Chapter 3

The hospital ward door was suddenly pushed open. Several men with harsh, dangerous faces rushed in.

“When are you going to pay back the five hundred bucks? If you don’t pay soon, we’ll break your legs!”

Mom immediately begged them. “Please give us a few more days. We really don’t have any money right now. We’ve spent everything on medical bills.”

Dad looked stunned at first, but when he met Mom’s eyes, he understood at once. He quickly followed along. “Please give us a little more time. We’re working as hard as we can. Our younger daughter is already working nights. We’ll pay you back soon.”

The men sneered.

“What good is it if only one daughter works? Don’t you still have another one?”

“Send this girl to work nights, too. Once she earns enough to pay off the debt, we’ll bring her back.”

Mom and Dad shook their heads again and again.

“No! You can’t take our precious daughter. We would sell everything just to give her a good life.”

But they didn’t move at all to stop them. They simply stood there, watching as I was dragged away, their eyes full of expectation.

Just before I was shoved into the van, Mom suddenly panicked and called my name.

“Althea…”

“It’s Mom and Dad’s fault. We’ll get the money soon and bring you home.”

I lowered my eyes and didn’t look at them.

***

I was thrown into a back kitchen. Piles of dirty cups were piled high in front of me.

I wanted to tell them that I knew my parents had hired them, using pain and fear to “teach” me a lesson. I wanted to beg them to let me go.

But the moment I opened my mouth, a slap knocked me to the ground.

If I moved even a little too slowly, a foot slammed into my stomach.

They shoved my head into the sink and held it there until I was choking, my vision blurring. Only when my eyes rolled back did they let go, laughing loudly as I collapsed.

They talked openly while watching me suffer.

“So, this is what people mean by different fates for different people. Both are daughters, but one washes dishes here, while the other is outside popping champagne. Honestly, what’s the use of being the real daughter? If you’re not loved, you’re still trash.”

One man held a wine glass and dragged me up from the floor. “A rich customer outside wants you to deliver drinks. Move.”

I was shoved outside a private room.

Inside the room, Audrey stood in the center, bright and beautiful, surrounded by her friends.

The manager kicked me from behind. “What are you standing there for?”

I walked forward numbly and placed the drinks on the table.

Suddenly, a girl knocked over a bottle and screamed at me, pointing at me. “Can’t you even hold a tray properly? Look at my dress! You ruined it. Manager, what are you going to do about this?”

The manager reacted instantly. He forced me down onto the broken glass and slapped me hard.

One of the girls said, “That’s not enough. This dress costs over fifteen thousand dollars. Do it again.”

Punches and kicks rained down on me, one after another.

Only when I could no longer move did Audrey finally nod, satisfied.

She walked over slowly, smiling as she looked down at me. “Sis, are you surprised to see me here?”

“You didn’t really think I was working in a filthy place like this, did you? You didn’t actually believe these clothes were borrowed from the club, right?”

“You’re so stupid. Everything Mom and Dad told you was a lie. They never went bankrupt. They just pretended to be poor because they were afraid you’d fight me for the inheritance.”

“When you were picking up trash just to survive, Mom and Dad were buying me an entire cabinet filled with jewelry and luxury goods.”

“So, what if you’re the real daughter? You’re still nothing compared to me.”

Her eyes searched my face carefully, as if waiting to see despair.