Chapter 3

"Maya, because of your face, even looking at you makes Mom sick! Before you were born, Dad had an affair and left Mom for another woman. During that time, Mom spent her days in tears, begging Dad to come back, but Dad mercilessly hurt Mom for that other woman..."

My body trembled uncontrollably.

My mind went blank instantly. "So, Mom hates me because I look exactly like that other woman?"

Each word felt like swallowing broken glass.

Chloe nodded, her expression cold as ice. "Yes, because of you. The moment Mom sees you, she remembers endless pain. So, Maya, just die already, stop being an eyesore!"

So that was it.

Just because I resembled "the other woman who stole Dad," from the moment I was born, I became a thorn in Mom's side.

My existence was a constant reminder of her broken marriage, of her painful past.

It turned out, Mom's favoritism, Mom's cruelty, had never been rooted in anything I did, but simply because my face resembled the person she utterly despised.

I looked at Chloe's smug face and suddenly found it incredibly laughable.

All these years, I had endured so much hardship, all because of a face.

I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms.

If no one loved me, if no one helped me, then I would love myself!

This life, I wouldn't tolerate it anymore.

Everything they owed me, I would make them pay for it, one by one!

Chloe took the money and immediately went for plastic surgery.

But after her eyelid surgery, she decided her chest wasn't big enough.

She demanded that I pay for her breast augmentation.

I refused.

She then wept pitifully in front of Eleanor.

This time, Eleanor completely lost it.

She grabbed my hair and screamed, "You ungrateful wretch! I gave you life, you have to do whatever I tell you! Now I order you, give Chloe the money immediately! Or I'll kick you out of this house! I'll disown you!"

Watching Chloe's smugly triumphant expression from the side, I sneered inwardly.

Outwardly, I deliberately feigned terror. " Eleanor, I know I was wrong, I'll give it to her right now..."

Chloe, seemingly satisfied with my submission, walked over and patted my face. Her tone was contemptuous: "Maya, you really are a spineless coward, such a pathetic wimp!"

I rubbed my scalp where Eleanor had pulled my hair, playing the role of the meek, submissive daughter. "$70,000 is a huge sum. Once you sign the contract, the money is yours, and I won't ask for it back!"

Chloe immediately nodded, afraid I'd change my mind. "Smart move! Sign it! Hurry up!"

I curled my lips into a smile.

I took out the contract I had prepared long ago from my bedroom drawer and handed it to her.

The girl took it, didn't even glance at the contents, grabbed a pen, and scribbled her name down.

After signing, she ecstatically contacted the plastic surgeon. "Book me the most exclusive breast augmentation surgery! I want it tomorrow!"

Then, she called her deadbeat boyfriend, Jake. "Honey, I'm getting my chest done even bigger tomorrow, I promise you'll love it!"

Hearing this, I almost laughed out loud.

She really was a love-struck woman obsessed with her looks!

But she didn't know that what she had signed wasn't a gift deed, but a $70,000 high-interest loan agreement.

The girl was still immersed in her joy, completely oblivious to my menacing smile behind her.

The next day, just after waking up, I saw Chloe's location on her Instagram story.

It was at the most exclusive plastic surgery clinic downtown.

In the photo, she captioned: "I'm so much prettier now, do you want to see me?"

I stared at the words and smiled.

Chloe, your good days are numbered!

Half a month later, Chloe's Instagram posts stopped updating.

I asked a nurse, and that's when I found out she'd had problems at the hospital: Excessive liposuction caused skin necrosis, breast implant infection led to inflammation, and even her eyelid surgery resulted in a nasty scar due to tissue rejection.

Her deadbeat boyfriend, Jake, saw her disfigured appearance.

He immediately dumped her.

After the breakup, Chloe was devastated.

She climbed onto the rooftop, contemplating suicide.

Eleanor was frantic.

She immediately grabbed my arm and appeared before Chloe. "Chloe, please come down. Mom will find a way to fix your face again, okay?"

Chloe was sobbing hysterically. "But, the $70,000 is all gone! Maya, where else would she get money?"

Eleanor's eyes shifted.

She turned her head to look at me.

Her eyes were cold. "Tomorrow, you'll marry that old guy, and the $70,000 payment will pay for your sister's treatment!"

I was stunned.

For money, she could be so ruthlessly extreme towards me!

Chloe's eyes immediately lit up.