Borrowed Blood

Derrick frowned.

“What, is it not enough?”

I looked away from the card and met his eyes. “I cannot use this money.”

Nothing in this world could be taken with me when I left.

The original Harriet had already died from her adoptive parents’ abuse before I ever entered this world.

The only thing she left behind was her desperate wish to return home.

This compensation meant nothing.

At that moment, Sheila leaned against Mom’s shoulder and spoke with complete sincerity.

“Take it, Sis.

“You are a Lawson now. There will be plenty of times when you need money in the future.”

She glanced at my clothes.

“And honestly, what you are wearing looks pretty cheap. You should buy a few decent outfits so people do not laugh at the Lawson family.”

Mom agreed right away.

“Sheila is right. A Lawson daughter should be like Sheila. Excellent in academics, cultured in the arts, and skilled in social situations.

“I already arranged etiquette classes, public speaking lessons, French courses, and piano lessons for you.

“I heard you never finished high school, so you will need a lot of tutoring as well. I do not want people saying that a Lawson daughter is poorly mannered and poorly educated.”

The painkillers were probably wearing off.

Something swelled inside my chest, pressing against my lungs until breathing became difficult.

“You do not need to.” I interrupted Mom. “I will be leaving soon anyway.”

The room fell silent.

A flash of joy crossed Sheila’s eyes, but her voice trembled as she spoke.

“Sis… are you angry with me?

“You have every right to be. I took your place and made you suffer all these years.

“Please do not leave. If you go, Mom, Dad, and Derrick will all be heartbroken. If anyone should leave, it should be me.”

Tears rolled down her cheeks.

Mom pulled Sheila into her arms. “My precious girl, nobody is making you leave.”

Dad looked just as distressed. He hurried to wipe away Sheila’s tears. “The Lawson family is your home. It always will be.”

Even Derrick joined in comforting her. “Do not cry. Your eyes will get swollen and that will not look pretty.”

When he turned to me, every trace of warmth disappeared.

“You will stay in the guest room from now on. Last room at the end of the hall upstairs. Do not get lost.”

As I passed Sheila’s bedroom, I paused. A blurry memory surfaced in my mind. Mom and Dad were working late, and Derrick sat on the bed with little Harriet in his arms, reading her a picture book. Every now and then, the two of them burst into laughter together.

Then I blinked, and the image vanished. The room that once belonged to little Harriet had long since become someone else’s.

The moment I entered the guest room, I took more painkillers.

That night, I slept badly.

In my dreams, I was five years old one moment and ten years old the next.

Laughter mixed with crying.

The sounds tangled together until I could not tell them apart.

Before dawn the next morning, a wave of pain jolted me awake.

Warm liquid filled my nose. I clamped a hand over it and rushed into the bathroom.

A long time later, I finally stepped out, my face pale as paper.

Without even getting water, I chewed and swallowed two painkillers.

During breakfast, Derrick suddenly spoke.

“There is a gathering today. It will mostly be young people. Harriet, you are coming with us.”

A flicker of displeasure crossed Sheila’s face, disappearing so quickly that it might have been my imagination.

She smiled.

“Of course. It will be a great chance to introduce some friends to my sister.”

She looked me over. “Your clothes are not suitable. Why do you not borrow some of mine?”

When I came downstairs wearing clothes that clearly did not fit me, Sheila’s smile grew brighter.

“You look great.”

Then she added, “It is just a little plain.”

As she spoke, she fastened a bracelet around my wrist.

“I knew this bracelet would look perfect on you.”

Derrick glanced at it and nodded.

“It does suit you.”

My gaze drifted to the ruby necklace around Sheila’s neck.

Compared to that, the complimentary bracelet on my wrist felt almost laughable.

When we arrived at the hotel, one of Derrick’s friends called him away.

Sheila immediately volunteered to stay with me.

The second Derrick disappeared, several of Sheila’s friends surrounded me.

One of them looked me up and down before smirking.

“So, you are the sister everyone keeps talking about?

“I heard you were raised by human traffickers.”

She tilted her head mockingly.

“Did you pick up any tricks from them? Maybe become an expert at kidnapping people yourself?”