He didn’t want Lisa to be a replacement, but
く
he didn’t want to lose the benefits they got
from the family.
So, he could sacrifice me.
Jack said, “I heard about your foster mom.
But the family’s riding on you. We’re about to
get a big project in the South District. If you
leave now, Michael won’t do business with us
anymore.”
“And Billy’s your kid! You can’t just leave him!
Don’t be so selfish.”
I laughed. “I don’t have the family name. You
gave it to me. Now, I’m giving it back.”
“Lisa’s all grown up. I’ve been carrying the
family’s burdens for seven years. It’s her turn.
If you want the good things, you have to pay
Jack was angry. He slapped me across the
face.
“A no–good bastard with no morals. I
should’ve left you to freeze to death like Mom
wanted. You’re so ungrateful!”
My mother was their mother.
My father was a man in the club.
My mother got back at my father, in revenge
for cheating on her, and slept with a male
model for one night. I landed there.
The doctor said that she would be unable to
have children if she got an abortion.
After I was born, she asked me to discard to
Г
Young, was afraid.
I wiped the blood from my mouth and looked
straight at him.
“You made me lose my freedom and my eggs
for seven years, all because you were scared.
I can’t have my own kids anymore.”
“I paid you back.
I was reminded of Lisa’s words.
“Instead of bothering me, maybe you should
ask Lisa. Maybe she wants to be the
replacement.”
Jack gave me an angry look and ran toward
the study.
く
I heard footsteps behind me. Michael
appeared.
He must have just come out of the house. His
goons were carrying boxes.
Michael glanced at my suitcase.
“Still mad at Billy? He’s just a kid. Anyway, it
was your fault yesterday. Don’t act like that.”
“I’ve been thinking. Since you care about that
foster mom so much, I’ll go with you to honor
her. We can burn the stuff in those boxes.
That should be enough. But don’t wear
white.”
“Also, I told Billy he can call Lisa ‘Mom.‘ She
looks like Sarah. Maybe it’ll make him feel
I wanted to laugh. Billy never called me
‘Mom.‘
The things I’d wanted were now available to
someone with a face like Sarah’s.
“I don’t need it. I’m leaving. I don’t have
anything to do with the family. It’s not your
foster mom. And I don’t care who Billy calls
‘Mom.“”
Michael was about to say something when
Lisa ran over with a black and white photo,
looking pale.
It was her photo, but someone had smeared
lipstick all over her face, and had written the
word ‘dead.‘
She
—-
Г
She was crying.
“Michael, Billy and I went to look for you. You
weren’t there. I thought you were in Eve’s
room. I went in, and I found this.”
“I can’t believe she hates me so much. Is it
me, or is it my face? I look just like her…”
Michael’s face darkened.
“I’ve been too easy on you, Eve. You’ve
messed up too many times.”
“Kneel down. Time for some discipline.”
He didn’t give me a chance to explain.
He thought I was lying.
く
The goons forced me to kneel and pried open
my hands.
A metal rod fell again and again on my hands.
“Watch her. Don’t let her up unless I say so.”
Michael left with Lisa.
It was snowing. The blood on my hands froze.
I laughed to myself. It was hard to leave.
I must have been there for a long time. I was
shaking from the cold.
Billy ran over with a lipstick, smirking.
“Cold? Ha! Auntie thought of this. Dad’s really
mad. Freeze to death, you bad woman!”
<
It was all clear to me now.
I looked at him.
“Billy, do you hate me that much?”
Billy sneered.
“Of course. My aunt said you’re a kid with no
family. You like destroying other people’s
families. My mother was stressed and died
because of you.”
Lisa opened the window and told Billy to
come in and eat.
“Okay, Mom!”
He ran inside happily, then looked back at me
and said, “Get lost. You’re not worthy to be
<
I looked at him and remembered the first time
I met him.
