Chapter 1
My sister–in–law has terrible eyesight..
Before she and my brother were married, she saw us walking together and, assuming I was his mistress, punched me in the face. My eyeball ruptured. I lost sight in one eye. But she just stuck out her tongue and gig- gled. ‘Oops, my vision’s blurry. I made a mistake! We’re about to be family, so you won’t hold it against me, right?”
My mother and brother agreed. I shouldn’t make a big deal out of it and jeopardize my brother’s happiness.
After the wedding, I was in the shower at home when she burst in with a kettle of boiling water and poured it over me. My body was covered in severe burns. She just cried and threw herself into my brother’s arms. “I just love you so much! I can’t stand the thought of any other woman being near you!”
He was touched. He forgave her. My family left me in the hospital to fend for myself. I died from a systemic infection.
When I opened my eyes again, I was back in the moments before my brother and I were about to leave the house.
Lilian’s birthday is coming up. Ineed to get her a gift. Sis, come help me pick something out.”
My brother, Mark, gave me a shove. The motion jolted me awake. The searing pain of boiling water felt so real it was as if it hadn’t faded. I immediately pushed up my sleeves, but my arms were smooth and unmarr-
ed
“What are you doing? Let’s go, Mark said, his voice louder when I didn’t respond.
Tignored him, glancing at my phone. The date confirmed it. I was reborn.
“I can’t,‘ I said quickly, clutching my stomach and grimacing. My stomach’s been killing me for days. I can’t go out.”
“Always something with you, my mother grumbled, emerging from the kitchen “Don’t think I don’t know you’re faking it. Get up and go help your brother. She grabbed my arm and yanked.
Caught off guard, I fell to the floor. The fake pain became real. But this wasn’t the time to argue. I had to stay home. I had to protect my eyes.
Mom, why don’t you go with Mark? You have better taste than I do. If Lilian knew you picked out her gift, she’d be thrilled.”
Imb
My mother rolled her eyes. “I’m busy. No time.”
I knew what this was really about. Mark wanted me to come along so I’d be the one to pay. My mother knew it too, which is why she refused to go.
I pulled out my phone and transferred him some money. “Here, this is from me. The seasons are changing; buy yourself some new clothes too.”
The money improved her mood instantly. Mark, seeing he had his funding, no longer cared who went with him.
‘Fine Mom, go change. Let’s get going.”
As my mother headed to her bedroom, I followed. “Mom, wear this one,” I said, pulling a brightly colored dress from her closet. ‘It’s beautiful. Makes you look young and vibrant.”
She put it on without a second thought.
I watched them leave, breathing a sigh of relief.
But a moment later, I slipped out of the house and followed them.
They went straight to the mall, heading for the luxury boutiques on the ground floor. Mark clearly already knew what he wanted to buy. I watched from a distance, careful not to get too close.
Soon, a familiar figure appeared.
Mark’s girlfriend, Lilian, was walking arm–in–arm with her best friend, heading towards the same boutique.
Her friend spotted him first. “Lilian, look! Isn’t that your boyfriend?”
Lilian squinted. There was Mark, arm–in–arm with another woman, laughing and smiling. Because the woman’s hair was down, she couldn’t see her face clearly.
Not that it mattered It was a woman. That was all the proof she needed.
“That bastard! He told me he was picking out a gift for me, but he’s fooling around with this slut! I’ll teach her a lesson!”
Lilian rolled up her sleeves and stormed towards them. ‘MARK!” she screamed at their backs.
My mother and Mark spun around at the sound of her voice. The next second, a fist slammed Into my mother’s eye socket.
“AGH!” my mother shrieked, stumbling back and clutching her face.
“You’re disgusting” Lilian spat. “You’ll stoop this low? An old hag? If you wanted to break up, you should’ve just said so!”
Mark was stunned for a second, then rushed to help our mother. Seeing this, Lilian grew even more furlous. ‘I’ll kill you, you old witch! You shameless crone!”
T
‘Are you insane?! This is my MOTHER! Mark yelled.
Lilian’s hand froze mid–air. “Wh–what?”
My mother, cupping her eye, howled in pain. “My eye! It hurts so much! I can’t see! Son, my eye!”
“Oh god, ma’am, I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to! I thought you were-
Lilian reached for my mother, but after being punched, my mom was in no mood for apologies. She ignored Lillan completely, grabbing Mark’s arm. ‘Take me to the hospital! Son, Mom can’t see!”
They rushed off to find a cab, not saying a single word to Lilian. But this time, Lilian knew she was in the wrong. And since she didn’t want to break up with him, she scrambled to follow them.
I watched the whole chaotic scene, and I couldn’t help but laugh out loud
