful monster—just because she refused to eat cucumbers. At that moment, her face twisted into something monstrous.I gritted my teeth, forcing down my discomfort. I kept telling myself that I was doing this for Madeline, that I was acting in her best interest. Swallowing the cucumbers piece by piece, I fought back the nausea. Afterward, she looked strangely satisfied, her face glowing with a sense of triumph—as though forcing me to eat something I disliked was a victory. When we arrived at school, I couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of relief, though I didn’t understand why. It had been years since I’d been back to a classroom. As a high school dropout, I had a deep obsession with education, always feeling that I had somehow missed out. Given how tormenting the morning
Mr. Bradshaw simply glanced at me, before he addressed Bella. “I’ve told you before, stay away from people like her,” he said coldly. Then he turned to me. “You’ve knocked over the desk. You’re always causing trouble, aren’t you? Of course, coming from a family like yours, I shouldn’t expect any better.” I stumbled to my feet, disbelief flooding my mind. I hadn’t expected him to stand by and say nothing only to ridicule me after. Madeline had mentioned him before. When I’d talked to him about her, he’d spoken kindly, acknowledging her rebellious phase and promising to look out for her. But now, reflecting on his words, I realized he had only ever spoken about Madeline’s faults. And I had foolishly believed him. Unable to hold back, I tried to defend myself. “They started it! They poured this all over me, and—” Mr. Bradshaw cut me off sharply. “Stop making excuses. If you’re not the problem then why is it that you always get picked on? And now you’re arguing with m
I had barely begun eating when Bella and a few other girls stormed over. Two of her lackeys flanked and grabbed me roughly. The laughter of the onlookers echoed around us, but not a single person stepped forward to stop what was happening. A cold, unfamiliar fear gripped and filled me with helplessness.I tried to seek help from those around me but no one responded. Some people, though they didn't seem to take pleasure in my suffering, appeared terrified of Bella and her group. They either kept their distance or pretended not to notice.Bella delighted in my fear, savoring every second of my torment. Then they dragged me into the restroom. Never in my life had I imagined experiencing something so terrifying.I couldn’t remember the words they spat at me. I only recalled how they surrounded me and held me down as they repeatedly kicked me in the groin.The pain from the originally swollen and bruised wounds intensified, making me scream. I begged them to stop.Their laugh
I recognized the boy immediately. He was the one Mr. Bradshaw had caught walking home with Madeline. He had accused them of being in a romantic relationship. When I found out, I was furious. I had been working tirelessly every day, and yet, instead of focusing on her studies, Madeline was supposedly involved in a relationship. My anger boiled over and I scolded her harshly, even resorting to hitting her. The next day I stormed into school to deal with the situation.Madeline had tried desperately to stop me, but I misinterpreted her actions as protecting her "boyfriend." Enraged, I berated the boy as well. I still remember how he stood there, head bowed, silent throughout the entire ordeal. The only time he spoke up was to intervene as I struck Madeline. Ultimately, the school punished him with a one-week suspension. That had only been last week. I was wary as he approached me. He was still dressed in his faded school uniform, his posture hesitant and unsure.After ever
I arranged for Madeline and Dennis to stay in my primary residence and freed up my time to personally raise them. I also installed surveillance cameras in the house. At first, Dennis still used the words his grandmother had taught him to bully Madeline. But I never indulged him. The moment I noticed such behavior, I corrected him firmly and explained why it was wrong. Thankfully, Dennis hadn't been completely corrupted. Deep down, he was still a kind-hearted child. After a few scoldings, he never bullied Madeline again. Instead, he began to protect her, and their relationship grew strong.Once that incident was over, I immediately gave Madeline a long break from school. I decided to take her for a comprehensive physical check-up. Thankfully, the injuries from the beatings were all external, and nothing had damaged her internal organs. The doctor said that the treatment she had received early on had prevented any infection, and I was deeply grateful to Kaycee for his help
It was something that looked like a USB drive. The leader of the group stepped on Kaycee’s face. "How dare you record us without our consent?" Another boy started pulling at my clothes. "We’re going to fuck your girlfriend right in front of you today. Let’s see if you dare stop us." Kaycee looked at me in despair. "She’s not my girlfriend. Please leave her alone..." The others shoved him toward the edge of the rooftop. Kaycee seemed to have put two and two together and moved closer to the edge on his own. I already knew what had happened that day. Those animals had intended to harm Madeline, and in order to protect her, Kaycee had jumped, sacrificing himself. The boys had never killed anyone before, and when they saw what had happened, they panicked and released Madeline. At that moment, the sound of police sirens broke through the chaos. The group quickly let go of me, and Kaycee froze in place. Seizing the opportunity, I grabbed him tightly and pulled him back
My mother-in-law shot me a look of disdain, as she cradled her precious grandson and praised him. I could only watch, anger rising within me, as she abused Madeline. Since childhood, I have suffered from the bias of patriarchy even within my own family. In fact, because of that, I had set higher expectations for Madeline. But, under my mother-in-law's influence, I had come to believe that Madeline had been bullying Dennis. I started to pick at her for every little thing. The truth… was beyond what I could bear.I desperately wished I could return to my own body, to avenge Madeline, and then make it right with her.Finally, I made it to my bedroom and had a moment to catch my breath. Only then did the news of Madeline’s attempted suicide hit me again. When I first heard, I had been heartbroken, torn apart by grief. But I had also felt resentment, blaming her for being so thoughtless, for taking her life over something trivial."Be sensible, be sensible…" I had alway
