Chapter 4

There were three other people isolated with me.

Each of them had family concern and companionship, while I was all alone.

I often saw pity and sympathy in their eyes.

But compared to that sympathy, what chilled me more was the balance in my bank account.

My illness wasn't difficult to treat, but it required an expensive imported medication.

And the price of this imported medication was something I couldn't afford.

Because Tiffany once claimed, "Skylar might go astray if she has too much money," my dad only gave me about $70 a month for living expenses. Tiffany, meanwhile, received a staggering $14,000 a month.

So, while Tiffany was on a wild shopping spree, I could barely make ends meet by working part-time handing out flyers.

Fresh out of college, I hadn't even had a chance to submit my resume before my parents tricked me into going to Africa.

Now, my bank account balance was only three digits.

How could that amount possibly buy imported medicine?

Dr. Smith noticed my predicament and proactively covered all my medical expenses.

After being discharged, I still chose to go home.

Because I really didn't want to trouble Dr. Smith anymore; I already owed him too much.

Upon arriving home, I was greeted not by my parents' warm concern, but by my dad's teacup.

Since it happened so suddenly, I couldn't dodge in time, and the scalding tea splashed onto my exposed arm, instantly turning my skin bright red.

But my dad wasn't satisfied; he pointed at my nose and yelled:

"Who allowed you to come back to the country without permission? And who bought your plane ticket?"

"Was it that actor you hired earlier? He even lied to me that you had malaria, but you look perfectly fine!"

"You're full of lies, Skylar. How could I have given birth to such a morally corrupt daughter!"

"If only Tiffany were my biological daughter, how wonderful that would be!"

That last sentence made me sharply lift my head and stare intently at my dad:

"Dad, aren't you the one full of lies? You used bankruptcy as an excuse to send me to Africa, leaving me to fend for myself."

"If I could, I'd rather not be your biological daughter…"

Before I could finish, a clear slap mark appeared on my left cheek.

My dad's eyes were bloodshot, looking at me as if I were his enemy:

"You wretch, you have no gratitude at all! Get out, just get out!"

If it weren't for needing to gather money to pay back Dr. Smith, I wouldn't have wanted to step foot in this house.

Just as the atmosphere grew tense, Tiffany hypocritically walked up to me, took my hand, and said:

"Skylar, Dad lying about bankruptcy and sending you to Africa was also for your own good. He just wanted to train you to be a capable successor."

Her tone was sincere, but her fingernails dug deeply into my palm.

Without thinking, I immediately shook her hand off.

I hadn't used much force, but Tiffany stumbled backward and fell.

She sat on the floor, eyes wide, her face full of hurt:

"Skylar, you misunderstood me! I really didn't mean to steal Brandon from you."

"Even though you've always looked down on me and thought I wasn't worthy of being your sister, in my heart, you'll always be my big sister."

As she spoke, tears streamed down her face like broken pearls.

My dad slapped me twice more.

The sharp sound of the slaps echoed in the empty living room.

I distinctly saw Tiffany's triumphant smirk hidden beneath her tear-filled eyes.

"You wretch! If I had known you were so malicious, I should have strangled you the moment you were born!"