When I was ten, my parents’ business went bankrupt, and they were driven to take their own lives. Facing the threats of the creditors, my older sister, who was someone’s mistress, came back. She arrived with bodyguards, sold my parents’ house, paid off the debts, and then forcibly dragged me into a car. “From today on, you’re with me. Mom and Dad’s remaining debt is eight hundred thousand. You’ll earn it back when you’re older.” I glared at her, full of hatred. “Why did you even come back?! Mom and Dad died because of you! Why wasn’t it you who died instead?!” She fell silent. I’d known since I was little that I had an older sister. She’d left home at 18, claiming our family was too poor to give her the life she wanted. So she got involved with a rich man, becoming his mistress. At school, my classmates would always ask me, “Brooke, is it true your sister became someone’s mistress? How shameless!” “Your sister threw her life away, didn’t she? Is that how your family gets all its money?” “My mom says your sister is shameless and told me not to play with you!” I’d always hated her. Hated her for being shameless and dragging my name through the mud. I also hated her because if it weren’t for her, Mom and Dad wouldn’t have tried to start a business, bought that store, only for it to fail and leave them bankrupt. Now she was back, selling the last tangible memory of our parents. After I cursed at her, she looked at me with a cold laugh. “Oh, believe me, I wanted to die, but I just couldn’t!” “Little girl, you want me dead? Well, I’m not going anywhere! Nobody wants you besides me, so you’d better behave, or I’ll throw you right back where you came from!” At her words, my ten-year-old face went white with fear. Even though I hated her, I knew I had no choice. Our relatives all thought my parents had left me a secret inheritance. They’d barely speak two sentences before telling me to check the bank. They weren’t truly good to me, but this sister, who was practically a stranger to me, didn’t seem much better. But I had no choice; she was my guardian. I took a long-distance train with her to a strange city and then moved into an apartment. It was her place, neatly kept, with men’s clothes and shoes scattered around. My room was upstairs, small, but still pretty nice. “You can do whatever you want normally, but if my boyfriend comes over, you have to stay in your room. Don’t come out and cause trouble for me!” I lowered my head and said nothing. My sister’s boyfriend was a middle-aged man with glasses. When he saw me, he smiled faintly. “So this is Brooke!” I nodded, quickly carried my glass of water upstairs, and shut the door. From his smile, I could tell he was distant. Just like the teachers at my old school. They’d nod and smile at me too, but their smiles never reached their eyes. It was as if I was just some insignificant little thing. As my mom used to say, “Some people have their noses so high in the air, we can never reach their level.” He was one of those people we couldn’t aspire to. Scarlett told me to call him Richard. He owned a trading company in the area and drove luxury cars. Richard would bring gifts for Scarlett when he visited, and snacks for me too. But he only stayed for a few hours, never overnight. I was enrolled in a nearby elementary school. Here, no one knew my sister was a mistress, but I was still scared. Scared someone would find out about Scarlett, scared I’d be mocked. This went on for two years. I started middle school, and during summer vacation, with nowhere else to go, Scarlett took me to her company. That’s when I found out she worked at Richard’s company. On my very first day, I was told that the plump lady in the office was Richard’s wife. In that moment, a chill ran through me. I hated Scarlett for bringing me there. Every time I ran into the boss’s wife, my heart would pound, terrified she’d call me a mistress’s kid. The boss’s wife, Victoria, would always call out to me when she saw me, “Brooke, come help me with this!” She’d ask me to carry her bag and offer me money, but I never dared to take it. I was afraid she’d take it back later, and even more afraid she’d call me shameless. Seeing me refuse the money, Victoria just patted my head. At the end of summer, she bought me two new outfits and even drove me to school herself on the first day. When I learned the school had dorms, I immediately applied.
