Chapter 3

The nearest hospital was in the city center, still twenty kilometers from our house.

My mother's eyes turned icy as she stared at me. "You orphan, we've raised you for over ten years, feeding and caring for you. And you dare lay a hand on my own daughter? Do as Scarlett says."

Seeing I couldn't get up, my father grabbed me and pulled me to my feet. "Stop pretending! It was just a light bump. Hurry up and carry Scarlett to the hospital. If you delay my daughter's treatment, believe me, I'll throw you out of the Langford residence."

I did believe him, but I couldn't leave yet, not now. So, I had no choice but to carry Scarlett on my back and stumble along the path to the hospital.

My father drove the car slowly, following me closely. He kept shouting, "Sophie, you'd better carry her steadily! If you dare drop my precious daughter, I'll skin you alive."

My mother also frowned and complained, "Walk faster! Did you not eat? Don't you dare delay my baby's treatment."

Scarlett leaned against my back and grinned smugly. "See? Nobody in this family loves you! You're a worthless, unwanted dog."

In the past, words like these would have stabbed straight into my heart. But now, maybe after bearing too much pain, I had gone numb and felt nothing at all.

Seeing that I didn't react, Scarlett fell silent as well.

However, just as we were about to reach the hospital, she took a safety pin hidden in her pocket and stabbed it hard into my back. I stumbled from the sharp pain and collapsed onto the ground.

My parents immediately pulled the car over to the roadside, rushed out, lifted Scarlett, who had fallen on top of me and ran toward the hospital.

My mother, following behind, glanced back at me as I turned deathly pale. She impatiently threw back a sentence. "We're already at the hospital, so find a doctor yourself. We don't have time to deal with you."

Ultimately, I didn't go into the hospital because I had no money. Since I didn't have the strength to walk back, I sat on the hospital steps until dark, then returned to the villa.

They had already been there and standing inside the villa were a timid, dishevelled middle-aged couple.

"You're back just in time," my father said, pointing to the couple. "They are your biological parents. Go with them now."

The air fell deathly silent.

My mother came over and took my hand, but her eyes avoided mine. "Sophie, we've been mother and daughter for a while and I'm heartbroken too. Now that your biological parents have been found, you have no reason to stay in the Langford residence anymore."

I originally thought I wouldn't cry, but tears still uncontrollably soaked my face. These were the parents I had kept in my heart and cherished for over ten years. Yet, they weren't even willing to let me stay in a corner of this house.

My mother felt guilty at the sight of my tears and reached out to wipe them away, but Scarlett grabbed her arm instead. "Sophie, congratulations! You're finally not an orphan anymore!"

Once they saw me, the middle-aged woman standing to the side hurried over and grabbed my hand. Her dark fingernails dug into my flesh as she began to wail dramatically, "My daughter, Mom has finally found you! Come home with Mom!"

The man claiming to be my biological father dragged me out. "Yes, yes, hurry home. We've already troubled Mr. Langford and his wife for so many years, don't be shameless anymore."

"Wait a minute." Scarlett rolled her eyes and said with a grin, "Sophie, finding your biological parents is such a big deal. It wouldn't be right not to hug to acknowledge them, would it? Or do you look down on your parents because they're poor?"

I froze, turning to my parents, "Do you guys also think I should hug them and acknowledge them as my family?"