2
A familiar dampness spread through my crotch, making me feel sticky and incredibly uncomfortable.
The taxi driver caught my eye in the rearview mirror, a discomforting smirk twisting his lips.
“You’re in a real hurry, aren’t you, miss? Rushing to see your boyfriend?”
As soon as he said that, my heart clenched, my breath catching in my throat.
All the slut-shaming rumors from my previous life echoed in my ears.
More than the inexplicable shared sensation, it was those baseless lies that truly broke
Even the person I loved most had twisted his face in rage, demanding if I’d betrayed him.
How do you even describe that feeling of being abandoned by the whole world?
Just as I got out of the car, the dampness suddenly vanished.
Before I could even sigh in relief, my stomach lurched violently, and a sharp pain ripped through me.
It felt like someone was twisting my intestines, writhing in agonizing spasms.
Gritting my teeth, I stumbled to Chloe and Blake’s front door and pounded on it.
Chloe opened it, head down, clutching a rag doll tightly.
She was gripping its head and feet, twisting it back and forth as if wringing a towel.
Cold sweat poured off me from the pain. I lunged forward, snatched the doll, and straightened its limbs.
My body instantly relaxed, and the pain slowly receded.
“What are you doing!”
Blake suddenly appeared from the corner, his face grim.
He shot me a furious glare, then quickly pulled the agitated Chloe into his arms to
comfort her.
“It’s okay, Chloe, don’t be scared. Big brother will get your doll back.”
He reached out to snatch the doll from my hand. When I didn’t let go, he suddenly raised his hand and slapped me across the face.
My cheek burned, but I barely registered it. Clutching the doll tightly, my voice trembled. “Blake, please… make Chloe stop. Really, just leave me alone…”
“If she keeps taking her anger out like this, I’ll actually die…”
“I can’t take it anymore…”
I cried out, but he remained unmoved.
Blake first frowned at the trembling Chloe in his arms, then let out a laugh.
“Skylar, how long are you going to keep this up?”
“I get it, you don’t like me looking after Chloe. But she’s my own sister!”
“Girlfriends can be replaced. A sister? You only get one!”
He finished, roughly pried my fingers open, took the doll, and gently placed it in Chloe’s
arms.
“Chloe, don’t be scared. Your brother won’t believe that crazy woman.”
I clearly saw Chloe’s lips curl into a sly, cold smile.
She stared at me, then suddenly lifted the doll high and slammed it onto the ground.
My body instantly felt like it was plummeting from a great height, every organ rattling out of place.
Excruciating pain radiated through my limbs, yet my skin remained untouched.
I struggled to open my eyes and saw her forcefully stomping on the doll’s arms and legs.
“Chloe… don’t… please…”
The pain was too intense for me to speak a full sentence; I could only beg in broken
whispers.
But hearing my pleas, she seemed to get even more excited.
Perhaps she grew tired of playing, so she picked up the doll and walked over to me, swinging it back and forth.
“What’s ‘sister-in-law’ muttering about? I can’t quite hear you.”
“Could it be… you’re jealous of how good my brother is to me?”
She watched my tormented expression like a predator fixated on its prey.
“Sometimes I really envy you. To suffer so much and still be alive.”
She leaned in and whispered in my ear. I shivered uncontrollably, nearly passing out.
She… she knew everything!
I recoiled in terror, accidentally bumping my backpack.
The fruit knife inside clattered to the floor.
Chloe and I both froze, our gazes snapping to the knife.
I reached for it-
But she was faster. She bit down hard on the doll’s arm.
A sharp pain shot through my right arm, and I flinched.
In that instant, she grabbed the knife first.
