Now Mr. Thompson leaned his head in from the doorway, peeking inside with a look of undisguised gloating as he asked what had happened.

“That damn girl doesn’t know what’s good for her! First, she deliberately bullied Liam. Then, when we came back, and Liam took the initiative to talk to her, she started putting on airs!

“Thompson, looks like I wronged you before. That wretched girl is just shameless by nature. Born bad!”

“Heh, kids make things up all the time. You really need to discipline her properly.”

“Yeah… shameless, born bad! I told you my dad isn’t like that!” Mandy lifted her chin proudly beside him, repeating the adults’ words.

‘No! That’s not true! Mom, he bullied me!

‘Mom, I didn’t lie. What he did was really strange!

‘Why did you defend me before, but now apologize to him?

‘Mom, I really didn’t lie!’

I spun anxiously in midair.

Mr. Thompson continued with a righteous expression, “When a child starts lying young, that’s no small matter. It’ll only worsen if you don’t correct it now.

“For her own good, you have to punish her properly this time.

“But don’t go too far. She’s still just a child, after all!”

After the neighbors left, Liam seemed even more pleased with himself. He would linger by the storage room door, deliberately making noises now and then.

Sometimes he even whistled at me smugly.

Until one day, a foul stench began to seep out from the doorway.

There were also the squeaks of rats and the sound of gnawing.

I knew that the sealed space had sped up the decay of my body. My eyeball was already crawling with dense little white maggots.

Liam covered his nose and shouted, “Mom! The storage room where Ellie stays smells so bad!”

Mom’s face changed instantly.

She immediately pulled Liam away, her face filled with indescribable disgust.

“Liam, stay back. Don’t let it get on you.”

Her eyes fixed on the storage room door. She reached out her hand several times, but each time she pulled it back.

“Just open the door. If the little girl dirtied her clothes with poop and pee, that’s not hygienic at all,” Dad said from the side, seizing the chance to persuade her.

After hearing that, Mom’s hesitant look suddenly turned firm.

“A child needs to be disciplined from a young age. She’s getting more and more outrageous!

“She actually relieved herself in the room and still refuses to come out. Isn’t that just deliberately going against us?”

At that moment, the sound of rats came again from inside.

My heart filled with hope, thinking Mom would notice something.

I was always afraid of rats.

Every time I saw one, Mom would immediately pull me into her arms. Then she would pretend not to be scared and chase the rat away.

Only after it was gone would her body start trembling slightly from fear, while I would hug her tightly and give her a big kiss.

“Mom, don’t be scared. When I grow up, I’ll protect you!”

Mom would instantly calm down and hug me tightly, her eyes glistening with tears.

Just now, I saw a brief moment of distraction cross Mom’s face, only for it to be quickly replaced by blazing anger.

She pointed at the storage room door and cursed loudly, “Ellie, are you even a girl? Do you have any shame?

“You can even poop and pee in your room?

“And you’re still in there giggling? What are you laughing at? What right do you have to laugh?

“I told you to stay in there and reflect on your mistakes, and this is how you take revenge on us? By doing something this disgusting?

“I really raised you for nothing! I might as well have spent all that effort on Liam. All these years of feeding you. It’s like I was feeding a dog!”

Seeing Mom’s body trembling from extreme anger, I felt so wronged.

I felt so wronged that I wanted to cry. However, I couldn’t shed a single tear.

I wanted to hug Mom and tell her not to be angry.

‘I never meant to dirty the room on purpose. I’m actually a neat freak.

‘I don’t know why my body is leaking yellow fluid or why it smells so bad.

‘I want to take a shower… I don’t want the rats to eat my body…’

Just then, Mom’s phone rang. It was a notification from the class group chat with good news.

[Congratulations to Ellie Wagner! Her writing “My Mom” won first prize in a local competition and has been shortlisted for the state competition. Please take note, Mrs. Wagner!]

That’s great. My writing won an award.

I revised that writing so many times and poured so much of my heart into it. It was filled with my most genuine feelings for Mom.

The group chat was instantly flooded with congratulations.

[Mrs. Wagner, you’re amazing! How did you raise such a well-rounded child?]

[Seriously, I’m so jealous! You have to share your parenting tips so we can learn too!]

