Margaret peeled me an orange. "Your brother’s about to start middle school. You think tuition and tutoring fees are free? Your father and I can’t dig gold out of our tiny patch of land. If Rachel doesn’t go out to earn money, the whole family will be starving."

At her words, Rachel lowered her head and twisted her fingers.

I couldn’t see her face, but I saw her dry, thin hands covered in cracks.

"But—"

"No buts."

This time it was Robert who spoke, puffing on his pipe until the corner was thick with smoke.

"You think everyone’s as lucky as you, getting adopted by rich people? Rachel’s not a kid anymore. I raised her this far—shouldn’t she make some money for her parents?"

He glanced at Rachel, his tone casual.

"If you don’t want to work, fine. I’ve found you a good match. In a small town east of here, there’s a man whose wife just died. He’s willing to pay ten thousand dollars as a dowry payment."

Rachel’s eyes widened in fear, and she shook her head violently. "Dad, I don’t want to get married. I’ll work!"

Hearing them speak and seeing her reaction sent a chill down my spine.

This was nothing like the home I’d imagined.

While I sat there stunned, Lily, who had been quiet the whole time, finally spoke up.

Her voice was timid, as if she had gathered all her courage.

"Dad, Mom… the day after tomorrow, I don’t want to go work with Rachel. I want to keep studying…"

"Studying?"

Margaret let out a cold laugh. "What’s the point of a girl studying so much? Just wasting the money your brother needs to get married! I’m telling you—day after tomorrow, you’re going to the factory with Rachel, no arguments."

"I won’t…"

Her voice broke into sobs. "My grades are good. My teacher says I can get into a top high school, and then maybe a good university!"

"Easy for you to say!"

Margaret shot to her feet and grabbed Lily’s face hard. "Is that why I let you study this long? So you could learn to talk back to your parents?!"

Lily cried out in pain but still refused to lower her head.

Robert picked up a wooden stick from the side and raised it toward her back.

My heart lurched. I rushed forward, pulling her into my arms.

"Dad, Mom, let’s talk about this! Lily’s doing so well in school—let her keep studying. If she graduates from college, she can get a good job and help support the family."

Robert lowered the stick, and Margaret sat back on the couch, though her expression was still dark.

"That’s all well and good, but you see our situation. How can we afford her high school tuition and boarding fees? That’s a lot of money."

At the mention of money, their expressions changed instantly, and they looked at me expectantly.

I knew this moment was coming.

Robert rubbed his hands together and sat down beside me.

"Did your parents send anything for us? Or… did you bring us a gift?"

Margaret jumped in quickly.

"Yes—look at this old house. It’s long overdue for rebuilding. And your brother will need money for college, a job, a house, a wedding… You’ll have to help us out a lot."

"Your parents are so rich—even if they just give us a tiny bit, it’d be enough for us to live on for the rest of our lives."

Even though I’d braced myself, their words still chilled me.

So all that affection and warmth earlier had come with conditions.

There was no guilt, no love—only calculation.

If I hadn’t been adopted by William and Elizabeth, I’d be living Sarah’s and Rachel’s lives right now.

I took a deep breath, my voice hardening.

"Dad, Mom… I can’t help you. I don’t have a single cent."

Just as I finished speaking, Jacob, who had been holed up in his room the whole time, piped up.

"Dad, Mom, how come there’s no gold or cash in Emily’s suitcase—just clothes?"

Robert and Margaret’s faces changed instantly, their eyes darting to me in disbelief.

"What did you say? You don’t have money?"

I nodded, avoiding their gaze.

"My adoptive parents didn’t want me reconnecting with you, but I insisted. They got so angry they cut ties with me."

With every word I spoke, their expressions grew darker.

"They kicked me out, took back all my bank cards, and told me never to come back."

"Cut ties?!"

Robert shot to his feet, pointing a finger at me.

"Are you insane? All that money—you couldn’t fight for it? You couldn’t cause a scene?!"

Margaret’s expression twisted, the earlier friendliness gone.

"Are you stupid? Go back right now and ask them for more money before you come back! Otherwise, you can die out there for all I care!"

Her last sentence stabbed me right in the heart.

Tears welled in my eyes as I looked at her quietly.

"Mom… are you not happy I came back? Is money the only reason you’d want to see me? And… was I really taken by human traffickers back then?"

She didn’t even flinch, grabbing my arm and yanking me toward the door.

"Get out! I thought I could get something out of you—wasted a whole meal on you for nothing!"

I stumbled after her, trying to pull back.

"Mom, it’s already dark out. I really have nowhere to go."

"Not my problem!" She spat the words at me.

