At the orphanage, a wealthy couple came, looking to adopt my brother and me.
My ten-year-old brother, Liam, holding my five-year-old hand, pointed to a dirty little kid with a doll who seemed a bit lost outside the door.
You go play with that kid for a bit. I’ll call you when it’s time to leave.
Watching his retreating back, a sense of fear made me chase after him.
But then I saw him, standing with Daisy, pleading with Director Anne.
“Daisy is so well-behaved and considerate. Please, let her take Chloe’s place and be adopted with me instead.”
I stood there, stunned and disbelieving.
The dirty little kid, meanwhile, ran over eagerly and pulled on my hand.
“Our family needs a little sister. Come home with me.”
1
Watching Liam’s retreating back, an unsettling feeling stirred within me.
Ever since our parents passed away, we had been at this orphanage, and Liam had been my shadow.
He’d always said we’d be adopted together.
That way, he wouldn’t have to worry about anyone bullying me.
But now, looking at the dirty little kid who only talked to her doll, I felt a shiver of fear.
After a moment of thought, I turned and ran in the direction he’d gone.
I found myself outside Director Anne’s office, where Liam was holding Daisy’s hand, pleading.
“Daisy is so well-behaved and considerate. Please, let her take Chloe’s place and be adopted with me instead.”
Director Anne looked conflicted, trying to reason with him.
“Liam, you and Chloe are siblings. You’re a family.
Are you sure you want to give up on her?
I’m afraid you’ll regret it later.”
Liam shook his head firmly. “Chloe is smart and beautiful. She’ll find another good home.
But Daisy, she only has me. I need to look after her.”
My nose stung, and tears started to stream down my face.
But I only had him.
Director Anne looked at Daisy’s face, her honesty tinged with sadness.
“I’m afraid they might not agree.”
Liam hugged Daisy. “They will agree.
They only wanted to adopt me anyway.
Chloe was just a bonus, so replacing her won’t make a difference.”
Director Anne finally nodded. “Alright, I’ll ask them.”
I peered through the window, watching Liam and Daisy hug each other, seemingly overjoyed.
I couldn’t understand why things had suddenly turned out this way.
The little kid stood by the door, studying me for a long time before finally running over.
He grabbed my hand, shaking his head happily.
“Our family needs a little sister. Come home with me.”
My lip trembled, and I yanked my hand away from his.
“Don’t touch me. My brother wouldn’t abandon me.
I don’t want to go with you.”
The little kid frowned, shaking his head seriously.
“No, your brother doesn’t want you.
I heard him just now.”
I burst into tears, pushing him away.
“That’s nonsense! I’m going to find out right now.”
2
Inside the office, Liam held Daisy’s hand, speaking softly.
“Daisy, from now on, we’re family.”
Daisy pressed her lips together in a joyful smile and nodded vigorously.
“Yes, you’re the best brother.”
Liam gently stroked her head.
I shoved the door open with a bang and angrily rushed forward, pushing Daisy away.
“Get away! That’s my brother!”
Daisy stumbled back a couple of steps, steadying herself, and looked at me with hurt in her eyes.
Liam gasped and quickly rushed over to her.
“Are you okay? Did you get hurt?”
Daisy silently shook her head, but her eyes were brimming with tears.
Liam turned to me, his gaze full of displeasure.
“Chloe, who told you to hit people? Is this how I taught you to behave?”
I felt a surge of injustice but forced back my tears.
“Why did you replace me?”
Liam looked away, a flicker of guilt in his eyes.
That only made me angrier. I pointed at Daisy, my voice trembling with indignation.
“Replacing her with me? Is that something a real brother would do?
How can you face Mom and Dad after this?”
Liam opened his mouth, then finally, with a hint of exasperation, he raised his voice.
“Why are you being so selfish?
There are so many kids here waiting to be adopted.
Are we, just one family, supposed to take up two spots?”
I didn’t know how to argue back. I could only stand there, eyes wide, tears streaming down my face.
Yesterday, the wealthy Thompson family visited the orphanage.
They thought Liam and I were a beautiful pair, being siblings, and wanted to adopt us together.