After walking me home, I watched as the boy disappeared into the night, his thin clothes offering little protection against the biting winter cold. The streetlights stretched his fragile silhouette into the distance. Seeing him like that solidified my resolve—if I ever returned to my own body, I would find a way to sponsor him and transfer Madeline to a new school.When I reached my mother-in-law's house, I unlocked the door with my key. My son, Dennis was inside playing with his toys. Hearing the door open, he shouted, "Grandma, Madeline’s back!" Recalling what the boy had told me earlier about my mother-in-law’s treatment of Madeline, I braced myself and greeted her politely, though with a cooler tone than usual. She stepped out, her face hard and unwelcoming."Back so late? Running wild at such a young age, who knows what kind of trouble you're up to,” she snapped.Her words nearly made me laugh out of sheer disbelief. Madeline had often complained that her grandmother
I recognized the boy immediately. He was the one Mr. Bradshaw had caught walking home with Madeline. He had accused them of being in a romantic relationship. When I found out, I was furious. I had been working tirelessly every day, and yet, instead of focusing on her studies, Madeline was supposedly involved in a relationship. My anger boiled over and I scolded her harshly, even resorting to hitting her. The next day I stormed into school to deal with the situation.Madeline had tried desperately to stop me, but I misinterpreted her actions as protecting her "boyfriend." Enraged, I berated the boy as well. I still remember how he stood there, head bowed, silent throughout the entire ordeal. The only time he spoke up was to intervene as I struck Madeline. Ultimately, the school punished him with a one-week suspension. That had only been last week. I was wary as he approached me. He was still dressed in his faded school uniform, his posture hesitant and unsure.After ever
I had barely begun eating when Bella and a few other girls stormed over. Two of her lackeys flanked and grabbed me roughly. The laughter of the onlookers echoed around us, but not a single person stepped forward to stop what was happening. A cold, unfamiliar fear gripped and filled me with helplessness.I tried to seek help from those around me but no one responded. Some people, though they didn't seem to take pleasure in my suffering, appeared terrified of Bella and her group. They either kept their distance or pretended not to notice.Bella delighted in my fear, savoring every second of my torment. Then they dragged me into the restroom. Never in my life had I imagined experiencing something so terrifying.I couldn’t remember the words they spat at me. I only recalled how they surrounded me and held me down as they repeatedly kicked me in the groin.The pain from the originally swollen and bruised wounds intensified, making me scream. I begged them to stop.Their laugh
Mr. Bradshaw simply glanced at me, before he addressed Bella. “I’ve told you before, stay away from people like her,” he said coldly. Then he turned to me. “You’ve knocked over the desk. You’re always causing trouble, aren’t you? Of course, coming from a family like yours, I shouldn’t expect any better.” I stumbled to my feet, disbelief flooding my mind. I hadn’t expected him to stand by and say nothing only to ridicule me after. Madeline had mentioned him before. When I’d talked to him about her, he’d spoken kindly, acknowledging her rebellious phase and promising to look out for her. But now, reflecting on his words, I realized he had only ever spoken about Madeline’s faults. And I had foolishly believed him. Unable to hold back, I tried to defend myself. “They started it! They poured this all over me, and—” Mr. Bradshaw cut me off sharply. “Stop making excuses. If you’re not the problem then why is it that you always get picked on? And now you’re arguing with m
The more the “other me” spoke, the more she justified her actions. She began recounting all the sacrifices she had made for me, painting the picture of a daughter who, in her eyes, had become an ungrateful monster—just because she refused to eat cucumbers. At that moment, her face twisted into something monstrous.I gritted my teeth, forcing down my discomfort. I kept telling myself that I was doing this for Madeline, that I was acting in her best interest. Swallowing the cucumbers piece by piece, I fought back the nausea. Afterward, she looked strangely satisfied, her face glowing with a sense of triumph—as though forcing me to eat something I disliked was a victory. When we arrived at school, I couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of relief, though I didn’t understand why. It had been years since I’d been back to a classroom. As a high school dropout, I had a deep obsession with education, always feeling that I had somehow missed out. Given how tormenting the morning
My daughter attempted suicide.I was in the middle of a business trip when I got the call. I felt a wave of irritation at the sight of the school’s number flashing on my phone. This was the third time in a month that my daughter, Madeline, had called from school. Every call was the same—either she wanted to leave the campus or transfer to a different school altogether. I had pulled countless strings to secure her a spot at the prestigious private academy, yet she never seemed grateful. Instead, she made my life more difficult with her endless complaints. I dismissed the call three times before I finally picked up.But it wasn’t Madeline on the line. It was the school, informing me that Madeline had attempted to take her life in her dorm room by slitting her wrists. The words didn’t fully register. The phone slipped from my hand, and the world faded from my eyes. Then, everything went dark. When I regained consciousness, something was different. I wasn’t myself anymore.