Chapter 5

Because of the transplant, my health was fragile, and I spent half my time in hospitals.

Donald even consulted astrologers and psychics for me. They all warned him that I would face a life-threatening disaster when I turned eighteen.

Terrified that I wouldn't survive, Donald threw a massive, lavish party for my sixth birthday.

That day, he announced the establishment of a multi-million dollar charity foundation in my name, hoping to bring me good karma to ward off the curse.

Even the rarely-seen Chloe attended. She came to my room and handed me a pearl necklace as a gift, personally fastening it around my neck.

I thought she had finally accepted me. Overjoyed, I followed her downstairs.

The moment Chloe saw Helen, her face crumpled, and she ran to her, looking incredibly wronged.

Helen immediately asked her what was wrong, but Chloe just kept her head down, refusing to speak.

She kept darting fearful looks at me, acting entirely terrified.

Helen looked up at me. I didn't register the growing fury on her face and walked over, eager to greet her.

Before I could speak, Helen reached out and violently ripped the pearl necklace from my neck.

The pearls scattered everywhere. The force of her pull left a thin, bloody scratch on my collarbone.

"Mom..." I stood there, terrified.

"I told you, I am not your mother," she hissed, her eyes wide with rage. "Why are you wearing this?"

"Chloe gave it to me. It was a gift."

Before I could explain further, she let out a harsh, mocking laugh.

"Liar. The gift Chloe prepared for you is right here in my bag."

"And this pearl necklace is her favorite. She barely even wears it herself."

Chloe, who had been hiding behind Richard, spoke up in a small, trembling voice.

"Tessa... you said you liked it. You said if I didn't give it to you, you'd tell Donald to kick me out. You said... you said everything here would belong to you eventually."

She whimpered, burying her face. Helen’s icy expression softened into pure tenderness as she looked at her.

"It's okay, sweetie. Tell me the truth. I won't let anyone bully you."

Emboldened, Chloe looked at me.

"She said if I didn't give it to her, she’d make my life hell."

Just then, the orphanage director, who had also been invited, chimed in.

"She’s been a thief since she was a baby. Once she sets her eyes on something, she steals it. So young, yet so vain."

To the guests, the words of two adults and a crying child were far more convincing than mine. Besides, I was the only "outsider" who had recently moved into the family.

Helen's face hardened. Every word of explanation I offered was treated as a lie.

"If we hadn't caught her today, we'd be harboring a thief."

"They say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. No wonder she has no manners."

Her cruel words pierced my ears. My body began to shake, and it became hard to breathe.

Chloe clutched Richard and Helen's hands, giving me a smug, triumphant look. Helen lovingly patted her head.

"Keep your valuables locked up from now on. We have a thief in the house now. Who knows when someone will develop a case of light fingers?"

The surrounding guests whispered and pointed at me. As the crowd grew, Donald noticed the commotion and rushed over, only to hear Helen shouting insults at me.

"I’m telling you, Tessa is my granddaughter!" Donald roared, stepping in front of me. "Even if you don't care about her, keep your mouth shut!"

Seeing Donald defend me, I wanted to speak.

But in the next second, my jaw twitched, and my hands went into violent spasms. My epilepsy was triggered.

Under Helen's horrified and disgusted gaze, I collapsed onto the floor, foaming at the mouth, my eyes rolling back.

Instinctively, I reached out to claw at Helen's shoes. She gasped in disgust and kicked my hand away, quickly covering Chloe's eyes.

Donald frantically searched my pockets for my rescue meds, but they were gone. He screamed at the staff to run upstairs and grab the backup bottle.

Through my fading vision, I saw Chloe hiding something in her pocket. It was my medicine.

Seeing me stare at her, her smug face twisted into fake terror, and she buried herself in Helen’s coat, whimpering, "Mom, she's so scary. I'm frightened."

Helen stood by, her face twisted in repulsion, watching my agony with cold indifference.

After I was carried back to my room, I could hear Helen's sharp voice through the door.

"I told you we shouldn't have adopted her! Look at Chloe, she's so traumatized she can't even speak!"

Donald's voice was heavy with rage.

"Have you forgotten why she got this disease in the first place? Aren't you afraid of karma? You will regret this!"

"Get out! Don't ever come back to this house!"

Helen's voice was completely indifferent. "Dad, I never regret anything I do."

On the other side of the door, I curled myself into a tight ball under the blankets, biting my arm hard to stifle my sobs.

Because at that exact moment, I finally realized—my mother did not belong to me. And she never would.