Chapter 2

She used that money to buy the latest luxury handbag.

"That money—didn't you say you'd pay me back?" I stared at her coldly.

My mother's face stiffened.

Of course she hadn't paid me back.

She had just casually mentioned in the pack group chat: "Jade has really grown up. She knows how to be filial to her parents now."

And then, no one ever brought it up again.

"We're family. We're pack. Why talk about paying back or not?" My mother started changing the subject, her tone softening. "Alright, alright, I didn't mean it that way. It's just that your sister... she's preparing for a very important design competition lately. She's under a lot of pressure and needs money to take care of some things."

Another design competition.

Ever since Susan started college, she'd been entering countless healing gem design competitions.

Every single time, she won awards.

Our living room wall was covered with her certificates.

She became the "perfect child" that relatives and friends always talked about.

And I was the unremarkable one, the sister who only knew how to make money.

Just then, Susan's call came in.

My mother immediately lit up and answered, putting it on speaker.

"Susan! Did you get the money? Are you having fun out there?"

"I got it! Thank you, Mom!" Susan's voice was sickeningly sweet. "Oh, Mom, I have great news! My competition entry 'First Light' made it to the finals! The judges said my inspiration was amazing. They said my work was full of the most primitive awe and emotion toward life."

"First Light."

The blood in my veins nearly froze the moment I heard that name.

That was my college work.

It was my heart and soul—something I'd stayed up countless nights for, drawing over a hundred sketches before it was finally complete.

My mother had said back then that drawing those things was useless. I should go work more part-time jobs instead.

Later, that healing gem design mysteriously "disappeared."

I searched for it for ages, but eventually had to give up.

I looked at my mother. Her face showed undisguised pride and joy.

"Really? That's wonderful! I knew our Susan was the best!"

She hung up and looked at me smugly.

"Did you hear that? Look how accomplished your sister is. What do you have to compare with her?"

I didn't say anything.

I just walked over to that wall covered with certificates and looked at them one by one.

Those so-called design competitions. Those so-called award-winning works.

Every name was so familiar.

"Summer Night's Fireflies," "Misty Forest," "Deep Sea's Echo."

They were all healing gem designs I had once created, pieces that had mysteriously "disappeared."

I felt like a complete fool, chilled from head to toe.

It turned out I wasn't the daughter my parents didn't love.

I was the feed they used to nourish their other daughter.

My talent, my heart and soul, my everything—it had all become stepping stones for Susan's path to success.

And I had been kept in the dark, foolishly using my own hard-earned money to help build her "success."

Seeing that I wasn't speaking, my mother thought I was crushed by Susan's "excellence."

She walked over and patted my shoulder, her tone carrying a hint of charitable comfort.

"Come on, don't be upset. When your sister does well, our whole pack benefits. If she becomes a famous healing gem designer, won't that reflect well on you too?"

My face felt like it was burning, as if I'd been slapped countless times.

"The city where she's competing—that's City A, right?" I suddenly spoke, my voice terrifyingly calm.

My mother paused and nodded.

"Yes, why?"

"Nothing."

I took out my phone and started booking a ticket.