4

Jason and Sharon were at a loss for words, their faces flushed with embarrassment. Finally, Jason sighed. "Let's head to the hospital."

When they arrived at the hospital, both Jason and Sharon surrounded Ivy. The doctor gave her a quick check-up and said, "It's nothing serious. Just apply some burn ointment; it's a minor issue."

Ivy kept crying. "Before, I wouldn't have felt anything, but now, with Mom and Dad's love, I realize I'm a person too. I can feel pain. You won't blame me, right?"

Her words made Jason and Sharon feel even more sympathetic. Even Dylan, who was by my side, couldn't help but feel sad.

After the check-up, it turned out my burns were severe, and I needed to stay in the hospital for recovery. The only silver lining was that I didn't feel any pain. Once I was settled in my room, Sharon sat beside me and hesitated before speaking, "Naomi, no matter what happened today, you can't blame Ivy. Put yourself in her shoes. Wouldn't you be jealous if you were her?

"Your dad, Dylan, and I care about you, we really do. We've shared so many years together. But Ivy's been through so much. When you're discharged, don't stir up trouble, and stop picking on her."

I couldn't help but let out a scoff.

Sharon's face twisted in anger and embarrassment. "What are you laughing at? Did I say something wrong? You're not even in pain, so why can't you forgive Ivy? Can't you think about all the suffering she's endured for you?"

I glanced at the doorway, where Jason and Dylan were fawning over Ivy, and it made me laugh even harder. "Mom, it was you who switched the kids, not me. Ivy's suffering is your doing, not mine. If you feel guilty, don't expect me to fix it for you."

Sharon shot to her feet. "Ivy was right, you're ungrateful!"

With that, she stormed out of the room without looking back.

5

From what Sharon said, Ivy had been working hard over the past month. No wonder, after just a month, the whole family's attitude toward me had drastically changed.

Lost in thought, I was pulled back by the doctor who came in with my test results, looking confused. "Ms. Campbell, I reviewed your tests, and I find it quite strange.

"First, your eye tests show everything is normal, so why can't you see?

"Second, your leg bones and nerves are intact. Why can't you stand or feel anything?

"Third, you don't have any of the typical conditions. Why are you showing symptoms of hypertension and stroke aftereffects?"

...

The doctor kept asking questions. When I didn't respond, he assumed I didn't know either and left.

I sighed. Why?

Of course, it's because of Jason, Sharon, and Dylan.

Dylan had severe myopia but insisted on riding the world's most extreme roller coaster, which caused a retinal detachment. The doctor said one of his eyes was severely damaged, and the other might barely retain vision.

It was then I realized I was born as a human good-luck charm, or maybe a voodoo doll. I used my secret abilities to take on the Campbell family's misfortunes.

Dylan thought it was some kind of miracle, completely unaware that I had "absorbed" his eye condition.

When Sharon had a car accident and needed an amputation, I got her a prosthetic.

When Jason suffered from serious liver, kidney disease, and a stroke due to high blood pressure, he miraculously recovered.

They thought they were lucky, never realizing that I was the one carrying the burden. Reflecting on the past four years, I could only laugh at the irony.

6

I told myself to give them one more chance, as a way to repay them for raising me.

"Maybe, just maybe, they don't stop caring about me. They're just preoccupied with feeling sorry for Ivy right now, that's all. They might change."

I counted the days, waiting for my leg burn to heal, but the Campbell family never came. The nurse looked at me sympathetically. "Miss, do you need to stay a few more days?"

I shook my head. "Call me a cab, please. I want to go home."

After all, if I kept waiting, all I'd get was being forgotten.

I returned home in my electric wheelchair, only to find the house full of people, celebrating something. My heart skipped with excitement. Were they planning a surprise for me?

As I entered, the room fell silent, and everyone turned to look at me. It was only then I realized that they weren't celebrating me. They were throwing a birthday party for Ivy.

Dylan gave an awkward smile to everyone and quickly wheeled me back to my room. On the way, I could still hear the murmurs.

"Why is the fake still living here?"

"Yeah, what's the point of keeping a sick person around?"

...

