I had always thought that my parents were merely showing favoritism, until my eighteenth birthday, when I realized I was wrong.

On my birthday, Mom personally went into the kitchen for the first time of what I could remember to make me a traditional birthday meal, her smile warm and gentle.

But her words plunged me into a freezing abyss.

“Clary, you should give your cornea to Eva.”

——

I stared at Mom in disbelief, realizing that the plate of traditional birthday dish she gave me and her warm smile came at the cost of my cornea.

Just moments ago, I had been celebrating my eighteenth birthday. I had finally achieved the wish I had held since I was seven years old.

I had thought that Mom and Dad truly loved me. Thinking that: "Look, Mom remembered my birthday and made me nice pasta!"

But now...

Mom’s face was filled with anticipation as she looked at me in silence, her expression growing more somber.

“Clary, you know Eva has been an orphan since she was little. Now the doctor says her eyes are failing and she’s going to go blind. Can’t you show a little compassion?”

I was so infuriated I almost laughed, a wave of sadness spreading through me.

I sighed deeply. “Mom, I still need to apply to college. How am I supposed to study without my eyesight?”

I had always obeyed them without question and she probably didn’t expect me to resist this time.

Mom snorted dismissively. “Hmph, with your grades, you’re not going to college anyway. So, just forget about it.”

“Eva mentioned that there’s a rich kid at her college who likes her. But if she goes blind, how can she expect him to stay with her?”

“But if you give her your eyes, once she graduates, they’ll get married. We’ll all have a better life and you’ll benefit from it too.”

Listening to what Mom was saying made me feel a cold shiver all over.

Suddenly, I heard a noise from behind.

"Sister, I know you've never liked me. So, if you don't give me your corneas, I won't blame you."

Evangeline's voice was filled with sorrow, as if she'd suffered an immense injustice.

"But... but I just wanted our parents to enjoy a peaceful old age and now even that wish seems impossible."

Evangeline choked back tears as she fell into our mother's arms. "Mom, don't blame Clary. It's okay if I go blind..."

Mom held Evangeline tightly, gently patting her back and soothing her, "Eva, don't cry. Mom knows you're the most filial. Don't worry, as long as I'm here, you'll see again..."

How touching, right? A deep bond between mother and daughter, so heartwarming.

Anyone who didn't know better would think I was some kind of villain. This kind of situation had happened between Evangeline and me so many times and each time it ended with her victorious.

But this time, would it be any different?

I watched Evangeline coldly. She was really good at acting—did she ever get tired, I wonder?

Her eyes were full of triumph as she raised an eyebrow at me, as if to challenge,

"Just admit defeat. Your eyes, if I say they're mine, then they're mine."

I stood there, stunned for a long while before I could snap out of it.

***

Before the age of seven, I lived with my grandpa in the countryside. He was the one who loved me the most. My mom immediately left with my dad in a honeymoon and never returned, so I didn't have many memories of them.

That was why, Whenever I saw other kids holding hands with their parents, skipping and laughing, I couldn’t help but feel a bit envious.

Grandpa would always smile kindly and say, “Clary, your mom and dad are out making lots of money. They both love you very much and soon they’ll bring you to the city for school.”

I didn’t fully understand what he meant. So, I looked up at Grandpa with wide, innocent eyes and asked, “But why do other kids’ parents come home for Christmas and New Year and mine don’t?”

Grandpa would gently pat my head, as if he was comforting both me and himself. “Your mom and dad want to make money quickly so they can bring you to the city sooner.”

With pure innocence in my eyes, I looked at Grandpa and asked, “Will you come too, Grandpa?”

Grandpa just shook his head gently. “I'm getting old, Clary. I can’t travel far anymore.”

I held Grandpa tightly, tears welling up in my eyes. "Grandpa, then I won't go either. I want to stay with you forever. I don't like it if I don't live with you..."

Grandpa just laughed heartily. "Alright, alright..." he muttered.

It wasn't until later that I realized all of Grandpa's kind words were gentle lies.

During those years, there was no word from my parents.

Then, when I was seven, a fellow villager offered to take me to find them.

Parting from Grandpa was hard, but he had painted such a beautiful picture of life in the city that I couldn't help but feel excited.

Grandpa gave me a notebook, which I treasured dearly.

In it, I recorded my longing for Grandpa and my hopes for reuniting with my parents.

I dreamed about the moment I’d finally meet my parents, imagining how happy they would be, how we’d hug each other tightly and how touching it would be.

Sadly, it was all just my wishful thinking.

The moment I stepped inside my parents' house, I saw a girl my age in the room. She was dressed in a lavish princess dress, while my clothes were shabby in comparison.

The girl forced a smile and said, "Sister, welcome home."

I smiled timidly and walked inside, awkwardly standing off to the side.

Mom glanced at me and said, "No need to stand, have a seat."

The girl looked at my clothes with a hint of disgust, as if she was worried something dirty might rub off on her. She intentionally keeping her distance from me.

She was the child my parents adopted a few years ago because her own parents were gone.

Suddenly, I felt like I was the one who didn’t belong in that house. Like I was just a guest in their home. Watching the girl and my parents together, they looked like a perfect family. Meanwhile, I seemed completely out of place.

