“Mom, calm down, maybe Jess just got mixed
it was just a mistake don’t get worked
<
Mike gave me a look.
Mom hesitated, but her angry, suspicious
expression made my heart drop.
I nodded.
Mom sat down to comfort Beth.
Mike took me out of the room.
I wanted to thank him, but he handed me a
photo.
In the photo was a balding man with a
potbelly, sitting in a BMW and trying to look
cultured.
He showed off his gold teeth for the camera.
<
Mike made it pretty clear what he wanted.
“Jess, you aren’t getting any younger, your
brother isn’t rushing you, but you should start
planning things out.”
“I’ve taken care of everything for you.”
“Mr. Thompson has seen your picture and
loves it.”
“If you’re with him, you’ll live good for the
rest of your life.”
I knew the man in the photo.
He was a big shot businessman in town.
I remembered he was a married man.
r
Mike’s expression went sour.
“What do you know? You’re lucky he likes.
you. A big shot like that.”
“We can’t marry into a family like that, but
you are lucky if he takes you.”
He softened his voice when he saw I wasn’t
happy.
“Your brother is in a tough spot with his
business, and if you go, we’ll have money. It’s
like helping your brother, okay?”
I wanted love.
But before…
Laboyed the photo in my pocket and dodged
く
the question.
“Give me some time to think about it.”
Mike told me to hurry up, and I nodded.
When he left, I took the photo out of my
pocket and threw it in the trash.
Years ago, I took Ben home for Christmas.
We had been in love for six years.
He never cared that my family was dirt poor.
He loved me with all his heart.
Our parents met, the deal was sealed.
Dad grinned like a maniac when he got the
<
dowry, shoving drinks in Ben’s hand.
Amidst the drunken chatter, Beth called me
from her room.
She said she wanted to meet her future
brother–in–law.
Ben was flushed and slurring, so I told him to
sneak into Beth’s room to avoid Dad.
I’d handle Dad.
Ben smiled at me, his face red.
“I’m so lucky to be marrying you.”
I smiled and nudged him towards the room.
I stayed in the living room and took care of
<
Dad.
Mom helped Dad back to his room, and I
cleaned up the mess.
Then I heard a scream from Beth’s room.
I ran in, and the sight made my blood run
cold.
Beth was on the floor, half–naked.
Ben was in bed wearing nothing but his
boxers.
He blinked at the sound, groggy.
Dad and Mom heard the noise and rushed in.
Dad sobered up fast and punched Ben,
<
bloodying his nose.
I protected Ben and screamed, “There’s gotta
be a mistake! Ben wouldn’t do that.”
Beth was sobbing.
“He, he started ripping my clothes off and
kissing me.”
Ben scrambled to get dressed, denying
everything.
“I didn’t! I didn’t do it!”
Dad was furious.
“Your sister’s a cripple! How could a grown.
man’s pants be ripped by her? I can’t believe
this is happening! We don’t need trash like
く
that in our family.”
I was about to say something to defend Ben,
but I looked at Beth’s skinny legs.
Dad was right.
Beth couldn’t have done it, so it must’ve been
Ben.
But how important was the truth, really?
The wedding was off.
Dad returned half the dowry, claiming the rest
as compensation for emotional damage.
Two months later, Ben texted me that he was
moving to a new city.
く
I cried and held onto him as he got on the
bus.
He sighed and stroked my hair.
He said, “Jess, believe me or not, I swear, I
never did anything like that to your sister.”
Thinking back, it all made sense.
I asked a friend in the city to get me a hidden
camera.
I had to catch the actress red–handed.
I waited until Mom was out and installed the
camera in the living room.
Even though I dropped out of school early, I
the waiting so
<
knew how to play the waiting game.
A few days later, I got a clear recording.
Beth checked to make sure nobody was
home.
Then she walked into the living room, sat on
the couch, crossed her legs, and watched TV.
I waited until the whole family was home to
show the recording.
Mom, Dad, Mike, and Sarah were silent.
Beth lay in bed, looking at Dad with a ghostly
face.
Dad asked, “Who said you could put a
camera in the house? What do you think this
<
is? A prison? Is that what you think of your
sister? A criminal?”
Dad was trying to blame me first.
I yelled, “Sixteen years! I’ve taken care of her
for sixteen years! What else do you want?
Every day, every minute, I felt guilty and took
care of her, trying to make up for her life.”
“Without this recording, how would I know
that I was the one who deserved to be made
up to?”
“I’m thirty–six! She ruined my life!”
Mom threw her glass on the floor, stood up,
and slapped me.