Scarlett was a bit unhappy. “Our apartment is perfectly fine, why do you want to live at school?” “It’s easier to study. You work late, and you don’t come home on time every day. I get hungry.” That explanation silenced her, and she eventually agreed. But Richard was displeased. “Why live at school? Come back and play on the weekends!” His hand, a little too close for comfort, was about to land on my head when Victoria slapped it away. Fearing they’d argue, I quickly grabbed my backpack and ran inside. After that, I’d go back once a week. Scarlett’s apartment still kept a room for me. But gradually, more things started appearing in the room. I didn’t think much of it; I only slept there one night before going back to school, and it was her apartment anyway. Until a new student transferred to our class. She was from my old hometown. Seeing her, my heart filled with dread, but she still cornered me. “Brooke, it really is you! You and your sister came here?” “Is your sister still someone’s mistress?” After saying that, she deliberately clapped her hand over her mouth, feigning shock. “Oh, sorry, I didn’t mean to! I really forgot!” All the other students looked over. In that instant, my blood rushed to my head. And the real culprit, Brittany, just stood there, smug and unafraid. “Oh, Brooke, don’t look at me like that, you’re scaring me!” Classmates crowded around. “Brittany, is that true? Is her sister really a mistress?” “Oh my god, I never would’ve guessed. No wonder she was dropped off in a fancy car on the first day of school!” “A mistress’s sister will probably become a mistress too!” I clenched my fists. Brittany continued, “Don’t say anything more, or she’ll just transfer schools again!” “After all, a mistress isn’t exactly a good person!” I looked up at her. “And what about you? Why did you transfer? In elementary school, you stole things and the principal made you apologize under the flag. Now you’ve transferred, could it be your old school couldn’t stand you anymore?” Brittany’s face suddenly changed. “Brooke, what’s so great about you? Your sister has stolen more than just one! And you? You’re probably your sister’s kid!” “What are you talking about?!” “Everyone says you’re your sister’s little… bastard!” The words had barely left her mouth when I couldn’t take it anymore. I lunged at her, slapped her, grabbed her hair, and fought like my life depended on it! Eventually, the teacher separated us. “Brooke! Brittany, what are you doing?!” “Teacher, she hit me first!” Brittany was crying hysterically. I wiped a streak of blood from my face and said coldly, “Teacher, she has a nasty mouth!” I stared fiercely at Brittany. She stopped crying, but eventually, parents were called. Brittany’s mom arrived, looking at me with disdain. “Brooke! You little stray, how dare you hit my daughter!” “Mom, she hurt me so much!” Brittany shrieked. “Mom, hit her! Kill her!” I didn’t get angry; instead, I laughed. “You know I don’t have a mom anymore, just a sister. And she’s a mistress, so technically, I have nothing!” Brittany froze for a moment. Her mom’s face went from pale to flushed with anger, finally roaring, “No matter what, you have to apologize!” My sister didn’t come. Victoria did. After hearing what happened, Victoria pointed at Brittany. “You apologize first! Who told you to be so foul-mouthed?! Calling my little sister a mistress’s bastard, huh?!” “I’m calling the police right now to report you for defamation! Do you have any proof? If not, I’ll sue you into oblivion!”
Brittany’s face was beyond awful. She was finally forced to apologize. Brittany’s mom’s face was green with rage, clearly not expecting me to have backup here. She shot me a venomous glare, then fiercely pinched Brittany’s arm, cursing her for being useless! I said nothing, just went back to class. Victoria patted my shoulder. “Don’t overthink it, Brooke. Your sister, she’s had it rough, but she’s definitely not a bad person.” I didn’t reply. Back in class, my classmates’ gazes were different, but I didn’t care. When Brittany returned, she glared at me. I glared back and said loudly, “Brittany, if I hear any rumors about me in this class again, I’ll report you to the police for spreading gossip!” Brittany buried her face on her desk and cried. I felt incredibly satisfied. Yeah, they all said my sister was a mistress. Where was the proof? Without proof, who dared to talk nonsense? My fierceness, coupled with Brittany’s crying, made the other students back off. Instead, Brittany was branded a thief and could never shake the label. That weekend, when I returned home from school, Scarlett was there. I noticed some baby clothes and a cradle in the apartment, and Scarlett’s belly was big. Seeing me, she waved. “Come here quickly, look at your little nephew!” I clenched my fists. The secret I’d guarded for two years at school was just shattered by her own hand. And here I was, threatening Brittany, telling her to produce proof if she claimed my sister was a mistress. But the moment I saw Scarlett with her big belly, I felt like a complete joke. My legs felt like lead, but I managed to shuffle closer, staring at her. “Why did you become a mistress? Why did you have an illegitimate child?” As soon as I asked, Scarlett’s lips trembled. She couldn’t speak for a long time. I couldn’t take it anymore. I turned and ran out. Scarlett called after me, “Brooke! Get back here!” I screamed back, frantic, “I’m not coming back! I don’t have a sister like you!” I missed Mom and Dad. When they were alive, they often told me how smart Scarlett was, then complained they were useless and couldn’t provide for her, which was why she ran off. But why did she come back? And not just come back, but bring me here, to witness her degradation and sin firsthand. I felt utterly disgusted! I went back to school and never returned home. Scarlett learned through my homeroom teacher that I was back at school. She didn’t say anything but asked the teacher to transfer my living expenses to me. I wanted to stubbornly refuse, but I couldn’t. At the end of the semester, I stood at the school gate with my luggage, and again, it was Victoria who came to pick me up. She pulled me into the car, trying to speak several times but hesitating. I could tell this wasn’t the way home. Judging by the time, Scarlett should be close to giving birth. Victoria sighed. “Brooke, I’m taking you to see your sister.” At her words, I looked up at her, finally asking the question, “Don’t you hate her? She destroyed your family. She’s a mistress.” Victoria patted me. “Silly girl, she’s not a mistress at all. Your sister is the most sensible child. She’s not a home-wrecker. You’ll understand when you see her.” I didn’t want to see her, but Victoria drove me straight to the hospital. My heart sank! Had Scarlett given birth? But Richard and Victoria were married… their relationship was confusing me. When I followed Victoria into the hospital room, I found Scarlett lying in bed, her belly still swollen, her face sallow. Seeing this, my mind went blank! It was as if everything suddenly made sense.
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