I hid the gloom under my eyes and shook my head. “No one bullied me, Dad. I fell by myself.”

My mom then hugged me and cried. “You have to be more careful in the future. You are a piece of flesh that fell from my body. If you get hurt, I will feel my heart out and hurt.”

Taking this opportunity, I spoke up, “Mom and Dad, didn't I give you my scholarship the other day? Can you give it back to me? That is the cost of my study abroad.”

Mom and Dad both were stunned at the same time. Dad was silent for a moment. He only showed a difficult look.

He told me in a serious tone, “Audrey Ainsworth, what's so good about going abroad? You just worship foreign things. We don't want you to go abroad. Why don't you stay at home with us instead of going abroad? This money, Mom and I will keep only for you. So that you won’t be cheated.”

Mom followed the conversation and said, “Your dad is absolutely right. Didn't you have a working part-time program recently? Isn't that money enough for you? I also heard you've got a boyfriend. Did he give you this idea? I advise you not to keep such a man. You have to break up quickly.”

The two of them looked as if they were doing me a favour, but it made me feel even more heartbroken. I handed in all the scholarships and as well as work-study two jobs to earn money. I didn’t have a penny left over in addition to the living expenses, where was there any money left?

I remembered Evelyn in school wearing a famous designer. She also had a driver to pick up and drop off. She usually spent more money on water at other times.

She invited classmates to hold parties in her mansion from time to time. She had even bragged in the class that she spent no less than one hundred thousand dollars a night. But I just wanted to get back my scholarship, but I got a lot of words.

Compared to Evelyn Ainsworth, she was more like a biological daughter than me. They even asked me to give up the love that I got with great difficulty.

In college, I was so poor that everyone knew it. No one of the opposite sex was willing to get close to me. Only Cornelius Holbrook, who was also from a poor family. We sympathize with each other. Although we didn’t officially confirm our relationship, we already regarded each other as our other half in our hearts.

I pulled the corners of my mouth. I felt a deep disappointment in my heart. Seeing my face pale, my father patted my shoulder to comfort me.

“My daughter, please, don't think too much. You also know the situation of our family, right? We have to spend money everywhere. It's not safe for you to keep those scholarships on you.”

My mom also said, “Yes, my daughter. Your previous tuition fees are borrowed. You have not yet returned to others. So, do not think so much. You have to go to bed early. Don’t stay up late all night. It’s not good for your health and body.”

I nodded my head despondently and went back inside the house. Just after I closed the door, I heard my dad's cell phone ringing.

He made a point of glancing at my room first. The two of them sheepishly ran to the restroom. I quietly approached and heard them ask in a very patient tone.

“Evelyn, why are you suddenly calling Mom and Dad? Didn't I tell you, that when we're at home, don't call us.”

Evelyn replied, “Dad, I need a sum of money.”

Mom and Dad exchanged a look. “Didn't I give you a card just now on your birthday? That's a hundred thousand dollars there, Evelyn.”

Evelyn's tone carried impatience, “It’s not enough, Dad. I just now invited a group of classmates to my birthday party. We ordered a few bottles of red wine and it was all gone, Dad. So, please, give another hundred thousand over.”

Dad was still hesitating at that time. My mom pushed his elbow with a dissatisfied look on her face.

“My hubby, why are you still considering it? Evelyn is not like Audrey, honey. Let alone one hundred thousand dollars, even five hundred thousand you have to give her. Evelyn is the future heir of our Ainsworth Family, right? Think about it, Evelyn is prettier and has a good temperament than Audrey. Wasn't she adopted in the first place so that she could give face to the Ainsworth Family?”

Dad silenced for a while. But my mom still said, “Audrey has scars on her face. She can't inherit the family business. Our family can't afford to lose this person.”

“It's also true that Audrey’s face was burned in that fire when she was a child. She is indeed not suitable to inherit the family business.”

When my dad heard this, he thought it was so true. He then smiled dotingly.

“Okay, my lovely daughter. I will immediately give you the money right away.”

Hearing this, my heart was already as if it was dead as ashes. I didn’t want to continue listening to their talks.

I went back to my room. I stayed up all night. All I could think about was the words my parents said in the restroom.

They probably had long forgotten how I got the scar on my face. When I was five years old, mom and dad locked me in the house while I was sleeping. They then accompanied Evelyn to the amusement park.

When they left the house, they forgot that water was still boiling on the gas stove. When the water dried up, it exploded and sparks splashed onto the curtains. It started a fire.

That day, I was woken up by the smoke and cowering alone on the balcony to ask for help. If my neighbours had not broken down the door to save me, I might have died in the fire. But my face was burned by the fire when I rushed out of the balcony, leaving scars and then many of my classmates laughed at me for being ugly.

But what made me sad was when my parents came home. They thought I was naughty and played with fire. They then beat me to death for having been frightened.

They didn't stop until the police investigated the scene and came to a conclusion.

After fifteen years, they still haven't given me an apology to this day. Nowadays, I didn't care anymore.

The next morning, I received a call from my boyfriend, Cornelius Holbrook.

“Hai, my love. I’m here.”

“You're just downstairs in my house?”

I hurriedly crawled out of the comforter, put on my clothes and went downstairs. Seeing Cornelius, my frozen heart finally felt a trace of warmth.

“It's New Year's Eve, my love. Why did you come over?”

Seeing me, Cornelius was also very happy. I led him into the house just in time to bump into Mom and Dad getting ready to go out.