“That’s your sister! Even if she wasn’t
<
disabled, you should be taking care of her!”
I covered my face.
I thought this was funny at that moment.
I asked, “Why? Why did you hit me when
Mike messed up? Why did you hit me when
Beth messed up?”
“Ever since Beth was paralyzed, you haven’t
even looked at me. But now you know she’s
faking, you’re still on her side. Why?”
“Am I not your child?”
I gave Mom a look, and she stopped.
Her expression changed.
<
Suddenly, Beth ran into the wall.
Mike noticed and pulled her away, but she
still hit the wall hard, and blood started
pouring from her head.
Beth struggled and laughed with blood all
over her face.
“Jess, you want me dead! I’ll just die then!”
Everything was chaotic, screams, blood, and
arguments.
Dad slammed his fist on the bed.
“Enough!”
He took a cigarette out and put it in his
<
mouth.
“We’re going to let this slide.”
“Dad!” I said.
“Are you not going to listen to me!” He
looked me straight in the eyes.
“It can’t be let slide!” I stood up to him.
“What about my sixteen years? My marriage?
Who’s paying for that?”
“You want your sister to pay you with her
life?” Mom said as she grabbed Beth. “You
are too good to be true.
“You’re lucky we gave you food and a home!
How dare you talk back to your mother and
L
father.”
I thought they would stand up for me.
Mike and Sarah were comforting Beth, and
Mom and Dad stood in front of me to protect
Beth.
I was the enemy in this family.
Beth was still yelling about how she wanted
to die.
Dad hugged her for a few moments and
stood up and dragged me into the attic.
“Stay up here until you’ve changed your mind
and don’t cause problems for your sister.”
I scratched at the walls.
<
Why?
Why did she get everyone’s pity after lying for
sixteen years?
Why?
Why do I have to be treated like this just
because I’m your daughter?
I was locked up, and Mom didn’t give me
food.
Sarah came to my room late at night with
some rice soup.
I watched her closely, she was a beautiful
woman with her hair pulled back.
She smiled sadly and rolled up ber sleeves to
<
show me the marks on her arms.
She said Mike beat her when he was drunk,
new bruises, old bruises.
She wanted a divorce, but Mike said he’d kill
her whole family if she did.
She said this family was past saving.
I wanted out, and so did she.
She asked if we could work together.
“He’s my brother, blood is thicker than
water.”
Sarah laughed.
“Do you really think he’s your brother? Do you
L
think your parents are really your parents?”
I frowned.
“What do you mean?”
She took a paper out of her pocket and said I
should take a look.
I sat down and read from start to finish with
the dim light.
I sat on the floor and cried until there were no
more tears.
I was never their daughter.
This was a DNA test, showing that I was not
related to my Mom or Dad.
<
All the unfairness made sense.
I was a bastard.
Sarah hugged me, and we both sat against
the wall in silence.
When I stopped crying, I asked, “What’s your
plan?”
Chapter Two
She gave me a sugary smile.
Sarah must have told Mike that I was down to
chat with the big shot.
Mike was ecstatic.
He spilled the beans to Mom.
く
Mom’s eyes lit up at the thought of money.
She looked at me like I was a gold brick.
The next day, Mom tried to be nice, let me
out of the attic, and cooked a real meal.
I ate with my head down.
Beth sat across from me, looking lively as she
grabbed for the best pieces.
Mom saw my face.
She quickly added, “We took Beth to the
doctor. He said she has a conversion
disorder. Lying in bed for so long, her brain
thinks she’s really paralyzed.”
Someone who thinks they’re paralyzed
<
wouldn’t sneak into the kitchen to pig out on
peanuts when nobody’s around.
I ladled a bowl of soup and put it in front of
Mom.
I smiled, but it didn’t reach my eyes.
“It’s okay, we’re family. I’m not going to hold
a grudge against my own sister.”
But this time, Beth was going to pay the
price.
Mike gave me the guy’s contact info.
I chatted with him, but I didn’t put much effort.
into it.
Mike thought things were going well, so he
<
started being nicer to me.
Mom and Dad did too.
Seeing them so eager, it made me sick.
If they couldn’t make money off me, I’d be
treated worse than Digger.
Sarah gave me a ticket.
She wanted me to slip it to Aunt Carol, who
was always mooching off us.
When Aunt Carol showed up, I put the ticket
on the table, right where she’d see it.
Her eyes darted around like a hummingbird.
She asked what kind of ticket it was.
く
I shrugged and said, “They’re saying some
hotshot is coming to town, giving a talk on
how to get rich.”
