When I was discharged from the psychiatric hospital, my brother and sister-in-law dropped everything to personally pick me up.

Even my nephew, who had just finished his college entrance exams, arrived with a box of carrot cake he had waited in line all day to buy. His warm smile was the picture of innocence.

“Auntie, congratulations on your discharge. With me here, you’ll never feel lonely again.”

To outsiders, we were the perfect family—envied by all and even awarded the title of a local model family.

But behind the facade of family bliss lay a very different story.

On the very day my brother transferred the last of the family properties to me, I went live on social media. In front of an audience that idolized my so-called perfect family, I boasted about my "accomplishments."

I conned my nephew into paying for a spot at an elite school, duped my sister-in-law into stepping into a scandalous club, and tricked my brother into losing everything he had worked for.

“My brother has treated me with nothing but kindness. And I can only repay his kindness with betrayal.”

When the police burst through the door, I was still in my livestream, animatedly bragging.

"Yes, that’s right. I swindled the entire family fortune—every last cent."

The lead officer’s expression darkened as he clenched his fists.

"Claire Bowden, you’ve been reported by viewers in your livestream for fraud. Come with us."

I yawned lazily and draped the limited-edition fur coat my sister-in-law bought me two months ago over my shoulders. It was a one-of-a-kind piece, now a collector’s item worth a fortune.

My sister-in-law adored high fashion, but as long as I cast a lingering glance at something, she would give it to me without hesitation.

The viewers in the livestream had sharp eyes, and the chat exploded with comments.

"Isn’t this the same coat Mrs. Bowden bought at that charity gala? When Mrs. Bowden was rescued from that club, she was covered in bruises, her clothes torn to shreds, and now this ungrateful Claire has the audacity to wear her things?"

"That’s not all! The Bowden family’s former CEO and his son are both homeless, begging on the streets, while Claire lives in luxury. Does it make your blood boil?"

"The Bowdens have spent years dedicated to charity, helping underprivileged kids in rural areas. And this woman preys on good people like them. She’s worse than an animal!"

Hearing this, I casually picked up a stack of property deeds from the table, waving them at the camera with a wicked grin.

"Officer, it’s the middle of the night. Isn’t this technically trespassing? Do you even have a warrant?"

The lead officer smirked coldly and slapped a warrant onto the table.

"We came prepared. Cooperate and come quietly! We're taking fraud cases seriously. Confess, and you might get leniency. Resist, and you’ll face severe consequences!"

I raised my hands in mock surrender and followed them to the squad car without fuss, exuding a calmness far beyond my years.

When we arrived at the station, my brother came rushing out to meet us.

He looked haggard—skin and bones, with a scruffy beard. Despite the freezing winter night, he was wearing a wrinkled, threadbare T-shirt.

His eyes brimmed with disbelief.

"Claire, tell me this is a joke. You’re my little sister. You wouldn’t really do something like this, would you?"

I curled my lips into a smirk, the malice in my smile growing sharper.

"Of course, it’s true, you idiot. I was never chosen to inherit anything, was I? If the money wasn’t going to go to me, why let that useless son of yours, Daniel, have it? Better for me to take it all and spend it on myself!"

I laughed, a sharp and bitter sound that echoed in the room. "Since I couldn’t have everything, I decided to destroy it all instead!"

My brother’s eyes grew dim, the hope in them extinguished bit by bit. Disappointment etched itself onto his face, too heavy to conceal.

A tremor passed through my chest, but I ignored it and kept speaking.

"Oh, did you not know, dear brother? Daniel racked up quite a bit of online debt. The interest kept piling up, and now, the loan sharks have already taken one of his legs as payment!

"And I heard that your dear wife has completely lost her mind. She bites anyone who gets too close to her. Well, after everything she went through in a place like that... If this were the old days, wouldn’t they call her a fallen woman?"

Before I could say more, a female officer snatched the phone from my hand. She didn’t stop the livestream, leaving the enraged viewers to vent their fury in the comments.

"How can someone be so ungrateful? This is disgusting! Claire had mental health issues before the Bowdens struck it rich. They sold everything they had to pay for her treatment, even skipping meals themselves!"