But the moment they saw Cornelius Holbrook, they were both stunned at the same time.

My mom looked him up and down. She then asked in surprise, “My daughter, this is your classmate?”

I nodded to confess truthfully. “He is Cornelius Holbrook, my boyfriend.”

Cornelius was neither humble nor arrogant. He respectfully called out, “Uncle and Auntie, Happy New Year.”

When I was about to give Cornelius some water, I saw my mom mysteriously pulling my dad into the kitchen. While they weren't paying attention, I gently approached them.

“Marcello, that man is so handsome and he talks elegantly. How about introducing him to Evelyn?”

My father frowned after hearing this. “That's my daughter's boyfriend. How can you have such an idea?”

My mother was unimpressed. “The palms and backs of my hands are all flesh. Both of them are my daughters. It doesn't matter who he marries. Audrey’s body is not in good condition. Her face has a scar. She is not suitable for that young man. I think Evelyn has a good temperament and is pretty. The two of them are a good match on the contrary.”

My dad replied, “Anyway, I also like this man. If he wants to marry, he can only marry Evelyn.”

My dad was a bit embarrassed. When he walked out, I hurriedly pretended to fetch water and left. When I carried the water cup towards Cornelius, my hand holding the water cup kept trembling. I didn't know if it was because I was angry or because my heart was broken by my disappointment in them.

I couldn't figure out how my biological parents would snatch away their own daughter's boyfriend for a fake daughter, who was not related to me with no blood relationship.

At this moment, the only trace of warmth left in my heart shattered. I didn't want to stay at home any longer. I then took Cornelius's hand intending to go out to watch a movie.

But my mom stopped us on our way. She had a kind smile on her face and said, “Where are you going? Please, stay at home for lunch.”

I wanted to refuse, but Cornelius happily agreed because he wanted to get on good terms with my parents.

Today's lunch was especially different and special than usual. It was the richest I could remember.

During the meal, my dad offered to go out fishing with Cornelius. When I said I wanted to go out with him, my mom said, “Two big old men going fishing, Audrey. What are you doing to join in the fun? My daughter, you stay at home to help me, okay? It’s a New Year, our family and small relatives will also come over.”

I had no choice but to agree. At night, I received an emergency call from Cornelius.

“Audrey, quickly come and save me. I’m at Yellow Crown KTV303!”

I came to Yellow Crown KTV303 in a hurry. As soon as I pushed open the door, I saw Cornelius being pressed by a group of people to pour alcohol. I pulled Cornelius behind me.

Meanwhile, Evelyn said to me in a weird tone, “So it's you, poor bastard, Audrey. What are you doing here? This kind of place is also for you to come?”

I didn't bother to pay attention to her. I only held Cornelius's hand and prepared to leave. But Evelyn's words made me freeze in place.

“My sister, do you know who came up with the idea to get Cornelius drunk and then cook him alive? It was mom and dad.”

The word “My sister” made everyone freeze in place. I was dressed in shabby rags. On the other hand, Evelyn was wearing expensive branded clothes. We were totally incompatible in terms of dressing and temperament. We also could never associate ourselves with each other. But at this moment, I have only incomparable anger and disappointment in my heart.

My biological parents surprisingly would do such a thing. Evelyn walked in front of me. She looked at me with a playful gaze.

“You ugly bastard, even Mom and Dad dislike you, why don't you go die? I'm high and mighty, Audrey. You're nothing but a loach in the ground. Do you dare to bet that if something happens to us at the same time, who will Mom and Dad care more about?”

I thought she was just talking, but I didn't expect that a group of black-clothed men would rush in the next moment. Evelyn was stunned at that time.

The men in black slapped me. “Who are you guys? Hurry up and get out of here!”

“Miss Evelyn, I'm not a dog that you can call around!”

The man in black had Evelyn and I put hoods on our hands. He took us down together and stuffed us into a van. They then allow Cornelius to go back and send a message to my parents.

After taking off the mask, I saw Evelyn's frightened face. We were both tied hand and foot to a chair at the same time. I looked at the surroundings. It was an abandoned construction site.

The robber wore a mask and sneered, “Evelyn Ainsworth, you bitch usually love showing off your wealth so much. We've been watching you for a long time.”

He then used his cell phone to shoot a video at us. He then dialled my parent's number.

“Mr. Marcello and Mrs. Arabella, both of your daughters are in our hands. If you know what’s good for you, transfer the ransom. Don't call the police or we will kill them.”

My parents saw the video. They stopped and no longer pretended.

My dad said in a trembling voice, “Don't hurt them! How much is the ransom? I'll give it to you.”

Without waiting for the robbers to speak, Evelyn burst into tears. “Dad! Mom! Quickly save me! I'm scared!”

I tried to shout, but my voice was eventually silenced by Evelyn's cries. The robber then gave the number.

“Five million dollars a person. I'll give you half an hour. No waiting after the time limit. Then what you'll see will only be two corpses!”

When my parents heard this, they were so scared that they were incoherent.

“Don't kill the girls. We will give it to you. But how are we going to find so much money at a time? Can you make an exception and let both of them for five million dollars?”

The robber sneered. His eyes glanced over Evelyn and me.

“Both of your daughters I've secretly paid attention to, Mr. Marcello. One is barbaric and bossy. She spends money like dirt on weekdays. The other one has a face like a poor girl and works hard at two jobs. You guys are really biased and partial, right?”