That day, Dad was so happy he even made my favorite cola chicken wings for dinner.

At dinner that night, the cola chicken wings didn’t even reach my mouth before they landed on my head. It was the same scene as tonight.

"Hazel! You’re only seven and you’re already this disgusting!"

"You're trying to seduce your dad into cooking for you and you don’t even see how full of yourself you are!"

Since then, I never drank cola or ate chicken wings again.

While I was thinking about it, Grandpa Vale looked at me with disgust. “What are you standing there for? Go to your room! Can’t you see your mom is already angry because of you?”

“You really have no heart. You just came home and already made your mom this upset.”

I stayed quiet, pulled the vegetable leaves hanging from my hair and walked toward my room.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Grandma Anna leaning on Grandpa’s shoulder, covering her face. “If I’d known, I wouldn’t have let our dear daughter have a child. How could she give birth to such a monster?”

“Look what you’ve done to our precious daughter.”

Tears fell from my eyes. I didn’t. I should have let my mother give birth to me.

When I got to bed, I couldn’t stay standing anymore. My legs gave out and I fell to the floor.

A quiet sob slipped out. I didn’t know how long it took.

In the darkness, I heard Dad’s quiet, careful voice and Mom’s loud, angry scream. “Kevin! What do you mean? Your daughter is more important to you now, isn’t she?”

Dad spoke in a low voice, but the quiet night carried every word to my ears. “What are you saying? You’re my wife. Of course, you’re the most important. But Hazel is still young; she’s our daughter. Don’t be so….”

Before he could finish, Mom’s scream interrupted him. “Ahhh! Was it that brat who seduced you?”

“Okay, okay, I get it! I get it!”

"I'll go ask her right now, what exactly does it take for her to let me go!"

Moments later, my door burst open and the room lights came on all at once.

Before I could get used to the brightness, slaps and punches rained down on me. Mom’s screams echoed through the room.

“Why are you doing this to me, Hazel? What did I ever do to you?”

“I should have strangled you when you were born! No! I shouldn't have given birth to you!"

“I gave you life! Now go die!”

The pain from her slap hadn’t even gone away before her punches and kicks came again.

I couldn’t hold it in anymore. I stood up and pushed her back. “Enough!”

"How have you wronged me? From childhood to adulthood, what have you ever done to deserve my respect?”

“If you never wanted me, why did you give birth to me? Did I ask to be born?”

“Why do I have to keep suffering like this?”

I ignored the tears falling down my face and let out all the pain I had held in for years. My grandparents rushed into the room after hearing the noise and heard my words.

Grandma quickly held Mom up and looked at me like I was something dirty. "Hazel! Do you have any conscience at all?”

“If it weren’t for you, your mother wouldn’t have gotten depression after giving birth! Eighteen years, eighteen whole years!”

“Do you know what your mother has been through all these years? How could you say such things to her?”

Those same words again. Because of me, because she suffered postpartum depression.

So ever since I was a child, everyone in my family tried not to upset Mom. They always told me to give in to her no matter what.

As her daughter, I wanted to and would give Mom her happiness. I tried hard enough, so many times, so why do they still treat me like this?

Why? My questioning made Mom stop. But Grandma’s words only made Mom even angrier.

Mom broke free from Dad and Grandma, ran toward me and pushed me hard.

I was caught off guard and fell to the floor. Behind me was my bag, the one with the box cutter I always carried.

The sharp blade cut into my lower back. I couldn’t move.

Still not satisfied, Mom kicked me again and again. Each kick drove the blade deeper.

I wanted to beg Mom to stop, but the heavy feeling of being unable to breathe kept me from saying a word.

Maybe seeing my face grow paler stopped me from saying a word.

Dad suddenly shouted, "Enough! Enough!"

Mom stopped and looked at him in shock.

"You're protecting her? You're really protecting her? Fine! Then I’ll die! I’ll make space for you two!”

The next moment, before anyone could move, Mom ran out of my room and rushed toward the balcony railing at the end of the hallway.

A loud bang rang out and the world fell silent as everyone froze in shock.

