After being kidnapped and rescued, my sister Seraphina developed PTSD. She swore she’d never lie again. On her first day back, she curled up, sobbing: “Avery thinks I’m damaged goods now, doesn’t she? It’s fine, really. Sleeping in the dog kennel is a huge step up from the filth I was stuck in out in the boonies.” Mom and Dad flipped out. They locked me in the basement with aggressive dogs for three straight days and nights. But just as I woke from my terror and hunger, Seraphina pointed at me, tears streaming down her face: “What did I ever do to you? How could you drug me with that aphrodisiac?! Thank God Damian was there to help—otherwise I would’ve rather died!” I shook my head frantically, denying everything, but my fiancé—his shirt wrinkled and hair messy—already had this icy look in his eyes. “Seraphina never lies. Why would she make this up about you? Guess you need to suffer more before you learn your lesson!” They ganged up and sent me to the strictest psychiatric hospital for ‘rehabilitation therapy’. I was clinging to life by a thread when, in my darkest moment, I made a desperate wish. The second I finished, my sister—who was being interviewed on live TV—suddenly froze. Her eyes went glassy, and before anyone could stop her, she stripped off her clothes and threw herself at my fiancé!
The broadcast cut to black immediately. That same night, they rushed me home from the hospital. The second I walked through the door, Dad backhanded me so hard my ears rang. “Seraphina’s your sister!” he screamed. “You couldn’t even behave in the mental hospital? You bribed someone to drug her and humiliate her on live TV!” “How did I end up with such a twisted daughter?!” I wiped the blood from my lip and let out a bitter laugh: “You took my phone, and I’m on camera 24/7. No cash, no access—how the hell could I drug her?” His red face went rigid. Seraphina was sobbing nearby, looking like a wreck: “You drugged me even when you were locked in the basement last time! A psych ward wouldn’t stop you!” “Avery, I barely survived. I just want to move on! Please, can’t you leave me alone?” “Now everyone’s calling me a homewrecker…” Mom pulled her close, voice breaking: “Avery, how did you get so cruel? If you hadn’t run off that day, Seraphina never would’ve been taken!” “I’ve already talked to the Maxwells. Your engagement’s going to Seraphina! We’ll hold a press conference tomorrow to clear her name!” Even though I’d given up on them long ago, my throat still tightened: “What about me? You know the internet will destroy me if you do this!” And I hadn’t run off that day. Seraphina hated sharing Mom and Dad’s attention, so she took me to the amusement park and ditched me! The cops found me and brought me home. But she got kidnapped. None of this was my fault! Dad’s eyes bored into me, tone final: “You’ve had it easy your whole life. Taking one fall for Seraphina won’t kill you! Tomorrow, you’ll admit you were jealous and set her up!” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Seraphina, eyes puffy from crying, burrowed into Mom’s arms: “Avery, if you just confess, I’ll forgive you. I swear I won’t steal your fiancé or cross any lines with him. If I do, may I never have children!” Mom gasped and waved her hands frantically, tears spilling: “Seraphina, you’re too good-hearted! Don’t make such a terrible promise! It doesn’t count!” Dad’s jaw tightened when he saw Seraphina’s trembling. He barked at the bodyguards: “Take her to the cold storage room and make her kneel all night! Maybe that’ll knock some sense into her!” My knees hit the marble floor with a crack, and the cold seeped straight through my bones. I laughed. Never have children? Seraphina, did you forget you can’t lie anymore? I used my wish to make your oaths come true. The next day at the press conference, cameras flashed as my sister gave a shy smile. As Mom and Dad placed her hand in Damian Maxwell’s, Seraphina shot me a secret grin and mouthed: “You’ll never beat me.” Then a bloodcurdling scream cut through the room. A reporter pointed at Seraphina’s dress, horrified: “Blood! There’s blood everywhere!” The conference dissolved into chaos. Seraphina was rushed to the hospital. She’d miscarried. After finally getting pregnant with Damian’s baby, she lost it. Dr. Evans looked completely confused: “This doesn’t make sense. Our tests show Ms. Seraphina was born infertile—she can’t get pregnant, let alone miscarry!” Mom and Dad froze, faces going pale: “That can’t be right! Seraphina was just…” I looked down, smirking to myself. Of course it was because she’d broken her promise—kissing Damian backstage before the conference. Her vow to ‘never have children’ had come true. Then a man’s voice boomed from the hallway: “Infertile? That’s bull!”
