To Buy A House For My Younger Brother, My Mother Tore Up My Admission Letter

To buy a house for my just-turned-18 brother, Jeremy Barton, my parents forced me to marry a wealthy old man from the village.

At that time, I had only two weeks left before starting at a prestigious university.

My mother, Miranda Barton, tore up my acceptance letter, robbing me of the chance to attend college.

My father, Marvin Barton, knocked me unconscious and sent me to the old man's chamber.

Faced with the leering, lecherous face of my new husband, I refused to resign myself to wasting my future in such a way. Without hesitation, I bit my tongue and took my own life.

But in the next moment, I found myself reborn, just a day before Miranda had torn up my acceptance letter.

1

I was bound to a rickety bed, staring out of the window at the jubilant crowd enjoying the feast, feeling utterly despondent.

The creak of the wooden door announced the entry of the old man, draped in a silk robe. His collar and cuffs were stained with grime and grease from the feast.

His skin was a dingy grey, dry and rough.

Deep wrinkles crisscrossed his face, changing shape as he smiled.

"What a fine wife to grace my old age," he leered, his unwashed nails reaching for me.

"Stay back!" I tried to keep my composure, but the fear gnawing at my heart was palpable. I wanted to escape this place, but my legs felt heavy as if filled with lead, and I could not move.

As he closed in, I shed my last tear in this world. I bit my tongue, spattering blood across his face.

"Damn it!" he cursed, raising his hand and delivering a resounding slap across my face.

I was too weak to fight back, and the excruciating pain dulled my senses, plunging me into darkness.

When I awoke to a blinding white light, I was back in my familiar surroundings, feeling a mixture of amazement and incredulity.

It took me a while to realize I had been reborn, back to the day before my university acceptance letter was torn to shreds by Miranda.

I had not yet been coerced by Marvin and Miranda into marrying the village elder for money.

Clutching my much-coveted acceptance letter in my hand, I felt a surge of gratitude and excitement.

The memory of Miranda tearing my letter in the previous life left me feeling a profound sense of helplessness.

Just then, I heard hurried footsteps approaching my door.

My heart leaped—it was my parents.

"Emma, come and eat," they said as they burst into my room, their fake smiles plastered on their faces.

They always barged in on me, showing no respect whatsoever.

"Okay," I replied with a smile, though revulsion bubbled within me. I had to hide my displeasure from them.

Feeling Miranda's cold, scrutinizing gaze on the acceptance letter in my hand, I pretended to put it away nonchalantly and followed them to the living room.

2

The dining table was laden with all sorts of dishes, the kind I never got to enjoy on a regular day.

"Come on, Emma, here's your favorite pork chop," my parents beamed at me with smiles that sent a chill down my spine, their insincerity palpable.

Although the feast looked plentiful, the priciest dish—a plate of giant shrimp—was directly in front of Jeremy's bowl.

Meanwhile, I faced a greasy pork chop.

"Mom! Dad! Why are you only loading her plate?" Jeremy's voice exploded with fury. I looked up at him, and there he was, his pudgy face twisted with resentment.

"How dare you speak to your sister like that!" Miranda chided Jeremy, then turned to me with a smile that felt more like a plea than a warm gesture. "Emma, you're the older sister. Let's not hold it against Jeremy."

I'd heard that countless times growing up to the point that it was starting to sound like a broken record.

Halfway through the meal, my parents exchanged glances, and finally, they dropped the bombshell.

"Emma, you know that Jeremy just turned eighteen. We're looking to buy him a house, but we don't have any extra cash on hand… Do you remember that wealthy old man from the village? The one you've met at a wedding last time we visited? He wants you as his wife, to bear him some children."

Hearing that, which echoed my past life, I couldn't help but feel a cold smirk curling at the corners of my mouth.

Noticing my silence, Miranda pressed on. "You're an adult now, and this could be a great opportunity. He's loaded, and you'd be set for life! After all we've done for you, it's time to give back."

"How much is the wedding gift?" I asked suddenly.

My parents froze, the persuasive words dying on their lips at my question.

"Three hundred thousand dollars! Just enough for Jeremy's down payment on a house!" Marvin quickly piped up, holding up three fingers.

I fell silent again, choosing my words carefully as I watched their growing urgency.

Jeremy, unable to contain himself, blurted out, "Emma, do you..."

"I'm in," I calmly cut him off, my agreement hanging in the air like a heavyweight.

Jeremy's vulgar remark was halted mid-sentence, his suspicious gaze boring into me.

"Emma, are you sure?" My parents were taken aback, their initial coercion fading into disbelief.

"Yes, Dad, Mom. As the older sister, it's only right that I help Jeremy. Besides, three hundred thousand is a lot of money! Do you know how long you'd have to work to save that up? I'd be foolish not to agree!"

Setting my utensils down, I flashed them a genuine smile, one that was completely laced with mockery.

"What about your college…" Miranda hesitated, clearly flustered.

"Mom, with that kind of money, why would I even need college? Who knows if I'll earn that much after I graduate anyway!" I insisted, firm as steel.

Those moments of uncertainty flickered in my parents' eyes, but they saw nothing but sincerity on my face and felt reassured.

"Ha! I knew you'd come around. See, this is why girls shouldn't waste their time on too much education," Marvin chuckled heartily. "What good is it if you just end up married? Better to grab a rich husband now and make some money to support us."