"She has no reason to act like this. Their actual heir, Daniel Bowden, doesn’t even own a single house, while Claire has five properties, all gifted to her by her brother!"

"The Bowdens were fools! That ungrateful witch should’ve stayed in the psychiatric hospital. Letting her out only endangers society!"

The officers escorting me were visibly furious, their faces set in grim. Without a word, they shoved me into the interrogation room.

The livestream was finally cut off, leaving the room in tense silence. The officer assigned to question me exhaled deeply, struggling to contain his anger.

"Tell me, why did you do it?"

I squirmed in the cold, rigid chair. After being used to plush seats, this hard one was unbearably uncomfortable.

"Haven’t I told you already, officer? I wanted all the money. My brother wouldn’t give it to me, so I decided to take it myself."

The door to the interrogation room suddenly opened. My brother walked in, his face weathered and drained, looking utterly exhausted. Yet, he still managed to give the officer a strained smile.

"There must be some misunderstanding. Claire is a good kid. She’s been through a lot, and with her past illness... maybe she’s relapsed and couldn’t control her actions."

The officer’s gaze flicked between me and the medical file he had just placed on the table.

"Claire Bowden, you were previously diagnosed with autism and depression. You—"

I interrupted him with a radiant smile.

"I’m completely cured now, aren’t I? I’m lively, cheerful, and perfectly fine mentally. There’s nothing wrong with me. I’m perfectly calm. Everything I did was part of a carefully laid plan."

I pulled a small leather-bound notebook from my pocket and slid it across the table to the officer.

"Take a look. My plan is all written there.

"First, I started with Daniel. He’s hopeless when it comes to academics—there’s no way he inherited my brother’s brains. He was bound for some second-rate college. So, I dangled the promise of a spot at an elite university in front of him for $137,500. He took the bait without hesitation.

"Once he paid, I handed him a fake admission letter. Of course, if he wanted to actually attend classes, it’d cost more. When he realized he didn’t have enough allowance to cover it, I encouraged him to con his mom into helping him out..."

The more details I revealed, the darker the officer’s expression became. My brother, meanwhile, slumped in his chair, his arms hanging limp at his sides. His eyes burned with both anger and devastation as he looked at me.

I methodically executed my scheme: first Daniel, then his mother, and finally my brother. Systematically, I stripped them of every penny, watching as they sank deeper into financial ruin.

If nothing else, this was proof that I committed my crimes with a clear mind.

"Why, Claire?" my brother finally asked, his bloodshot eyes locked on mine. "Have we not treated you well?"

I flashed him a playful smile and gave him a wink.

"Of course, you’ve treated me well. You and your wife have always shown me more kindness, more generosity than you ever showed Daniel. You gave me the best of everything."

My brother opened his mouth to say something, but before he could continue, the officer in charge of the interrogation couldn’t hold back any longer. He barked at me, his voice low and furious.

"And has your nephew ever treated you poorly?"

I blinked as Daniel’s smiling face flashed before my eyes.

"Daniel always did whatever I asked. Even if it was the middle of the night, he’d drop everything to get me what I wanted. Once, I craved chicken stew from a restaurant in the far west. Without hesitation, he ran halfway across the city to fetch it for me.

"When he returned, he was soaked in sweat, his face pale. The first thing he said was, ‘Auntie, I hope you didn’t wait too long. I carried it carefully the whole way—it’s still hot, and I didn’t spill a drop.’

"His hands were burned red from holding it..." I trailed off, my tone almost wistful.

The officer, visibly trying to contain his anger, slammed his fist on the table. "Answer the questions you’re asked! Stop going off-topic! Be honest about your crimes and your accomplices. The law won’t show mercy to any criminal!"

Unlike my calm demeanor, my brother’s face grew more ashen by the second. His body trembled as he stepped forward and grabbed the officer’s arm.

"Please, officer. Don’t be angry. Claire just lost her way for a moment. If we don’t press charges, can this case be resolved now? She’s still young. Please go easy on her. We’re willing to give her a chance to turn over a new leaf!"

The officer let out a long sigh, shaking his head. "She committed a serious crime. This isn’t about whether you’re willing to forgive her. A lenient sentence isn’t something you can decide."

