“If making money means going against my conscience, I’d rather starve to death in poverty!”
My father’s face turned crimson with fury. He grabbed the broken ashtray earlier and hurled it at my head again.
“Earn honestly? What abilities do you even have? If we relied on you, your mother and I wouldn’t even afford a proper burial for ourselves!”
“It’s bad enough that you’re useless, but now you have the audacity to badmouth your sister? Look at yourself—what have you ever achieved? If I’d known, I might as well have married you off for a measly dowry!”
Blood from the ashtray wound trickled down my face, the heat of infection searing into my skin, but my heart felt colder than ever.
“I’m your daughter, not some commodity for you to trade for cash! If you loathe me so much, why didn’t you stop at having Julia? Why even bother giving birth to me?”
For a fleeting moment, panic crossed both my parents’ faces.
But before they could lash out again, Julia interjected smugly, “Don’t waste your breath on her. She’s doomed to stay poor her whole life. When we were at the hospital, she was already groveling, saying I should hire her as a receptionist once my company opens. What else can a useless person like her say?”
“And did you notice Mr. Kramer’s look today? It wasn’t ordinary. His wife passed away years ago. If he contacts me in the next few days, I might just catch his eye. If that happens, forget millions—I’ll be set for life!”
My parents burst into laughter, practically doubling over in delight. They lavished Julia with praise, calling her their pride.
But only I noticed the truth—the way Albert looked at her was not admiration but suspicion.
If Julia dared to cross the Kramer family, even ten lives wouldn’t save her.
Ignoring reality, my parents continued singing Julia’s praises. They fetched the health supplements they had prepared in advance to help her recover from her “heroic efforts.”
Not once did their eyes flicker toward me.
I stood silently, watching the scene unfold, determined not to engage further. My priority was clear—I needed to sever ties with these people to protect myself.
Even as my lips curled into a mocking smile, my words cut deep:
“It’s disgusting how you turn a blind eye to greed and deceit. Do you even realize what you’re setting yourselves up for?”
As expected, my parents’ moods soured instantly.