Dylan took me to my room. Before I could ask, he said, "Ivy mentioned that she hadn't celebrated her birthday in over 20 years. She said she was always envious that you had birthday parties, so... we decided to throw one for her."

He said more lightly, "Besides, you don't really like crowds, so it's better you don't attend."

"I don't like crowds?

Ever since I turned 18 and lost most of my vision, the Campbell family never threw me a big birthday party. It was always just a family meal, and they would claim, 'You don't like crowds.'

I used to not care, but looking back, I realized that wasn't true.

They were just ashamed of me.

7

After what felt like forever, the birthday party ended, and the house grew quiet.

One by one, they came to my room. Ivy begrudgingly handed me a slice of cake, speaking rudely, "Did I owe you in a past life or something? You took my parents and brother for so many years, and now that I'm finally back, you ruin my happiest moments every time! What do you want from me?

"Last time, you interrupted the family photo and made me go to the hospital for burns! I still have a scar on my hand because of you!

"This time, I even changed the date of my birthday just for you, but you still ruined it! And now you're pretending to be pitiful. Are you trying to say that Mom, Dad, and Dylan mistreat you?"

I shook my head. "My return date was set long ago. Who really chose this date, Ivy? I think you know better than anyone."

Ivy, furious, turned to Sharon and Jason. "Mom, Dad, please just agree with me. I've already found a great nursing home for her! Everyone there is like her. She'll fit in perfectly!"

Jason and Sharon sighed but didn't agree.

Dylan also shook his head. "The facility you found is way too far."

Ivy didn't expect everyone to refuse her. She was livid. "Am I the real child, or is she? Why are you so attached to a cripple?"

Finally, Jason spoke up, "Don't bring this up again. No matter what, Naomi has been our child for over 20 years. She's also our daughter."

Sharon nodded in agreement. "Yes."

8

Ivy stormed out in a huff.

Jason and Sharon didn't say anything more to me, quickly following Ivy. Dylan sighed. "Ivy just wants love. Go ahead and eat your cake. I'll check on them."

I looked at the cake on the table, thinking about what Jason had just said. It made me feel a lot better, and that was enough. I started to move my wheelchair to find Jason and Sharon. I was willing to go to the facility.

As I reached their bedroom door, I overheard voices inside.

Ivy, her voice full of tears, was saying, "Why do you have to keep her? Didn't you say you couldn't stand her, that she was disgusting? Were you lying to me? Do you actually like her more? What's next, you want me to donate my eyes and organs to her?"

Jason sighed. "That's not it!"

But Ivy cried even louder. "Then why?"

Sharon sighed. "It's all for the sake of our reputation. The last time she got sick, your dad and I thought something was off, so we secretly did some tests. It turns out she's not our child at all! We quickly registered the DNA, and that's why you were a match and found us!

"We wanted to kick her out as soon as you came back, but then she coughed up blood. If we kicked her out now, what would people think of us?"

Jason nodded. "Ivy, this is all for the sake of our image. If we kick her out, she won't survive a year, and everyone will call us heartless. We've spent so much money building this reputation as philanthropists. We can't let her ruin that."

A sharp pain struck my chest, and I couldn't breathe. I fell out of my wheelchair, which rolled and knocked over a vase, making a loud noise that alerted everyone.

9

In the chaos that followed, Dylan was the first to rush out of his room. He quickly lifted me and set me down on the sofa. I was breathing heavily. "My chest really hurts. I think it's my heart. Dylan, call an ambulance."

Dylan was about to agree when Ivy, along with Jason and Sharon, came rushing over. She snatched the phone from Dylan's hand. "Dylan, don't call."

Dylan was frantic. "This is a matter of life and death..."

Ivy scoffed. "She's faking it. Can't you see? The last time she went to the hospital for burns, they checked her thoroughly. Nothing was wrong. How could she suddenly have a heart condition? Yesterday, I felt a pain in my chest too, but I'm still fine!

"Honestly, we should kick her out right now. People who fake being sick deserve to be thrown out and cut off. And if she really does have heart disease, that just means she's weak and will die here sooner or later. Then people will accuse me of killing her as soon as I came home. How am I supposed to live with that?"