Mom started typing.

[Sorry, Ms. Fuller, we would like to withdraw from the competition.

[A daughter like mine doesn’t deserve to win. She deliberately goes against the family, framed Liam, and even relieved herself in her room.

[I believe academic performance is secondary. Character matters more. Don’t you agree?

[I don’t want to contribute an immoral person to society, so we are withdrawing!]

[Oh my God, what’s the use of good grades? If my daughter were like that, I wouldn’t even want her for free…]

[Yeah, she really needs stricter discipline. This is too much.]

After a long silence, Ms. Fuller finally spoke up. [Mrs. Wagner, could there be some misunderstanding? Ellie is usually very polite!]

I hovered in midair, panicking. I tried to stop Mom’s fingers from typing, but I could only watch helplessly as my transparent hand passed straight through her phone.

There was nothing I could do.

My heart felt like it was being tightened by vines, wrapped over and over, as if an invisible hand was gripping it tightly.

The more I struggled, the more it hurt.

‘Mom, that writing contained my truest feelings for you. I listened to you. I tried to be a polite, good child.

‘I greeted everyone I met. I finished my homework on time. I worked hard. I was obedient and sensible.

‘So why are you slandering me in front of my classmates?

‘I didn’t do those things…’

At that moment, Liam ran over and began scribbling on the wall, leaving the newly renovated white wall covered with filthy curse words.

Some of them were insults about me.

“Mom, look! My masterpiece!”

My heart tightened instantly. Mom would definitely scold Liam, and I didn’t want her to be angry anymore.

She looked up at the wall and froze for a moment. Then she hugged Liam and kissed him hard.

“My son is amazing! You’ll definitely be a great artist in the future!

“Liam, don’t ever learn from your sister. I just want you to grow up happy!”

“Don’t worry, Mom. I won’t!”

After that, he shoved my shattered trophies aside and continued his crude graffiti.

Suddenly, a series of urgent knocks broke the warmth in the room.

When the door opened, it was Ms. Fuller, who had always treated me like her own daughter.

“Mrs. Wagner, I came to talk in detail. It’s such a pity to withdraw like this. Ellie shouldn’t be that kind of child.

“Is there some misunderstanding?”

She was still gentle, her face wearing her usual kind smile.

Seeing Mom’s cold expression, Dad quickly invited the teacher inside, poured tea, and set out a fruit plate.

“Winnie’s probably just too anxious. Ellie’s been acting up lately.

“Please don’t mind it. I’ll have Ellie come out right now.”

Dad looked like he had seen a savior. He immediately moved toward the storage room door.

“Don’t bother with that damn girl! If anyone opens that door today, I won’t let it go!”

“Mrs. Wagner, are you sure there hasn’t been some misunderstanding? Ellie has always been polite. She’s exceptionally gifted. Please don’t do anything extreme.

“Ellie has an extraordinary memory. With headphones on, she can memorize a hundred Spanish words in ten minutes…”

Before she could finish, the word “headphones” made Mom’s eyes widen instantly, as if she had suddenly realized something.

My nose stung as I listened. Ms. Fuller had always valued me. It felt so good to be remembered and defended.

‘Headphones…’ Mom’s eyes were suddenly filled with terror. Her body began to tremble, as if all her strength had been drained.

She barely managed to steady herself by holding onto the dining table.

“Honey… go open the storage room door… check on Ellie…”

Ms. Fuller’s eyes widened. “You lock children in the storage room? This is absurd! You requested sick leave for several days. I thought she wasn’t feeling well.

“I never imagined you locked her in there?!”

My usually gentle teacher, who never lost her temper, now had bloodshot eyes and shouted uncontrollably at Mom.

“Why are you yelling? I prepared water and food for her. I let her reflect inside. I’m her mother. Would I abuse her?

“She’s a living person. What danger could there be?”

Mom seemed to be hiding something, lashing out in anger.

“Ahhhh!”

Dad had already rushed to open the storage room door, only for him to let out a horrifying scream.

Hearing that scream from the living room, Mom collapsed to the floor instantly.

My teacher rushed forward in one stride.

Then she stood frozen, speechless at the sight in front of her.