Chapter 2

After school, I went home with injuries.

Sophia was extremely popular in class. The moment I snapped at her, a boy immediately stood up and pushed me down.

When my forehead hit the corner of the desk, everyone watched me with eyes full of coldness and schadenfreude.

From elementary school through high school, I'd never had a single friend. Sophia tirelessly led everyone in isolating me.

I wasn't afraid of being isolated. What I feared was that the teacher insisted my parent come to school on Monday.

The boy's parent came that very afternoon, fiercely defending their child.

"My son was just being a good Samaritan. Everyone saw that she threw something at Sophia first."

"Oh my, son, are you okay? Did you get hurt anywhere?"

"Someone this emotionally unstable shouldn't be allowed in school. Who knows what she'll do next time?"

Standing there with blood all over my face, I thought--if Mom were still here, she would defend me like this too.

Instead of like Dad, who ignored my injuries completely. He checked whether Sophia's face was hurt while telling me to get lost.

"You knew Sophia has to film a show tomorrow, yet you still tried to hit her face."

"Chloe Foster, your mother was so kind. How could she give birth to such a malicious child? Sometimes I really doubt you're even her daughter!"

"Wasn't it enough that you caused your mother's disappearance? Now you want to hurt Sophia too?"

I studied Dad's face carefully.

The disgust on his face--I'd been seeing it for ten years.

Ten years ago, he wasn't like this.

When Mom was here, he loved me too. Though he always regretted that I didn't resemble Mom, he still put tremendous effort into raising me.

He named me Chloe, saying I was the Foster family's most precious treasure.

He bought me beautiful dresses and jewelry. On my fifth birthday, his gift to me was an estate.

When a classmate pushed me in kindergarten, he was heartbroken. Not only did he make that family come apologize, he also found several coaches to teach me taekwondo.

He told me that if someone bullied me, I must fight back, no matter who they were.

He also told me that no matter what happened, Mom and Dad would always have my back.

The person who once promised to always have my back was now demanding to know why I hurt his Sophia.

"Go back to your room and reflect properly. Don't come out without my permission!"

From start to finish, Dad never once looked at the wound on my forehead.

From start to finish, I never found the courage to relay the teacher's message to Dad.

He wouldn't go to school for me. All these years, he'd only attended parent-teacher conferences for Sophia Foster.