Liam had been ecstatic, saying we’d never be separated.
He even excitedly packed my favorite things.
Daisy was the daughter of Mom’s best friend.
She and her mom were on the same flight as ours, and her mom didn’t survive either.
So, she came to the orphanage with us.
She always used to cling to Liam, saying how lonely it was being an only child.
Liam was always kind to her, but he’d always told me that no one could ever replace me.
Just yesterday, I saw him comforting Daisy.
“Don’t worry, someone will come to adopt you soon too.”
But when he came back, he seemed downcast. That night, before bed, he asked me,
“Chloe, do you think anyone would bully Daisy if she gets adopted alone?”
A sudden sense of dread washed over me. I hugged his arm tightly.
“No, Director Anne wouldn’t allow it.”
He was silent for a few seconds, then spoke again.
“What if the people who adopt her aren’t kind?”
I panicked, my voice rising involuntarily.
“Director Anne would deal with it!
Liam, we can’t get involved.”
3
Liam nodded absentmindedly, then turned over and went to sleep.
But I knew he was worried about Daisy.
Mom’s best friend had been a single mother.
Our two families lived close by and often visited each other.
Although Daisy was very clingy with Liam, he hadn’t been particularly close to her before.
Liam often said that a brother’s love belonged only to his sister, and that was me.
But human emotions aren’t solely determined by blood ties.
When Liam was eight, he was kidnapped by traffickers.
It was Daisy who discovered it and resisted with all her might to save him.
She clung to the kidnapper’s car and was dragged for hundreds of feet.
That’s what made the bystanders call the police.
But she also sustained severe injuries, leaving indelible scars all over her body, including her face.
I don’t remember the details clearly, only her terrified screams in the hospital.
Despite multiple treatments, she never fully recovered.
From then on, other kids often called her an “ugly freak.”
Liam started taking care of her and worrying about her.
Mom also used to say, “Daisy is our family’s savior; we owe her so much.”
At first, I nodded, half-understanding, “Daisy is our family’s benefactor, we should be good to her.”
But gradually, Liam became more and more attentive to her.
Any gift he gave me, Daisy would get one too.
Once, he even managed to get a limited-edition collectible, but he gave it to her.
I panicked. He was *my* brother.
My own brother.
And so, I started to hate Daisy.
I hated her for always trying to steal my brother.
I waited until we were alone and warned her.
“Stop bothering my brother. He doesn’t like you at all.”
Daisy moved closer to me, whispering in my ear.
Her words were cold and chilling, like a boa constrictor I’d seen on a nature documentary, making me shiver all over.
“I won’t stop. Auntie said they’d treat me like their own daughter now. So Liam is *my* brother too!
I’m going to bother him every single day.”
I got angry. I lunged forward and pushed her down, raising my fist.
“If you come near him again, I’ll hit you!”
But she just pressed her lips together, her eyes welling up.
Liam came out of his room and saw us. For the first time, he lost his temper with me.
“Chloe, why are you so spoiled?”
“We’ve just spoiled you rotten!”
4
And so, I hated her even more.
She was always silent, yet she stole all the family’s attention.
I didn’t know what to do; I just felt that if she left, everything would be fine.
Because of this, Mom and Dad grew more and more disappointed in me, and Liam became closer and closer to Daisy.
But we were family, and they just thought I needed more guidance.
Who could have known there would be a plane crash, taking Mom and Dad’s lives?
At the orphanage, I clung to Liam even more.
He was the only family I had left in this world; no one could take him from me.
Liam repeatedly promised he wouldn’t leave me, telling me to stop being mean to Daisy.
But he didn’t know that ever since Daisy was injured, her personality had become a bit strange.
She always walked around with her head down, looking at me with eyes full of hatred.
And I also knew Liam was always secretly saving his candy and milk for Daisy.
I couldn’t bring myself to like her.
But I never, ever imagined he would take my adoption spot and give it to her.
Maybe it was because I was crying so hard.
Liam looked a little heartbroken. He came over and wiped my tears.
“Don’t cry, Chloe.
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