Jackpot Heist: Tearing Down the Thieves Who Raised Me

The tragic end of my previous life seemed to replay vividly before my eyes.

"Mikaela bought a lottery ticket and hid it from me. She even lied, saying she didn't buy one. Mom, what do we do?" Vincent looked at me with open hostility in his eyes.

Dad slammed his fork down. "Hand over the lottery ticket! You won't win anything anyway. Let Vincent play with it. What does it matter?"

Vincent let out a short laugh. "Maybe she thinks she's too good for our family now that she might win big."

Mom stood up right away. She dragged me into my room and searched me from head to toe, even checking the lining of my clothes.

"Mikaela, where did you hide it? Give it to me now!" she yelled, pointing at me like I was a thief.

My eyes reddened, and I said in a wounded tone, "I've already told you—I didn't buy any lottery ticket! And yet, none of you believe me!

"I only bought one, and Vincent already has the one I picked."

Vincent frowned and stared at me. He wasn't sure anymore.

After all, in this life, he had rushed over too fast. He didn't actually see if I'd gone into the grocery store.

When the door to my room closed, I pulled the real lottery ticket out of my hair.

Fortunately, I had tucked the lottery ticket into my hair just in time, keeping it from being discovered by any of them.

But it also meant that my room was no longer safe.

While pretending to use the bathroom, I slipped the lottery ticket into a sealed bag and hid it inside the toilet tank.

Vincent even took a few days off from school. He kept barging into my room, refusing to give up.

I watched him pull open drawers and toss my things around, all the while staying calm.

Mom also dragged me out to buy clothes. When I went into the fitting room, she rummaged through my bag like a thief.

They found nothing because I had hidden the lottery ticket somewhere they would never think to look.

Soon, the day the lottery numbers were to be drawn arrived.

Just like last time, my lottery ticket hit the 100-million-dollar jackpot. I was finally about to claim my prize and take back everything I had lost.

But when I got home from school, I sensed something amiss.

The moment I stepped inside, Mom slapped me across the face. My cheek burned hot. "If the toilet hadn't clogged, I never would have found your lottery ticket in there."

She smiled coldly at me and shook the lottery ticket in her hand.

Vincent looked thrilled. "Mom, I told you she hid a lottery ticket. None of you believed me!"

I rushed to the bathroom and found that the tank was empty.

Dad kicked me hard, his fist tightening as he snarled, "So you think you're bold enough to hide things from us now? Do you really think you're some kind of lucky charm?"

He snatched up the lottery ticket with a disdainful snort. "Today, I'll snap you out of your little fantasy."

With that, he raised the lottery ticket in both hands, ready to tear it apart.

"Dad! No!" Vincent let out a piercing scream and lunged forward, grabbing Dad's leg in a panic. He shouted, "Don't tear it! That ticket can win us 100 million dollars!"