Mom fussed over Evangeline, piling food onto her plate. “Eva, eat more. You’ve gotten so thin. I made all your favorite dishes today.”

Evangeline pouted playfully. “Mom, I’m going to turn into a little pig if I eat any more…”

Meanwhile, I just quietly ate the rice from my bowl, mechanically picking at the simple potato stir-fry in front of me. I was too afraid to reach for anything else, worried that I might disrupt their happiness.

With a loud clang, the special pasta my mom had given me was flipped over. My mom was the one who did it. Her eyes were full of disdain as she stared at me and sneered, "You still have the audacity to eat the food I give youthen? I'd rather give them to the dog than to a rebel child like you."

Her words snapped me back to reality. I lowered my head in response, saying nothing.

This was my eighteenth birthday—no cake, no wishes, not even a bite of that pasta.

All I got was the news, or rather the decision, that I would donate my corneas.

Deep down, I still held onto a small hope that my parents wouldn’t be so cruel.

After that, they never brought it up again. It made me think that the matter was over. After all, Evangeline's eyes seemed perfectly fine. No sign of them was anything wrong.

***

Evangeline’s wealthy boyfriend invited her to go swimming and, surprisingly, she insisted on bringing the family along, including me.

I wanted to refuse, but they completely ignored my wishes—something that happened every day.

"Mom, I'm taking Clary to learn swimming."

Evangeline grabbed my hand and started running, pulling me along. The farther we ran, the further we got from the shore and the water grew deeper and deeper.

I desperately tried to break free from her grip, but the crashing waves knocked me down into the water.

I couldn’t swim at all and I ended up swallowing a lot of water as I struggled.

However, Evangeline just stood there, watching me with a relaxed demeanor. Wasn’t she here to learn swimming?

So, she already could swim from the start?

Evangeline stared at me coldly and said, "Clara, you better behave and not resist. Otherwise, I could take your life so easy if I really wanted to."

Instinctively, I reached out to her, gasping. “Help, glug, help…”

In a daze, I saw my mom’s anxious face as she handed over a float.

But it wasn’t for me—it was for Evangeline.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Evangeline pretending to struggle in the water while I slowly began to sink.

I always knew my parents didn’t love me, but now I realized it was true.

If I died now, would they regret it? Would they finally remember anything good about me?

When I woke up again, I was already lying in my bed.

I recognized it—it was my room, a storage room that had been converted into a bedroom.

When I say “converted,” it just meant they added a bed.

Surrounded by walls on all sides, it felt like a prison, trapping me inside.

I could faintly hear Evangeline talking with my parents.

“Eva, you silly child, how could you give her the float? If anything had happened to you, imagine how heartbroken we would have been.”

Evangeline smiled weakly and said, “Mom, I didn’t want anything to happen to my sister either. Thankfully, we’re all okay now and that’s what matters.”

In my heart, I sneered coldly. You were the one who orchestrated this mess! I wanted expose her.

I struggled to get up, my ribs throbbing in pain.

As I reached the door, I hesitated.

Even if I told the truth, would my parents believe me?

This kind of thing had happened before.

It was shortly after I arrived when Evangeline stood before me and suddenly shattered the vase in front of her.

The sound of the vase breaking rang out with a sharp “crash,” followed by Evangeline’s piercing scream.

“Ouch, it hurts! Boo hoo...”

To my shock, she had pressed her hand into the shards of broken porcelain.

Tears mixed with a triumphant, sinister grin spread across her face, twisted and terrifying.

And this was the face of a child, no more than seven or eight years old.

I watched her acting performance in a panic, my eyes filled with confusion.

Mom rushed over and held Evangeline tightly, scolding me harshly, “Clara, what did you do? You broke the vase and hurt your sister’s hand...”

In my mother’s arms, Evangeline’s lips curled into a smile, but her words were sweet and considerate, “Mom, please don’t blame Clary. I’m sure she didn’t mean to…”

I was overwhelmed with injustice and tears streamed down my face. “Mom, it was Evangeline! She broke the vase herself and hurt herself, not me…”

Smack!

A loud slap echoed in my ear, making my eardrum throb with pain.

Mom shouted furiously, “Clara, you’re still so young and you’re already lying? What will become of you when you’re older? You’re not eating dinner tonight. Stand at the door and reflect on your behavior…”

Then, she turned her head and gently comforted Evangeline, “Alright, Eva, don’t cry…”

I told the truth and got a slap in return, went hungry all night and was punished to stand until dawn...

Memories weighed down my steps and I sank onto the bed, staring blankly at the small light on the ceiling...

I don’t know how much time passed before someone came in. I didn’t need to look; I knew it was Evangeline.

“Oh dear, sister, are you alright?” Evangeline’s voice was dripping with smugness.

I closed my eyes, not wanting to see her. “Haven’t you had enough of acting in front of me?”

Evangeline chuckled, “Clara, here’s your meal. Don’t worry, I didn’t poison it. The college entrance exams are coming up—better prepare well.”

Before I could react, I saw the food placed on top of the drink crate, still steaming.

The drink crate was my dining table and study desk.

I was indeed hungry. Though it seemed odd, why should I argue with my stomach?

Soon enough, I understood why Evangeline was being so kind to me.