After the Fake Heiress Jumped into the Sea

: A Cruel Joke

On my birthday, the fake heiress committed suicide by jumping into the sea.

She left a suicide note, saying she wanted to give my place back to me.

I, who was already walking on thin ice in this family, was instantly plunged into hell.

Mom and Dad despised me. "We've already let you enjoy the wealth and luxury of the Valerius Family, so why couldn't you tolerate her?!"

My brother resented me. "You were raised in the orphanage like a savage and are completely unworthy of the Valerius Family! It was Sera who begged us to bring you back. How can you be so ungrateful!"

They never mentioned that this so-called life of luxury meant living in the Valerius Family home as Seraphina Valerius's maid and lackey.

After Seraphina Valerius had me brought back, she would beat, curse, and humiliate me in secret.

No matter what happened, they would unconditionally take Seraphina Valerius's side.

From then on, I was locked in the kennel in the Valerius Family's backyard, and no one ever checked on me again.

That winter, a maid complained it was too cold and didn't bring me any food. I had to eat snow to survive.

The shock to my already fragile stomach caused me to develop a high fever.

The ordeal lasted the entire night, until I finally lost consciousness.

I don't even know if I died from the fever or from the cold.

Not long after I died, Seraphina Valerius returned.

...

"Surprise! I'm back!"

Seraphina Valerius came skipping through the front door, dressed in the latest Chanel suit and pulling a gaudy pink suitcase.

Her hair was styled in fashionable loose waves, her makeup was flawless, and she radiated an aura of youth and vitality.

She was a stark contrast to the gloom that had settled over the house.

My soul, floating in the living room, froze completely when I heard her voice.

I never imagined her so-called suicide was a complete lie.

I never thought a soul could feel such a bone-deep chill; it was as if my hollow chest was being clutched and torn apart all over again.

'She came back perfectly fine. Then what was all the abuse I suffered because of her, and my death, even for?'

"Sera!" Mom was the first to react, joyfully rushing over to hug her as tears instantly streamed down her face.

"You... you're not dead?!"

"Oh, you silly girl, you scared me to death! Where have you been? Do you have any idea how worried sick we were?!"

Dad and my brother, Caden Valerius, also crowded around her, their faces holding identical expressions of shock and elation.

Seraphina Valerius stuck her tongue out playfully and clung to Mom's arm. "Oh, come on," she whined. "I just wanted a trip to Europe, but I was afraid you wouldn't let me go alone, so I... played a little prank."

"A little prank?" Dad's expression darkened, but his tone was filled more with lingering fear and indulgence than anger. "Is that something you can joke about?"

"Exactly. Don't you ever do that again," my brother Caden Valerius added, his face stern, but he reached out and ruffled her hair.

Basking in the adoration of her family, Seraphina Valerius let her eyes scan the living room, seemingly at random, and asked in a tone of pure innocence:

"My sister isn't mad at me, is she? The letter I left was just to let her know I had no intention of fighting her for Mom and Dad's affection."

No one answered her question about me.

The atmosphere in the living room instantly froze at her question, "My sister isn't mad at me, is she?"

They froze. As if by some unspoken agreement, everyone's gaze drifted subconsciously toward the backyard.

They remembered me.

They remembered how, after Seraphina Valerius's "incident," they had unleashed all their resentment and fury upon me, the supposed culprit.

The air instantly grew awkward and heavy.

Seraphina Valerius blinked, her face a mask of innocence. "What's wrong? Speaking of which, where is my sister?"

"I'll go see her," Caden Valerius said, a flicker of barely perceptible pity and guilt crossing his face.