Grandma was the first to move, crying out in pain, "My precious daughter!"

She was the first to run out of the room, with Dad and Grandpa right behind her.

No one even looked at me, still lying on the floor. I just listened to the screams and frantic voices from downstairs.

"Wife, wife!"

"Daughter, daughter!"

"Don’t be afraid, don’t be scared. Dad will take you to the hospital."

Soon, the noise faded and silence filled the house again.

I quietly watched the pool of blood beneath me spread wider, feeling the strength in my body slowly fade away.

Mom, this time, you got what you wanted. I would never disturb your life again.

In the best hospital ward in Brookdale, Mom’s ankle was wrapped in thick bandages.

After I stopped breathing, I realized my soul couldn’t leave Mom and Dad’s side. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t go anywhere. In the end, I gave up. It turned out that even in death, I wasn’t free.

Dad was peeling an apple for Mom. “You’re already an adult, yet you still act like a child.”

“Good thing our house only has two floors. You just sprained your ankle.”

“If something really happened to you, how would I live?”

Mom pouted, looking like a spoiled little girl. “Hmm, you’re the one who protected her.”

Grandma leaned against Grandpa, still holding her chest in fear. “You’re my only precious daughter. If anything had really happened to you, I’d die.”

“You even hurt yourself because of that useless girl.”

“You’re my life. Don’t ever do like that again.”

When I saw Grandma’s troubled face, I felt only jealousy.

Back when I was young, other kids had grandparents who picked them up, who always loved their grandchildren.

When I was little, I felt sad and ran to Grandma for comfort, but her eyes showed no warmth.

“Your Mom is my daughter. Because you’re her child, you’re my granddaughter.”

“But in my heart, my daughter will always come first. You made her suffer and I’ll never forgive you, even if you’re her child.”

At that moment, besides feeling sad, I also felt very jealous.

So, my mom’s mother really loved her, but why did my mom not love me?

Mom’s soft voice came again. “I don’t want to go back to that house. Just seeing her makes me upset. Let’s go back to our small villa outside the city.”

“Hurry up and ask someone to send her back to school!”

Dad gave Mom the peeled apple. “Alright, whatever you want.”

With the doctor's approval, Dad drove Mom, Grandpa and Grandma home.

However, it wasn’t the home I was going back to. When I saw the new villa, I felt confused and lost.

In the big house, there were large wedding photos of my parents and family pictures with Grandpa and Grandma, but there were none for me.

Mom sat comfortably on the sofa. “It feels so good here. This is my real home.”

Grandma gently picked up a blanket and placed it over Mom’s legs.

"Every time you don’t want to see her, you say Kevin is on a business trip and stayed here. You’re still the same after all these years, such a child.”

Grandma’s words were gentle, but they hit me hard.

Ever since I was little, Dad has often gone on business trips. Whenever he was away, Grandpa and Grandma took Mom back to the countryside.

They didn’t come home until Dad’s trip was over, sometimes two weeks, sometimes a month, or even longer.

Those business trips were really just excuses for all of them to stay away from me.

Dad sat silently, staring at his phone.

On the screen was our chat.

[Hazel, Mom and Dad can’t come home tonight. Remember to lock the door.]

[Hazel, are you asleep?]

I didn’t reply. That had never happened before.

Any message from Dad, no matter what it was, no matter what I was doing, I always replied immediately.

Maybe Dad didn’t even realize it, but his hand was shaking as he held the phone. He stood up, walked to the balcony and called his secretary.

“Go to my house right now and check.”

“Is my daughter at home?”

As soon as the call ended, Mom appeared behind him.

“Who are you calling?”

“Was it that brat, Hazel?”

Dad quickly put his phone away and forced a smile. “It’s the secretary.”

“Didn’t you ask me to send her back to school soon? I told my secretary to handle it tomorrow. Don't overthink it.

After hearing Dad’s explanation, Mom looked much happier. "That's better."

Dad let out a relieved sigh and helped Mom to the sofa to sit. After a moment, his phone rang.

He answered, only to hear the secretary's trembling voice.

“Mr. Vargas, Miss Hazel… is dead.”