As he raised his glass in laughter, a grim smile crept onto my lips, hidden from his view.

3

The next morning, my parents left for the countryside, claiming they needed to discuss the wedding arrangements with the old man in detail.

They had initially planned to take me with them, but I lied, saying I had an upset stomach and couldn't travel.

As I watched them drive away, my mind was awash with memories from my past life.

The moment Miranda had torn up my acceptance letter, it felt as if my heart had been slashed by a cold, cruel blade.

My parents' faces had turned ashen, their words piercing my soul like needles.

"You're not going to that university. A girl's place is at home, obeying parents, not wasting our money on education!"

After tearing the letter, they had confined me to my room.

In a desperate bid to resist, I refused food and water for two days.

Their response was to knock me unconscious with a blunt object and then forcibly send me to the old man's bed.

As my vision faded and tears fell silently, the memories cut deep, like a jagged knife through my heart.

Overwhelmed with a wave of nausea and anger, I retreated to my room, carefully tucking away my acceptance letter.

I placed the letter's envelope in a drawer and locked it, creating an illusion of importance around it.

Just then, Jeremy burst into my room, irritation clear in his voice. "Hurry up and make me something to eat. I'm starving!"

I replied with a nonchalant, "Okay," but my fists were clenched tightly.

In my previous life, I had been accepted into the top university in the country, while Jeremy barely managed to get into a third-rate school.

They had thrown him a lavish graduation party while I had been imprisoned in my room, forced into marriage.

It was clear that the only difference between us was our gender, yet our paths and treatment by Marvin and Miranda were worlds apart.

My hard-earned academic success was dismissed as irrelevant; they believed that marriage was my true path.

On the other hand, they took immense pride in Jeremy's mediocre university, considering it the family's greatest achievement.

I had been nothing more than a sacrifice to support Jeremy, my life tailored to feed off his success.

Yet, how could I accept this? I deserved a life of my own, one far better than this.

4

That evening, my parents returned home with beaming faces.

They proudly announced that they had received a 100 thousand dollars deposit from the wealthy old man and had arranged for the wedding to take place next week.

As they counted the money with glee, I interrupted with a defiant tone. "Mom, Dad, next week won't work."

Both of them frowned and shot me wary looks, clearly dreading another one of my "tricks."

"My teacher said we're supposed to go back to school next week to collect a scholarship."

Miranda sneered at me. "What good is a little scholarship compared to a secure marriage? Just settle down already."

"But this scholarship is worth 200 thousand dollars!" I exaggerated, making a gesture with my hands for effect.

The mention of 200 thousand dollars made their eyes widen with interest, though they still looked skeptical.

"200 thousand dollars?! Are you serious? You can get that much just for going to college?"

"Absolutely. I'm the top student at our school, and I'm the only one who's managed to get into this prestigious university in the past five years. Mom, Dad, please let me go collect it. 200 thousand dollars is a huge amount! We could use it to help Jeremy with his new house renovations!"

Seeing their indecision, I decided to sweeten the deal.

"Mom, just let her go. 200 thousand dollars is a lot of money. We could use it to avoid borrowing for the renovations. We have to get that money!"

Jeremy, already impatient, added his support, tipping the scales in my favor.

When my parents heard Jeremy's agreement, their desire for the money outweighed their reservations. They reluctantly agreed to my request.

They immediately called the old man, informing him that they needed to choose another auspicious date.

The next available good date for the wedding was two weeks away.

I calculated silently in my mind.

This new date conveniently aligned with the day I was scheduled to register at school. I had enough time to make it work.

As I thought about this, a pang of sadness settled in my chest.

Just two weeks away from finally starting the university of my dreams in my past life.

5

I followed the school's schedule and attended the scholarship ceremony.

During this period, my parents didn't fully trust me; they even suggested they might go collect the money on my behalf.

"Mom, Dad, it's not that I don't want you to go. It's just that the scholarship office requires me to collect it in person. Here, look at the notice from the teacher," I said, handing them the official memo.

After reading the notice, they grudgingly accepted it but still insisted that I should give them the money as soon as it was available.

I couldn't help but smirk. Hand over the money? Not a chance.

When I got home from school, my parents immediately surrounded me. "Where's the money? Did you get it?"

Their eyes were filled with greed, scanning me up and down.

"Don't rush. The money has to go through provincial processing. It won't be available for another two weeks," I said, keeping my face impassive.

"What? Two weeks? Why so long? Emma, are you lying to us?" Their faces turned from hopeful to menacing.

They slapped me, their eyes shifting from disappointment to hostility.

I felt the sting of the slap, but it was nothing new; I barely reacted. I showed them the school's text message and a photo of me on stage receiving the award.

"In two weeks, I'm getting married. As soon as the money arrives, I'll send it to you. This money is my gift to Jeremy, so don't doubt me," I said, letting a few tears fall for effect.

"Alright, as long as the money is coming, that's what matters. Just make us something to eat; I'm starving," Jeremy complained, clutching his game console and leaning against the doorframe with a frown.

Seeing Jeremy's annoyance, my parents decided he had a point.

They stopped paying attention to me and hurried off to prepare dinner for him.

I laughed coldly in the corner. The truth was, I had tricked them—the money would actually be in my account in just three days.

Thank you, Jeremy, for making things easier.

Because of their distrust, my parents decided to sneak into my room that night.