She shouted while I was in too much pain to speak.

Not that speaking would have helped.

She had never believed me.

In her eyes, there was only Jacob.

Seeing my silence, she seemed slightly satisfied.

“You’ve committed such a serious mistake today. You’ll be punished.”

“Go hand over all your pocket money.”

“Otherwise, when your dad comes home, he’ll beat you within an inch of your life!”

The pocket money she meant was what I had secretly saved to one day escape this house.

Of course, I could never give it all away.

I had hidden it in several different places long ago.

Hesitating, I finally pulled out ten dollars from under my pillow and handed it over.

She snatched it without a glance and shoved it into her pocket.

“Just this? You think I’m a fool?”

“Don’t forget, you earned quite a bit helping out at your Aunt Lisa’s place over the summer!”

Jacob piped up eagerly:

“Mom! She must still be hiding more! Yesterday I saw her digging around under the bed!”

Mom stormed into my room in a rage, turning it completely upside down.

Sure enough, she found two twenty-dollar bills under the bed.

She slammed me against the stove, letting the hot metal burn half my face.

“So young and already lying!”

Blood poured down my face, but I didn’t dare make a sound.

Jacob gloated nearby, shouting:

“Mom! She looks so ugly like that!”

Mom’s fury ignited further. She dragged me into the living room.

“Now you’re not just greedy and lazy—you’ve learned to lie too!”

“What’s next? Selling yourself on the streets?”

“I’ve never seen anyone so shameless! Tell me! How much more do you have? Hand it all over!”

“If I find you hiding even one more dollar, I’ll break your legs!”

I clenched my teeth and whispered:

“There’s no more.”

“No more?”

She sneered, grabbed a broom, and struck me across the head and shoulders.

“You dare lie to me?”

Jacob, still eating cake, shouted with glee:

“Mom, hit her hands! That’s what they do on TV—she’ll confess then!”

My hands were beaten bloody. I lay on the floor, hardly daring to breathe.

Just then, the door opened.

Dad staggered in, reeking of alcohol.

Since I was in his way, he glared with disgust and kicked me aside.

“What now? Crying all day again? You’re nothing but a jinx!”

Mom immediately pointed at me to complain:

“She stole the chocolate you brought back for Jacob and lied about hiding money! She’s no better than a stray dog burying bones!”