"You think you can keep freeloading here? Get out and stay out!"

Rachel and my two younger sisters rushed over, crying and begging Margaret not to throw me out.

But Robert picked up the wooden stick again, and they fell silent, red-eyed but unable to help.

My gaze swept over them, then fixed on my parents’ twisted faces.

"I’m your biological daughter. Can you really throw me out like this? At night? I don’t know my way around here—what if there are wild animals in the mountains?"

They were unmoved. My heart turned cold.

"Fine. I’ll go."

I packed my things and walked to the door without a word.

But just as I stepped outside, Margaret’s voice stopped me.

"Wait—you can stay."

Relief flickered in my chest, but her next words shoved me straight into hell again.

"Didn’t you say that man was willing to pay ten thousand to marry one of our girls? This one’s young and pretty—should be worth more."

Goosebumps crawled over my skin, and I instinctively tried to run.

But Robert was faster. He grabbed me and tied me up.

"Good thinking, Margaret—almost lost a gold mine."

My blood ran cold.

"Dad, Mom, are you really going to do this? I gave up everything to find you."

"That widower’s fifty, sure, but he’s got a bit of money."

Robert tied me to a wooden post as he spoke. "You’ll live a good life with him."

"I’m not marrying him!" I trembled all over. "He’s old enough to be my father!"

"It’s not your choice!"

He yanked the rope hard, making me cry out in pain.

Suddenly, Rachel ran forward and grabbed his arm, her voice shaking.

"Dad, let Emily go. I’ll marry him instead."

But Robert shoved her away in disgust.

"Don’t meddle. Just get back to work."

Rachel kept pleading for a while longer, but Margaret dragged her away, forbidding her from interfering.

The next day, Robert went out to find the widower, leaving Margaret behind to watch me.

It was summer break. Jacob lounged in his room with his feet up, watching TV, while Rachel and my two younger sisters worked nonstop.

Rachel carried a hoe out to the fields.

Lily was at the well, washing the family’s laundry.

Sophie, the youngest, wasn’t idle either—Jacob kept ordering her around.

She brought him a cup of water. Jacob took a sip, glanced at her mischievously, and the next moment, splashed the scalding hot water right onto her face.

Sophie instinctively raised her hand to shield herself, accidentally shoving him.

He fell back and immediately began wailing on the floor.

Margaret rushed over at the sound and, without asking questions, slapped Sophie hard across the face.

"You worthless little thing! Were you trying to kill your brother? You black-hearted brat!"

Her face, already red from the burn, swelled even more from the slap.

But she didn’t dare fight back—instead, she kept begging Jacob to forgive her.

Even though she’d just been humiliated, while Margaret fussed over Jacob, Sophie slipped me a small ball of white rice.

It must have been saved from her own meal.

"Thank you," I whispered, my throat tight.

She didn’t respond, just hurried away.

Robert soon returned with the man. The moment his eyes landed on me, they lit up.

"Pretty girl—worth the price. Well? If you agree, I’ll take her with me now."

Margaret’s gaze locked on the money he held out.

"Deal!"

While they went inside to count the cash, Sarah came back.

She strode straight into the house.

"Dad, Mom, you can’t do something this heartless! Wasn’t selling me off enough? Why push Emily into the same pit?"

A loud, sharp slap rang out from inside.

Rachel arrived next, dropping her hoe and rushing in.

"Dad, Mom, don’t sell her. I’ll take her with me to work and earn you the money, okay?"

"Earn my ass!" Robert’s voice barked from inside.

"If she runs, are you going to pay me back?!"

While they argued, Lily and Sophie ran to me and began sawing at the rope around my wrists with a knife.

"Emily, run! Head straight east and you’ll hit the main road. Flag down a car and get out of here—don’t come back."

By then, tears were already streaming down my face. As soon as the rope was cut, I grabbed my phone and made a call while running.

But Robert and the man quickly caught up. I was dragged back into the house.

Lily and Sophie knelt in the doorway, while Margaret beat them with a wooden stick.

The sound of it landing on their small bodies pierced into my chest like nails.

I was beyond furious.

"Dad, Mom—do you really not regret what you’ve done today? Are you sure you want to marry me off to this old man for a bit of cash?"

They looked impatient, urging the man to take me away.

Just then, the roar of fifty luxury cars filled the air, engines shaking the ground and kicking up clouds of dust as they pulled into our small town.

One by one, the cars stopped at our door. A row of bodyguards got out, forming two neat lines.

One of them stepped forward, kicking the man away from me, and handed me a large case.

I took it, turned, and faced my trembling parents.

Right in front of them, I flipped the case open—inside was ten million dollars.