It was the nicest cake I had ever tasted.
For the first time in my life, Mom gently soothed me to sleep.
I cried in shame. And drifted off with the softest rest I had ever known.
But the next morning, the instant I opened my eyes, I heard Brielle sobbing.
“My diamond necklace was a present from Dad and Mom for my enrollment day! It can’t just vanish!”
The door swung open loudly.
The nanny suddenly pointed toward my pillow. “Miss, what’s under your pillow?”
Brielle’s breath tightened. “M–my… my necklace?”
The necklace was pulled out from under my pillow.
I stared blankly. “How could it show up….”
A slap struck my cheek.
Mom went mad. “We thought you finally got things straight! How can you be so disobedient? You just want to take everything!”
“Call the police! Call them right away!”
I stood there, shocked. “I didn’t! I don’t even know how it ended up under my pillow! Someone must be setting me up!”
“Let it go, Mom.”
Brielle rushed to hold her back.
“The diamond necklace is worth tens of millions. If you really call the police, my sister will end up in jail.”
“Let her! A girl this young already dares to behave like this? What will she do when she grows older, harm people, and burn places? Call the police!”
“Don’t!”
In panic, I pulled out my admission letter:
“Dad, Mom, I have no reason to stir trouble when I’ve just been accepted!”
My parents’ eyes widened.
Brielle frowned and bit her lip.
“You… you’re actually…”
Dad stared at the admission paper with disbelief.
Mom also looked at me, shocked.
The letter was torn apart.
“No!!”
I threw myself forward, but only caught loose scraps on the floor.
“Dad, Mom, how could you tear my admission letter?!”
My voice was rough
“The Hopkins family can accept a child with poor grades, but we cannot accept a thief.”
“Success follows character. The family will not push troublemakers into society!”
The police soon brought us to the station.
At first, there was no proof. But every person in the home stepped out to claim they had seen me take the necklace.
All their words lined up exactly.
I knew so many matching claims existed only because Mom and Dad gave the command.
I dropped to my knees.
My parents stiffened.
Eyes burning, jaw tight, I said, “Dad, Mom, I’m begging you! I worked eighteen years for this day! With no proof at all, why must you push this charge onto me?!”
Mom gritted her teeth.