“Sister, I’m sorry, I didn’t recognize you. You’ve changed so much over the years.”
She rubbed her reddened wrist while crying in grievance.
“I thought a stranger had broken in. You scared me so badly, sister. I just tried on the bracelet you left on the table, but you said I wasn’t worthy and even grabbed it off me. I was terrified.”
“What? When did I ever grab you?”
I was stunned by her twisted lies and quickly tried to defend myself.
But before I could explain further, my mother suddenly rushed forward—only to embrace Sophie.
“Sophie, don’t cry! Just a misunderstanding!”
I was stunned.
After three years apart, my biological mother didn’t give me a single hug. Instead, she bypassed me and held Sophie in her arms.
Sophie continued her fake sobbing in my mother’s embrace.
After comforting her for a long while and treating me as if I were a stranger, my mother finally turned with a reproachful look.
“Sophia, look at you. After a few years abroad, you’ve forgotten all your manners.”
“Sophie is your sister. She didn’t even recognize you, and you dared to lay hands on her?”
Before I could say anything, my father, who had been silent until now, spoke sternly with a darkened face.
“Your sister is timid. What if you scared her badly?”
“On your very first day back, you’re already bullying her? Apologize to your sister right now.”
I looked at my biological parents—whom I hadn’t seen in three years—and they felt almost unrecognizable to me.
“I won’t apologize. I didn’t bully her.”
My voice was firm. Seeing me refuse, my father grew furious.
“How dare you talk back the moment you return?”
“Enough, enough, it’s just a misunderstanding.”
My mother stepped in between us like a peacemaker.
I thought for a moment she was about to defend me, but instead, she reached for the silver bracelet in my hand, trying to take it away.
I clenched my fist tightly.
“This is mine.” My voice came out hoarse.
Her expression instantly darkened.
“Sophia, you were never such a petty child before. Sophie is a guest, and also your sister. Can’t you let her have a little? Do you have to cause chaos in this house to feel satisfied?”
Seeing that I didn’t yield, she completely lost patience.
“If you’re going to be this unreasonable, then you don’t deserve to wear this bracelet.”
She grabbed my wrist and pried open my fingers one by one, forcing the bracelet out of my hand.