Chapter 3

That evening, the hotel room door was pounded so hard it shook.

I'd barely cracked the door open when Mom burst in and grabbed my wrist, her nails nearly embedding in my flesh as she dragged me outside:

"Come home with me now! The kidnappers said they'll take one of you as a hostage—either you or Lily! Go take Lily's place!"

She yanked me so hard I stumbled. When I understood what she meant, I couldn't help closing my eyes. I knew Mom didn't love me, but I never thought she could hate me this much.

If this were all real and not AI, would she trade my life for Lily's? If she never wanted me, why did she insist on bringing me back!

"Mom, isn't my life worth anything? Wouldn't it be dangerous for me too? Am I your biological daughter or not!"

But Mom gripped my wrist forcefully, her tone carrying an almost cruel certainty:

"How can you and Lily be the same? She's been pampered since childhood—she barely even falls down! You suffered so much in the orphanage, you're stronger and tougher than her. You'll definitely find a way to escape on your own!"

"Stop talking about biological or not! Don't ever say things like that at home again—Lily will be hurt if she hears it!"

"Escape on my own?"

I found it absurdly laughable. Looking at Mom's face, anxious and worried only for Lily, I felt like a clown:

"So Mom, you never planned to pay ransom for me at all? When Lily gets kidnapped you'll sell everything to save her, but when it's my turn, you just tell me to escape on my own and that's it?"

She looked away, only urging me to hurry. The motion-sensor lights in the hallway turned on and off with our footsteps, just like my hopes rising and shattering again and again.

As soon as I got back to that house and sat down, I received a text from Lily:

"See, sis? I didn't lie to you. Mom loves me the most after all. As soon as I mentioned the choice, Mom chose to save me without hesitation.

You're so pitiful—the biological daughter, yet you're not even as good as a replacement."

Reading "not even as good as a replacement," I had to admit my heart felt like it was being pricked by needles.

But immediately after, Mom, who'd just been frantically anxious, suddenly calmed down.

She sighed and sat down beside me, forcibly taking my hand with a stiff but rarely gentle smile:

"Emma, Mom was just joking earlier. What choice? You and Lily are both Mom's daughters. I'd be worried if either of you got kidnapped!"

I froze, unsure what game she was playing.

Her hand carried an unfamiliar but warm heat, her tone holding a coaxing gentleness she'd never shown me:

"It's just that Lily's situation is urgent, so Mom panicked and said nonsense. Don't worry, I've already had your dad sell the house to raise money. I would never let you take that risk!"

"Tonight, just stay home. Tomorrow once we've raised enough money, you'll go with Mom to deliver the ransom, okay? Your dad and I are old now—you're the only pillar of this family!"