My ex-fiancé Damian Maxwell stormed in, scowling, followed by my stuck-up brother Jasper. He backhanded me to the floor, planting his boot on my stomach and grinding down: “Talk! What did you do to Seraphina? Did you pay off this doctor to lie about her infertility?!” I went white from pain, but before I could speak, Jasper kicked me in the ribs: “You’re just jealous! Mom and Dad left everything to Seraphina and me, so you’re taking revenge!” “Seraphina’s my only sister. A monster like you doesn’t belong in this family!” The physical pain didn’t hold a candle to what I felt inside. The room spun. The absurdity of it all almost made me laugh. I was family too, but the long-lost sister got all the love, and the golden boy brother got everything else. I was just… invisible. I’d tried so hard to be the perfect daughter—obedient, responsible—but they only saw me as their doormat. Now I wasn’t even getting a cent of the inheritance. Seraphina dragged herself off the hospital bed and threw herself at my feet, wailing: “Avery! Please! My baby was only three months along, and you killed him!” “Mom and Dad can leave their money to whomever they want! How could you take this out on me?!” Damian scooped her up, face twisted with pity. He turned to me, jaw tight: “Avery, you’re a monster. You should be locked up forever.” I pushed myself up, every breath sending stabs of pain through my stomach: “I was under guard all night, kneeling in that freezing room. When would I have done this?” Even Dr. Evans looked terrified, stammering: “It’s the truth—I wasn’t bribed, I swear…” Dad cut him off, grabbing me and slamming me against the wall. “I’m the head of this family!” he roared. “You’ve always been cold and heartless. You don’t deserve the Maxwell name!” Something inside me snapped. I screamed: “Cold-blooded? You’ve blamed me for Seraphina’s disappearance since day one! I was your punching bag—you hit me whenever you were mad, and Jasper got to push me around too!” “Seraphina was the one who left me! This is all her own fault!” Seraphina went white as a sheet, hyperventilating through her sobs: “I didn’t… I would never! You’re my sister!” “Avery, please calm down. I’ll tell everyone I was the homewrecker! I don’t want the inheritance—I don’t want anything!” “We’ll always be family, even without money! It’s all my fault. I deserve this… I deserve to be unhappy forever…” She sobbed until she fainted, and the whole family swarmed around her. Damian shoved me away like I was garbage: “You’ve become someone else. The sweet Avery I knew is gone.” Whatever was left of my heart turned to stone. I laughed bitterly. Yeah, I’d changed. The Avery who used to pour her heart out to him, who begged for his love—she died the day he chose Seraphina. If Seraphina didn’t want the money, then no one would have it. Dad’s phone started ringing like crazy. He scowled and answered. “Mr. Maxwell, we’re ruined! Stock prices crashed, partners are pulling out—we’re gonna go bankrupt!”
