His Exclusive Favor

Thunder roared in the distance as lightning cracked through the sky.

The rain poured even harder.

Dragging my exhausted body up the muddy path to the hill behind our house, I found myself standing at the edge of the cliff once more.

The wind whipped around me, threatening to pull me into the abyss.

The rain mixed with my tears, and I couldn’t tell which was which.

Maybe I did something wrong in a past life to deserve this suffering.

Dad had a new family now, people he wanted to protect.

But why did my mom hate me so much?

I’d always been more obedient, more considerate, more caring than my sister, yet she never saw any of it.

When she spoke of my sister, her eyes lit up as if she’d caught a star from the sky.

And me? I was nothing but dirt beneath her feet – a stain she couldn’t wait to wash off.

I remembered once when my sister stole Julia’s money, and Mom forced me to take the blame.

“You have to keep your sister’s reputation spotless,” she told me. “If you admit to it, I’ll love you more.”

I took the blame, hoping for her love, but instead, she tied me to a tree and beat me until the branches broke.

She told everyone I was a thief.

And my sister watched, grinning in her pretty dress, looking every bit the princess while I became the villain.

Julia was the only one who saw through it all, claiming the money was never stolen to stop the beating.

I was covered in welts and bruises, and even then, I couldn’t understand why my mother hated me so.

I’d always thought maybe I wasn’t really her child.

I even asked her once, kneeling in front of her, tugging at her sleeve with trembling fingers.

“Mom... am I really your daughter?”

Her eyes burned with rage, and she hissed, “I wish I’d never given birth to a bastard like you.”

The thunder boomed, and the wind howled, cutting through my bones.

I guess it would be better if I had never been born at all.

After all, there was nothing left to tie me to this world.

Pain shot through my body, spreading from my stomach like wildfire.

The doctor said I’d live longer if I stayed positive, but how could I feel any joy when I was trapped in this hell?

Maybe it was time to go.

I was so tired.

As the rain lashed against my face, I let my eyes close.

If I died, maybe everyone would finally be happy.