But my smile only grew brighter.

"My brother is just so forgiving, isn’t he? Truly kind to a fault. And me? I’m someone who knows how to repay that kindness. Your worthless son and your unfaithful wife? I’ve handled them for you by making sure they become well-behaved and obedient. Honestly, you should be thanking me."

The officer's eyes narrowed, and he slammed his hand on the table with a loud thud.

"What did you just say? Get to the point!"

My thoughts drifted back to three months ago.

After being brought home, I was pampered like a princess. My once stern brother treated me with nothing but gentle smiles, Daniel spoke to me in soft tones, and my sister-in-law personally took care of me day and night.

They all gave me their absolute best, sparing nothing. Whatever I wanted, they bought without a second thought.

Then one day, I noticed Daniel, usually so full of life, sitting quietly with a defeated look as he checked his SAT scores. Curiosity got the better of me, so I glanced over his shoulder—six sections, and he couldn’t even break 400.

What a failure.

I handed him a flyer I’d been saving, feigning sympathy as I watched his forced smile crumble.

"Interested in an easy way to get into a top university? Spend a little money, and you won’t even need to study."

Daniel’s eyes lit up.

The moment the money hit my account, I felt a thrill I hadn’t experienced in ages.

But it wasn’t enough. I wanted more.

Daniel eagerly reached out to the so-called "elite university tutor" I had recommended. Bit by bit, he transferred enormous sums, all for fake acceptance letters and forged student IDs.

I didn’t stop there. I loudly announced to everyone that Daniel had been admitted to a prestigious school, ensuring the news spread far and wide. With his pride at stake, he had no choice but to keep sending money.

Eventually, Daniel hit a wall.

"Auntie, I’m completely out of money. I’ve given all my allowance to the tutor, and even borrowed through those online loans you mentioned, but it’s still not enough..."

I held his hand, my voice dripping with feigned concern as I gently guided him.

"Daniel, if you’re out of money, why not ask your mom? She’s had a big payout from her recent business deals. I happen to know a few investors, and they’ve got a little gathering coming up..."

I personally escorted my sister-in-law to the club, watching as fear filled her eyes when they covered her mouth and nose.

After collecting the cash she withdrew for me with a quick facial scan, I smiled at the man in charge and rubbed my hands together.

"She’s exactly the type your boss loves—graceful and charming. She’s worth every penny, don’t you think?"

Her desperate screams echoed in my ears as I left.

"Claire! If there’s something I haven’t done right, just tell me! Don’t leave me here, Claire!"

The sound of the money transferring into my account was music to my ears. Without looking back, I pocketed my phone and walked away.

Of course, I knew exactly what she was about to face but I didn’t care.

Daniel disappeared, running from debt collectors, and my sister-in-law vanished completely, leaving no trace. My brother, desperate to find them both, was caught in the chaos of his failing business, relentlessly hounded by competitors.

I took the initiative to offer him a cup of warm milk.

"Brother, you’ll need more money if you want to find your wife and Daniel. I know a businessman with a lucrative investment opportunity. I wouldn’t usually tell anyone about him but for you..."

At first, I let him taste a little success.

I even leaked information about Daniel’s whereabouts.

He started trusting me more and more, handing over the company’s funds and transferring various properties into my name.

But all he got in return was news of the company’s bankruptcy, swallowed whole by his rivals, leaving him drowning in debt.

When he came back to the family home, he had lost everything. His once-proud posture was gone as he knelt before me, broken and humiliated.

"Claire, the company’s gone. Please, just help me find my wife and Daniel. The houses I gave you—they’re yours. I won’t ask for them back. Just... please, Claire..."

I watched him coldly, not a shred of pity in my eyes. With a wave of my hand, I called for security to drag him out like a stray dog.

In the dead of winter, they tossed him onto the snowy ground outside.

Later that night, as I counted the extra zeros in my bank account, I couldn’t help but laugh in my sleep.

When I finished telling my story, the entire room fell silent.

The officer ordered a team to track down my accomplices, his gaze fixed on me like I was the lowest form of filth.

I knew he couldn’t say what he was really thinking, bound by the restraints of his position.

But I also knew that in their eyes, I was worse than scum.