The hospital room went dead quiet. Then Dad exploded: “That’s impossible!” He went pale when he saw the bankruptcy notice, trying to steady Mom: “It’s fine! Even if Maxwell Corp goes under, Grandpa will help us! He has to!” The door slammed open. Grandpa Arthur strode in, stone-faced, with a frail old woman trailing behind him. The woman spotted Dad and collapsed to her knees, wailing: “My poor boy! I’m so sorry I left you in the snow that night. I’ve been looking for you everywhere!” Dad recoiled, shoving her away: “What are you talking about?! I’m the Maxwell heir! You’re crazy!” He turned to Grandpa, voice shaking: “Dad, tell her! I’m your real son, right?” Grandpa’s eyes swept the room, finally landing on my bruised face. He motioned me over. I walked over silently. He took my hand and announced: “From this day forward, Avery is the sole heir to the Maxwell fortune.” “She’s proven herself at the company, and she’s my only true blood descendant.” Dad’s face lit up. He rounded on the old woman: “Did you hear that? Avery’s my daughter—she’s a Maxwell! Who paid you to lie?” He spun to me, eyes blazing: “Avery! What did you do? Did you brainwash Grandpa? I’m supposed to be the heir!” The old woman wiped her tears, sniffling: “How can you say that? If I hadn’t left you on the Maxwells’ doorstep, you’d have starved to death!” Dad grilled her, demanding to know about birthmarks or identifying features. The woman stammered, clearly making things up. Dad pounced on her hesitation: “We’re in a hospital—let’s do a DNA test right now!” He didn’t notice Grandpa’s icy stare. When the DNA results came back, Dad crumpled to the floor. Jasper went berserk. He charged at me, fist raised: “Avery! You rigged this!” Grandpa’s bodyguards intercepted him, shoving him onto the floor. Dad lost all his dignity. He crawled to Grandpa, begging: “Dad, please! You can’t throw me away like this!” He was over fifty, still clinging to Grandpa’s coattails. Grandpa sighed, his eyes flicking to Seraphina: “You couldn’t see what was right in front of you. Avery’s my granddaughter, and you let them hurt her.” Dad snapped out of his stupor and charged into Seraphina’s room. Seraphina’s eyes flew open as he backhanded her off the bed: “You idiot! Your little games cost me everything!” She clutched her cheek, tears instantly welling: “Dad? I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…” Even Mom, who’d always coddled her, pointed a shaking finger: “You selfish little liar! How could you frame Avery? You deserve to rot in that backwoods shack!” They dragged Seraphina out. She broke free and lunged at me: “Avery! What did you do to me…” This time I didn’t hold back. I kicked her down and turned to Richard and Eleanor: “While I’m still calling you Mom and Dad—get her out of my sight.”
After that day, Richard and Eleanor treated me like royalty. They’d seen the DNA results. They didn’t understand how it happened, but they knew better than to cross me now. Grandpa let them stay in the mansion, but Seraphina got thrown out—broken and alone. Eleanor even started cooking for me personally. Before, I’d been lucky to get Jasper’s leftovers. I’d eaten in the kitchen with the staff. Funny how I’d once tried to kill myself for their attention. Turns out, money works better than tears. “Avery, today’s the big announcement. Do we look okay?” They wanted to play the perfect parents for the cameras, of course. But I remembered Damian’s face in that hospital room—how tender he’d been with Seraphina. He’d looked at me like he was planning something. I knew he wasn’t done. So I let them tag along. Grandpa feigned illness that day, sending his lawyer to announce me as heir. “I object!” All eyes turned. Damian strolled in, Seraphina on his arm. He shoulder-checked me as he passed: “You don’t deserve the Maxwell name.” He hit a button, and a screen lit up behind him: “Avery’s a criminal! She runs a DNA forgery ring and traffics people!” “She faked the DNA results! None of you know if your own kids are really yours!” “How many families has she torn apart? How many kids stolen?” “Is this who you want leading Maxwell Industries?” “Is this the woman you want as your leader?!” Fake documents flashed across the screen. Richard and Eleanor’s eyes lit up. They put on their shocked faces: “Avery! Tell us this isn’t true!” Seraphina clutched her chest, tears streaming: “I saw her! I saw her making deals with them! It’s all true!” “Dad, we’re your real children! How can she be the heir and not us?!” “I swear on my life—if I’m lying, may God strike me down!” The crowd turned on me, worried about their own fortunes. Damian capitalized on their fear: “Guards! Take her away! She belongs in prison!” Richard and Eleanor mouthed to the guards: ‘Make sure she disappears.’ They dragged me out, blood smearing the floor. I locked eyes with Seraphina and smiled. Struck down by lightning? Terrible end? You just cursed yourself, Seraphina.
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